DENVER -- Carmelo Anthony didn't care for the color of the new removable splint he was sporting on his broken right hand, preferring it to be Denver Nuggets blue over bright red.
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Then again, a splint of any color sure beats surgery.
The Nuggets All-Star guard will miss at least three weeks after breaking a bone in his shooting hand in a victory over the Indiana Pacers on Monday night.
He's been told by doctors he'll be out three to four weeks. Surgery would've sidelined him much longer.
"Hopefully the healing process will be a lot quicker," Anthony said after returning to the Pepsi Center following his visit with a hand specialist.
Anthony attempted to put a positive slant on his predicament.
"I can get my left hand better," he cracked, hoping to become even more dangerous on offense.
The recovery time for his hand also will help his bruised right elbow, which caused him to miss three games in late December.
"I'm going to make this time the best time I can, just by rehabbing," Anthony said. "I'm surprised, a little bit frustrated I've got to sit out."
Anthony was injured with 9:44 left in the third quarter when Pacers center Jeff Foster swatted at the ball, catching part of Anthony's hand.
He continued to play despite numbness in the hand, scoring 21 points before leaving late in the fourth quarter of a 135-115 win.
"Tough kid," teammate Kenyon Martin said.
Anthony's glad he didn't know the hand was broken. He didn't want to come out, not with the game still close.
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