Coach Mike Malone relayed Tuesday that Gallinari (ankle) was still "weeks away" from a return, the Denver Post's Chris Dempsey reports. "Yeah, I'd say he's weeks away," Malone said. "That would be the best way I could phrase it without having a definitive

Coach Mike Malone relayed Tuesday that Gallinari (ankle) was still "weeks away" from a return, the Denver Post's Chris Dempsey reports. "Yeah, I'd say he's weeks away," Malone said. "That would be the best way I could phrase it without having a definitive timetable."

Analysis:

Gallinari was able to do some shooting on the court prior to both of the Nuggets' last two games, but he doesn't appear close to participating in full workouts with the team. Given Malone's lack of optimism that Gallinari would be back as soon along with the season drawing to a close on April 13 for the lottery-bound Nuggets, it seems fairly likely that we've seen the team's top star for the last time in 2015-16. He was in the midst of a career year before suffering the ligament tears in his right ankle, averaging 19.5 points while shooting 41 percent from the field and 86.8 percent from the free-throw line.