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Nuggets to play without Smith when they face Jazz

Feb 23, 2007 - 3:42 PM Utah (35-18) at Denver (26-26) 10:30 pm EST

DENVER (Ticker) -- Even though Allen Iverson is back in the lineup, the Denver Nuggets still are not 100 percent healthy.

With guard J.R. Smith sidelined with a torn meniscus in his left knee, the Nuggets look to snap a two-game skid Friday in their third meeting of the season against the Utah Jazz.

Smith suffered the injury in the second quarter of Tuesday's 95-80 loss to the San Antonio Spurs and will miss up to four weeks following surgery. He is averaging a career-high 15.4 points and leads the team in 3-pointers (114).

A four-time scoring champ, Iverson returned Tuesday after missing four consecutive contests and eight of nine with a sprained right ankle. He made just 3-of-11 shots and scored nine points in 35 minutes.

After winning their last six games prior to the All-Star break, the Jazz suffered a 103-100 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday.

All-Star Mehmet Okur scored 25 points, Derek Fisher had 20 with 10 assists and rookie Paul Millsap 18 for Utah, which holds an 8 1/2-game lead over Denver in the Northwest Division.

The Jazz have won five of the past six encounters with the Nuggets, including a 116-111 victory on January 26.