But Carter played the final 14 minutes of Denver's 105-99 win Saturday over Phoenix.

Nuggets coach George Karl was looking to shake up his team, which had trailed by 17 points in the third quarter. And rookie point guard Ty Lawson, who scored two points in 12 minutes, wasn't having much of game.

"A.C. does give us a different look," Karl said of having the heady veteran on the floor.

Carter didn't score, but he had three assists and he played fine defense down the stretch.

"George did a great job of coaching and putting A.C. in the game," said Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin.

--At least it isn't a problem the Nuggets have to worry about again until March.

Nuggets coach George Karl isn't pleased how the team has finished out its two extended road trips so far this season. For a six-game trip in early November, the Nuggets won the first two before dropping three of the last four.

Then in an early December four-game trip, the Nuggets won the first two before dropping the next two. And the two losses were to losing teams Charlotte and Detroit.

At least the Nuggets don't have another trip of more than two games until March. Still, Karl is starting to look into what the problem might be for his team.

"Finishing off a road trip," Karl said. "We kind of get off to good starts and then we kind of fade down the stretch. Is that mental? Is that fatigue? Is that just the nature of the NBA? All of those things have to be evaluated?"

QUOTE TO NOTE: "They were getting whatever they wanted. In the second half, we got control of that. We won this game on the defensive end." -- Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, on a 105-99 win over Phoenix on Saturday, when the Nuggets had a 58-39 scoring advantage in the second half.