Former Nuggets point guard Andre Miller and forwards Al Harrington and Nene return to Pepsi Center on Sunday.
For Denver, it’s all about the basketball.
The Nuggets go for the season sweep of Washington when the Wizards make their only Denver appearance.
Harrington, Miller and Nene left Denver in separate trades over the past two years. Miller was the most recent transaction as the Nuggets sent him to Washington for forward Jan Vesely on Feb. 20.
“We’re playing the Washington Wizards. We’re not playing Andre Miller,” Nuggets coach Brian Shaw said. “He’s in a good situation with the team he’s on. I’m happy for him that things worked out and he’s going to be able to contribute to a team that’s heading to the playoffs.
“The guys who were playing behind him have gotten a chance to play and develop and get some exposure and experience out there an on the floor. We wish him the best in his endeavors, and we’re going to go out and try to win the game to the best of our ability.”
Denver will play its first game without forward J.J. Hickson, who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee on Friday. Hickson leads the Nuggets with 26 double-doubles.
“J.J. has shown that as a starter or coming off the bench, he still is always around that double-double mark.” Shaw said. “He’s had a good season for us.”
The Nuggets are playing the first of back-to-back games. They will travel to Oklahoma City to face the Thunder on Monday.
WIZARDS AT NUGGETS
WHEN: 3:00 p.m. MT
WHERE: Pepsi Center, Denver
TV; RADIO: Altitude; AM-950
PROBABLE STARTERS
DENVER (31-38)
F Wilson Chandler
F Kenneth Faried
C Timofey Mozgov
G Randy Foye
G Ty Lawson
WASHINGTON (36-33)
F Trevor Ariza
F Trevor Booker
C Kevin Seraphin
G Bradley Beal
G John Wall
INJURY REPORT
DENVER: Danilo Gallinari (knee), J.J. Hickson (knee), JaVale McGee (stress fracture, left tibia) and Nate Robinson (knee) are out.
WASHINGTON: Nene (sprained knee) is out.
SERIES NOTES
The Nuggets have gone 8-4 on the road against Dallas the last five regular seasons, however the Mavericks still own a home record of 22-9 against Denver since the 1997-98 season . . . Denver is 14-8 against the Mavericks in head-to-head matchups since the 2007-08 season, not to mention 18-6 when including the postseason . . . Denver has posted multiple wins against the Mavericks only four times in the last 16 seasons since 1996-97.