Playoffs are on the Nuggets’ minds again. For real. In a media day news conference on Monday that covered a number of subjects, getting back to the postseason was at the top of the list.
“I think with the depth we have, and with (coach) Brian (Shaw) doing such a great job, we look forward to returning to the playoffs,” Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly said.
And then the rub: “And that will be largely dependent on health,” Connelly said.
At nearly 290 man games missed because of injuries last season, the Nuggets are happy to be whole again. They know a thing or two about practices with just eight players, about games with just two or three subs on the bench, about figuring out ways to get offensive production out of guys not used to providing it. Those were the frustrating days of a season ago, when massive injuries took what was a 57-win basketball team the season prior, and reduced it to a 36-win unit that had to piece everything together.
Not anymore.
“I’m really looking forward to the start of the season,” Shaw said. “I’m encouraged by all of our guys … how hard they worked all summer, how much they’ve been in (the Pepsi Center). The additions that Tim made on draft night as well as will be huge for us in terms of the leadership, size at that position and defense that he brings.
“Just really looking forward to the depth that this team will have with everybody healthy and available to play.”
All of the Nuggets who missed the most games — Danilo Gallinari (ACL), J.J. Hickson (ACL), Nate Robinson (ACL) and JaVale McGee (tibia) — are back and available to play. They will be brought along slowly, however, particularly Robinson who is not fully cleared yet for 5-on-5 action.
Gallinari has played in controlled 5-on-5 environments, but has not competed against NBA-level competition. He’ll do so in camp. Hickson said he’s ready for full action. And McGee, who came to camp at a muscular 265 pounds, by far the heaviest he’s been in his life, says he is ready to play. He’s got a titanium rod in his left tibia, which had a stress fracture in it that cost him 77 games of last season.
“I’m real excited to play,” McGee said. “I only played four or five games last season. It’s a blessing to be back.”
And back is where the Nuggets say they intend to be. They’d made the playoffs in 10 straight seasons until last year. They were the third seed in the Western Conference the last time they made the postseason.
“I do see us back in the playoffs,” Afflalo said. “But in my years of service I understand that talk can just be talk. The talent is definitely here. The skilled players are here. The depth is there. The management, the coaching staff, the hunger. All of that stuff is there. But you’ve got to put it into action. You’ve got to be willing to sacrifice; you’ve got to be willing to focus.”
Christopher Dempsey: cdempsey@denverpost.com or twitter.com/dempseypost
