Saturday night, he made use of it. The Nuggets forward had been struggling big time. His coach, George Karl, was wondering if he was forcing too many shots.

So Anthony headed to the gym, which he said wasn't his usual Saturday night out. Even though he had a sore right elbow, he launched jumpers, trying to get back his shooting stroke after going 18-for-61 in the previous four games.

Consider Anthony to be making progress. He shot 6-for-11, scored 21 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and had eight assists Sunday night to help the Nuggets to a 114- 101 win against the Chicago Bulls at the Pepsi Center.

"I just wanted to get a touch, try to get my feeling back," said Anthony, who shot 5-for-19 in a 104-90 road loss to the Lakers on Friday.

He wasn't the only who did.

Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin bounced back after shooting 3- for-9 against the Lakers. He was 10-for-10 from the floor in scoring 26 points.

Also scoring 21 were guard Chauncey Billups and center Nene. Until Martin scored the final five points of the game, four Denver players were at 21.

That was appropriate, because it was blackjack for the Nuggets (9-5) at the end. Trailing 99-96, they scored 13 straight points to go up 109-99. They ended up closing the game on an 18-2 run.

"For the second time during the game we really focused in defensively," said Billups, whose Nuggets are 8-2 since his Nov. 3 acquisition from Detroit.

They got it started with a Martin free throw, then Anthony drilled a three-pointer and had a dunk for a 102-99 lead. Soon, Martin threw down a huge dunk, was fouled and made a free throw for a 109-99 lead.

"Just being Kenyon, man," he said of letting out a big scream after the dunk. Martin even did some things, though, that weren't vintage Kenyon. One was drilling a three-pointer with 47.9 seconds left for the final points - and to make him become the second Denver player ever to go 10-for-10 or better from the floor (Bobby Jones went a team-record 12-for- 12 against Golden State on March, 15, 1978).

"I didn't even know until they told me after the game in an interview," Martin, whose Nuggets shot a season-best 54.1 percent, said of having a perfect night. "It's cool. But I'm about winning."

After the Lakers drubbed the Nuggets on Friday, Anthony was in the locker room with his head down and a towel draped over him for about 20 minutes. But he bounced back Sunday even though he was feeling under the weather and has had a right elbow contusion (X-rays were negative) bothering him for a few days.

"Carmelo is going to play, probably, 3,000 minutes this year," Karl said. "There is no reason to force the game. . . . I thought he was spectacular, but not in a spectacular way. He's not totally in a rhythm but will get there."

Anthony's 13 rebounds were the most for either team. He didn't force many shots, and he disputed recent comments from Karl that he has been doing that.

"I don't think I've been forcing that many shots," he said. "I'm not shooting the ball as much as I have in the past, but that's not an issue right now."

One guy who sometimes forces shots is Bulls guard Ben Gordon. But most of what he threw up was finding the bottom of the net.

Gordon scored a game-most 28 points while shooting 5-for-7 from three-point range. He led the way as Chicago fought back from a 13- point first-half deficit to lead 96-92 on a three-pointer by Gordon with 7:05 left in the game.

But that turned out to be Gordon's last basket.

Anthony was just starting to heat up. With that in mind, the Pepsi Center night watchman might soon see him again.

ETC.: Billups said Antonio McDyess, whose contract was bought out from Denver after McDyess had been included in the trade with Detroit, text messaged him Sunday to say he would re-sign with the Pistons. "Whatever Dice wants, I'm happy for him," Billups said. "That's all totally his decision. I really didn't know (where he would go)." . . . The Bulls played without forward Luol Deng, who has a hamstring injury.

INFOBOX

ANDERSEN CLOSE

Nuggets forward Chris Andersen, out since suffering a broken rib Nov. 9, shot for 30 minutes Saturday and will do noncontact work this week in practice.

"Not hoping. I am," Andersen said when asked if Sunday against Houston remains his hopeful return date, adding he's gotten "winded" in recent cardiovascular drills.

Coach George Karl said that the Nuggets "need another body (is a) thought process that hangs around our team (but) as soon as Chris gets back, I think that will go away."

Also, rookie Sonny Weems, out all season because of a groin strain, will be a full participant in practice this week.

PROUD PAPA

Nuggets assistant Adrian Dantley starred at Notre Dame but wasn't ROOTing for the Irish on Saturday. He watched on TV as son Cameron Dantley threw a last-minute, game-winning touchdown pass in Syracuse's 24-23 win at Notre Dame.

"It felt really good," the father said. "He said it was real quiet when he drove down on that touchdown drive."

Dad talked to his son "as soon as he got on the bus."

DEL NEGRO WAS SOUGHT

Before Vinny Del Negro was named Chicago's coach in June, Karl considered him as a Denver assistant.

"I talked to Vinny about two or three weeks before (his Bulls hiring)," Karl said. "I had two spots open. Vinny was on the list. We were going to meet."

HE SAID IT

"For three years, (Carmelo Anthony) and (Allen Iverson) were shared priorities. I don't think there's a shared priority right now. I think every team we play has a priority, and it's No. 15."

Karl, on teams seeking to stop Anthony.