The towels were terrible.
Nuggets president Josh Kroenke recently told a story about accountability within the organization.
“Al Harrington held us accountable because he felt the towels in the locker room were too old,” Kroenke said. “So we made sure we got new towels.”
It was a lighthearted story, but Kroenke used it as an example to show the value of accountability — from top to bottom and bottom to top.
“It’s things like that,” Kroenke said, “where we’re all communicating, making sure we’re on the same page and making sure we’re doing the best, as a group, to make the organization the best it can be.”
The Nuggets have just 20 games left. And entering play Tuesday night, there were just 5½ games separating the fourth-place team in the Western Conference and the 12th-place team. Anything can happen in the race for eight playoff spots. The Nuggets want accountability in order to hold on to a playoff spot. With a deep roster, two new players and injuries to two of their top players, the front office and coaches want a positive attitude from the players, embracing whatever minutes they get, looking out for each other, on and off the court.
Tonight, the Nuggets (25-21) host the Pistons (16-29). Danilo Gallinari (fractured thumb) and Andre Miller (separated shoulder) are out, both having suffered injuries in the Monday night loss to Dallas. It is Denver’s final game of a nine-game homestand, which hasn’t exactly gone as planned. The Nuggets have gone 4-4.
To get things turned around, the Nuggets need accountability from their reserves. With Gallinari out, Wilson Chandler or Corey Brewer will start in his place, coach George Karl said Tuesday. Gallinari said a doctor told him it will take four weeks for his left (non-shooting) thumb to heal, “but I’m pretty sure I can come back and put something on it before the four weeks is up. … We got to see day by day.”
Miller, a backup guard, wasn’t at practice Tuesday after separating his right shoulder. The team officially listed Miller as out for tonight, without a timetable for his return.
“I talked to him earlier. I think he’s going to try to play through it (at some point),” Nuggets guard Ty Lawson said. “I don’t know yet. He’s a tough guy.”
Miller is averaging 6.5 assists per game, a huge number from a backup. Denver likely won’t be able to replace his production, but Karl hopes to replace some of Miller’s poise with Julyan Stone, a seldom-used rookie point guard.
“I would think he’d have to play some,” Karl said after Tuesday’s practice. “He’s a great defender, he plays hard. He’ll be OK.”
Gallinari’s injury hurts Denver in so many ways, from his offensive production (15.2 points per game) to his defense to the fact he had recently found his touch after struggling since returning from an ankle injury.
But at least Chandler is back from playing in China. In his first game of the season as a Nugget on Monday night, he had a pretty nice performance. Though Karl felt Chandler shot too much, Chandler finished with 13 points in 28 minutes, grabbed four rebounds and had two steals.
“He’s aggressive,” Lawson said. “Came out playing well, he’s getting the shots up, knocking down shots. And he’s another versatile player. Hopefully, we’ll get him incorporated into the offense quickly.”
Against Dallas, which is jockeying with Denver for playoff position, Karl didn’t want to “experiment” with new center JaVale McGee.
But tonight against the Eastern Conference Pistons, it’s possible the 7-foot center will make his Denver debut after being acquired in a trade last week.
“I might just mess with the whole lineup. I might just mess around with JaVale,” Karl said.
Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com
DETROIT AT DENVER
7 p.m. tonight, ALT, 950 AM/103.1 FM
Spotlight on Greg Monroe: The former Georgetown star is averaging a double-double (16.6 points and 10.0 rebounds) in his second NBA season. He has had 23- and 32-point games in the last week. He made 15-of-20 shots March 14 at Sacramento. The 6-foot-11, 250-pound center ranks second in the league in offensive rebounds, averaging 4.0.
NOTEBOOK
Pistons: Tonight is Detroit’s only game against the Nuggets this season. … The Pistons have lost three consecutive games to Denver. … Rodney Stuckey has averaged 22.8 points in the past five games, the best scoring average among the Pistons over that stretch. … Brandon Knight has made 67 3-pointers this season, the most among NBA rookies. Knight is a 6-foot-3 guard from Kentucky. … Tayshaun Prince, another Kentucky alum, recently scored the 9,000th point of his NBA career, making him one of only 10 players in Pistons history to accomplish that feat.
Nuggets: In addition to forward Danilo Gallinari (thumb) and guard Andre Miller (shoulder) being out tonight because of injuries, guard Rudy Fernandez (back) is questionable. … In the past 20 games, Arron Afflalo has averaged 17.4 points. Afflalo was drafted out of UCLA by Detroit. … In the past 11 games, Ty Lawson has made 96 assists and 36 turnovers. … The Nuggets have used 17 starting lineups this season.
Benjamin Hochman, The Denver Post
