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Comeback complete? Gallinari goes off for career-high 40 in Nuggets win

Chris Humphreys / USA TODAY Sports

It's been a trying couple of years for Danilo Gallinari. 

Back in April of 2013, in the midst of the best season of his career, on the most successful regular-season team in Denver Nuggets history, Gallinari suffered a torn left ACL and was forced to undergo season-ending surgery. 

In January of 2014, before he'd even made it back onto the court, Gallinari was shut down again after needing a second reconstructive ACL surgery on the same knee. 

He returned this season to a Nuggets team that bore little resemblance to the last one he'd played on: different personnel, new coach, new system, new identity. This year's Nuggets, it quickly became clear, were not the blazing, scorched-earth offensive juggernaut they'd been under George Karl. They were a lost and disillusioned bunch, and quickly became an afterthought in the crowded Western Conference. 

That Gallinari wasn't his old self didn't help. He'd lost his explosiveness, had no lift, no hope of beating anybody off the bounce, and the timing on his jumper was off. Then, in December, he needed to have yet another knee procedure, this time to repair the meniscus in his right knee. He missed a month. 

Since returning, it's been a different story. Gallinari is moving better, and he's rediscovered his shooting touch. Before the All-Star break, he averaged 8.2 points per game, while shooting 34.4 percent from the field and 29.6 percent from downtown. Since the break? 18.3 points on 42.9 percent from the field and 39.2 from deep. 

He took another step towards realizing a return to form on Sunday night against the Orlando Magic. In 33 minutes, Gallinari dropped a career-high 40 points on 12-of-21 from the field and 6-of-13 from distance. For good measure, he tossed in seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks as the Nuggets rolled to a 119-100 victory. 

Sure, it came against a lowly opponent. No, the Nuggets still aren't going anywhere this season. But they're now 7-5 since the removal of head coach Brian Shaw, and Gallo is looking like Gallo again. In a season that's offered so little in the way of optimism in the Mile High City, that seems like reason to celebrate. 

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