LOS ANGELES — The Nuggets needed a 3 . . . or a 2 . . . or a 1 — something, anything, to provide reassurance that they weren’t going to blow this thing.
They hadn’t scored in three-plus minutes. Up 18 in the third quarter, they were suddenly tied in the fourth.
On cue, Arron Afflalo, Denver’s fearless 3-point specialist, hit a 3 Thursday night for a three-point lead with 4:49 left, and the revitalized Nuggets held on to win the preseason game at the Clippers.
Yes, yes, it was preseason. But Afflalo’s 3 was emblematic — the guy plans on thriving behind the arc.
Last season, Afflalo finished eighth in the NBA with a 43.4 3-point shooting percentage.
And with his increased role in the offense — and his increased confidence — the Nuggets expect him to change the course of games with his 3-ball.
“I don’t think people in the league think he’s a top 3-point shooter, but we think he is,” Denver coach George Karl said. “We think he’s going to shoot over 40 percent the rest of his career.
“I think our team last year was confident throwing him the ball, when (the opponent) double-teamed Melo or when the ball was rotated to the weak side. But I think it will be a little stronger this year. I like more of a balanced end of the game, rather than it being Melo’s game or Chauncey’s game.”
Besides Carmelo Anthony, Afflalo arguably has been the most scintillating Nugget during the preseason. In Denver’s first preseason game, Afflalo shot 2-for-3 from 3. The next game — 3-for-4. And in the win against the Clippers, he was 4-for-10 (Denver plays at the Lakers tonight).
“It’s just the work he put in — you can see how hard he worked in the offseason,” Anthony said. “He’s focused. He’s playing like he has a chip on his shoulder, like he has something to prove. Last year was a disappointing ending for everybody, so he went into the lab and it’s paying off.”
Karl said Afflalo worked as hard this summer as any player he has ever coached. After two quieter seasons in Detroit, Afflalo made huge strides when he joined the Nuggets, averaging 8.8 points per game last season. His best 3-point shooting game was when he made six of seven attempts on Jan. 25 against Charlotte, scoring a career-high 24.
This preseason, he has averaged 21.7 points per game. Again, it’s preseason. But he’s been making his shots at an increasingly high rate (54.8 percent from the field and 52.9 from 3-point range).
“I really took a huge leap this summer,” said Afflalo, who turned 25 on Friday. “I put the work in. It’s about having confidence to go out on the court and do it.
“I shoot a lot of spot-up 3s, but there are some times that I will come off screens and shoot. I rarely shoot 3s off the dribble. Usually, Melo, Ty (Lawson), Chauncey (Billups) or even Nene will sink guys in and kick the ball out to me. And I feel very comfortable.”
Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com, Twitter: @nuggetsnews
