NBA Capsules: Anthony returns from injury, helps Denver past Dallas

DENVER — Carmelo Anthony got an unexpected breather in his return from an ankle injury.

Anthony, who missed the previous eight games with a sprained left ankle, scored 19 points before joining other Denver starters on the bench for the fourth quarter as the Nuggets had their most lopsided win of the season, 127-91 against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night.

"The good thing is my first game back, I didn’t have to do too much," Anthony said. "But the bad thing is, I already had been sitting out for two weeks. I wanted to play (more), but I’ll take a 36-point win any day."

The victory margin against a Dallas team that Denver eliminated in last season’s semifinal round of the playoffs surpassed the Nuggets’ previous high of 28 points, which they achieved twice in wins against Toronto and New Jersey in November.

Though Denver beat Dallas for the sixth time in seven meetings, the Mavericks defeated the Nuggets in their previous encounter in December at the Pepsi Center, dealing one of the Nuggets’ four losses in 27 home games this season.

"We didn’t expect to beat a good team like that by that amount of points, but we came out and played well from the beginning," Anthony said. "Everybody got involved. Everybody was on the same page. We knew in the back of our mind how important this game was."

And even though he was rested in the fourth quarter, Anthony said he played long enough to know that he has no lingering problems from the ankle sprain that he suffered Jan. 23 against New Orleans.

"I approached this game wanting to see what I could and couldn’t do, and I found out I could do pretty much what I’ve been doing," said Anthony, the NBA’s second-leading scorer.

Nene led Denver with 21 points, Chauncey Billups added 16 and Chris Andersen had 14 points to go with 10 rebounds. Rarely used reserves Malik Allen (six points) and Johan Petro (13 points) combined for 19 points while playing in place of Kenyon Martin, who sat out because of tendinitis in his left knee.

"We knew we were going to be a little short-handed with K-Mart being out," Billups said. "But we have so many different lineups we can play, so many different guys who can play well together."

Dallas was led by Dirk Nowitzki with 17 points but also had to deal with its own injuries and a difficult back-to-back, arriving in Denver earlier Tuesday morning after beating the Golden State Warriors in Oakland the night before.

"I’m disappointed, but it was a tough turnaround, difficult situation," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said.

Jason Terry had 16 points and Josh Howard 14 for Dallas, which was without Shawn Marion because of lower back tightness. The Mavericks already were without Erik Dampier, who has missed three of the last four games because of a left knee injury.

"Dampier’s a very important part of our team," Carlisle said. "Not having him tonight, it makes it a lot tougher with guys like Nene and the Birdman (Andersen). Shawn’s situation tonight contributed. We need to get ourselves healthy coming out of the (All-Star) break. I like this team. We’ve had struggles, but we’re going to keep pushing."

Up by 65-39 at the half, the Nuggets pulled ahead 78-46, connecting on three 3s in a row, two by Arron Afflalo and the third by Anthony.

The Mavericks tried to get back in the game with a 14-5 run but Denver answered with a 7-0 burst touched off by a pair of baskets by Anthony, pulling in front 90-60 with 3:13 remaining in the third quarter and taking a 103-70 lead into the final period.

At halftime, the Nuggets led 65-39.

Dallas managed to pull to 49-35 on a three-point play by Nowitzki with 4:13 left in the second quarter but the Nuggets scored 16 of the next 20 points leading up to the break. Nene had five points in the flurry, including a three-point play in which he muscled in a layup underhanded as Kidd grabbed his arm. Billups’ culminated the spree by hitting consecutive 3-pointers in the final seconds of the period.

Notes: Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway watched the game from a courtside seat. ... The Nuggets are 21-2 when holding opponents below 100 points. ... Dallas has made a 3-pointer in 908 consecutive games. ... Dallas never held a lead at any point in the game. ... The Mavericks were outshot from the floor .608 percent to .382 percent

Heat snap skid by beating Rockets 99-66

MIAMI — Dwyane Wade took an elbow to the nose in the opening minutes, and the Miami Heat spent the rest of the night paying back the Houston Rockets.

Eager to snap a five-game losing streak, the Heat raced to their largest halftime lead of the season Tuesday night and beat short-handed Houston 99-66.

