Emmanuel Mudiay’s introduction to a Pepsi Center crowd will be pushed back two weeks to the home opener on Oct. 30. The rookie is listed as out of the Nuggets game against the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.
“Practice has been tough, so it’s good for me,” said Mudiay after the Nuggets shootaround Friday. “I’m a rookie, but they’re giving me a day off, so it’s pretty cool.”
Mudiay played in all of the Nuggets first four preseason games thus far, averaging 28.7 minutes. He’s averaged 13.3 points and 6.0 assists per game.
Mudiay said he understands why he’s being rested. “Of course it’s going to help. They keep telling me it’s a long season. I’m not used to somebody telling me ‘Don’t play today.’ It’s a new adjustment for me, (but) I’m going to take advantage of it, get treatment on my body and do what I gotta do so I can come back better and stronger.”
Though it is the only preseason game in the Pepsi Center this year, Mudiay said he’s not worried that fans will have to wait to see him in person.
“I think it will probably be better then when it counts than now when it doesn’t count, that’s how I’m approaching it,” he said. “At the same time, they’re still going to be able to see me play.”
Also out for the Nuggets are Danilo Gallinari (ankle sprain), Randy Foye (hamstring) and Darrell Arthur (knee bruise).
Christopher Dempsey: cdempsey@denverpost.com or @dempseypost
