Danilo Gallinari Injury Update: Nuggets Hope To Have Gallinari Back By Monday

The Denver Nuggets might get their starting forward Danilo Gallinari back relatively soon, reports the Nuggets' official Twitter account:

#Nuggets F @gallinari8888 says he's hoping to return Monday at home vs Golden State. He's recovering from fractured L thumb.

— Denver Nuggets (@denvernuggets) April 5, 2012

Gallinari has missed 8-straight games with his broken thumb and has played only 33 games in the 2011-12 NBA Season. The 23-year-old Italian owns an average of 15.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.

The Nuggets, who sit at 29-25, are currently tied with the Houston Rockets for the 7th seed in the Western Conference. With 12 games remaining, the Nuggets hope to get Gallinari back as soon as possible for a late season playoff push.

For more on the Denver Nuggets, including in-depth analysis and commentary, be sure to visit the SB Nation Nuggets blog Denver Stiffs. Head over to the SB Nation NBA news hub for more breaking news and notes.

Danilo Gallinari Injury Update: Nuggets Forward Plans To Be Back In 1 Month

Even though Denver Nuggets fans won't see forward Danilo Gallinari on the court for several weeks, the budding star had a live video stream chat on Friday night and told his viewers that he will be back in one month, which was what was speculate the day after the injury. Sportando has the entire transcript.

Gallinari also talked about being disappointed in not being selected for the NBA All-Star Game. He also acknowledged that the Nuggets were not playing well right now and that some of it could possibly be attributed to the condensed schedule.

Gallo also discussed his thoughts on several of the top players in the NBA. He is also undecided right now about playing in the qualifiers for EuroBasket 2013. Italy is in Group F and those games take place in August and September.

For more on the Denver Nuggets, including in-depth analysis and commentary, be sure to visit the SB Nation Nuggets blog Denver Stiffs. Head over to the SB Nation NBA news hub for more breaking news and notes.

Danilo Gallinari Injury Update: Nuggets Forward To Wear Boot For Several Days

According to Ken Berger of CBS Sports, the results from Denver Nuggets F Danilo Gallinari injury will have him out of action for a potentially shorter time than initially expected:

Nuggets say Danilo Gallinari will be in walking boot for 3-5 days and will be treated for "significant ankle sprain."

— Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) February 7, 2012

The Denver Post is reporting the injury could keep Gallinari out for a month.

The Italian forward has led the team in the 2011-12 season with a career high in points per game (17.0), and also sports a career-high rebounds per game (5.2). Gallinari injured himself in the third quarter of Monday night's game, rolling his left ankle and leaving the game immediately, though under his own strength.

The Nuggets play next on Wednesday night, taking on the Dallas Mavericks at home.

For more on the Denver Nuggets, including in-depth analysis and commentary, be sure to visit the SB Nation Nuggets blog Denver Stiffs. Check out Rockets blog The Dream Shake, as well, for more on this game. Head over to the SB Nation NBA news hub for more breaking news and notes.

VIDEO: Danilo Gallinari Injures Left Ankle Vs. Rockets, May Be 'Out A While'

Denver Nuggets star forward Danilo Gallinari drove to the free throw line extended and suffered a left foot injury (a chip fracture) in the third quarter of the Denver Nuggets' 99-90 home loss to the Houston Rockets, and left the Pepsi Center in a walking boot after the game on Monday night. Gallinari has thrived in the Nuggets' fast-paced attack this season, leading the team with 17.0 points per contest, but the Italian forward sounded worried that he would miss extended time after an on-site X-rays revealed a chip fracture in his left foot. He is scheduled to undergo a CT scan on Tuesday to better determine the extent of the injury.

"Nervous. Nervous that I'm going to be out for a while," Gallinari said to reporters when asked about his reaction to the play that forced him to hobble off the court after hitting his free throws. His comments to the Nuggets' team website echoed those sentiments:

"I am worried, but injuries happen," said Gallinari, who is averaging a team-leading 17 points per game. "I'm not happy it happened to me. I wanted to play (after the injury) and I wanted to win this game more than anything. I'll be out ... I don't know how long."

Just as the Nuggets were picking up steam in the Western Conference, Gallinari's injury puts the team down to one healthy starter: star point guard Ty Lawson. Even Lawson has been dealing with his own injuries, so it will be interesting to see if Denver can somehow keep their season afloat without the majority of their starting lineup available to George Karl. Rudy Fernandez will be asked to step up his play if Gallinari misses extended time.

Here is a look at the injury via NBA.com (check it out around the around the 1:05 mark in the video):

For more on the Denver Nuggets, including in-depth analysis and commentary, be sure to visit the SB Nation Nuggets blog Denver Stiffs. Check out Rockets blog The Dream Shake, as well, for more on this game. Head over to the SB Nation NBA news hub for more breaking news and notes.

Danilo Gallinari Injury: Nuggets Forward Has Chip Fracture In Left Foot

The Denver Nuggets continue to receive more bad news on the injury front for the team. Danilo Gallinari rolled his ankle and had to leave the court to have it examined. X-rays later revealed that he has a chip fracture in his left ankle, keeping him out for the rest of the game. He will have a CT scan on Tuesday to determine the severity of the injury.

The Nuggets are now down to one regular starter: point guard Ty Lawson. Arron Afflalo, Timofey Mozgov and Nene were declared out earlier in the day with a variety of injuries. Corey Brewer also left the team temporarily to be with his family while they grieve for the loss of his father.

For more on the Denver Nuggets, including in-depth analysis and commentary, be sure to visit the SB Nation Nuggets blog Denver Stiffs. Check out Rockets blog The Dream Shake, as well, for more on this game. Head over to the SB Nation NBA news hub for more breaking news and notes.