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Ailing Nuggets return home to face Jazz

Jan 17, 2008 - 2:04 PM Utah (22-17) at Denver (22-15) 9:00 pm EST

DENVER (Ticker) -- Allen Iverson and the Denver Nuggets head home hurting to face the Northwest Division rival Utah Jazz on Thursday.

The Nuggets learned on Tuesday that forward Nene had a testicular tumor removed and will be out for an indefinitely. The 25-year-old Brazilian is awaiting test results that will determine whether or not the tumor is cancerous.

In addition to Nene, Chucky Atkins is still out after surgery to fix a sports hernia, Steven Hunter is out after right knee surgery and Kenyon Martin is dealing with a staph infection in his buttocks. Denver dressed just nine players in Tuesday's 104-93 loss at Atlanta.

Iverson and J.R. Smith were ejected from Tuesday's game after arguing a pair of non-calls that against Iverson as the Nuggets were mounting a fourth-quarter comeback. Iverson, Smith and Carmelo Anthony combined to score all but nine of Denver's points in the setback.

The Jazz have won four in a row and six of their last seven and appear to be completely recovered from a December swoon that saw them win just five of 16 games. Third-year point guard Deron Williams scored 33 points and dished out 10 assists on Monday in a 98-87 win over the Milwaukee Bucks to complete a four-game homestand.