The Denver Nuggets have been hit with an inordinate amount of injuries over the last few weeks, and even with Arron Afflalo and Nene returning to the lineup on Wednesday, they couldn't quite stop the bleeding against the Mavericks on Wednesday night. Denver's typically up-tempo style of play hasn't looked as effective or energetic with so many players missing from the lineup, but perhaps the Golden State Warriors are just what they need to turn things around.
The Warriors have lost six of their last nine games, including two straight. Their most recent loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder is one where they failed to capitalize on a 48-point night from Monta Ellis, a triple-double from David Lee and a near perfect game from point guard Stephen Curry. Those three players are still the biggest threats that the Nuggets will need to contend with to get the win on Thursday night, so Arron Afflalo will need to be ready to put in work as a feisty perimeter defender. Then again, Afflalo hasn't exactly looked like the player the Nuggets thought they were signing to an extension in the off-season, and the staff at Denver Stiffs was quick to point that out after the loss to the Mavs:
The Nuggets looked terrible tonight. Arron Afflalo tried to get himself going and had 12 points, but he was just 4-12 shooting and a miserable 2-8 from downtown. If you can't get your outside shot going ... why not stop and do something else? Well, Afflalo's shake-and-bake dribble drives remind me of a Knowshon Moreno run ... lots of footwork and show, but just a 1-yard run. Afflalo finished with a team low -21 in the +/- department and is making the off-season contract look like a mistake this season. AAA could still bounce back, but might the Nuggets make him expendable if the right trade comes along?
Here is some information to help you find the game:
Game day/time: 7:00 PM MT, Thursday, February 9, 2012
Location: Pepsi Center, Denver, CO
TV: Altitude
For more on the Denver Nuggets, including in-depth analysis and commentary, be sure to visit the SB Nation Nuggets blog, Denver Stiffs. Warriors news and analysis is available at Golden State of Mind. Head over to the SB Nation NBA news hub for more breaking news and notes.