DENVER - Allen Iverson raced downcourt and floated an alley-oop lob that Carmelo Anthony shoved one-handed through the hoop for an arena-rattling jam, one that seemed to holler to all their doubters, "Take that!"

"We just wanted to show the whole world we could play together," Anthony said after the duo's triumphant debut Monday night. "We know there's a lot of doubt about that."

Anthony scored 28 points in his return from a 15-game suspension for fighting and Iverson added 23 in the Denver Nuggets' 115-98 rout of the Memphis Grizzlies.

The two are out to prove two superstars can coexist.

So far, so very, very good.

Their pairing not only benefited each other but created open looks for everybody else. Their signature moment came with 6:39 left when Anthony soared for the alley-oop dunk that made it 103-82.

"I wanted to throw it up high so he could make SportsCenter," Iverson cracked. "No, it was a bad pass, honestly. He just showed what type of athlete he is, he went up there and got it."

Anthony said he didn't even think he could reach it.

"No, I think it was my adrenalin pumping," he said.

After the basket, Iverson sauntered back downcourt, holding his right hand to his ear as the crowd roared.

"That's what it's all about. It's about the kids, and about the fans that love the game and the excitement of the greatest game in the world," Iverson said. "I'm enjoying myself. I know it's my 11th season, but this is a fresh start for me, and it feels like my first. I am having a great time and I love my situation here."

After receiving a resounding ovation during introductions, Anthony took the microphone and thanked fans, teammates and Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke for supporting him during his 36-day layoff.

"It's like a new beginning for us," Anthony said. "And we're going to give y'all something to cheer for."

The Nuggets delivered, jumping out to a 20-point first-quarter lead, never trailing and turning it on in the fourth quarter.

"They play well together," said Pau Gasol, who led Memphis with 23 points. "They had a chemistry from the first moment. They have fun together and help each other out. I'm interested to see how they play together the rest of the year. They will be a very dangerous couple.

"It's tough to have to guard one of them. It's worse to have to worry about two great players."

More than five weeks after clocking the New York Knicks' Mardy Collins in a melee at Madison Square Garden that led to 10 ejections and seven suspensions, Anthony returned to a Denver lineup he hardly recognized.

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