The streaking Denver Nuggets hope to remain perfect on a five-game road trip Sunday when they invade the City of Brotherly Love to take on a Philadelphia 76ers team coming off its latest collapse.
The high-flying Nuggets improved to 3-0 on their trek Friday in Cleveland when Carmelo Anthony scored 33 points and Denver cruised to a 117-103 victory over the Cavaliers on Friday.
Arron Afflalo added 23 points and Ty Lawson scored 15 off the bench for the Nuggets, who won their fourth straight game overall. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, were dealt their 19th consecutive loss -- tying the single-season franchise record for futility set in 1981-82.
Center Nene returned to the lineup after missing a win at Detroit on Wednesday with a strained right calf, but played just nine minutes and sat out the second half as a precautionary measure.
"We just wanted to come out and move the ball and a couple guys got it going early," said Anthony. "Everybody felt like they were part of the game."
The Sixers, meanwhile, held a seemingly comfortable 21-point lead late in the third quarter on Friday against Memphis and appeared on their way to a season-high fourth straight win before completely falling apart. Philadelphia committed 11 of its 22 turnovers in the final frame and saw the Grizzlies erupt for 42 points in a 99-94 comeback victory.
Jodie Meeks and Jrue Holiday each netted 16 points in the crushing defeat for Philadelphia. Andre Iguodala filled the stat sheet with 12 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for the Sixers, while Elton Brand chipped in 15 points and nine rebounds in the loss.
"We had complete control of the game," said Philadelphia head coach Doug Collins. "They went with their second unit, went to a zone, and we just went dead."
Philadelphia has won two straight over Denver, including a 95-89 win in the Rockies earlier this season. Anthony, however, missed both of those contests.
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