<div id="subtitle">Anthony sits again, but Nuggets still beat Spurs 103-89 behind Martin, Billups</div><div><p>Kenyon Martin scored 27 points and the Denver Nuggets won again without Carmelo Anthony, beating the San Antonio Spurs 103-89 on Sunday.</p><p>The NBA's leading scorer missed his fourth consecutive game with a sprained ankle but the Nuggets still bounced back after Oklahoma City pummeled them Friday, ending Denver's eight-game win streak. Anthony could return Monday.</p><p>Chauncey Billups scored 25 and J.R Smith had 18 for the Nuggets, who've breezed through the new year so far. Denver went 12-3 in January.</p><p>George Hill scored 17 points in place of San Antonio's own injured star, Tony Parker. The point guard sat out for the second game with a left ankle sprain.</p><p>Parker's timetable for a return is unknown, but San Antonio will want him back for what comes next: An eight-game, 3 1/2-week road trip that figures to weigh heavily for the underachieving Spurs.</p><p>The Spurs will embark for their annual Rodeo Road Trip having squandered a six-game homestand, going 2-4. San Antonio went 8-8 in January and seemed to show that its problems run deeper than just breaking in a slew of new faces.</p><p>Defense did the Spurs in again. The Nuggets shot 54 percent from the field and made 9 of 12 from behind the 3-point arc.</p><p>Nuggets coach George Karl said he expected Anthony to try to play Monday against Sacramento, when Denver returns home following a three-game road trip. The Nuggets have gone 3-1 without Anthony.</p><p>Before the game, Karl said the expected fast pace of the game held Anthony out much as anything. He said Anthony still wasn't comfortable making sharp moves.</p><p>Karl was right: The Spurs did push the ball, but the Nuggets ran away by the end. Antonio McDyess hit a 19-foot jumper with 3:24 left to get the Spurs within 87-85, but the Nuggets scored on their last seven possessions.</p><p>Tim Duncan had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs. Manu Ginobili added 14 points.</p><p>NOTES: Spurs F Michael Finley played for the first time since Dec. 5, when he injured his left ankle in a loss to Denver the last time the Nuggets were in town. He missed two shots in 6 minutes. ...The Spurs used their 15th different starting lineup, with Hill and Roger Mason Jr. starting in the backcourt together for the first time.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=68194819&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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