Anthony, Nuggets top Cavs

CLEVELAND — One NBA player lords over LeBron James.

Carmelo Anthony rules Cleveland's hoops King.

"I know he hates losing to me," Anthony said with a laugh.

Anthony scored 27 points, All-Star sidekick Allen Iverson added 25 and the Denver Nuggets rolled to a 113-83 win Sunday night over the injury-depleted Cavaliers.

Anthony, who got to rest in the fourth quarter, improved to 8-2 in his pro career against good friend James, who scored 30 points — in three quarters — but got little help from a Cleveland team missing four key players, including two starters.

Though shorthanded, the Cavs have been able to get by playing good defense and came in 16-5 since Dec. 25. But from the opening tip on they didn't do nearly enough to slow the Nuggets, who handed Cleveland its worst home loss since April 5, 2005.

Denver led by 11 points after one quarter, 18 at halftime and pushed its advantage to 26 by the end of the third. At the end of that period, James stormed off the court, took a seat at the far end of Cleveland's bench and didn't take part in coach Mike Brown's huddle before the fourth quarter began.

LAKERS 104, HEAT 94: At Miami, Kobe Bryant scored 33 points, and the Los Angeles Lakers used a 16-2 second-half run to pull away and beat the skidding Heat 104-94 Sunday in Miami's first home game of its post-Shaquille O'Neal era. Mark Blount finished with 22 points for Miami, which has lost seven straight and 22 of its last 23. Dwyane Wade scored 19 and Shawn Marion, playing his first game for the Heat since Wednesday's stunning deal that sent O'Neal to the Phoenix Suns for he and Marcus Banks, finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds.

CELTICS 98, SPURS 90: At Boston, Paul Pierce scored 35 points, Ray Allen had 19, and Rajon Rondo had 12 assists and 11 rebounds as Boston improved to 5-2 since losing Kevin Garnett to an abdominal strain. Tim Duncan had 22 points, 14 rebounds and six assists, and Manu Ginobili scored 21 for the Spurs, who lost for the first time in five games.

NETS 101, MAVERICKS 82: At East Rutherford, N.J., Vince Carter scored 25 of his 29 points after nearly being knocked out by an elbow to the head, and inconsistent New Jersey off 21 straight points to stun Dallas. Richard Jefferson added 19 points and Jason Kidd put aside trade rumors once again to finish with 13 points, 14 assists and six rebounds, falling four rebounds shy of his 100th career triple-double.