Only Nuggets who played less than 20 minutes on Saturday had to come to today’s shootaround, and Arron Afflalo, as luck would have it, was just 78 seconds from 20 minutes. So there he was this morning, shooting around. But, as coach George Karl said of the hard-working guard, “He would have been out here if he played 36 minutes.”
Afflalo is known for his dedication to detail and defense, and both will be on display tonight as he draws one of his toughest assignments this season — 6-9 Kevin Durant of Oklahoma City, who is third in the NBA in scoring and leader of this upstart Thunder squad.
“Durant is going to be probably a scoring champ someday and an Olympian,” Karl said. “He’s one of those difficult covers at 6-9. You cover him with big, he’s got quickness, and you cover him with small, he’s got size.”
Durant is 6-9 but he’s more of a perimeter-based player who runs the floor and can knock down the long-range jumper. It’s possible, Karl suggested, that Durant might try to post up the shorter Afflalo, but if that’s the case, Denver’s roaming post defender (be it Nene, Kenyon Martin or Chris Andersen), should help out in a double-team. From a man-to-man standpoint, Carmelo Anthony and Martin will both take turns on Durant during tonight game at Pepsi Center (7 p.m. tip).
“We’ve stolen some games from them in the last couple years that we probably shouldn’t have won — it’s going to be an intense game tonight,” Karl said. “(The Thunder) don’t beat themselves anymore, they’re a team you have to beat. Cleveland showed that last night. Cleveland had to make about 97 3s at the end of the game (to win).”
Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com
