While acting coach Adrian Dantley did all of the pregame media sessions Tuesday, there was a noticeable buzz in the crowd about two minutes before the start of the game when head coach George Karl made his way through the tunnel and onto the Pepsi Center floor.
Karl, who missed all of the Nuggets’ four-game road trip that ended Monday while undergoing treatment for his neck and throat cancer, felt well enough to rejoin his team for the game against the Wizards.
A team spokesman said speaking was still uncomfortable for Karl, although the coach was clearly touched by the ovation he received from the fans as he made his way to the Nuggets’ bench.
There was certainly no shortage of company for Karl along the sideline. Besides Kenyon Martin, Ty Lawson and Renaldo Balkman, who have missed six, eight and four consecutive games with knee, shoulder and back issues, Chris Andersen was also among the missing. The Birdman injured his left ankle during the third quarter of Monday’s loss at Houston.
Footnotes.
Denver played its fifth game in seven nights. . . . Wizards forward-center Andray Blatche has been on a tear of late, setting career highs in points, rebounds, assists and field goals made over the last two-plus weeks. For the month of March, Blatche entered Tuesday’s game averaging 22.6 points and 7.8 rebounds, the fourth- best scoring total in the Eastern Conference.
