Nearly Net Anthony scores 37 but Nuggets fall in Newark

NEWARK, New Jersey, (Reuters) – The New Jersey  Nets gave a rude welcome to one time trade target Carmelo  Anthony on Monday, beating his Denver Nuggets 115-99 in his  first visit to New Jersey since the proposed deal broke down.

Carmelo Anthony

A prospective three-way trade that would have landed Anthony  in New Jersey was halted nearly two weeks ago when Nets owner  Mikhail Prokhorov said it was distracting his team. Anthony, who has been booed by his home Denver crowd this  season, was greeted by a mixed response on Monday in New Jersey  as he scored a game-high 37 points.

The Nets stole the show, however, getting 27 points from  Brook Lopez and 21 from Travis Outlaw to take the win.

Speculation about Anthony’s unrest in Denver began when the  All-Star forward declined to sign a contract extension to remain  with the Nuggets over the summer.

Set to become a free agent after the season, the possibility  still exists that Anthony could be traded before the February 24  deadline.