Nuggets guard Aaron Afflalo said he would play in Game 3 versus Oklahoma City.

"Yeah," Afflalo said. "You can write that one up."

Afflalo, who averaged 12.6 points this season, is one of the Nuggets' better defensive players. He has aggravated his left hamstring numerous times in the past two months, admitting that he has come back too soon from rehabbing the strain.

"I can get out on the court; that's not the issue. The issue is letting it heal so I don't have to get off the court," Afflalo said. "If it's not healed, if you make the wrong move, you're back to square one. I just didn't want that to happen now."

But now, with the season on the line, Afflalo feels it's necessary to give playing a shot.

"This ain't about me coming back to save the day, either," he said. "I'm going to get out there and ride with them. That's as much watching as I'm going to do for the rest of this season. . . . I'm just going to create a positive atmosphere for guys on the court."