After a week that he described as “a tornado,” Chauncey Billups was finally able to relax this morning at the Nuggets’ shootaround.
“It’s good to finally get back on the court, where I don’t have to think about anything except playing,” he said.
The whirlwind week has finally slowed down, and Billups is back home in Denver and back in the Denver lineup, where he was a decade ago.
Billups will start tonight against the Mavericks, and after a practice and a shootaround he said: “I’m getting a little familiar with the plays and calls and the way we want to play. No better thing than to just get out there.”
Billups said the difference between the Pistons’ slower offense and Denver’s speedy pace is “night and day. It will be an adjustment period for me to play at that speed and that pace — and coming back to the altitude is always tough as well — but I’m looking forward to it.”
Against the Mavericks tonight, forward Kenyon Martin will draw the assignment of guarding former MVP Dirk Nowitzki. And though he has practiced with Denver, former Piston Cheikh Samb likely won’t see action tonight, coach George Karl said.
Martin founds foundation. Martin held a press conference Friday to announce the establishment of the Kenyon Martin Foundation through The Giving Back Fund. The goal is to provide life-changing opportunities for underprivileged youth in Denver, as well as Martin’s hometown of Dallas and Cincinnati, where he played college basketball.
“I was given an opportunity to earn a wondering living, doing what I love,” Martin said. “I hope to give other children opportunities to do what they love.”
Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com
