DENVER: Carmelo Anthony returned from a team suspension to score 38 points and lead Denver to a 106-90 win over the Portland Trailblazers on Thursday, boosting the Nuggets slim NBA Northwest Division lead.

The win gave the Nuggets a 1-1/2 game lead in the Northwest, ahead of the Trailblazers and Utah.

Portland missed its chance to go top of the division this late in the season for the first time in eight years.