Melo, Billups lead Nuggets past Jazz
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The Denver Nuggets unveiled their new two-point guard look on Sunday night with Chauncey Billups and rookie Ty Lawson.
The results were impressive with Billups scoring 29 points to go with Carmelo Anthony's 37 in a 119-112 win over Utah that snapped the Jazz's winning streak at four.
Lawson scored 11 points and had an assist and two key steals in his return from a sprained ankle that cost him four games but it was the things that don't show up in the stat sheet next to his name where his presence was truly felt.
"He is a speedster," Jazz forward Kyle Korver said. "He gets out and he goes, attacks the basket and he is surrounded by shooters and scorers. And you pair him with Chauncey, he makes them more dangerous. And then you have to be concerned about Carmelo from the outside."
Lawson teamed with Billups to steady the Nuggets' sometimes erratic offense.
"Ty and Chauncey can attack," Anthony said. "Ty can get to the rim any time he wants and Chauncey, being able to shoot the ball and then create for himself like he can, it makes it hard for them to double-team me and Nene down there."
Lawson said his twisted ankle took longer to heal than he expected but he looked 100 percent.
"I felt like I didn't miss a step because I was shooting and doing everything I could without running," he said. "It felt good to get my blood pumping again."
When the Nuggets drafted Lawson, the Nuggets spoke about how he could keep Billups fresh for the stretch run. But a bonus is getting him more minutes on the floor together with his mentor.
"That will be good because I like playing on the ball and off the ball," Lawson said. "So, if he's gets a rebound, then I'm gone. He does the same thing: I get the rebound, he's gone. It's good to have two ballhandlers on the court."
