On February 8th, Denver Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson went down with a broken rib, and since that point, the team’s best player and leader has missed two games in addition to the All-Star break. However, some believed that Lawson could be ready when the team resumes play on Tuesday, but they were apparently a bit too optimistic.
#Nuggets PG Ty Lawson (rib) didn't practice tonight and is not expected to play Tuesday vs. Phoenix.
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) February 18, 2014
The Nuggets announced late on Monday night that Lawson missed practice, and as a result, he is expected to miss Tuesday’s game against the Phoenix Suns. The 5-foot-11 point guard has easily been the most productive player on the Nuggets this season, averaging 18.0 points and 8.8 assists per game with a 20.05 PER, and without him, they were soundly beaten by both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Indiana Pacers last week.
In his place, the Nuggets have made a somewhat surprising choice for the starting lineup:
#Nuggets coach Brian Shaw says @J_Goin_HAM will start at shooting guard tonight against the @Suns.
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) February 18, 2014
Part of the decision to have Jordan Hamilton start at the shooting guard spot could be that Randy Foye reportedly missed practice, but still, Hamilton’s numbers (6.8 points per game) won’t come close to replacing Lawson’s production, and with Denver refusing to play Andre Miller, it’s simply not the same team.