Nuggets forward Nene has a hyperextended left knee, according to tests he underwent on Thursday.

It was feared that Nene may have torn his ACL when he suffered the injury in the first half of Denver's Game 5 win over Utah on Wednesday night.

Nene won't play in Friday night's Game 6, but it's possible he could play in Game 7, if necessary.

Nuggets forward Nene sprained his left knee in Game 5 against the Jazz on Wednesday night and did not return.

He suffered the injury in the first half and will be re-evaluated on Thursday.

Utah forward Carlos Boozer banged his leg into Nene's knee and he remained on the court for several minutes before being helped off by Denver's trainer.

"I don't know how severe his injury is, but if he doesn't play we just have to play without him," Nuggets acting coach Adrian Dantley said. "Utah, they went without two players. We just have to play without him."

The Denver Post is reporting that the Nuggets fear Nene may have torn his ACL and will be lost for the season.

The Nuggets say they're done fighting with one another and are ready to try and salvage their season.

Denver trails Utah 3-1 in their first round series heading into Wednesday's Game 5.

Carmelo Anthony says he was misunderstood when he said he couldn't beat the Jazz all by himself.

"A lot of people took what I said when I said I needed help the wrong way. But I talked to my teammates. They know what I meant," Anthony said. "We talk basketball every day, so they know I'm not pointing nobody out individually.

"I'm not saying I'm playing the best I can play. I'm in there with them. We're all losing together," he added.

J.R. Smith also caused waves with a message on his Twitter page following Game 4. The reserve guard was annoyed that the team was playing "selfish" basketball.

"The locker room is fine," Anthony said. "We had a great practice today. Everybody seemed to be on the same page as of right now. And tomorrow, we're going to go out there and battle."

Denver point guard Chauncey Billups reiterated that the team misses coach George Karl. They are being coached by assistant Adrian Dantley as Karl undergoes cancer treatments.

"You miss his voice, you miss his leadership, you miss the plays that he draws up in timeouts. You miss the halftime speech. You miss everything," Billups said. "But that's not an excuse at all because I don't do that, I don't make excuses. I think A.D. has done a wonderful job. But that's what you miss when your head coach is out."

A post on the Twitter page of Nuggets guard J.R. Smith has upset some in the organization.

After Denver lost to Utah on Sunday night in Game 4, Smith posted: "You play selfish you lose selfish that's all I'm saying about the game!"

The Nuggets had just 13 assists in Game 4. Smith didn't make himself available for comment after the team's shootaround on Monday.

"What do you want me to say? That he shouldn't have made that comment? I don't know. He shouldn't have made that comment," acting coach Adrian Dantley said.

Denver is down 3-1 in their first round series with Utah.

"It's frustrating to lose, and people can say what they want, but at any rate, when we win, we win together. ... I don't think we've been specifically selfish," point guard Chauncey Billups said.

Carmelo Anthony expressed frustration that he is not getting enough support from his Denver teammates so far in these playoffs.

"I'm trying, I'm trying to beat them. I'm trying to do everything I can in my power to beat the Jazz," Anthony said Sunday after the Nuggets went down 3-1 to Utah. "But, at the end of the day, I need some help. I'm not sitting here pointing fingers or nothing. As a unit, we've got to do this together. I can't do this by myself."

In the first half of the game, Anthony yelled at Chris Andersen for taking a bad shot.

"I'm in a battle. I don't have time to worry about people's feelings right now," Anthony said. "I'm trying to win."

Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin is still playing through pain in his left knee.

He's worked himself back onto the court, but despite undergoing PRP therapy he's still not close to 100 percent.

"I've just been trying to do mind over matter and do all I can," Martin said. "Gut it out. I'm just trying to put us in the best position to be successful. That's what it's all about. I'm just trying to do all I can to help us win, nothing more, nothing less."

Denver's acting coach, Adrian Dantley, has been impressed with Martin's resolve and toughness.

"You got to say he's a warrior because anytime you miss 19 games and try to play, it's hard," said Dantley.

Nuggets coach George Karl, who has been out since March as he undergoes cancer treatments, vows to return as a "better ambassador" for the game.

Karl, speaking with ESPN's Rick Reilly, said he was taking things day to day in his second battle with the disease, after going through prostate surgery in 2005.

He added that watching the Nuggets from home has been a difficult experience.

"It's an awful feeling," he said. "It's not nervousness, it's scared. Fear. I don't like it. I mean, I've missed games, skipped games. I was just too stressed out to worry. The game gets off to a bad start, and I don't watch them at all."

Karl said that the treatments have been much more difficult than he expected.

"We've had family in here probably 80 percent of the days," he said. "I think it just makes you aware of life, what's good in life and how blessed we are.

"You know my thing is, get better, kick ass and go back and serve it better than I did the last time.

"Be a better ambassador to the game of basketball. Be more thankful for the opportunities and the fortunate life I have."

Nuggets coach George Karl is away from the team as he recovers from cancer treatments, but is still following the team very closely.

Denver trails Utah 2-1 in the first-round playoff series.

"The series is just beginning," Karl said. "The only thing I'm going to criticize: I (wish) our defense would be more 48-minute oriented, more possession oriented. We're turning our defense on and off too much."

Nuggets point guard Chauncey Billups admitted Saturday that the team misses Karl's presence.

"He gives you something that, really, not a lot of coaches can give you," Billups said. "With the experience he has, and being able to make adjustments ... Just having that voice ? that confidence ? is kind of what you miss a little bit."

The Nuggets will have forward Kenyon Martin on Friday night against the Jazz in Game 3 of their first round playoff series.

Denver acting coach Adrian Dantley said on Friday that Martin, who has been hobbled by a left knee injury, would play in Utah.

"A.D. said Kenyon is playing," Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post wrote on his Twitter page.

Nuggets head coach George Karl surprised the team with a brief visit before they left for Utah on Thursday.

Karl is battling cancer and in the midst of treatments on his neck and throat.

According to the team's web site, Karl spent about 15 minutes with the team during their closed practice. It marked the first time he's visited a workout since he began aggressive treatments six weeks ago.

Acting head coach Adrian Dantley said he also had a chance to meet with Karl the day before.

"We talked some basketball and he gave me some opinions on things, what we need to do," said Dantley. "He feels like we'll be OK. It was a pretty good visit."