Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, center, goes up for a basket between LA Lakers center Andrew Bynum, front, and guard Derek Fisher in the third quarter of the Nuggets' 105-79 victory in an NBA basketball game in Denver on Friday, Nov. 13, 2009. (AP

DENVER, Colorado, November 13, 2009 (AFP) - Carmelo Anthony scored 12 of his 25 points in a decisive third quarter Friday as Denver routed the Los Angeles Lakers 105-79 in a rematch of last season's NBA Western Conference finals.

The Lakers won that series in six games en route to capturing the NBA crown, but Denver gained a small measure of revenge on Friday.

They outscored the Lakers 29-8 in the third period as Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant was held without a point.

J.R. Smith finished with 20 points, while Nene and Ty Lawson had 13 apiece for the Nuggets, who had lost three of four games going into the contest.

Anthony, limited by foul trouble in the first half, scored 10 quick points in the third period as the Nuggets took a double-digit lead over a Lakers team coming off a late game in Los Angeles on Thursday.

Bryant and Andrew Bynum scored 19 points apiece for Los Angeles, who suffered just their second defeat of the season to fall to 7-2.

NBA results
Orlando 88, New Jersey 72
Utah 112, Philadelphia 90
Golden State 121, New York 107
Atlanta 97, Boston 86
Dallas 89, Minnesota 77
Portland 86, New Orleans 78
Sacramento 109, Houston 100
Denver 105, LA Lakers 79
Toronto 104, LA Clippers 89