(Sports Network) - Carmelo Anthony scored 30 points and pulled down eight rebounds, and rookie Ty Lawson factored big into a dominating fourth quarter for the Nuggets, as Denver opened its season with a 114-105 win over the Utah Jazz.

Chauncey Billups tallied 25 points and Lawson, the 18th overall pick in this year's draft, netted 11 of his 17 points in the last quarter for Denver. Kenyon Martin tallied 16 points and 11 boards.

Nene chipped in with 16 points for Denver, which has made the playoffs six straight years and lost to the eventual NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers in six games in the Western Conference finals.

"It was a statement game for me just to let the team know it's serious business this season," said Anthony. "What better way to start it off in the first game here at home."

The Nuggets hit 13-of-22 shots in the fourth quarter compared to 7-of-25 for the Jazz, who are coming off a third straight trip to the postseason but were eliminated in five games by the Lakers in the opening round.

Deron Williams led all five Utah starters in double figures with 28 points and also had 13 assists. Ronnie Brewer and Andrei Kirilenko each finished with 16 points, and Carlos Boozer ended with 12 points and 11 boards.

Utah center Mehmet Okur hurt his left foot just 24 seconds into the game after being plowed into by Nene. Okur came back into the game after a short respite and finished with 13 points.

Ahead by only an 82-80 count after three quarters, the Nuggets began the final stanza with nine consecutive points. Lawson accounted for the last seven points of the spurt.

"We kept the momentum going. Ty gave us a lot of energy plays," said Billups. "Melo gave us a lot of great plays and we just rolled with what those guys gave us."

Anthony later took matters into his own hands, soaring over Paul Millsap for a thunderous dunk and a 98-88 lead at the midway point. Nene's jam, which turned into a three-point play, extended the lead to a healthy 106-88 with 4 1/2 minutes remaining.

"You can't let people drive by you," said Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, entering his 22nd season with the team. "You have to learn to get up, play him, foul him. It's just a sad commentary when you watch guys shoot layups. Foul the guy and see if he can make two free throws."

Utah bolted out to an eight-point lead in the first quarter and carried a 30-23 edge moving to the second.

Denver used a 14-4 push in the second for a 37-36 lead, but the Nuggets trailed, 55-54 at the half.

The Jazz then gained a slight upper hand in the third, with Williams scoring the nine Utah points at one juncture of the period. Utah moved ahead 70-62 with 6:41 left in the quarter, but the Nuggets scored the ensuing 10 points before Williams' running bank shot tied the game again.

Game Notes

Boozer was just 3-of-14 from the floor...The Nuggets will be without guard/forward J.R. Smith for the first seven games of the season. He was suspended by the league as a result of a guilty plea to reckless driving during a 2007 auto accident that killed his friend, Andre Bell...The Jazz had won their previous six season openers, including a 98-94 win last year against the Nuggets. However, Utah is just 2-11 all-time when opening the season on the road.



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