Nuggets Win Their Seventh in a Row

Kenyon Martin broke into a smile after he stole a pass near half court, then nearly missed the breakaway dunk because he was laughing so hard.

Yes, it has been that easy for the Denver Nuggets, particularly on this night.

Carmelo Anthony had 23 points before sitting out the fourth quarter, and the Nuggets won their seventh game in a row Monday night, beating the visiting Portland Trail Blazers, 111-98, for their longest winning streak in 16 years.

After sitting out two games because of knee tendinitis, Martin was forced into action because center Marcus Camby was sidelined by a strained hamstring and forward Nene was sidelined for the ninth game by a sprained knee.

Denver is 14-4 under Coach George Karl, has won eight home games in a row and has made up 6 1/2 games on the Lakers in a month to tie for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot.

“This team is a very capable basketball team that’s just starting to feel good about themselves,” Karl said. “And in a general way we’re getting better almost every game that we play.”

Damon Stoudamire had 24 points for Portland.

Miami 108, Philadelphia 100 -- Dwyane Wade scored 32 points, Shaquille O’Neal had 25 and the Heat shot 68.6% in the first half on the way to beating the 76ers for their sixth consecutive victory and 10th in a row at home.

Wade made 18 free throws to set a team record; he attempted 23. Over a four-game, five-night stretch, Miami won by an average of 16.3 points.

Allen Iverson, who missed the morning shoot-around, scored 27 points for the 76ers, who trailed by 22 in the third quarter.

Chris Webber had only 10 points on four-for-13 shooting in 26 minutes after meeting with Coach Jim O’Brien over playing only 28 minutes in Saturday’s win over Atlanta. Webber left with 3:38 remaining in the third quarter against the Hawks and didn’t return until 3:43 remained in the game.

He is averaging 15.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in 31.8 minutes in his first six games with Philadelphia after averaging 21.3 points and 9.7 rebounds in 36.3 minutes in 46 games for Sacramento this season.

“Nobody is more disappointed than I am,” Webber said. “How can you go from averaging what I did to not being able to do it is beyond me. But I’ll deal with that stuff later. Right now I’m trying to keep team goals in mind.”

Dallas 113, Toronto 105 -- Marquis Daniels had a season-high 32 points at Dallas to help the Mavericks end a three-game losing streak while playing for the second game in a row without leading scorer and rebounder Dirk Nowitzki (knee). Michael Finley (calf) was also sidelined.

Keith Van Horn, starting for Nowitzki, had 19 points. Morris Peterson had 23 points for Toronto.

Chicago 90, Milwaukee 85 -- Eddy Curry had eight of his 16 points during a game-breaking 16-6, third-quarter run at Chicago to help the Bulls end a three-game losing streak.

Kirk Hinrich had 12 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter of the Bulls’ 30th victory, tying their most in a season since 1997-98. Michael Redd led Milwaukee with 26 points.

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Washington forward Antawn Jamison will sit out the game tonight against New York because of tendinitis in his right knee, ending the NBA’s longest active consecutive-games streak at 386. ... Forward Kenny Thomas has left the Sacramento Kings for an undisclosed personal reason, probably leaving the team with nine players for its game tonight against visiting Memphis, with center Brad Miller (calf) expected to be sidelined for his fifth straight contest and guard Cuttino Mobley (back) expected to not play for the second game in a row.