Rudy Fernandez was expected to return to the Nuggets’ lineup Thursday against San Antonio, but the guard did not play in the loss to the Spurs. Fernandez now has missed the past four games because of a lower-back strain.
Point guard Ty Lawson and forwards Nene and Danilo Gallinari are still nursing injuries as the all-star break approaches.
Nuggets coach George Karl welcomes the time to heal. “Anytime we get five days off to get our injuries healed, I think that is tremendous,” he said.
When the Nuggets resume play Feb. 29 at home against the Blazers, Fernandez and Lawson definitely should be back. Lawson has an ankle sprain that caused him to miss the past two games.
Gallinari (ankle) and Nene (calf) hope for returns soon after the break ends. Gallinari has missed 10 consecutive games; Nene has missed seven.
How do the Spurs do it? The Nuggets aren’t the only team with injuries, or the only team with significant injuries. The Spurs played 25-of-34 games this season without guard Manu Ginobili, who at the time he fractured his hand was the team’s leading scorer.
He returned, only to suffer an oblique strain, which has caused him to miss the past three games. The Spurs, however, kept it together and were 17-8 after Thursday’s game without Ginobili.
“I have to read (Spurs coach Gregg Popovich’s) book on developing strengthening personalities of their really talented players,” Karl said.
Christopher Dempsey, The Denver Post
