WASHINGTON — Shooting guard Yakhouba Diawara will return to the Nuggets’ starting lineup tonight, and his defensive assignment will be Washington all-star guard Gilbert Arenas.
Diawara started the first three games, but was replaced in the lineup by Linas Kleiza, who is more of an offensive threat.
But with power forward Nene out for six weeks, and starting power forward Kenyon Martin playing limited minutes, coach George Karl needs Kleiza to play more power forward, along with reserve Eduardo Najera.
Also, Diawara is a talented defender, who Karl hopes can rattle Arenas early.
Martin has been cleared to play in back-to-backs, so he will also play on Saturday night at Indiana, but Karl said he isn’t “going to go crazy on the minutes,” keeping Martin in the 20-minute range. Martin returned this season from knee surgery, after missing 80 games last season.
The Nuggets (2-3) are without three injured guards tonight against the Wizards (0-4), though Denver thought reserve Mike Wilks would be available either tonight or Saturday.
But during shootaround this morning, “I saw him try to run today, and it didn’t look good,” Karl said. “He backed off. We were thinking he could go through the shootaround. We were hoping this weekend, but I don’t think it’s going to happen. I’m hoping it’s Monday.”
