HOUSTON — At 10:30 a.m. Monday, the Nuggets were wrapping up and rolling out of the Toyota Center with another shootaround under their belts.
It is significant because they started at 10 a.m.
One of the most noticeable changes under acting coach Adrian Dantley has been shorter shootarounds than the usual one-hour drills coach George Karl puts the team through. Players definitely don’t mind the abbreviated sessions.
“I’m not mad at that,” said guard Chauncey Billups, laughing.
Dantley said he picked up the strategy from one of his former coaches, Chuck Daly, while playing for the Detroit Pistons.
“When I was with Chuck Daly he always told me, ‘Adrian, if you ever have a shootaround, keep it to 30, 40 minutes.’ So I got that from him because that’s what we did when I was a player,” Dantley said. “I know I loved it.”
Lawson update.
Rookie guard Ty Lawson (shoulder) declined to put a timeline on when he might return, but he said he was able to do more on the court Monday.
“It’s all right,” Lawson said. “It’s getting there. It’s day to day. I thought I could do something today, but when I pull up I can shoot with my right hand, but when I bring it up with my left, it still catches.
“I’m dribbling, moving it. I’m making progress.”
Lawson, who is averaging 9.0 points, 3.3 assists and 2.1 rebounds, has missed seven consecutive games.
Veteran Anthony Carter has played well in Lawson’s place.
Chris Dempsey, The Denver Post
