The Nuggets play the hottest team in the Western Conference tonight and still won’t know if their defensive star will play until today.
Forward Kenyon Martin, out all season from offseason knee surgery, practiced again Tuesday and sounded optimistic.
“It feels great,” Martin said. “I didn’t have any problems. It’s about the same.”
Will he play?
“I didn’t say that,” he said. “We’ll see (today).”
The Nuggets visit the San Antonio Spurs, who sport the best record in the NBA at 24-3, including a nine-game win streak that tops the conference.
Nuggets coach George Karl has been getting along fine without Martin, not to mention point guard Chauncey Billups (wrist) and backup center-forward Chris Andersen (back).
But with Denver only 2 1/2 games out of first place in the Northwest Division, Karl said he won’t push Martin back onto the court until he’s ready, as well as the others.
“Let’s wait until (today),” Karl said. “Let’s see how they wake up and see how they feel. Let’s see how they do in the shootaround. Chauncey and Kenyon both want to play, and I think there’s a chance of that to happen.”
The knee has bothered Martin since last season. He returned for the playoffs but had surgery to get back to full strength. Right now his defense is further along than his offense.
“Those (defensive) things don’t go nowhere,” Martin said. “Offense is rhythm. You need a certain number of games.”
If Martin plays, he will take the spot of Shelden Williams, who has started all 26 games. Williams is averaging 5.2 points and 6.1 rebounds in 20 minutes a contest.
Last season, fighting through injuries, Martin averaged 11.5 points, 9.4 rebounds and 34 minutes.
“He’s working his way into a good place,” Karl said of Martin. “It’s going to take some time for him to get his confidence and his touch back and his feel for the game back. Veteran players have a way of doing it very fast, but he’s been out a long time, so we have to respect his progress.”
Billups, who has missed the past three games, sees a Martin who’s ready to contribute.
“Kenyon’s looking well,” Billups said. “It’s good to have his presence back down there defensively. He’s not probably in the shape that he’s going to be in, as far as game shape, but it’s really good having him back.”
John Henderson: 303-954-1299 or jhenderson@denverpost.com
Denver at San Antonio
6:30 p.m. tonight, ALT, 950 AM
Spurs: The Spurs have lost their last three home games to Denver; conversely, the Spurs have won their last three games in Denver. . . . Overall, the Nuggets did pretty well against Manu Ginobili in their most recent matchup. While he got hot in the fourth quarter, he finished just 5-for-15 from the field and 2-for-10 from 3. . . . Tim Duncan’s numbers are down this season (14.1 points per game), but he had a vintage Duncan night against Denver: 28 points, 16 rebounds and four assists in the win.
Nuggets: Forward Carmelo Anthony (right elbow) is expected to play. He didn’t practice Tuesday. . . . Guard Arron Afflalo might be playing his way into the NBA’s 3-point shooting contest. He’s eighth in the league with 46.7 percent shooting from beyond the arc, and only one player ahead of him on the list has more 3-point attempts (Atlanta’s Mike Bibby). Afflalo has made 10 of his past 16 3-point attempts.
Benjamin Hochman, The Denver Post
