TORONTO (Ticker) -- An early start was just the thing to get Vince Carter going.
Carter totaled 34 points, 10 rebounds and six assists as the Toronto Raptors set a franchise record for consecutive home wins to start a season with an 89-76 victory over the Denver Nuggets.
After waking up at 7 a.m. EST and feeling sluggish during the shootaround, Carter helped Toronto improve to 4-0 at Air Canada Centre while besting Nuggets rookie Carmelo Anthony, who followed up his 30-point performance Friday with 19 on 6-of-16 shooting.
"That is what it is all about, protecting home and making sure that when you are home, you are playing your best," said Carter, who shot 14-of-22 from the field. "Of course, we want to play better on the road, but at playoff time, our goal, and definitely my goal, is getting this team to a homecourt advantage. If we continue to play like this, it will be our advantage."
Raptors coach Kevin O'Neill was impressed with Carter's overall performance.
"I think when he takes his time a little bit and executes and gives himself a chance to read the defense, he gives himself a better chance to score," O'Neill said. "He was tough for us.
"I thought he was really good defensively and I thought he did a good job on the boards. He kept things alive; that's what you want your superstar to do every night, is to control the game in a lot of ways."
Anthony was held in check primarily by Jerome Williams and reserve Lamond Murray. The 19-year-old forward appeared to be frustrated late in the second half as he failed to get back on defense.
"He's a talented young player, but he's just one player and we didn't do a good job shooting the basketball," Denver guard Jon Barry said.
Milt Palacio came off the bench to contribute 14 points and Williams added eight and 13 rebounds for the Raptors, who bounced back from an embarrassing 86-60 loss at Washington on Friday.
In this one, Toronto jumped to an 18-5 lead with 5:13 left in the first period, held a 26-13 advantage after the quarter and was up, 50-45, at the break.
"We got off to a better start offensively," said Carter, who had 12 points in the first quarter. "We were in the flow, executing and we were more patient with our shooting. The energy level in the first quarter was a lot better and we got off to a 12- or 13-point lead. The lead we built in the first quarter gave us a cushion."
Andre Miller had 18 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists as Denver dropped consecutive games for the first time this season.
The Nuggets missed 12 of their first 13 shots and trailed by as many as 17 points in the first quarter, but they cut their deficit to 32-28 on rookie Francisco Elson's basket with 6:58 left in the second quarter.
"It's difficult when you start a game in a hole like that. It's pretty much an uphill battle the rest of the night, and today we just couldn't do it," said Nuggets guard Earl Boykins, who scored 12 points. "We couldn't overcome the deficit.
"I don't know if it was one man tonight, because we shot our usual 35 percent. You can't win a basketball game that way."
Denver coach Jeff Bzdelik agreed.
"Let's be honest, we shoot the basketball better, Toronto doesn't get (its) fastbreak points and defensively we're there, too," he said. "Our defense, when we dig in, is just as good as anyone in the league, and if you look at the stats, we are one of the top three or four defensive teams in the league ourselves. What hurts our defense a lot is our inability offensively."
Carter answered with 14 points in the third quarter, including a four-point play that gave the Raptors a 70-61 lead with 27 seconds left in the period.
"It put us up nine points, so it was key," he said. "We had them flustered on the fastbreak and Antonio (Davis) set a (heck) of a screen. As I turned, I saw (Ryan) Bowen coming at me, but I was able to get the shot off and make the free throw."
Carter remained active in the fourth quarter and assisted on Peterson's 3-pointer that put Toronto ahead, 87-75, with 67 seconds remaining.
"Despite scoring 34 points, he was able to get others involved and help out defensively," Bzdelik said of Carter. "He is a great talent."
Davis pulled down 11 rebounds and chipped in seven points for the Raptors, who shot 49 percent (37-of-76) and held a slim 41-39 edge in rebounding.
Nene had 12 points and eight rebounds for Denver.
