Another key player set to return to Nuggets' rotation

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After missing 12 of Denver’s last 15 games, Nuggets guard Will Barton is set to return to action Friday night against the Houston Rockets, according to Chris Haynes of ESPN.com.

Before a left ankle injury suffered on Halloween night in Toronto caused Barton to miss time, the 25-year-old was averaging a team-high 18.0 points per game on 50.0 percent shooting from the field and was converting on 57.1 percent of his threes.

Barton returned from the injury on November 20 in Denver’s home win over the Utah Jazz and scored seven points on 3-9 shooting in 19 minutes of action. However, Barton’s ankle was still not right even though he went on to play 26 minutes against Chicago and 17 more in Utah that same week. He was shut down following Denver’s 108-83 loss to the Jazz and has missed the Nuggets’ last three games.

Getting Barton back in the lineup will add to Denver’s depth in the backcourt. The Nuggets have been forced to start and play veteran guard Jameer Nelson more minutes than they had liked as of late and prefer him off the bench.

Barton’s return could also slightly cut into rookie Jamal Murray‘s playing time, who has excelled with the Nuggets running low on backcourt players early this season.