Philadelphia – The Nuggets continued to juggle their frontcourt Thursday as Kenyon Martin missed his third consecutive game with pain in his left knee. Martin said after the game that he would be a game-time decision in Toronto.
Eduardo Najera (right knee) dressed, but as in Denver’s win over Memphis on Monday, was available only on an emergency basis. Neither Martin nor Najera would speculate on their availability tonight at Toronto, though Najera thought he might serve an emergency role.
“It kind of bugs me, because obviously I haven’t been practicing,” Najera said before the game. “It’s very hard to play at a high level.”
The Nuggets usually take off days after back-to-back games. But with their tight schedule on this seven-game trip and new players with the team, coach George Karl said they would likely use one of those days for a walk-through. Still, that means just two days of practice in the coming week.
“It’s just going to be tougher,” Najera said of his inability to practice. “But again, the more rest I get, the better my knee is going to feel.”
Francisco Elson started in Martin’s place, finishing with two points and two rebounds.
Living on the road
Denver forward Reggie Evans probably doesn’t want to hear any complaints from his teammates about how rough the Nuggets’ road swing is. After all, he has already played at each of the five Eastern Conference arenas on this trip when he was with Seattle.
“When I first got here I was like, ‘Dang, another road trip,”‘ he said. “I had just got done with all my road trips in Seattle, especially East Coast road trips. Now I’ve got to go on the road again, so I’m not able see my daughter or my girl. … Other than that, I’m ready to make it happen.”
In fact, 44 out of Evans’ 82 games this year will have taken place on the road, instead of the usual 41. That includes Denver’s Feb. 24 win at Minnesota, which he attended but could not play in because the trade that brought him to the Nuggets had not been finalized.
Footnotes
Karl rode Carmelo Anthony hard Thursday, playing him 42 minutes, 18 seconds despite another game tonight in Toronto.
“He’s young, a 21-year-old man. He can handle it,” Karl said. …
With free-agent guard Jon Barry opting to retire and Fred Hoiberg in talks with Detroit, the Nuggets’ options for a 3-point shooter may be dwindling. Wesley Person remains available.
There is a chance guard Howard Eisley, whose 10-day contract expires Sunday, will remain for a second 10-day tour.
