Anthony says "nobody respects us'' entering Lakers game

The Nuggets have won eight straight games, the NBA’s longest ongoing streak. They’re on the verge of breaking the team’s NBA record for wins in a season. They’ve ascended to the No. 2 seed in the West.

Carmelo Anthony has the looks of being the most well-known Anthony since Susan B. got plopped on the dollar coin 30 years ago.

You’d think the Nuggets forward would be riding high these days. Instead, he has an us-against-the-universe stance.

“I don’t really worry about them being ticked off,” Anthony said when asked if he feels the Lakers might be mad at the Nuggets on Thursday night due to Denver’s rather easy 90-79 win Feb. 27 at the Pepsi Center. “We’re ticked off because nobody respects us,’’

One thinks, though, the Nuggets might get some respect if they can win Thursday at the Staples Center.

The nationally televised game features the Lakers (62-16), the top seed in the West, against the No. 2 Nuggets (53-26). If Denver wins, it will clinch its second Northwest Division in four years, and also could really get some momentum entering the playoffs.

“I don’t think you should put that parameter on a back-to-back game, but we’re going to have fun playing it,’’ coach George Karl, whose Nuggets defeated Oklahoma City 122-112 Wednesday at the Pepsi Center, said when asked if the Thursday’s game could show how good the Nuggets can be. “I think everybody’s anxious for it.

“It’s a free swing. If we win, it’s a big win for us and can catapult us into a probably a lot of nice things being said about us. But the truth of the matter is, it doesn’t have a priority to it. The playoffs are going to be the reason. But I think it will be a playoff game… And we want to meet the challenge against the team everybody thinks is the best team in the conference.’’

The Nuggets still have some unfinished business. In addition to the division title being within reach, a Nuggets win and a Houston loss at Sacramento on Thursday would lock up the No. 2 seed in the West. And Denver is one win from the 1987-88 mark of 54-28 for the best in the team’s NBA history.

“It’s a big game, but it’s another game on our schedule,’’ said Anthony, who scored 31 points Wednesday as the Nuggets took over after trailing the Thunder 74-69 with 4 ½ minutes left in the third quarter. “We’re going into there trying to get that win. But, if we don’t, that’s not something we’re going to hold our heads down. We still got to finish out this season strong, but we’re definitely going into there trying to win.’’

If the Nuggets, whose magic number is one for clinching the division and two for clinching the No. 2 seed, don’t win, their next chance to lock up the division would be if the Trail Blazers lose at home Friday to the Lakers. Denver, which holds the tiebreaker over Portland, would have clinched the Northwest on Wednesday had the Trail Blazers not won at San Antonio.

Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups, who totaled 18 points and nine assists against Oklahoma City, called it “exciting” to be able to wrap up the division crown in a “tough building against one of the best teams in the NBA.” But Billups didn’t want to put too much emphasize on Thursday’s game.

“This is not going to make or break our season in any fashion,’’ he said. “We’ve got a great opportunity to go out and play against a really tough team on the road. And it’s a team, if we want to achieve our ultimate goal, we’re going to… have to get through that team somewhere.’’

The team the Nuggets will try to get through is approaching full strength. Lakers center Andrew Bynum is expected to start as he plays his first game since suffering a knee injury Jan. 31. Karl, who has had his share of woes in Los Angeles, is preparing to face Bynum.

The Nuggets are just 1-7, including two playoff losses, on the road against the Lakers since Karl took over as Denver’s coach in January 2005. The only win came in April 2007 in a game Karl missed due to his son Coby’s cancer surgery, and the team was coached by assistant Adrian Dantley.

Denver, which also lost 104-97 Nov. 1 at home to Los Angeles, didn’t show much in its first road game this season against the Lakers, falling 104-90 Nov. 21. But then the Nuggets came up big against Los Angeles at home six weeks ago.

Still, that wasn’t enough for Anthony to think they earned much respect.