OAKLAND, Calif. — During Denver’s Thursday morning walk-through, someone asked aloud if Nene would play in the Nuggets-Warriors game. A Nuggets official simply pointed toward the bench in the gym. There, a glum Nene slouched.
Nene missed Denver’s biggest game of the season with a strained right groin injury that has lingered for the past week.
“It’s not getting better,” the power forward said. “The last three days, I can’t walk right. I limp a little bit. I’d be in the room all three days sore. I don’t want to walk and mess it up more.”
After returning from testicular cancer, Nene made four inspiring appearances, but missed the past three games, including Thursday. Denver coach George Karl felt Nene could have helped the Nuggets against the Warriors, because “he’s one of those big guys who can cover little guys. Plus, he has power around the basket to punish the little guys.”
Instead, the crestfallen big man sat at the end of the Nuggets’ bench.
“It’s frustrating. I want to do my best, but I can’t control my body, I can’t control the response,” Nene said of the injury. “I did a lot of hard work in a short time.”
Nene wasn’t sure when he would play next. He is day-to-day. Denver has three more regular-season games, beginning Saturday at Utah.
“I pushed too much,” Nene said. “I just don’t want to be injured for the summer. It’s very important for me (to prepare for next season).”
Web celeb.
released the most-viewed player pages, and Allen Iverson’s was listed in third place. Only the pages for Kobe Bryant and LeBron James received more hits.
Benjamin Hochman, The Denver Post
