Anthony returns with 34, Knicks beat Nuggets

In his first game back from a hand injury that caused him to miss two games, Carmelo Anthony scored a game-high 34 points to lead the Knicks to a 112-106 victory over his former team, the Denver Nuggets, at Madison Square Garden.

Jason Kidd added 17 points and seven assists and Tyson Chandler had 15 points and 12 rebounds for New York, which won for the sixth time in seven games and remained a perfect 8-0 at home this season. J.R. Smith had 15 points and nine boards off the bench.

Ty Lawson paced Denver with 23 points, Danilo Gallinari added 21 and Andre Iguodala and Corey Brewer scored 15 apiece.

The Knicks improved their Eastern Conference-best record to 15-5.