Nuggets dominate inside

SEATTLE — The defense dared Carmelo Anthony to shoot from the perimeter, yet he never stopped going to the basket. It paid off in the fourth quarter and overtime for the Denver Nuggets.

Anthony scored 33 points and shot 15 for 17 at the free-throw line, leading the Nuggets to a 120-112 win over the Seattle SuperSonics on Sunday night.

Facing Seattle’s young frontcourt, the Nuggets continually tried to go inside. They found their way to the free-throw line 40 times, making 34, and outscored Seattle 34-17 at the line.

“We score to the basket. Sometimes I wish we could get the 3-point line taken off the court; it would probably make us a better team,” Denver coach George Karl said.

Andre Miller scored seven of his 21 in overtime and added nine assists as Denver won consecutive games for the first time since Jan. 23 and 25.

The Nuggets went the last 3:56 of regulation without a field goal, scoring their last 10 points of the fourth quarter at the free-throw line. They were 10 for 12 at the line in overtime.

Kenyon Martin had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Nuggets.

“We just kept attacking. We knew they were packing in the middle, but we kept attacking,” Anthony said. “I took what they were giving me. I knew what they were going to do and I got a chance to get to the basket and get fouled.”

Ray Allen led Seattle with 34 points but scored just two in overtime. The Sonics could not make up for the absence of second-leading scorer Rashard Lewis, who was out with a right thigh injury.

Damien Wilkins scored 21 in Lewis’s place and Luke Ridnour added 15, but the Sonics lost for the fifth time in six games.