Wade finished with 17 points, seven assists, five steals and one sore nose. He sat out the fourth quarter and was also on the bench for a breather to start the second period, when the Heat outscored Houston 17-4 to go up 41-20.

By halftime the margin reached 56-31.

"It was a whole bunch of guys contributing on both ends of the floor," Wade said. "We were very active on the defensive end."

The Rockets played without guards Trevor Ariza (hip pointer) and Kyle Lowry (sprained left ankle).

"We caught a Houston team that was a little beat up, and that certainly was a factor," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said.

The Heat blew the game open by shooting 13 of 15 during a 9½-minute stretch in the first half.

"It seemed as if they were making every shot," Houston coach Rick Adelman said. "You’ve got to play through that, and we didn’t do that. I felt we hung our heads at the end of the second quarter."

Wade went sprawling when Chuck Hayes’ elbow caught him in the nose early in the game. The Rockets were in full retreat after that.

They shot 30 percent, including 4 of 18 from 3-point range, and their point total was a season low. Aaron Brooks, who leads Houston in scoring, shot 3 of 16 and totaled 10 points.

"We knew who was the head of the snake on their team," Wade said. "We knew we had to be there when Aaron Brooks turned corners."

Luis Scola led Houston with 12 points. Chase Budinger shot 3 of 12 but had 12 rebounds.

Inconsistent Miami won by at least 30 points for the fourth time this season. Wade and Spoelstra said an energetic practice Monday set the stage to snap the losing streak.

"Instead of feeling sorry for ourselves, we came in with the right mindset to work and try to get better," Spoelstra said.

"When you lose five in a row in this league, guys can go the other way," Wade said.

Six players scored in double figures for the Heat, who swept the two-game season series. Udonis Haslem made seven of his first eight shots and finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Reserve Dorell Wright reached his career high in assists after 16 minutes and finished with seven to go with nine points and six rebounds.

Reserve Carlos Arroyo tied a season high with 12 points. The Heat bench totaled 48 points.

"The first team came out and established the game early," Wade said. "The second team came in and pushed the game away. If we can continue to get that energy nightly from our bench, we’ll be able to win most of our games."

Miami outscored the Rockets 20-4 during one stretch in the first half when Houston missed 11 consecutive shots.

"It got away from us a little bit, and we started to hang our heads and become passive," Rockets forward Shane Battier said. "In this league, once you become passive, it’s game, set and match."

The Rockets did make four 3-pointers early in the second half to cut the deficit to 17, but Wade defused the rally with two baskets. He made a steal near midcourt and drove in for a flying dunk, then snaked through the defense for a finger-roll layup and a 69-46 lead.

NOTES: It was the Heat’s last home game for two weeks. Their next five games are on the road. ... The Heat shot 54 percent when they won at Houston on Jan. 15. ... Florida Marlins ace Josh Johnson sat in the front row, and when the scoreboard video screen showed him, he quickly put down the beer he was drinking.

-- Steven Wine

Spurs G Hill apologizes for nude photos

SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio Spurs guard George Hill is apologizing for nude pictures of himself that were recently posted online.

In a statement issued by the team Tuesday, Hill said: "A year ago I made a mistake and take full responsibility for my actions. I have matured and learned from this episode."

Hill apologized to his girlfriend, family, the Spurs and fans.

Hill, the Spurs’ first-round draft pick in June 2008, is the first player from Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis to make it to the NBA.

Last month, Portland Trail Blazers center Greg Oden apologized for nude photos of himself that surfaced on the Internet.

Wizards stranded again after second snowstorm

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Eventually the Washington Wizards will make it home.

Tuesday night? No such luck.

The Wizards were told before losing 94-92 in Charlotte that they wouldn’t be able to fly into either Washington-area airport after the game because of the second major snowstorm to hit that area in five days.

It meant another night scrambling to find a hotel and more uncertainty for a team that hasn’t been home since it left for what it thought was a brief road trip on Feb. 2.

"We’ve been away from home for a long time," guard Randy Foye said. "It’s tough because we were supposed to go home and now we’re supposed to go home again. But we have to sleep in a hotel room again tonight."

After losing in New York on Feb. 3, the Wizards traveled to Orlando and upset the Magic on Friday night. They were supposed to fly home right after the game and face Atlanta on Saturday, but the airports in Washington were closed.

