Melo, who will join teammate Allen Iverson as an All-Star starter in New Orleans later this month, made 19 of 25 shots from the floor and made all eight of his free throws in the third-highest individual scoring game in the NBA this season.
Cleveland's LeBron James scored 51 against Memphis in January and Iverson went for 50 in December against the Lakers.
Anthony's previous career-best was 45 points against Philadelphia on Dec. 27, 2005. He topped that with a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 1:25 remaining, then sank two free throws with 49 seconds left.
Anthony was double- and triple-teamed in the final minute as the Wizards were determined to keep him from topping the 50-point mark.
Anthony became the third Nuggets player to top 40 points in a game this season. Linas Kleiza scored a career-high 41 at Utah on Jan. 17.
Anthony had scored 29 by the time the Nuggets took a 56-47 lead into the locker room at halftime. Through three quarters he had 40 points on 16-of-20 shooting, surpassing his season high of 37 set against Houston on Dec. 20, then sat out most of the fourth quarter before returning with less than six minutes left.
Iverson added 18 points and Kenyon Martin 16, including many of the Nuggets' 10 dunks.
The Wizards, playing in their gaudy gold alternate jerseys, got 21 points from Antawn Jamison and 19 from Nick Young.
Were it a closer game, Marcus Camby might have had a shot at his fourth career triple-double and second one this season. He had six points, eight assists and 14 boards through three quarters and added just three rebounds in limited minutes in the fourth quarter.
With Anthony and Camby on the bench, the Wizards trimmed their deficit in the second half, pulling to 94-84 on Young's jumper just under the six-minute mark.
