The Nuggets should have their full complement of players available for the first time in the postseason for Game 3 against Oklahoma City on Saturday night.
Guard Arron Afflalo and reserve center Timofey Mozgov said Thursday they will be able to play against the Thunder.
Afflalo missed the first two games of the series — as well as 12 of the last 15 regular-season games — with a nagging hamstring injury. He could only watch as his teammates struggled defensively against Thunder stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in Game 1 and struggled to make baskets in Game 2.
“I feel healthy. The whole point of the rest was to lower the risk of reinjury,” Afflalo said. “I’m not in a nothing-to- lose mode, but I’m playing to win. I compete to win.”
Afflalo should provide defensive help on Westbrook, but the team could certainly use his 12.6 points per game.
Coach George Karl said he’s leaning toward bringing the shooting guard off the bench. Karl also said it’s “probably a thought” that he will start Raymond Felton alongside Ty Lawson, instead of Wilson Chandler, who was 0-for-6 on Wednesday.
“He’s one of our most tough-minded, mentally sound, hard-nosed winning guys,” Karl said of Afflalo. “Before he got hurt, he was playing the most minutes on our team.”
Mozgov would help provide depth in the front court.
Just keep shooting.
A day after a frustrating performance against the Thunder, Chandler said his plan was to get back to practice.
“I need to just go into the gym, keep making shots,” Chandler said.
Chandler, who has averaged 12.5 ppg since coming to Denver in the Carmelo Anthony trade, has struggled in the team’s past four games against the Thunder dating to the regular season, making only 7-of-35 shots.
Private film study only.
Karl didn’t hold an official film session with his players Thursday, allowing them to privately watch their performances if they desired.
“He wanted us to figure out individually what we did wrong and what we can do better,” said forward Danilo Gallinari, who was both the good (his defense on Durant) and the bad (3-for-8 shooting).
Lindsay H. Jones and Benjamin Hochman, The Denver Post