The Hawks game was eventually postponed and the Wizards decided to stay in Orlando until a flight to Charlotte on Monday.

"I had to go shopping, get more clothes and drawers and stuff," forward Andray Blatche said. "This was tough with the weather. The weather messed me up."

Now they’re about to make Charlotte home for at least an extra night. But at least the latest storm won’t affect any games.

The Bobcats game was Washington’s final contest before the All-Star break. Many players weren’t expected to take the late-night Tuesday flight back home anyway. Instead, they were staying in Charlotte and then flying home or to vacations spots.

Antawn Jamison was lucky. He grew up in Charlotte.

"I felt sorry for these guys. I was in my bed comfortably (Monday night)," Jamison said. "I know they want to get to their families and just get home. It’s crazy weather. Hopefully it’s only a one-day delay."

-- Mike Cranston

Durant to defend All-Star H-O-R-S-E title

NEW YORK — Kevin Durant will defend his title in the H-O-R-S-E competition at All-Star weekend.

The Oklahoma City forward will face fellow All-Star Rajon Rondo of Boston and Sacramento rookie Omri Casspi. The field was announced Monday night on TNT, which will televise Saturday’s events.

Durant won the inaugural competition last year in Phoenix, hitting some long jumpers to rally after picking up four early letters and beat Atlanta’s Joe Johnson and Memphis guard O.J. Mayo.

If a player makes a shot in H-O-R-S-E, the next competitor must make the same shot or receive a letter. A player gets an ‘H’ for his first miss and is eliminated once he has all five letters of the word.

The H-O-R-S-E competition will take place at Jam Session at the Dallas Convention Center.

Carmelo Anthony returns from ankle injury

DENVER — Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony will be back in the lineup against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, but forward Kenyon Martin will sit because of a knee injury.

Anthony has missed the last eight games with a sprained left ankle suffered against the New Orleans Hornets on Jan. 23. Denver went 5-3 in his absence.

Martin, the team’s leading rebounder at 9.4 boards a game, is suffering from patella tendonitis in his left knee. Martin has been experiencing chronic discomfort for the past 10 days and has played with pain in the last two games, the team said.

The Nuggets said his status for Thursday’s matchup with San Antonio is a game-time decision.

Nets G Devin Harris sidelined against Cavaliers

CLEVELAND — Devin Harris’ shoulder injury will keep him out of the New Jersey Nets’ game against Cleveland.

Harris sprained his left shoulder during New Jersey’s 99-92 loss to Detroit on Saturday. Nets coach Kiki Vandeweghe said Tuesday he hopes the point guard can return Wednesday when the team hosts Milwaukee.

Harris is averaging 15.8 points and 6.3 assists for the Nets, who were an NBA-worst 4-46 going into Tuesday night’s game against the Cavaliers.

Felton, Chandler expect to play for Bobcats

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Bobcats point guard Raymond Felton and center Tyson Chandler expect to play against the Washington Wizards.

Felton didn’t participate in Tuesday morning’s shootaround, but hoped to play despite twisting his ankle in practice a day earlier.

Chandler took part in the workout and said he feels fine after missing the past 22 games with a stress reaction in his left foot. He returned to practice on Monday.

Coach Larry Brown said he would play Chandler some off the bench Tuesday night as he works his way back into shape and that Nazr Mohammed will continue to start at center.

Monta Ellis has mild left knee sprain

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Golden State Warriors say star guard Monta Ellis has a sprained left knee and could miss Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Ellis injured the knee late in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s home loss to Dallas. The team says an MRI on Tuesday determined that the injury is mild.

Ellis will be reevaluated Wednesday and his status for the game will be determined then. The game against the Clippers is the last for Golden State before the All-Star break.

Ellis is sixth in the NBA in scoring at 26.2 points per game. The Warriors have lost nine straight games and have the third-worst record in the league.

Iverson out for at least two more games

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen Iverson will miss the team’s next two games because of the lingering illness of one of his children.

Iverson, who has missed the previous three games, will sit out Tuesday against Minnesota and Wednesday at Toronto. Iverson will return for the Sixers’ first game following the All-Star break vs. Miami on Feb. 16.

