Billups gets NBA Sportmanship Award

NEW YORK, April 29 (UPI) -- Denver Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups has earned the 2008-09 NBA Sportsmanship Award, given annually for ethical behavior, fair play and integrity.

Billups led with 82 first-place votes and a total of 2,478 points.

Boston's Ray Allen and Detroit's Antonio McDyess finished second and third in voting done by NBA players.

Others receiving votes were Washington's Antawn Jamison, San Antonio's Michael Finley and Golden State's Ronny Turiaf.

Billups, a 6-foot-3 inch, 12-year veteran, helped the Nuggets win the Northwest Division. He averaged 17.7 points and 6.4 assists in 79 games with Denver and Detroit this season.

The Nuggets obtained the former Colorado product in a trade with the Pistons in November for guard Allen Iverson.