Arron Afflalo admits to still taking an interest in how his old team is doing. The Nuggets shooting guard makes Orlando Magic games appointment viewing.
“I watch them the same way I used to watch the Nuggets when I was there in Orlando,” he said.
On Wednesday night he faces the Magic for the first time since Orlando traded him to the Nuggets last summer.
Afflalo’s two years in Orlando — after the Nuggets traded him there in 2012 — represented his biggest growth in the NBA. He went from a 15-point scorer to a leading scorer at 18.2 points per game. Along the way he transformed to a seasoned veteran giving advice to Orlando’s many young players.
Download:
Those players expressed their appreciation for Afflalo’s mentorship in interviews with reporters in Orlando on Tuesday morning. Hearing that brought a smile to his face.
“It feels good,” Afflalo said. “Eight years ago I was a rookie and I had some impactful veterans, who I still speak to, to this day, who gave me some encouraging advice. And Mo (Harkless) and (Victor Oladipo) in particular, those guys were always great listeners when I was there.”
Nuggets coach Brian Shaw wants some of that vocal leadership in his locker room. Afflalo has gone about his business quietly since rejoining the Nuggets. He has been a lead-by-example player who is starting to finally get comfortable with his new teammates.
“What I’m kind of learning is it’s not about my surroundings, it’s kind of about myself a little bit and how I just approach the game regardless of what’s around me,” Afflalo said. “Just try to find my niche. I’ve got great teammates, a great coaching staff. It’s a good environment. So it’s up to me to figure it out and I think I’m doing that slowly but surely.”
Afflalo scored a season-high 34 points in the Nuggets’ on Monday night, on 11-of-18 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 from beyond the 3-point line. His shooting averages have climbed since the New Year, and he’s now connecting on 44.5 percent of his attempts from the field and 35.5 percent from 3-point range. He’s second on the team averaging 15.3 points per game.
“He comes in, he works on his shot,” Nuggets coach Brian Shaw said. “The spacing has been better, which is allowing him to have a little more time to get his shots off. I think the numbers are just coming back to what they normally are.”
Nuggets Mailbag:
Afflalo said there are no hard feelings toward anyone in the Magic organization because of the trade, and looks back on his time there fondly. He said his time there was about “development.”
“That’s from an individual standpoint,” Afflalo said. “Obviously the culture over there, they were rebuilding, kind of phasing out of the Dwight (Howard) era. But for me personally, I grew a lot there, mentally and physically with my on the court game. It was a positive experience.”
Christopher Dempsey: cdempsey@denverpost.com or twitter.com/dempseypost
ORLANDO AT DENVER
7 p.m. Wednesday, ALT; 950 AM
Spotlight on Evan Fournier: The former Nuggets shooting guard has taken on a recent new role coming off the bench, but his season has been a success. His points per game (13.6) are up by 5.2 from a year ago with the Nuggets, and he’s finding more opportunity with his new team. Fournier was a 2012 Nuggets draft pick and played two seasons in Denver before being dealt to Orlando last summer.
NOTEBOOK
Nuggets: Guard Ty Lawson did not finish practice Tuesday because of a bruised knee but is expected to play Wednesday against the Magic. He had to leave Monday’s game at Minnesota in the second half because of the injury. … The Nuggets are 2-0 since coach Brian Shaw discussed moving shootarounds from the morning to midafternoon before the game. … The Nuggets have four wins in their last six home games.
Magic: This is the 22nd road game for the Magic, which has had a road-heavy first half of the season. It has played just 16 games at home. … Forward Channing Frye, one of the NBA’s best “stretch four” players, is questionable because of elbow and triceps injuries. … The Nuggets swept Orlando a season ago.
Christopher Dempsey, The Denver Post
