Bruise can't keep Nuggets' Andersen out against Timberwolves
By Aaron J. Lopez, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published October 7, 2008 at 8:19 p.m.
David Liam Kyle © Getty
Chris Andersen, above, a fan favorite in Denver is hoping to take flight again when the Nuggets open their exhibition schedule Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Drew on the NBA
Scores and statistics
It has been nearly three years since Chris Andersen took the floor for a game at the Pepsi Center.
Always a fan favorite in Denver, the "Birdman" is hoping to take flight again when the Nuggets open their exhibition schedule Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Andersen has been slowed by a nasty bruise directly behind his left knee, but he anticipates being ready to go by Friday.
"I didn't sit out two years to be injured," he said Tuesday. "I want to play. That's always been my mentality."
Andersen served a two-year ban from the NBA for violating the league's substance-abuse policy before being reinstated in March. He appeared in only five games for the New Orleans Hornets and signed with the Nuggets as a free agent July 24.
While his best statistical season came with New Orleans, Andersen's NBA career took flight in Denver from 2001 to 2004. He makes his home in Larkspur and figures to be welcomed warmly by fans if he makes his debut Friday.
The Nuggets are hoping Andersen can provide rebounding, defense and energy off the bench, much the way Eduardo Najera did for the past three-plus seasons.
Najera, who signed with New Jersey as a free agent, was known as a guy with a high basketball IQ, and coach George Karl has been pleasantly surprised to learn Andersen also has some court smarts.
"Initially, my impression of Chris was he was kind of a good-bad player. And I think, in general, you'd have to say he's more cerebral," Karl said. "He seems to be more in tune to the mental game, and that's good. I think we have a little bit too many good-bad players. We need more fundamental players."
NEW FAB FIVE
And baby makes five.
Nuggets guard Allen Iverson was on the verge of completing a personal starting lineup Tuesday, leaving the team to be with his wife, Tawanna, as she prepared to deliver the couple's fifth child.
Even without the excused absence, Iverson likely would not have practiced because he is nursing a bruised left knee. A magnetic resonance imaging exam taken Monday revealed no structural damage, and he is expected to return to the court today.
Iverson was one of eight players on the team's injury report Tuesday. Only Chucky Atkins (knee surgery) is out indefinitely.
RUMOR THAT WON'T DIE
The New York Post reported Tuesday the Nuggets and Indiana Pacers still are discussing a trade that would send Steven Hunter and Chucky Atkins to Indiana for point guard Jamaal Tinsley.
Asked if the trade is dead, Karl quipped: "I never knew it was alive."
A Nuggets source said there is no truth to the report, which described the trade as a done deal Friday.
For his part, Hunter is taking the rumors in stride.
"It goes with the territory," he said. "That morning (of the original report on Friday), I got a lot of phone calls saying I've been traded. But I came in here and (Nuggets vice president of player personnel) Rex Chapman told me the real story. I said, 'All right. Let's get back to work, then.' "
BACK TO SCHOOL
Today, for the third year in a row, the Nuggets will conduct a practice at Metro State, but the event is not open to the general public.
About 1,800 elementary-school students will attend the one-hour practice, which will feature Nuggets dancers, cheerleaders and mascot Rocky.
"We'll practice (at the Pepsi Center) before that and do some catch-up work and then just have an entertaining day for the fans (at Metro State)," Karl said. "We'll scrimmage probably a little bit, but we'll also run some drills and stuff like that."
He said it
"I would bet we'd probably have some guys in the bullpen, both young and old, lefties and righties."
Karl, on whether all his regular rotation players will play against Minnesota.
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October 8, 2008
5:53 a.m.
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anugsfan writes:
That's great they are putting on the practice for kids. Nuggets management, while sometimes not being the best in player personnel moves, is always on point when it comes to staying active in the community. Nice job Nuggets!
October 8, 2008
8:55 a.m.
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denverone writes:
Chris Anderson is a solid player and a GREAT guy. While he was suspended, my 13 year old so was watching him practicing at 24 Hour Fitness on Lincoln and I-25. He came over and asked my son if he wanted to play HORSE with him and his buddies. It made my sons week that this professional player would be so cool as to ask him to play with him, as this was right after my son told me privately he wished Chris would ask him. He then signed my sons ball and took a picture when he was done.
We no doubt lost a great person and player with Camby, but we have replaced him with, as my son would say, "One Pretty Cool Dude". I will never forget this kind gesture and I know my son won't.
October 8, 2008
10:19 a.m.
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philvysor writes:
Chris Anderson has always been a GOOD example to the community here in Denver. Just like Camby was. Both of these players are AWESOME!
October 8, 2008
12:25 p.m.
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wj_nugs writes:
I am happy Birdman is back with us. I am also pleasantly surprised with some of the acquisitions the Nuggets have made to improve their bench. Pretty solid bench with the likes of Birdman, LK, JR, Balkman and some 'potential guys' like Howard, Fazekas, Patterson, and possibly Parker.
If the Nugs can obtain and maintain a "team-oriented" culture while playing aggressive defense, the Camby departure will make a lot of sense and this team may turn heads...
Go D-Nuggzzz