The sight of Nuggets forward Eduardo Najera hoisting a 3-pointer can be unsettling, knowing he’s primarily an inside, high-energy and toughness player.
But, hey, coach George Karl signed off on it.
In fact, Karl suggested it. Najera’s jump-shooting range extends to 20 feet or so. Karl reasoned that if Najera is going to shoot from that far out, they might as well be 3-pointers.
“It’s my commitment to him,” Karl said. “I told him to try it the first 20-25 games and we’ll re-evaluate. I think it’s been OK. He’s made enough to where I’m happy with it, comfortable with it.”
Going into Monday night’s game, Najera hit 5-of-11 from the arc this season.
“Obviously he told me as long as I don’t go away from the other things that I did good — rebound and defend — I can shoot them now and then,” Najera said. “He knows I’m not going to get crazy and start taking 10 or 15 in a game. I would never do anything like that.”
Najera was 14-of-55 in his career coming into this season. Last season he was 1-of-12 from behind the arc, with the majority of those taken as desperation shots at the end of quarters. Not this season.
If Najera is open, he’s encouraged to take it. Karl wants to see him shooting around 35 percent. He is shooting 45.5 percent from the arc.
“I’ve been working with all the coaches (on shooting 3-pointers),” Najera said. “If I’m open I’m going to take it. If not, no big deal, I’m still going to cut to the basket.”
Carter on the mend. Nuggets guard Anthony Carter sat in the locker room before the game in team garb, a small, but significant step in his road to return from a broken hand. Carter began working with a basketball for the first time Monday and said he’s on target to return next week.
“It’s doing great,” Carter said. “It wasn’t fatigued. It didn’t feel pain.”
Carter broke the third metacarpal in his right hand during the preseason. He is in a small cast, which will be modified to help him get a better grip on the basketball, and has been cleared for on-court work.
“I can start dribbling and dummy stuff, just no contact,” Carter said, smiling. “Can’t beat that.”
Footnotes. Guard Mike Wilks said he will leave the team after Wednesday’s game to be with his pregnant wife Kimberly in Alabama as doctors are expected to induce labor. The couple is expecting a boy. Karl said fiery halftime speeches such as the one he delivered to the team in Indiana will be few and far between. “There have been many great coaches in the NBA before me that said, ‘If my job is to motivate them, we’re in trouble.’ “
Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com
