Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson expected to play on Friday despite stomach flu

There have been rumblings concerning Denver Nuggets point guard and a bad stomach flu this week, but according to the team, he is expected to suit up on Friday night when the Nuggets host the Phoenix Suns.

Lawson is by far the best and most dynamic player on the Denver roster at this stage, so that makes this a big announcement. Most people don’t associate Lawson with a top-tier point guard in the NBA, but he has generated some faint MVP buzz this season (albeit a stretch), and his numbers stack up favorably to some of the best players at the position in the league.

For the year, the 26-year-old lead guard is averaging 18 points and 8 assists per game with a sparkling 21.21 PER, and that level of efficiency places him 6th among the league’s point guards. Denver is currently 14-10 at the time of this post, and that is a big testament to the play of Lawson, as the Nuggets roster has been virtually gutted with both exiles and injuries in recent weeks and months. Having Lawson in the lineup may be even bigger on Friday, as Phoenix presents a 2-headed monster of Eric Bledsoe and Goran Dragic at point guard, giving them a significant leg up on the Denver backcourt sans Lawson.

It remains to be seen just how effective he can be while in a weakened state, but Lawson’s presence is a big one for Denver.