G NELSON, F FARIED SIT OUT PRACTICE
BOULDER» Nuggets point guard Jameer Nelson missed practice Wednesday morning with a toe injury, and power forward Kenneth Faried (rest/illness) was also held out.
“He was feeling a little bit under the weather,” coach Michael Malone said of Faried. “But nothing serious.”
Nelson’s absence gave more time at the point guard spot to youngsters Jamal Murray and Emmanuel Mudiay, who are competing with Nelson for the starting spot. Faried is battling for backup power forward minutes behind newly acquired starter Paul Millsap.
Additionally, reserve forward Juancho Hernangomez did not participate in Wednesday’s practice. Malone said he would limit Hernangomez’s work during training camp after the secondyear big man played for the Nuggets during summer league and for Spain in FIBA EuroBasket 2017.
Reserve forward Darrell Arthur, who is coming off a knee injury, has been limited through the Nuggets’ first three practices.
Good energy.
Malone expected fatigue from his players Wednesday after a Tuesday morning practice with full contact and a bevy of defensive drills.
The coach described the Nuggets’ energy as “good, not great” for Tuesday’s evening session, but said that rose to an “outstanding” level during Wednesday morning’s noncontact session. Coaches primarily instructed players at various stations, which can be a tough setting to find enthusiasm, Malone said.
“These practices are hard when you don’t do anything ‘live,’ ” Malone said. “There’s a lot of drills. There’s a lot of mental toughness required, but I thought today was phenomenal.”
The Nuggets planned for a heavy dose of fullcourt scrimmaging during Wednesday’s evening session. Malone said that will be the players’ “true test” of fitness while working out in Boulder’s altitude (5,345 feet).
“Back in the day, guys came into camp to get into shape,” Malone said. “You can’t do that anymore, especially this year, with the preseason being so much shorter.
“You have to come into camp in good shape, and use camp to get into great shape. I think a lot of our guys have used this summer to be in the best shape they can be.”