In basketball, an injured wrist is never a good thing. But Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups has the disastrous double of having an injured right wrist, his shooting wrist.
It kept the veteran out for a second straight game, Friday night against the Chicago Bulls. And it is starting to become a real source of frustration.
“I can’t really bring it all the way back, following through (on a jump shot),” Billups said. “Chest pass, everything. It’s the wrong wrist (to have this happen).”
A break in the Nuggets’ schedule has kept Billups from missing too many games. The Nuggets have had only two games this week, and have just three next week (Sunday vs. Phoenix, Wednesday vs. Milwaukee and Friday vs. the Clippers). Billups is listed as day to day.
“I just hate not playing,” Billups said. “I hate not being out there. I’m rarely 100 percent anyway, but I just at least want to be able to do some of the things that I usually do. Even passing is tough right now. Two days ago, I practiced and it felt decent. Today is worse than it was. So I’m like ‘How’d that happen?’ “
J.R. gaining steam. Slowly but surely J.R. Smith is gaining the favor of coach George Karl, even if he doesn’t always shoot well in games.
Why? Practice.
Karl said the last six practices leading up to Friday have been maybe Smith’s most consistently hard-working sessions ever. After a dip in playing time, Smith has recently earned back his time on court.
Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com
