NBA Monday: Nuggets withstand Pacers, Memphis beats 76ers

There was contact on both plays, but referees are usually more consistent with how they’re calling contact in late-game situations.

Afterwards, the Pacers coaches and players made a point of not commenting about the officiating (courtesy of the Indianapolis Star):

Curry had already missed two games this month spraining the same ankle. He’s had surgery on the ankle twice, first an offseason surgery in the summer of 2011 to repair two of his ligaments, then an arthroscopic surgery last April after he missed the final 40 games of the 2011-2012 season. He’s tweaked it several times since, causing concern, but hasn’t needed any more surgery.

Curry had a lighthearted take on the injury after the game:

Toronto scored just 34 points in the paint, while the Warriors pounded the ball inside, scoring 62. Bogut started the game after missing more than two months with an ankle injury. The Warriors were being extremely cautious and non-committal on his status as questions continued to arise about where he was in terms of recovery.

Apparently, he was much further along than anyone would let on, as he recently described himself as injury prone.

It was complete domination for Houston, as the Rockets (25-22) gave Utah their worst home loss in franchise history. Houston outscored the Jazz (24-21) by double digits in three of four quarters.

The game was tightly contested throughout the evening, with both teams leading by at least nine points at one point. There were six lead changes and five ties.

The numbers tell just how close the game was throughout. The rebounding margin (43-41, Indiana) and turnover differential (Denver, +4) were close, but it was the transition game that allowed Denver to prevail in the end. The Nuggets had 21 fast-break points to the Pacers’ eight and dominated the paint by a margin of 50-36 with respect to points in the restricted area.

Check out that extension and how far he brings the ball back before throwing down the nasty dunk.

(video via ClutchFans)

(video via Oakley Allen)

Regardless, Blatche isn’t going to participate in this activity. Instead, Blatche is much more into the concept of “letting the ball hit him directly in the face.” It’s a bold strategy, Andray.

via @cjzero

Gay had 26 points for the Grizzlies, who overcame 17 turnovers to outlast the Sixers. Gay also added seven rebounds and five assists on the evening.

At the next stoppage, Curry left the game and received treatment on the sideline before going to the locker room with a team trainer.

The team announced that it was merely a mild sprain, but that Curry would not return to the game in Toronto.

Bogut has been out for most of this season due to an ankle injury. In four games with the Warriors back in November, Bogut averaged six points and 3.8 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per contest.

An ankle surgery that was originally described as minor turned out to be microfracture, and Bogut’s recovery period has included a rumor about the team pushing him back too soon. That was denied.

What is undeniable, however, is what Bogut could do for a Golden State team (26-17) sitting at fifth place in the Western Conference.

Bogut is keeping any such return on the down-low because he doesn’t want to heighten expectations. Head coach Mark Jackson and the team have said the center will return when he’s ready, and Thompson reports the decision will be up to Bogut and how he feels.

The center has played in four of the team’s 43 games this season after taking longer-than-expected recovery time for offseason ankle surgery. After Bogut’s season-opening attempts at a comeback, it was revealed that the offseason procedure included microfracture surgery, making it more serious of an operation than originally assumed.

The Nuggets (27-18) rank second in pace at 94.5 estimated possessions per 48 minutes, and they’ll look to get in the open court against an Pacers (26-18) team that’s second in the NBA in allowing just 89.9 points per game. Indiana’s defense -- which has the second-best defensive rating in the league -- gets help by ball control that has turned in the third-slowest pace this season, according to Basketball-Reference.com.

Despite what any pace or points produced might indicate, the money is on Denver at home.