Chauncey Billups made 6-of-6 3-pointers and scored a season-high 36 points as the shorthanded Denver Nuggets defeated the host Minnesota Timberwolves, 119-113, Wednesday night.

Nuggets superstar Carmelo Anthony missed his fifth game since the death of his sister. He is expected to rejoin the team Thursday. Denver also was without forwards Kenyon Martin (knee) and Al Harrington (thumb) and center Nene (hamstring).

In five games since returning from a three-game absence due to a sore wrist, Billups has averaged 25.6 points, well above his season average of 16.6.

He kept the Nuggets afloat early, scoring 12 points in the first quarter while no teammate had more than two. Billups also led a late charge with 15 points in the final seven minutes.

Ty Lawson scored 12 of his 19 points in the second quarter for the Nuggets (18-13), who have won four straight against the Timberwolves, seven in a row at Minnesota and 14 of the last 15 meetings overall.

Denver got a boost from deep reserve Renaldo Balkman, who had 10 points in 18 minutes. Balkman had played 19 minutes in three previous games this season.

Michael Beasley scored 33 points and Kevin Love had 26 and 14 rebounds for the Timberwolves (8-25), who had their two-game winning streak snapped.

Martell Webster scored 17 points – all in the final 17:24 – for Minnesota, which led by as many as nine in the first half.