Nuggets game day: Denver trying to stay focused as trade rumors swirl

DENVER — On their off day Sunday, many Denver Nuggets headed to Paul Millsap’s house for a Super Bowl party. Millsap hosted his teammates and coaches for a get together as the Eagles defeated Tom Brady and Co.

“He has a big house,” Nikola Jokic said.

An afternoon spent watching the big game represented a couple hours of relaxation during what can be a stressful time of the year. The NBA trade deadline is just days away. Teams have until 1 p.m. MT Thursday to wheel and deal.

On Monday, Nuggets coach Micheal Malone said “the trade deadline has not become an elephant in the room” yet for his team.

“I’m sure as it gets closer and you start to read more things on the internet and rumors and the Woj Bombs and all this other stuff,” he said, trailing off. “Control what you can control. None of us can control that, so just go about your business. Really, our whole focus should be on trying to beat the Charlotte Hornets tonight.”

The “Woj Bombs” Malone referenced are, of course, alluding to the scoops ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports. So far this trade season, no Nuggets-related Woj Bombs have been dropped. Other national NBA reporters have offered some interesting trade deadline context, though.

On Monday, Marc Stein of The New York Times reported that the Nuggets are interested in Celtics guard Marcus Smart.

“Emmanuel Mudiay has been made available, sources say, but the Celts covet a first-round pick for Smart,” Stein wrote in a tweet.

Mudiay has been in and out of Denver’s rotation this year. Mudiay, who is shooting below 40 percent from the field for the third season in a row, is ranked 479th out of 482 players in ESPN’s Real Plus-Minus metric. Targeting Smart indicates that Denver could be seeking a more reliable option at backup point guard.

Last week, Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reported that “the Nuggets are known to be shopping for a veteran point guard.” Amick and Zillgitt reported Denver’s interest in Pacers point guard Darren Collison.

“Emmanuel Mudiay ($4.2 million next season), and Wilson Chandler (player option for $12.8 million next season) are among the Nuggets players known to be available, depending on the deal,” they wrote.

The Nuggets are trying to break a five-year playoff drought. They’re 28-25, clinging to a one-game lead for the eighth seed in the West after wins over the Thunder and Warriors last week. Denver is playing some of its best basketball of the season. The challenge now, Malone said, is staying focused against the Hornets.

“It’s easy to get up for the defending world champions, OKC, Boston, San Antonio,” Malone said. “Can we find a way to play with the same sense of urgency, togetherness and pace against Charlotte?”

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Pepsi Center. The Hornets sit six games under .500 entering the game, but they’ve won three in a row. The Nuggets have had their struggles against sub-.500 teams this season. In October, they lost to the Hornets 110-93 in Charlotte. Can Denver block out the noise and avoid a similar fate Monday?

“Is Charlotte a sexy team or a team that people talk about in the same breathe as the other four?” Malone said, referencing Denver’s last four opponents — Boston, San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Golden State. “No, they’re not. But we as players and coaches know that this team has already beaten us and are more than capable of beating us again if we don’t come out with the right mindset, and we’re not focused.”

Nuggets Projected Starters

Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, Will Barton, Wilson Chandler, Nikola Jokic

Hornets Projected Starters

Kemba Walker, Nic Batum, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Frank Kaminsky, Dwight Howard

Injury Update: Chandler (illness) and Darell Arthur (right knee soreness) did not go through shootaround Monday morning. Chandler is expected to suit up tonight vs. Charlotte, but the Nuggets are listing Arthur as questionable. The veteran has been plagued by knee soreness throughout the past few seasons.