GREEN BAY, WIS. — If the early returns are any indication, Kenyon Martin’s knee is just fine.
The Nuggets’ veteran forward, who saw his first game action since undergoing the second microfracture knee surgery of his career, started and showed no ill effects in Tuesday night’s 104-78 preseason win over the Milwaukee Bucks at the Resch Center.
“I’m just happy to be back on the court with the team and feel part of it again,” said Martin, who drew a foul and went to the line on the game’s first possession. “I’m just happy to be out there.”
Despite missing all but two games of the 2006-07 season and having surgery on his right knee Nov. 15, 2006, Martin didn’t show many signs of rust. He started the game and had seven points – including two alley-oop dunks from Allen Iverson – in the first 6 1/2 minutes.
“It just felt good to be back out there on the court with the team, man. Just get back out there, and when you get up and down the court, you try not to be too excited, because it’s still the preseason,” Martin said.
Martin also showed his quickness on defense, twice stripping Bucks first-round pick Yi Jianlian in the early going and grabbing all five of his rebounds in the first quarter.
Martin finished 5-of-9 from the floor, scored 11 points and had an assist and a steal in 15 minutes.
“I was really happy to see him (back on the court). I think he got a good matchup with Yi early,” Nuggets coach George Karl said. “I thought physically he could go on him and plus, defensively, I think Kenyon felt confident.”
Martin didn’t play in the second half as a precautionary measure. Forward Eduardo Najera got the nod in Martin’s place as Najera returned from his own injury, a lower back strain that kept him from practicing fully this preseason.
Denver plays tonight against the Detroit Pistons in Grand Rapids, Mich. Karl said that although Martin’s knee held up well against the Bucks, he doesn’t want to push him too much, too quickly.
“Right now I don’t think we’re going to play him (today), but he’s been going every day in practice,” Karl said. “We’re going to be conservative with it.”
Added Martin: “It’s a progression thing. I’m just trying to build up to the regular season.”
Iverson and forward Carmelo Anthony also played extended minutes for the Nuggets after sitting out Monday night’s game.
Iverson poured in 22 points and six assists. Anthony added 16 points and eight rebounds.
Nene missed the game as he continues to nurse a strained right calf, and Marcus Camby was given the night off to rest.
Yakhouba Diawara started and added 10 points and Anthony Roberson scored 12 off the bench for Denver.
Charlie Bell led Milwaukee with 17 points.
DENVER (104)
Anthony 6-14 4-5 16, Martin 5-9 1-2 11, McCoy 3-5 0-0 6, Diawara 2-4 6-7 10, Iverson 7-15 8-8 22, Najera 1-4 4-4 6, Hunter 1-2 2-6 4, Wafer 2-7 0-0 5, B. Jones 2-5 3-4 7, Roberson 5-9 0-0 12, Smith 2-3 0-0 5, Augmon 0-1 0-0 0, Stricker 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 36-78 28-36 104.
MILWAUKEE (78)
Mason 1-5 1-4 3, Jianlian 3-9 3-4 9, Gadzuric 1-5 2-4 4, Bell 5-13 6-6 17, Williams 6-16 4-4 16, Villanueva 3-10 0-0 7, Ivey 4-9 2-2 11, Ruffin 2-4 0-0 4, Voskuhl 0-2 0-0 0, Storey 1-6 1-2 3, Noel 1-3 2-2 4, Sessions 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 27-83 21-28 78.
Denver 26 23 33 22 – 104
Milwaukee 22 21 15 20 – 78
3-point goals – Denver 4-13 (Roberson 2-4, Smith 1-1, Wafer 1-3, B.Jones 0-1, Anthony 0-2, Diawara 0-2), Milwaukee 3-14 (Bell 1-1, Ivey 1-2, Villanueva 1-4, Noel 0-1, Jianlian 0-1, Voskuhl 0-1, Williams 0-2, Storey 0-2). Fouled out – None. Rebounds – Denver 55 (Najera 9), Milwaukee 58 (Villanueva 8). Assists – Denver 20 (Iverson 6), Milwaukee 11 (Williams 3). Total fouls – Denver 27, Milwaukee 24. Technical fouls – Denver defensive three second 3. Flagrant fouls – Storey. A – 6,349. (18,717).
