Even with Melo expected back, many other battered Nuggets still dealing with injuries
With Denver Nuggets all-star forward Carmelo Anthony expected to return to the lineup tonight, attention now turns to the numerous other Nuggets who are also nursing injuries.
Chauncey Billups, Nene, Kenyon Martin, Arron Afflalo, and J.R. Smith are all listed on the Nuggets’ injury report, but ironically, all are expected to suit up and play in tonight’s game against the Dallas Mavericks despite some pretty tough injuries.
Billups has been nursing a pair of sprained ankles since Friday and missed Saturday’s 116-106 loss to the Utah Jazz. He suffered the second ankle sprain on last Friday night’s huge 126-113 road victory against the Western Conference leading Los Angeles Lakers, but stayed in the contest to record a career-high 39 points, with nine 3-pointers, to lead the Nuggets to the win.
He is expected to play tonight in what some predict to be an “old man’s” style of role in which he can still help the team, but is not expected have his typical explosiveness in the arsenal.
Like Anthony, the prospect of playing in this Sunday’s upcoming All-Star Game might be helping to push Billups to play this week so that he can play in the exhibition without having to worry about criticism for playing when he might be, otherwise, too hurt to go for his regular team.
Smith also suffered an injury in Friday’s game as he mildly sprained his right shoulder. This didn’t prevent him from playing 32 minutes on Saturday with Billups out, and is not expected to hamper any of his playing time this week heading into the last few games before the All-Star break. He does still remain a game-time-decision after being evaluated by Nuggets team doctor Steve Traina. While the Nuggets can always use his scoring ability, they could be cautious with him and let him rest some with the other guards expected to play and the Nuggets having posted a 5-2 record without his services this season.
Nene is likely to be active going forward as he is nursing a lower leg muscle strain that sidelined him the entire second half of last Saturday’s game. He missed yesterday’s practice as a precaution and the Nuggets may keep him limited however as both Martin and Chris Andersen are expected to be fine for tonight’s contest.
Martin has been slowed by a recent knee injury but it isn’t expected to force him into missing any time. Andersen also has been dealing with a knee injury but has made his way off of the injury report and the “Birdman” is expected to be back at full strength.
Perhaps the most concerning injury the Nuggets sustained last Saturday was that of Afflalo’s. He injured his ankle when he rolled it in the game and ended up shooting just 1-9 in the game. The injury was originally believed to be pretty serious and to be bad enough to keep him out this upcoming week, but, against the wished of the Nuggets’ training staff, he worked out with the team yesterday and has said that he feels ready to go for tonight’s game — great news for Nuggets fans who have fallen in love with his play the past few months.
“I’m good to go,” Afflalo told the Denver Post’s Chris Dempsey. “I plan to get out there and be normal, just play. I twisted it pretty bad, but I got treatment. It’s sore, just like anything else, but I’m ready.”
It seems this is the attitude many of the Nuggets have adopted as they look to finish strong before the break.
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Time: February 9, 2010, 9:55 pm
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