Perhaps the Denver Nuggets are beginning to feel the effects of relying too much on one player – in this case, Carmelo Anthony. Melo’s been out for three games, including Friday night’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Ford Center; as it would turn out, the Nuggets played completely different than as if Anthony was in the starting lineup.

Kevin Durant’s 30 points was more than enough to help Oklahoma City cruise to the easy 101-84 win over Denver, ending the Nuggets 9-game winning streak while the Thunder avoided a four-game losing streak.

Both teams played it close in the opening quarter as the largest lead was held by the Nuggets at 15-11 on a Chauncey Billups three-pointer, but the Thunder would take the lead with 32 seconds left, entering the second quarter up 27-26. Oklahoma City would enter the intermission up by six – the largest lead by either team in the first half.

Denver would score the first four points of the second half and would put together a 10-2 run and would lead 61-52 after Thabo Sefolosha stole the ball from Billups and would go the length of the court for the jam. Nick Collison would convert a three-point play while James Harden drained a trey as the Thunder scored the last nine points of the third quarter to go up 79-60.

The Nuggets would close to within 13 early in the final period, but Collison and Durant combined for seven straight points and the Thunder  led 90-70 after Durant scored on a fast-break layup with 6:36 remaining in the game. With the game well in hand, Thunder coach Scott Brooks pulled his starters with 3:31 left and enjoying a 22-point lead.

Durant led all Thunder scorers with 30 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, a steal and a block while Jeff Green added 15 with 5 rebounds, an assist and a steal.

Billups led the Nuggets with 19 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals while J.R. Smith added 18 (including 5 treys) with 3 rebounds and 2 steals.

Oklahoma City (25-21) plays again on Sunday when they host the Golden State Warriors while Denver (31-15) makes the short trip to San Antonio to take on the Spurs – also on Sunday.