Nuggets forward Anthony will return to play against Timberwolves

The Denver Nuggets all-star forward Carmelo Anthony wore back his NO. 15 NBA jersey on Monday night to start against the Minnesota Timberwolves, ending a five-game absence cuased by a bruised right knee.

The league’s leading scorer said after the morning shootaround that his bruised right knee was healed enough to play. “I’m really not feeling any pain,” Anthony said. “It’s good to be back out there.”

Averaging 30 points a game, Anthony banged up his knee during a Dec. 28 game against the Sacramento Kings. He was hoping to make it back in time for the much-hyped matchup with LeBron James last Friday but the knee was not ready to work and he had to watch the game from the bench in a fashionable suit as his team beat the Cleveland Cavaliers.

With Anthony’s returning, the previously injury-plagued Nuggets are beginning to return to full strength. The only player unavailable for Monday’s game was rookie guard Ty Lawson, who missed his third consecutive game because of a sprained left ankle.