Crowd emotions mixed in return of Carmelo Anthony to Denver
DENVER — For more than seven years, this was home for Carmelo Anthony.
Before a trade to the Thunder, before a roller coaster run with the New York Knicks, Anthony was the Nuggets’ franchise player.
And Denver remembers. No Thunder player got a louder reaction than Anthony on Thursday when starting lineups were introduced. There were loud boos mixed with cheers for a player who started his career here in 2003 but effectively forced his way out of town via trade in 2011, when it became clear he wouldn’t re-sign with the Nuggets.
Anthony drew boos whenever he touched the ball in the first quarter, though he quieted them with a turnound jumper on the Thunder’s first possession, and a 3-pointer near the 10-minute mark got a loud cheer.
In the first half on Thursday, Anthony scored 15 points on 5-of-11 shooting and passed Allen Iverson for 24th on the NBA’s alltime scoring list. Iverson scored 24,368 career points.
Anthony scored 13,970 points as a Nugget, the third-most in franchise history behind Alex
English and Dan Issel.
He had 1,725 points in his first season, 520 more than the second-highest scoring rookie in franchise history.
When the Thunder hosted New York in the season opener, it was clear the game meant more to
Anthony. Denver isn’t as fresh and it’s unclear how significant the game is for Anthony, who’s played frequently against his former team. He wasn’t available for pregame interviews.
“I think when you’re in a place for seven years ... you develop relationships in the community, inside the organization,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. “So, I’m sure he comes back here, it probably takes him back to his rookie years and different things he experiences here.”
Free-throw woes continue Russell Westbrook
continued to misfire from the free-throw line in the first half on Thursday, missing his first three foul shots. On one trip to the line, Westbrook missed two free throws but rebounded his second miss and scored.
Westbrook entered the game shooting 60.7 percent from the free-throw line, and in the first quarter, it was Paul George, not Westbrook, who took a technical-foul free throw, typically Westbrook’s assignment. George missed the shot.
Hectic schedule
TNT pushed Thursday’s game to 9:30 p.m. Central Time, 90 minutes later than
the Nuggets typically tip off at home.
The Thunder and Nuggets both held morning shootarounds, and with the late tip, “It feels like a really long day,” Denver coach Michael Malone said.
For the Thunder, it’s the first of two straight. The team was scheduled to return to Oklahoma City late Thursday, and will host the Clippers Friday at 8:30 p.m. — an hour and a half later than its typical weeknight home tip time.
Donovan said he wouldn’t change much about the Thunder’s routine, but conceded it’s “definitely unique” to play back-toback
games pushed back for TV broadcasts.
“We have a veteran group,” Donovan said. “These guys have been through, I’m sure, these different situations. It’s been four in five nights throughout most of these guys’ careers.”
New surroundings
The Thunder used the visiting locker room at the Pepsi Center designated for visiting NHL teams playing the Colorado Avalanche. The Nuggets visitors’ locker room was damaged by flooding Sunday when the arena hosted a Jay-Z concert.