If luck is finally on Nuggets guard Julius Hodge’s side, he finally could be available to play Saturday.
Hodge has missed all 12 games this season because of an infection on his left foot. But the second-year Nugget said he is optimistic he will be cleared to play at a Thursday doctor’s appointment in Denver. The doctor’s appointment will cause Hodge to miss the Nuggets’ team plane to Minneapolis for a game at Minnesota on Friday, but he hopes to be available to make his season debut Saturday against Indiana.
“Hopefully everything will be all right (Thursday) and I’ll be ready to go,” Hodge said Sunday night before the Nuggets’ game against the Los Angeles Clippers. “I’m good. I’m in shape. My body’s right. I’ve got my body fat down. My leg is feeling good. I’ve been ready to go.”
The 20th overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft came close to dying after he was shot four times early in the morning of April 8 in the Denver area when a bullet was a 1/4-inch shy of hitting an artery. Hodge played sparingly in 14 games last season and averaged 17.7 points in 11 games for NBADL Austin last season.
Hodge is uncertain if he will be asked to play soon for the NBADL Colorado 14ers. But Hodge believes he’s ready to return to NBA action after working out impressively of late with Nuggets assistant and player development coaches John Welch and Jamahl Mosely.
“It’s a blessing for me to get back on the court,” Hodge said. “It’s going to mean a lot to me. It’s good that I kept a positive attitude the whole time. Hopefully, I will get my opportunity. I know I’ll take advantage of it.”
Footnotes
Nuggets forward-center Nene is expected to practice today after missing the past 8 1/2 games with a right knee contusion and could return to action against Memphis on Tuesday. … Clippers center Chris Kaman missed Sunday’s game with a badly sprained left ankle. … Nuggets assistant Doug Moe didn’t attend Sunday’s game because he had a cold. … Nuggets vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien spent Thanksgiving eating dinner in Las Vegas at former Nevada-Las Vegas coach Jerry Tarkanian’s house with an “all-star” group of guests. “You could tell guys were lying because their lips were moving,” Warkentien said. When asked who the “all-star” guests were, he said, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” Warkentien was among many of the NBA’s top executives who scouted Kansas’ victory over Florida in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
