Golden State guard Baron Davis didn't make the trip to Denver for a game Friday night because of a strained muscle in his ribs.

"He'll be out a couple of games for sure," coach Don Nelson said.

Davis missed the Phoenix game on Monday night because of soreness, but tried to come back against Denver two nights later. Davis played 34 minutes and scored 21 points in the loss.

Monta Ellis was projected to be a top-20 pick in the 2005 NBA draft until questions about his surgically repaired knee began to surface.

The Nuggets passed on him three times and an NBA source said he failed a physical with them, leading the club to fear his left knee may eventually become arthritic.

The Nuggets in July acquired guard J.R. Smith, a shooting guard, from Chicago, for next to nothing. The price, which the Rocky Mountain News writes 'conjures memories of Peter Minuit buying Manhattan for $24 in 1626', was two second-round draft picks and guard Howard Eisley, who then was waived.

"It's definitely a steal," Nuggets center Marcus Camby said.

Smith agrees.

"In my opinion, I think so," he said.

Carmelo Anthony currently leads the NBA in scoring, with a 31.0 points per game average.  Michael Redd is trailing him with an average of 30.3.

Adrian Dantley jokes with him about becomming the NBA's top scorer.

"It's too early, eight games into the season," he said. "We're playing good right now. We hit a couple of bumps in the road in the first couple of games, but I'm liking where we're headed."

Alex English sped up his pace in order to catch up with Carmelo Anthony.

The Toronto Raptors assistant coach had something he wanted to tell Anthony.

"I told Carmelo that I hope he breaks all my records," English said after Denver's 117-109 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night. "He's that good of player."

Anthony scored 34 for his sixth straight game of 30 or more points. It ties the club record set by English, the former Nuggets star, who scored 30 or more in six straight during the 1982-83 season.

Kenyon Martin had his second microfracture surgery in the past year and a half on Wednesday, but he still expects to resume his professional basketball career.

"I expect to play next year," Martin said. "If it's not in November, whenever it is, I'm going to be back. I made it through one. I'm going to make it through another.

"He's the best in the world," Martin said of Dr. Richard Steadman, who performed the operation. "He feels I'm going to make a full recovery, so I'm going on that. He told me there was no doubt in his mind that I'll come back.

"I pushed the envelope and I paid for it," he said. "I'm not trying to push this one. My life after basketball and being able to walk and all that is more important. But I'm going to make it back."

In an exclusive MySpace video, Carmelo Anthony and La La Vazquez are expecting a baby boy due in March.

The MySpace.com video was shot recently at the Nike/Brand Jordan launch party for Anthony's new M3 shoe.

Kenyon Martin was only expected to miss four or five weeks, but when surgery was performed on Wednesday, significant damage was found in the knee, more than a magnetic resonance imaging exam previously had revealed.  

He will now miss the entire 2006-2007 season.

Martin believed he was healthy heading into the season after two season in which he had problems with his left knee. Martin underwent microfracture surgery on that knee in May 2005.

On Thursday morning, Kenyon Martin is scheduled to have arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.

"What I'm hearing is it's not that bad," said Martin, comparing his upcoming knee surgery to the previous one. "It's not microfracture surgery. I've got to keep telling myself that to keep me sane.

"I want to play and get out there," Martin said. "But if things ain't right, than that's not what I want to go through again. If I'm healthy and I feel good, I'm going to be back out there as soon as possible."

Denver forward Nene left the Nuggets' game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night with a bruised right knee and did not return.

Nene was hurt after he collided with Marcus Camby in the second quarter.