November 19, 2008 11:49 PM

Anthony is scoring less, but he's happier

By Chris Tomasson
Rocky Mountain News

The Nuggets two weeks ago got rid of the guy with the third-highest scoring average in NBA history. So make way for Carmelo Anthony to start regularly putting up 30 points a night, right?

Hardly.

Anthony's scoring average hasn't soared since the Nuggets dispatched Allen Iverson on Nov. 3 in a trade that got them Chauncey Billups. And Anthony doesn't mind that at all.

The sixth-year forward is averaging 20.6 points, on pace to be a career low. His shooting percentage of 39.5 is also in line to be a career low, but one figures that number, hurt by a few rugged shooting outings, soon will rise.

But if Anthony's scoring average doesn't increase, that's fine with him.

"I don't have to try to score 30 and 25 points,'' he said. "We're still winning basketball games. That's the thing that's making me excited.''

Anthony set out this season to become a better all-around player. So far, nobody's complaining about his progress.

Anthony is averaging 8.1 rebounds, in line to be a career best. After handing out seven in Wednesday's 91-81 win at San Antonio, Anthony is averaging 4.1 assists, on pace to be a career high.

Anthony is playing better defense, yet another reason the Nuggets are winning.

The Nuggets, putting more emphasis on defense, are scoring fewer points this season, which also is keeping down Anthony's average. When Anthony averaged 25.7 last season, they were putting up 110.7 per game, compared to 99.1 now.

Denver's attack also has become more balanced. But Anthony, who had a career scoring average of 24.4 points entering this season, doesn't mind if that also results in his average falling.

"I don't have to focus on that,'' Anthony said of putting up big scoring numbers. "I can get ten rebounds. Five assists... It's a different mentality.... I don't have to score 25 to 30 points for us to win basketball games... I'm as happy as can be.''

ETC.: So one assumes Doug Moe, the Nuggets coaching consultant who lives in San Antonio, was at Denver's game Wednesday at the AT&T Center. Hold the phone on that one. Moe is in Hawaii at the Maui Classic to cheer on his alma mater North Carolina, a trip he planned a long time ago when he knew he was on the verge of retiring as an assistant... During the George Karl era, which began in January 2005, the Nuggets have won four of eight regular-season games at San Antonio. That's not bad.

Posted by Chris Tomasson at 11:49 PM | Comments (3)