Nuggets lose Danilo Gallinari for four weeks with "significant" ankle sprain Read more: Nuggets lose Danilo Gallinari for four weeks with "significant" ankle sprain - The Denver Post

The NBA's feel-good team is just that — a team. Seven players have led the Nuggets in scoring — and seven players have led the Nuggets in rebounding. "We play together, we run, we have fun," Rudy Fernandez saidTuesday. But any way you slice it, losing Danilo Gallinari hurts. Denver's top scorer said Tuesday he likely will miss a month because of a left ankle sprain suffered Monday night against Houston. X-rays also found a chip fracture in his left foot, but that was an injury doctors determined happened before Gallinari ever played professional basketball. "Four weeks — if it can be faster, it's better, but with these kind of things, you want to take your time and have it heal in the right way," said Gallinari, who will undergo treatment for what the team announced as "a significant ankle sprain." The small forward is averaging 17 points per game and 5.2 rebounds this season. "The season isn't going to stop for anybody," Nuggets forward Al Harrington said. "If Gallo's out, somebody else has to step up and fill that hole until he gets back." The injury comes at a time when the Nuggets need all the healthy bodies they can find. Just six days ago, the Nuggets were 15-7 after a convincing win at the Clippers. Denver has since lost three games in a row heading into tonight's home game against defending champion Dallas. It's a back-to-back set, with another home game Thursday against Golden State. While Gallinari's return date isn't set in stone, a four-week span would include 13 games with just two against teams under .500. So who will pick up the slack in Gallinari's absence? Coach George Karl suggested Tuesday that Corey Brewer will see an escalation in playing time, but it's uncertain when Brewer will be back with the team. He is with his family after the death of his father. "I think until we get Corey back, it will be kind of by my feel of the game," Karl said. "I think you're going to see him get at least a 20-minute hunk of that. I think he's earned that opportunity. But the other 10, 15 minutes and 35 minutes (against Dallas), I don't know. I mean, they all should be ready to play." One could surmise that Harrington's minutes could also go up with Gallinari out. Harrington, who has had some big games, has averaged 15 points and 26.4 minutes off the bench. Gallinari was on crutches Tuesday and will remain in a walking boot for three to five days. The 23-year-old Italian has become a key figure in the organization — Denver recently signed him to a four- year, $42 million contract. "He's a (6-foot-10 player) who gets into the lane, gets to the basket and also can create for others," Denver point guard Ty Lawson said. "So for him to go down, it's going to be tough for us right now. We've got to all come together and make sure we keep one another up." Read more: Nuggets lose Danilo Gallinari for four weeks with "significant" ankle sprain - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_19916108#ixzz1lp0Ih7QA Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse