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What it was like inside Ball Arena as Nuggets-Pistons was postponed

February 2, 2021

The lead-up to Nuggets-Pistons Monday night at Ball Arena had the feel of a family reunion. An hour before tip-off, Michael Porter Jr. caught up with former teammates Jerami Grant and Mason Plumlee who left Denver in the offseason and signed free agent contracts in Detroit. Gary Harris, Paul Millsap and Nuggets assistant Charles Klask then shared a few laughs with Grant near mid-court.

After pregame workouts concluded, the Nuggets and Pistons went back to their respective locker rooms. Starting lineups were released and game operations staffers readied for the Nuggets’ 21st game of the season. But neither Denver nor Detroit made it back on the court.

Twenty minutes before tip-off, the Nuggets were alerted of a positive or inconclusive test from the Pistons. Ten minutes later, Denver received word that Detroit’s contact tracing would involve too many players for Monday’s game to be played. Under NBA rules, teams must have eight active players to play.

A source told DNVR that the inconclusive test wasn’t from Grant or Plumlee, who several Nuggets players and staffers conversed with throughout pregame warmups. It wasn’t from Pistons assistant Micah Nori either. Nori used to be a part of Michael Malone’s staff in Denver and also chatted with Nuggets personnel pregame.

Once the game was postponed, Nuggets players underwent a round of testing before leaving Ball Arena. Pistons players and staffers took rapid tests and sat socially distant in the arena’s lower bowl for around 2 1/2 hours before leaving. Then, arena workers began taking down the two baskets on either end of the floor and mopping every inch of hardwood, as if the game had just ended.

It was the Nuggets’ first postponement of the season.

It looks like Pistons players/staffers have moved out of the visiting locker room here at Ball Arena and are now sitting in the lower bowl. pic.twitter.com/pseuLhMvoX

— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) February 2, 2021

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Pistons got the all-clear to leave the arena shortly after 10 p.m. MT. James Edwards of The Athletic reported that the test in question was a false positive.

The Nuggets will not practice Tuesday. Denver will likely leave for Los Angeles Wednesday afternoon ahead of Thursday’s matchup with the Lakers. It’s the first time the Nuggets and Lakers will face one another since last season’s Western Conference Finals.

If there’s a silver lining from Monday’s postponement, it’s that Denver will enter that game well rested. The Nuggets were dealing with tired legs ahead of Monday’s matchup against the Pistons after wrapping up a five-game, eight-day road trip on Friday before dismantling the Jazz on Sunday in Denver behind Nikola Jokic’s 47 points. The Nuggets and their MVP candidate will welcome the unanticipated night off.

“The schedule is unforgiving,” Malone said following Denver’s loss in San Antonio last Friday. “We go home and we play Utah Sunday afternoon after a long road trip, changing multiple time zones. And you follow that up with a back-to-back. So we appreciate that.”

Even with the extra night of rest, Denver will be shorthanded in Los Angeles. PJ Dozier is dealing with a right hamstring strain. Gary Harris suffered a left adductor strain Sunday vs. the Jazz and isn’t expected to play against the Lakers. Harris was in noticeably good spirits while milling around the court during pregame warmups Monday.

Malone didn’t offer much of an update on either Harris or Dozier’s statuses going forward when he spoke with the media Monday evening.

Expect Monte Morris, who was slated to start in Harris’ place against the Pistons, to receive a minutes bump. Facu Campazzo and RJ Hampton are in line for increases in playing time too. Campazzo had one of his better games of the season two nights ago against the Jazz, finishing with 11 points and five assists including this dime to Michael Porter Jr.

Campazzo’s 19 minutes vs. Utah were his most since Jan. 5. The 29-year-old rookie missed his first three-point attempt of the game and air-balled his second but confidently stepped into another triple on Denver’s next possessions. It was Campazzo’s first made three-pointer over his last four games.

“He shoots an air ball. A lot of guys after a shot like that would get gun shy,” Malone said. “Facu has big cojones, man. He doesn’t care. Next time the ball found him, he knocked down a three, hit a layup and made some winning plays down the stretch.”

The injuries to its backcourt that Denver suffered over the last week is exactly why the Nuggets aggressively pursued Campazzo this offseason. Denver knew it would likely have to navigate injuries and COVID-related absences throughout the season and viewed Campazzo as a ready-made guard who could boost its depth and change a game with his energy and playmaking.

He’ll have another chance to do just that Thursday in Los Angeles against LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Co.