San Antonio, TX (My Sportsbook) - Carmelo Anthony poured in 34 points to lead the Denver Nuggets in a 106-99 win over the San Antonio Spurs.

Chauncey Billups notched 18 points and five assists and J.R. Smith scored 17 for the Nuggets, who rattled off a third straight win and seventh in the last eight games. Nene had 12 points and Ty Lawson 11 in the win.

"In the second half our defense tuned in," said Nuggets coach George Karl. "I think offensively Carmelo had the good hand all night. We just kept going at them, but I think our defense was the key to the game."

Tony Parker recorded 27 points and Tim Duncan scored 26 for the Spurs, who lost their second straight game following a five-game win streak. Manu Ginobili added 14 points in the loss.

Down one to start the fourth quarter, Denver quickly took control by scoring the first seven points. San Antonio got to within one on four straight points from Duncan with 4 1/2 minutes remaining.

Anthony sank a 12-footer to spark a quick 7-2 stretch that ended with a Billups jumper for a 101-95 lead with 2:20 left.

"He's a great player and he's leading the league in scoring," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of Anthony. "I saw some situations in the fourth quarter where we were late getting to him and that showed a lack of executing with guys that are trying to learn the system. We have to keep working at it. That's what it's all about."

Ginobili and Parker knocked down four free throws around an Anthony bucket for a four-point game at 103-99 with 1:25 on the clock. Billups, though, hit 3- of-4 foul shots to help seal the victory as Parker turned it over and Richard Jefferson missed a three on San Antonio's last possession.

San Antonio carried a 30-23 lead into the second quarter on George Hill's buzzer-beating three and opened up an 11-point margin on back-to-back triples from Hill and Ginobili early on in the frame.

Smith scored the first seven points of an ensuing 12-2 run, ending with Arron Afflalo's three-pointer to cut the deficit to one, 38-37.

The game remained close heading into the break as consecutive buckets from Duncan and Parker provided the Spurs a 59-53 advantage.

Anthony went on a 10-point tear for Denver in the early stages of the third quarter and his jumper with 4:33 to go had the Nuggets within 71-67. Denver ended the frame on an 8-3 spurt, shaving the Spurs' lead to 76-75.

Game Notes

The Nuggets won two of three games vs. the Spurs last season, including a 91-81 victory in San Antonio...Denver kicked off a four-game road trip with the win and will travel to Philadelphia, Charlotte and Detroit to close the trek...San Antonio travels to play Utah Monday before returning back home for two straight...Jefferson scored 10 points for the Spurs...Anthony was 14-of-27 from the field and grabbed seven boards...Kenyon Martin recorded 13 rebounds and added nine points for the Nuggets.