Denver 98, Detroit 87

DENVER (AP) -- Kenyon Martin had 28 points and 12 rebounds and

Carmelo Anthony added 25 points to help the Denver Nuggets hand the

Detroit Pistons a rare road loss, 98-87 Wednesday night.

Marcus Camby grabbed 20 rebounds to go along with 12 points for

the Nuggets, who dominated the boards, 59-35. Denver had been

outrebounded in 13 of its previous 14 games.

Denver native Chauncey Billups led the Pistons with 27 points.

Richard Hamilton had 19 points for Detroit, which had its six-game

winning streak snapped. The NBA's best road team lost for just the

eighth time in 29 games away from home.

The game turned when the Nuggets dug in defensively to start the

second half. Detroit managed only 6-for-24 shooting and went nearly

five minutes before getting a field goal, a 3-pointer from Billups

that brought them within 63-60.

Anthony and Camby took over the rest of the quarter, scoring

five points and four points respectively to give the Nuggets an

82-72 lead going into the fourth quarter, only the 10th time the

Piston trailed after three quarters all year.

Martin had two jumpers early in the final quarter to put Denver

up 88-77, but the Pistons got it back to 88-82 on a 3-pointer from

Lindsey Hunter and Rasheed Wallace's jumper with 5:36 left.

Martin came back with a 3-pointer and Anthony had two dunks to

make sure the Pistons never got any closer the rest of the way.

Billups had 19 points by halftime, but it took a 3-pointer in

the last minute to put the Pistons ahead 56-55 at the break.

Anthony had 14 and helped Denver stay close after falling behind

by as many as nine points in the second quarter.<

^Notes@: During the pregame introductions, Billups received a

three-minute standing ovation. Billups still maintains an offseason

home in Denver. ... Detroit signed free agent G Tony Delk. ...

Double technicals were issued to Richard Hamilton and Ruben

Patterson after the two exchanged words with 6:37 left in the first

quarter. ... Denver waived G Charles Smith.