SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Wednesday night, Shelden Williams didn’t even play. On Thursday night, he started.
Such is life for the Nuggets’ reserve big man. The team is slowly bringing along Kenyon Martin since the starter returned from knee rehab, so they’re resting him in the second game of back-to-backs.
In an ongoing effort not to rattle the rotation, coach George Karl inserted Williams into the starting lineup.
“I think guys who sometimes don’t play, it’s easier to play them as a starter because they know their minutes,” Karl said. “Shelden has been very good with us using him in that manner, and he’s played well at times.”
Heading into Thursday, there was uncertainty as to whether J.R. Smith (toe) and Ty Lawson (knee) would be available, but both reserves played.
Melo knows drama.
Thursday’s game was featured on TNT, and entering Thursday, Carmelo Anthony had thrived on national TV. Melo averages 24.3 points per game, but in games on TNT, ESPN or NBA-TV, Melo has averaged 28.1 points in seven of the nine games (he didn’t play in the other two). In those seven, Anthony scored 30 or more points four times and tallied two double-doubles.
Meeting of the minds.
Before Thursday’s game, Karl met Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker in the Nuggets’ locker room. Baker is from the Sacramento area. The 61-year-old Baker is two years older than Karl and has been managing in the majors since 1993.
The coach and the manager chitchatted for a few minutes, and then Baker met some of the Nuggets, including Melo and Chauncey Billups.
Benjamin Hochman, The Denver Post
