Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin has pledged to be patient in his recovery from microfracture surgery, and that’s how he is staying. But the itch to play is there. Now, there may be a date as well.
Martin is tentatively pointing toward Wednesday’s game against Detroit for his first action since injuring the knee last season.
Asked Thursday when he’ll play, Martin said: “Probably toward the end of the week. Probably the last one next week, maybe. But it’ll only be one next week. We’ve got three of them; it’ll be one out of the three probably.”
Martin said his practice Wednesday was the best of the preseason. In a little more than an hour of work, he said his knees and conditioning felt as good as they have since the start of training camp.
“It’s been a process, but it’s been a good process,” Martin said. “Just following the steps the doctor gave me. Not doing anything to jeopardize nothing.
“Of course if it was up to me, I would just go. But that probably wouldn’t be the best thing. That’s why I didn’t leave it up to me. Some people left it up to me before, and I overdid it. That’s why it’s not up to me now.”
Carter staying upbeat. Holding a splinted right hand above his head Thursday, guard Anthony Carter remained positive about his recovery from a broken hand.
“It’s not very disappointing,” Carter said. “I went on ahead and had surgery, and I’m going to be back soon.”
Carter is expected to be back in four to six weeks after fracturing the third metacarpal on his right hand in practice Saturday. He said Nuggets athletic trainer Jim Gillen told him he could be back on the court as early as Nov. 10.
“I’m just going to rehab it and do my therapy as fast as possible, not rushing it or anything like that, where I feel comfortable and get back out there,” said Carter, who had three screws inserted in his hand. “That was the whole idea of having the surgery. I didn’t have to have the surgery, but I chose to because I want to get back out there and help the team.”
Carter was signed to a one-year deal by the Nuggets in August. The organization acquired him late last season, and he played in Game 5 of the Nuggets’ first-round playoff series against San Antonio. This season, the ninth-year veteran is expected to help shore up the Nuggets’ perimeter defense.
His first physical therapy appointment is Monday, where it will be determined when and how he can begin conditioning.
“I got the hard part over with, just having the surgery,” Carter said. “I’m just ready to start back as soon as they give me the clearance to start running.”
Movie Melo. Carmelo Anthony is no stranger to being in music videos and television shows, but his bit part in Eddie Murphy’s movie “NowhereLand” will be his first big-screen appearance. His scene, which includes Allen Iverson and Nuggets coach George Karl, was shot at the Pepsi Center on Thursday afternoon.
“It’s fun,” Anthony said of the experience. “They take a long time, but they’re fun. Especially this one with Eddie Murphy. I’ve met him before. He’s a pretty funny cat.”
Interestingly enough, this would not have been his first go-around in movie-making. In 2005, Esquire magazine reported Anthony turned down a role in a film directed by Penny Marshall when he learned one of the requirements was to cut off his cornrows.
Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com
