K-Martin Sidlined

**sa_butta** · 11-14-2005

http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_3212830

The nearly inevitable happened Sunday. Forward Kenyon Martin, still not all the way back from offseason left knee surgery, missed his first game of the season against Minnesota.

Martin said he didn't know how long he would sit.

"We're just going by the day, man," he said.

Denver general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said Martin's absence does not increase the urgency to bring in another big man, even with forward Nene likely out for the season with a right knee injury.

"Hopefully it's just one game. Everybody misses games," Vandeweghe said of Martin. The GM added that doctors hope by the season's two-month mark, the forward's pain will decrease.

As for now, Nuggets coach George Karl said the team would remain conservative.

"His knee's very sore," Karl said. "How he manages it, how we manage it will probably be a personality of the season for at least a couple weeks."

Martin underwent microfracture surgery this offseason, though the procedure was not on the magnitude of similar surgeries for Chris Webber and Jason Kidd.

Still, Karl said: "The issue to me is very scary. Every one of them. I saw Jason Kidd not being the same player in his first year back. I've seen a lot of guys where it just doesn't seem like it gets back the first. The first time they don't get a feel for it or a comfort zone. You just have to help them through." The Nuggets started Francisco Elson in Martin's place and also dressed rookie guard Julius Hodge, who played in his first game, coming in for the final 11.8 seconds. Karl also started DerMarr Johnson instead of Voshon Lenard, citing a need for more "speed and tempo," and because the Nuggets went 28-12 with Johnson in the starting lineup last season. Karl emphasized he