Smith steps up for short-handed Nuggets

For one night, the Denver Nuggets didn’t need Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups or any of their new acquisitions.

J.R. Smith’s 26 points helped host Denver beat the Memphis Grizzlies, 120-107, Tuesday, hours after the Nuggets finalized a blockbuster deal that sent Anthony and Billups to the New York Knicks.

Tony Allen had 26 points and O.J. Mayo had 21 for the Grizzlies, whose winning streak ended at four games.

The Nuggets had only nine players on the bench after a three-team trade that also involved the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Coming out with an early intensity, the Nuggets jumped to a 24-point lead in the first half and never glanced back.

Smith made a 33-foot three-point basket at the buzzer to end the third quarter, increasing the Nuggets’ lead to 102-76.

at Charlotte 114, Toronto 101: D.J. Augustin had 23 points and eight assists, and the Bobcats cruised past the Raptors despite losing top scorer Stephen Jackson, who suffered a strained left hamstring.

Indiana 113, at Washington 96: Danny Granger had 21 points and 10 rebounds, and the Pacers piled on the fastbreak points on the way to improving to 8-3 under interim Coach Frank Vogel.

Houston 108, at Detroit 100: Rookie forward Patrick Patterson scored a career-high 20 points, including seven in a row late in the fourth quarter to help the Rockets pull away.

at Milwaukee 94, Minnesota 88: Brandon Jennings scored 27 points to lead the Bucks, who have defeated the Timberwolves in six of the teams’ last seven games in Milwaukee.

Boston 115, at Golden State 93: Kevin Garnett had 24 points and 12 rebounds and Rajon Rondo had 19 points and 15 assists for the Celtics, who hadn’t won at Golden State since Dec. 29, 2003, a stretch of six games.

at Miami 117, Sacramento 97: LeBron James scored 31 points and Dwyane Wade had 23 for the Heat, which led by as many as 29 points before the starters got pulled.

at Oklahoma City 111, Clippers 88

at Lakers 104, Atlanta 80