MARTIN EXPLODES AS NEW-LOOK DENVER BEAT PHILLY
Philadelphia 81
Denver 84
Jason Williams played for the Denver Nuggets for the first time last night in the Nuggets' 84-81 win over Philadelphia. Another new starter was veteran shooter Wesley Person, who started at small forward, with star player Carmelo Anthony starting at shooting guard. The main reason for Denver's win was again Kenyon Martin, whose injuries had healed allowing the forward to put up a season-high 49 points. Martin was unstoppable from the first quarter to the last, dominating the paint and torturing Sixers' star Chris Webber on every play. Despite Martin's efforts the game was still going to overtime, when Williams dished the ball out to Person with 1.8 seconds to go, and the veteran made the outside shot to decide the game. Person made only five points, but even more invisible was Carmelo Anthony, with only two points at his new position. Another guard, rookie Julius Hodge, suffered an injury in the second quarter and will be out for 10 days and will miss the Nuggets' next game in New York against the Knicks.
Starters:
Denver (3-3 before game)
C M. Camby
F K. Martin
F W. Person
G C. Anthony
G J. Williams
Philadelphia (5-2 before game)
C S. Dalembert
F C. Webber
F K. Korver
G A. Iguodala
G A. Iverson
Player of the game:
Martin DEN 49/7
Team leaders:
DEN: Camby 18/11, Person 5/3
PHI: Korver 24/5. Webber 19/8, Iguodala 12/3/5 ast
Pictures:
J-Dub drives and makes the lay-up.
Martin is an early MVP candidate.
Person scores two with a lay-up.
From left: Najera, Camby, Martin, Person and Williams.