The evidence is circumstantial but intriguing.
Recent Nuggets games have included scoring lulls that either allow Denver’s opponents to come back from large deficits, or, as in their loss at Utah on Wednesday, turn a close game into a blowout defeat. In each, Earl Boykins has not been there for his espresso shot of offense.
“We’re kind of treading water,” coach George Karl said of Denver’s bench play without its backup point guard, out since a March 15 game at Indiana with two broken bones in his left hand.
“We’re trying to just stay even, not lose what we’ve gained. A couple of times we’ve gotten those lifts. But Earl’s one of those spark plugs. Sometimes I’ll put Earl in the game when the first team’s not playing good and he usually lifts us up, changes tempo, changes pace and also can be an energizer on the offensive end of the court.”
These days, the starters have less room for an off-night. Since Boykins got hurt, the Nuggets have slowed from red-hot to about break-even, going 7-6. Overall, they are 9-10 when he’s out of the lineup, though recently they also have been hampered by absences of Marcus Camby, Kenyon Martin and Eduardo Najera.
Karl has tried five different starting lineups since Boykins broke his hand, sticking with no group of five for more than four games while searching for offensive balance from the second unit.
“He’s a guy that comes off the bench and provides a spark with some offense,” Camby said of Boykins. “We’ve been missing that aspect. I think that’s why Coach has shaken up the lineup from time to time.”
Boykins had his cast removed Thursday and will wear a removable splint for a few more days, removing it in practice to build up strength and flexibility.
He called himself “very eager” to get back but does not want to reinjure himself. Boykins and Karl hope he can squeeze into Denver’s last two regular-season games – the coach would ideally play him his regular 25 minutes. Karl does not expect him to be at 100 percent even by next weekend, when the playoffs start, but he can see his guard helping the Nuggets win games there.
Boykins returns with a new perspective on his team’s strengths and weaknesses.
“Since I’ve been hurt, I now see what Coach means when we don’t run the ball compared to when we do run the ball,” he said. “As a player, if you win the game, you really don’t care. Now, from the side I can see really how different we are as a team. I think that’s been good for me. The only way I would have gained this perspective is by watching the games.”
He added: “Not only George. The media was right about some things. I’m honest. You guys always say that when we run how good we are and when we don’t run we’re not good at it. That’s 100 percent correct. We’re a very average team if we play halfcourt basketball, and when we run, there’s no team that can compete with us.”
Perhaps as soon as Monday against Houston, Boykins will be doing his best to get his team back in that second category more often.
Staff writer Marc J. Spears contributed to this report.
Staff writer Adam Thompson can be reached at 303-820-5447 or athompson@denverpost.com.