There was no immediate word if Iverson will play in the Feb. 14 All-Star game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. He was voted an Eastern Conference starter.

Iverson has averaged 14.4 points in 25 games since he returned to the Sixers in December.

Cavs’ West not expected to play against Nets

CLEVELAND — Cavaliers guard Delonte West is expected to miss his ninth straight game since breaking his left ring finger.

Cavs coach Mike Brown said a final decision won’t be made until just before Tuesday night’s home game against the New Jersey Nets, but that it was unlikely West would play because his finger hasn’t yet sufficiently healed.

The Cavaliers had been optimistic West would be able to return against the Nets. He has been wearing a splint on the finger since returning to practice last week.

Daniel Gibson will continue to start in his place.

WNBA

Shock may make move without 2 All-Stars

TULSA, Okla. — One of the last things the Detroit Shock did before they moved to Oklahoma was announce that All-Stars Deanna Nolan and Katie Smith had agreed to contract extensions.

Now that the WNBA franchise has moved to Tulsa, the team’s two top scorers may not be coming along, after all.

Coach and general manager Nolan Richardson says Nolan has indicated she intends to skip the upcoming season to rest instead of relocating with the team. Her agent says she’s not under contract and "considering all alternatives."

Smith, a six-time All-Star, has already said she doesn’t plan to play in Tulsa and is listed as a free agent by the league. The season begins in May.

Team officials said they’re uncertain what happened with the contract extensions but they’re holding out hope Nolan will join the Shock.

"We’re hoping that she will play, but she may decide — according to her agent — she may decide to take off this year because she’s tired," Richardson said. "As of right now, she’s saying that she’s not playing this year."

Nolan, a Michigan native, has played her entire eight-year career in Detroit, winning three WNBA championships and being selected as an All-Star four times.

Her agent, Mike Cound, said it was "more or less correct" that Nolan’s agreement in September to extend her contract was contingent on the franchise remaining in Detroit. Instead, an Oklahoma-based ownership group bought the team in October and moved it to Tulsa.

"Basically, Deanna is under no contractual obligation to compete for Tulsa or any other WNBA team at this time, nor is she under any obligation to comment on the topic," Cound wrote in an e-mail. "She is considering all alternatives and Tulsa and Coach Richardson will be the first to know anything she decides."

Nolan, who ranked eighth in the league last season by averaging 16.9 points per game, was designated one of the Shock’s two core players — meaning she would be guaranteed a maximum, one-year contract.

Normally, franchises are only given one core player each year but Richardson said Tulsa was given an extra one because of confusion over the contract extensions with Nolan and Smith.

Richardson said he didn’t "know exactly the details" of why Nolan and Smith, who was part of Detroit’s last two WNBA championship runs, were let out of their contracts but it was his charge to replace them.

"My job is to make sure I can find players that can come in and fit the bill," Richardson said.

Smith, who averaged 13.7 points last season, told ESPN she didn’t want to finish her career in Tulsa. Phone and e-mail messages left with her agent, Neil Cornrich, were not returned.

"Deanna and Katie are both great players and ambassadors for the League," Shock president Steve Swetoha said. "Katie’s desire to finish her career elsewhere has been known for some time. While we would love to have her in Tulsa, we understand and wish her only the best.

"As for Deanna, discussions with her and her agent are ongoing. Obviously it’s still more than two months before the season tips off. There is still time to get the contract secured. But, it’s too early to speculate the outcome."

Richardson said he does expect Plenette Pierson, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in last year’s opener, to remain with the team in Tulsa. Her contract extension was announced along with Nolan and Smith.

Pierson and Cheryl Ford will make up the core of the team along with Shavonte Zellous, the team’s third-leading scorer last season as a rookie. Tulsa also acquired guard Scholanda Robinson in the dispersal draft of the Sacramento Monarchs’ former players.

Richardson intends to mold the team in the uptempo, "40 Minutes of Hell" style he used to win a national championship at Arkansas.

"We’ve got to upgrade from an athletic standpoint, people who can run the floor and play multiple positions," Richardson said.

-- Jeff Latzke

Lynx star Augustus says she’ll be ready for season

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Lynx star Seimone Augustus is on track to start the WNBA season.

