We knew that Denver forward Danilo Gallinari was going to miss time due to a sprained ankle, likely being out for seven games after injuring it over the weekend.
Now we know the severity of it — it has two torn ligaments in his right ankle, the team announced Tuesday.
He’s going to be out a month, according to Adrian Wojnarowski at The Vertical at Yahoo Sports. That would bring him back with just a couple weeks left in the season, so don’t be shocked if Denver just shuts him down for the remainder of the campaign.
The Nuggets will miss his offense while he’s out, he averaged 19.5 points a game and is shooting 36.4 percent from three. He is a key part of Denver’s offense, which is 4.1 points per 100 possessions better when he is on the court (however his defensive numbers often balance that out).
Denver has been coming together, playing better ball as a team in the past few weeks. There’s a lot to like with the talent on this roster. Mike Malone is establishing a culture there that is starting to take root. One that could be a foundation for winning down the line. And unlike Sacramento, this time Malone will get to see it through.
