Carmelo Anthony scored 30 points and Chauncey Billups added 28 as Denver downed Dallas 124-110 on Wednesday to advance in the NBA playoffs.

The victory gave the Nuggets a four games to one victory in their best-of-seven second-round series and their first trip to the Western Conference finals since 1985.

"It's special," Anthony said. "We worked hard in the offseason and training camp and throughout. We stuck to everything, we overcame adversity, we stayed humble and our hard work paid off."

Denver next face either the Los Angeles Lakers or the Houston Rockets, whose series was scheduled to continue on Thursday in Houston. The Lakers lead the series 3-2.

If the Lakers win, Denver will start the conference finals on the road, but against Houston they would be at home, where the Nuggets have won 16 straight games.

The conference finals seemed an unlikely destination for Denver after the departures of Marcus Camby and Eduardo Najera prior to the season.

But a trade sending Allen Iverson to Detroit for Denver native Billups transformed the Nuggets.

"He's a leader," Anthony said of Billups, who helped the Pistons to the NBA title in 2004. "He came on this team and he brought a businesslike attitude to our team. He brought a defensive mind-set we were looking for."

After the series turned ugly in Dallas, the Nuggets arrived back home ready to put an end to it, shooting 64 percent in the first half as they established a 69-55 lead.

The Mavericks hung around, thanks in large part to 32 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists from Dirk Nowitzki.

Their second-half stretch of five straight 3-pointers included three by Jason Kidd and narrowed the gap to 79-72.

Dallas edged within 103-97 in the fourth quarter on a basket by Nowitzki. Then Anthony nailed a 3-pointer and the Mavericks would get no closer than eight points the rest of the night.

(AFP via China Daily May 15, 2009)