Nuggets lose Anthony for 3-4 weeks
The Denver Nuggets’ four-game winning streak will be severely tested on Wednesday night against the Miami Heat, and so will their place atop the Northwest Division, without Carmelo Anthony.
Melo, who leads the team in scoring at 21.1 points per game, has a fractured metacarpal in his shooting hand, which he suffered in Monday’s win against the Indiana Pacers. Anthony will not need surgery, which should limit his time out of the lineup to a month at most.
Anthony was injured when Pacers center Jeff Foster swatted at the ball, catching part of Anthony’s hand.
“I’m going to make this time the best time I can, just by rehabbing,” Anthony said. “I’m surprised, a little bit frustrated, I’ve got to sit out.”
Coach George Karl wouldn’t say who will start Wednesday against Miami in place of Anthony, but it could be Linas Kleiza or J.R. Smith. Karl said matchups are a consideration. It seems likely that Smith would get the bulk of Anthony’s minutes and shots over the duration of the injury. The Nuggets are 5-point favorites for Wednesday’s game on WagerWeb.com.
Karl also said the Nuggets probably won’t make a trade (the deadline is Feb. 18), although Kleiza has been rumored on the block because he is a restricted free agent next summer and could go to Europe, leaving Denver with nothing in compensation.
“My gut feeling is probably not,” Karl said of any trades.
The Nuggets are 3-2 this season without Anthony, 16-20 all time. He also missed the first two games of the season to suspension. When Anthony missed three games in December with a right elbow bruise, Smith filled in and averaged 16 points on 17-of-37 (46 percent) shooting.
“We have many good players that are going to have to fill in and take that responsibility and embrace the roles,” Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups said. “I’m looking forward to that part of it, other people being able to step up and play and play well.”
In the next four weeks the Nuggets have 12 games, including nine against teams with a .500 record or better. But they do have seven of their next eight at home.
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