Clippers are a mile high and down again

Chauncey Billups scored 13 of his 20 points in the third quarter to break open a tight game, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Clippers, 105-85, on Thursday night for their fifth straight victory.

Carmelo Anthony, selected as a starter for the All-Star game in fan balloting announced earlier Thursday, had 28 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Nuggets, whose winning streak matched a season high.

Kenyon Martin added 13 points and 14 rebounds for Denver, which beat the Clippers for the sixth straight time at Pepsi Center. The Nuggets also won their sixth straight at home, where they are 19-3 -- the second-best mark in the NBA.

Craig Smith scored 21 points led the Clippers, who fell to 0-12 on the road when scoring less than 100 points. Chris Kaman was the only other Clipper in double figures with 18 points.

The Clippers, opening a season-long eight-game road trip, played without guards Eric Gordon (sprained left big toe) and Sebastian Telfair (groin). They were sidelined because of injuries sustained during Wednesday’s victory over Chicago at Staples Center.

Despite being short-handed, the Clippers took a 48-47 halftime lead, scoring six of the last seven points in the final 1:07 of the second quarter, capped by Marcus Camby’s goal-tended basket.

But Denver grabbed the momentum from there, going in front to stay with a 15-4 flurry to begin the third quarter. Billups touched off the burst by hitting a pair of free throws and the first of his three 3-pointers in the period.

The Clippers, outscored 34-17 in the period, got a pair of free throws from Baron Davis and a layup from Marcus Camby to offset a 3-pointer by Arron Afflalo, but the Nuggets then went on 13-1 run to pull in front 78-57 with 3:48 left in the third.

The Nuggets got three consecutive 3-pointers during the surge, the first by Anthony followed by two from Billups, and finished the third quarter with an 81-65 lead.

The Clippers pulled to 88-74 midway through the fourth quarter, but Ty Lawson then hit a pair of 3-pointers to rebuild the Nuggets’ hefty advantage.