DENVER (AP) Carmelo Anthony had a career-high 41 points and Andre Miller added 14 points and 16 assists, helping the Nuggets move into a tie for the final Western Conference playoff spot.

Anthony was 19-for-29 as Denver shot 50 percent to tie idle Utah for eighth place in the West. Nene added 19 points and Marcus Camby 15 for the Nuggets, who have seven games left to secure their first playoff appearance since 1995.

Rashard Lewis had 26 points and Ray Allen 24 for Seattle, which dropped four games behind Utah and Denver despite shooting 50 percent.

Lakers 107, Hornets 88

LOS ANGELES (AP) Kobe Bryant scored 23 points and Gary Payton added 20 as the Lakers routed the short-handed Hornets despite falling behind by 12 points in the opening four minutes.

The win was the ninth straight for the Lakers (51-23), who moved within 1{ games of the Western Conference-leading Sacramento Kings.

The Lakers, who have an NBA-best 20-4 record since the All-Star break, have eight games remaining including five at home. The Kings have nine left including six on the road. The teams meet in Sacramento on April 11.

New Orleans (37-37) lost for the fifth time in six games, dropping to .500 for the first time this season and into a tie with Milwaukee for fourth place in the Eastern Conference. The Hornets played without injured stars Baron Davis and Jamal Mashburn.