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Shorthanded Nuggets, Clippers try to get on winning track

Oct 31, 2008 - 10:55 AM Denver (0-1) at LA Clippers (0-1), 10:30pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The schedule worked out perfectly for Marcus Camby. After being stunned by a trade that sent him to the Los Angeles Clippers this summer, the former Denver Nuggets center wouldn't have to wait long to exact revenge on his former team.

But with the Clippers and Nuggets are set to duel on Friday, Camby will likely have to wait before taking on the club with which he spent six years of his career. The former Defensive Player of the Year has been battling a bruised right heel, and is expected to be out until next week.

That means his much-anticipated reunion will have to wait until November 26, when the Nuggets will visit the Clippers once again.

Even without Camby - Denver's best defensive player whose trade was widely considered a cost-cutting move - the Nuggets go into their matchup with the Clippers half-cocked. All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony, the league's fourth-leading scorer a year ago, will serve the second game of his two-game suspension stemming from a drunk-driving arrest in April.

The gold medal winner and two-time All-Star will make his debut at home on Saturday against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The shorthanded Nuggets opened their season with a hard-fought loss to the division rival Utah Jazz, who were playing without star point guard Deron Williams. The Nuggets fell behind by as many as 14 but clawed back to pull even, only to fall, 98-94. Allen Iverson and Kenyon Martin led the way with 18 points apiece.

The Clippers, on the other hand, weren't nearly as heartbroken after their season opener - they never really had a chance. They were dominated by the crosstown rival Lakers in a 117-79 defeat. Baron Davis had a lackluster Clippers debut, going 4-of-13 from the floor for 11 points.

The Clippers could have used Camby's services, too - the Lakers outrebounded them, 51-32.