Superlatives have come left, right and sideways these days in Denver when the subject turns to the Nuggets. And while there were some things coach George Karl knew about his new crop of players, there are others that have surprised even him now, nearly three weeks after the trade that changed the face of the team.
“I think the biggest thing is every player is better than I thought they were,” Karl said. “I’m not going to tell you exactly what I thought they were, but I’ve been surprised by Kostas Koufos to the kid Timo (Timofey Mozgov) to Raymond (Felton) to Gallo (Danilo Gallinari) to Wilson (Chandler). They are all exciting to me.
“I missed the first practice, I was there for the second practice; and the second practice was, ‘Ooh, this is good.’ It didn’t take a week for me to get enthusiastic about these guys. It was before we won a game. I thought we could be good.”
The Nuggets are 7-2 since the trade, 6-2 since the new players started playing.
Afflalo, Gallinari questionable.
Forward Gallinari and guard Arron Afflalo missed Saturday’s game against the Pistons with injuries. For Gallinari, it was the fifth consecutive game he’s missed with a fractured toe. It was Afflalo’s second consecutive missed game because of a strained hamstring.
While both are healing and expected back soon, Karl isn’t exactly sure when.
“I’d say next week,” Karl said. “But I don’t know exactly if it’s Monday, Wednesday or Friday.”
