Karl back on the bench for Nuggets

Mar 17, 2010 - 1:49 AM DENVER(AP) -- Nuggets coach George Karl was back on the bench Tuesday night against the Washington Wizards after missing four games over the past week for cancer treatments.

Karl is battling neck and throat cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments regularly for a six-week period. Last Monday, he had a surgical procedure to insert a feeding tube into his stomach.

Initially, Karl planned to rejoin the team Friday for its game in New Orleans, but needed additional time to adjust to the insertion of the tube. He did not hold his normal pregame news conference Tuesday because of lingering pain in his throat and a desire to preserve his voice for the game.

The Nuggets went 3-1 under acting head coach Adrian Dantley during the just-concluded road trip.