Eduardo Najera played until the final 10.1 seconds of the Nuggets’ overtime win at Seattle on Sunday night. But pain in his right knee that has plagued him much of the season prompted the forward to opt for arthroscopic surgery Monday to clean out loose bodies from the knee.
In joining the long list of injured Denver players, Najera is expected to miss two to three weeks, though coach George Karl said Najera might not be at full strength for about a month. Point guard Andre Miller stands as the Nuggets’ only rotation player not to have missed a game this season.
Roberto Gonzalez, Najera’s personal manager, said Najera received an MRI exam over the weekend after his knee started to flare up last week. Still, Najera contributed in Sunday’s victory, registering a key steal and making a layup in overtime to put his team up by six points against the Sonics.
“It’s just more to correct it and get back on the court and help Denver make the playoff push,” said Gonzalez, who added that Najera was in good spirits after the surgery.
The Nuggets will be thin up front in the short term, especially if center Marcus Camby’s strained neck is slow to heal, though Camby said he expects to play Wednesday against Phoenix. Denver did not practice Monday.
After applauding Najera’s defense and hustle this season, Karl said he will again be motivated to find solutions to another player’s absence. Francisco Elson and rookie Linas Kleiza should receive the bulk of Najera’s minutes.
“Francisco is going to be 1A, and if we get those circumstances where Marcus or Kenyon (Martin) misses a game, then L.K.’s going to be very important,” Karl said.
Karl also doubted whether Najera’s absence changes the Nuggets’ plans with the Feb. 23 trade deadline looming. He predicted the team would only do a deal that “makes sense and makes us better.”
The silver lining to Najera’s surgery is the timing. The game Wednesday is their only one in a seven-day stretch, because of the all-star break.
Najera, who averages 5.9 points and 5.7 rebounds, had his left knee operated on during the 2002-03 season with Dallas. Gonzalez said that knee is fully recovered.
Martin draws $15,000 fine
The NBA fined Martin $15,000 for “using inappropriate language, including profanity, during his interactions with fans” after Denver’s home loss to Chicago on Wednesday night, league disciplinarian Stu Jackson announced Monday.
Two fans involved in a verbal altercation with one of Martin’s friends during the game as well as ESPN reporter Jim Gray said they witnessed Martin cursing at fans after the game near the Pepsi Center floor. When first asked about the incident, Martin said he did not speak with any fans afterward and went straight home after the game.
The Nuggets kept those of Martin’s friends involved in the two exchanges away from the Pepsi Center during an investigation of the incident, but the friends face no further repercussions. The NBA announcement makes no mention of the alleged incident during the game with Martin’s friend.
“I don’t know the details. Those are such ‘he said, she said’ situations,” Karl said. “I do support the league having more of a voice in our attitudes and our actions on and off the court.”
Staff writer Adam Thompson can be reached at 303-820-5447 or athompson@denverpost.com.
