NBA: Denver 109, Portland 92

DENVER, April 2 (UPI) -- Carmelo Anthony had 25 points and the Denver Nuggets used a huge second half Thursday to beat Portland 109-92.

Anthony and Chauncey Billups scored 29 second-half points between them and the Nuggets outscored the Trail Blazers 53-37 in the third and fourth quarters to win for just the second time in their last seven games.

Anthony was in foul trouble throughout the second half after picking up his fourth foul early in the third period -- and he also accounted for nine of Denver's 11 turnovers -- but the Nuggets got the win to pull within a half-game of the Phoenix Suns for the fourth seed in the Western Conference.

Nene scored 22 points and Chauncey Billups had 21 for Denver.

Andre Miller had 24 points for Portland, which had won four straight coming into the contest. Martell Webster scored 17 and LaMarcus Aldridge had 16 for the Trail Blazers, who have won nine of their last 11 to cling to an eight-place tie with the San Antonio Spurs in the West.