Augustus said Tuesday she has a week and a half left on her rehabilitation program, following surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee last summer. The two-time All-Star was at a news conference to discuss the four-year contract she signed with the team.

Augustus says she’ll be ready for the beginning of training camp in late April.

She was a restricted free agent. She says returning to the Lynx was a "no-brainer" decision.

Augustus will join Lindsay Whalen and Candice Wiggins in a prolific backcourt this season. Augustus is currently the WNBA’s all-time leader at 21.2 points per game for her career.

WNBA veteran Penicheiro signs with Sparks

LOS ANGELES — The Sparks have signed WNBA veteran Ticha Penicheiro, who helped lead the Sacramento Monarchs to the championship in 2005.

The Sparks announced the deal Tuesday.

Penicheiro had spent her entire 12-year career with the rival Monarchs, where she averaged 6.4 points, 5.9 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 steals.

The Monarchs reached the playoffs in nine of her 12 seasons with them.

Penicheiro is a four-time All-Star and the WNBA’s career leader in assists (2,178) and steals (685). She joins a Los Angeles roster that includes Olympians Candace Parker, Tina Thompson and DeLisha Milton-Jones.

Elsewhere

Globetrotters play game on ice rink in New York

NEW YORK — The Harlem Globetrotters have found a new way to beat the Washington Generals — on ice.

The famed basketball barnstormers played on a hockey rink for the first time in their 84-year history Tuesday, putting on a show in New York’s Central Park ahead of a tour of the area.

Players wore ice cleats over their shoes, headbands outside their hockey helmets, and no one on either team took off his warmups, even though it was warm and sunny by February-in-New-York standards.

Perhaps disappointingly, no one commandeered a Zamboni.

Even so, the Globetrotters were up to their usual antics. Twice, the Globetrotters’ Kris "Hi-Lite" Bruton came out of a timeout wearing a goalie mask and carrying a hockey stick. He batted down shots, drawing a whistle.

"Hey!" the referee admonished Bruton. "This is basketball!"

"I know," Bruton said. "But I can’t play defense without it."

Fair enough. No foul was called.

The mascots were less successful — Globie slipped and fell on an icy patch while cavorting around the outside of the rink before the start of the game. During an intermission, inflatable mascot Big G also biffed while trying to take the ice.

Of course, no one takes a fall for entertainment value quite like the Washington Generals.

The ice game was supposedly the brainchild of their owner, Red Klotz.

The idea was that playing on ice would help the Generals take full advantage of their jump-shooting ability and neutralize the Globetrotters’ speed that so often makes the Generals dizzy.

Like most Generals gambits, though, it proved to be a flop. The Globetrotters cruised to a 32-15 win — their 13,140th in a row against the Generals. The streak stretches over parts of five decades and includes games on the roof of an arena, the deck of an aircraft carrier, bullrings and Vatican City.

"It doesn’t matter if it’s hardwood, ice or sand," Bruton said. "The Harlem Globetrotters come out to win."

The Generals will get a few more bites at the apple, though, when the teams play at Madison Square Garden and three other arenas — all indoors — around the New York area over the next week or so.

The Globetrotters didn’t get to practice on ice until the morning of the game, and had to quickly learn how to handle themselves on the slick surface. The helmets were for safety, and not hockey atmosphere.

"What’s the point of playing a sport if you don’t like a challenge?" the Globetrotters’ Ervin "Rocket" Rivers said.

He was talking about the ice — not the Generals.

-- Rick Freeman

Riley, Conradt on Hall of Fame Board of Governors

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Hall of Fame coaches Pat Riley and Jody Conradt are among seven people chosen for the Hall’s Board of Governors.

Joining Riley, the Miami Heat president who won five titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and Heat, and Conradt, who led the Texas women to an undefeated national championship in 1986, are: ESPN president George Bodenheimer; Junior Bridgeman, CEO of Bridgeman Foods Inc. and former president of the NBA players association; NIKE Brand president Charles Denson; Tom Stultz, senior vice president and managing director of college sports for IMG; and Elaine Wynn of Wynn Resorts.

Jerry Colangelo, chairman of the Naismith Hall of Fame board, also announced Tuesday the addition of six new trustees, including NBPA executive director Billy Hunter.