Johan Petro

When the Denver Nuggets needed Johan Petro on Wednesday, JP was ready to go.

Johan entered Game 5 after Nene Hilario went down with a knee injury and helped the Nuggets stay alive with a 116-102 win over the Utah Jazz. Denver now trails Utah 3-2 in their best-of-seven series.

In just under 20 minutes of action, Johan scored four points on 2-5 from the field, but he did his most efficient work on the glass, grabbing six rebounds. He also had a block, a steal and an assist.

With the help of Chris “Birdman” Anderson, Johan and the Nuggets patched the paint in Nene’s absence, as Adrian Dantley noted after the game:

“Chris and Petro did a good job replacing him,” Nuggets acting coach Adrian Dantley said. When asked about the severity of the injury, he said “I don’t know. We’ll find out later. ... But we’ll just play without him. Utah has two players out.”

It’s the second time this season that Johan has had to step in at a moment’s notice to replace a fallen teammate. After Kenyon Martin went down late in the season, No. 27 started 16 games for the Nuggets as they made their final push toward the playoffs. Now Johan will have to fill in for Hilario, who will certainly miss Game 6 and possibly the rest of the postseason with what is being described as a sprain.

Johan defending Utah's Carlos Boozer (Getty Images).

Johan said it’s mentally taxing to get minutes at the expense of injuries to teammates, but things like that happen in the NBA, as he told the Salt Lake Tribune:

“It’s kind of sad to always have to be in that situation where one of my teammates gets down and I have to step up to replace him. It’s just crazy, but it’s the league. It happens. You still have to go,” Petro said. “I have to do pretty much the same thing that they asked me to do before. I try not do what I don’t know how to do right. I’m just going to do me, use my length, be down on the post to help on [Carlos] Boozer.”

Ian Cerveny of Pro Sports Colorado gave Johan and Anderson credit for their work on Boozer:

“Petro & Andersen combined for 13 rebounds, and Birdman notched 10 points despite a nagging hand injury. Both were more effective defensively, getting out on big Carlos Boozer’s deadly jumper from the top of the key. Carlos has killed the Nuggets with that shot all series, but longer arms coming out of the paint threw off Boozers’ rhythm in the second half.

Nene’s 5.8 rebound/game average was inflated by an 11-board performance in Game 2, but the Nuggets’ only other win in the series came in Game 1 when he played just 14 minutes. (Nene averages 34/game.) It could be that the 1-2 punch of the taller, longer Chris-Johan combo may be a better match on the glass against the Jazz.

BRING A LITTLE O
Johan’s impact wasn’t made only on the defensive end, either.

No. 27 actually entered the game to open the second quarter after Kenyon Martin picked up his second foul late in the first. He quickly grabbed one rebound before being replaced by Hilario with 8:13 left in the half. But JP’s time on the bench lasted less than a minute as he came in when Anderson picked up his second foul. 12 seconds after reentering Johan buried a hook shot for his first points of the game to push Denver’s early lead to 37-31.

JP came out of the game with 5:07 left in the half and just four seconds later Nene went down with 5:03 remaining in the half and the Nuggets ahead 40-38. Anderson initially replaced him but when Kenyon Martin picked up his third foul less than a minute later, Anderson slid over and Johan entered.

JP grabbed his second and third boards of the game before halftime, but the Jazz entered the break with a 52-50 lead. The Nuggets seized control in the second half and Johan helped them finish it in the fourth with his other bucket on a tip-in and two more rebounds. Anderson helped the cause with 10 points and seven rebounds in over 26 minutes.

Carmelo Anthony was impressed with the performance of Nene’s relief crew:

“Frenchy stepped up, and Bird finally played like he can,” Anthony told the Salt Lake Tribune.

LOOKING LONG TERM
Johan revealed prior to the game that he probably will not play for the French National team in the World Championships this summer.

Instead, JP will focus on obtaining his next contract, what he hopes will be a multi-year deal with Denver, as he told FanHouse’s Chris Tomasson:

“I’m going to put my summer before nationals because of my contract situation,” Petro said of becoming an unrestricted free agent. “I’d like to be in the NBA for more than one year (on a contract). Probably not going to go (to Turkey).’‘

Petro said his situation isn’t ironclad that he won’t play for France. But he said he’s hoping to get a multi-year contract after playing this season under a one-year minimum deal. Petro said his preference is to return to the Nuggets on such a multi-year deal.”

NEXT UP
Johan and the Nuggets are back in action on Friday night as the series shifts back to Utah for Game 6. The Nuggets must win again to force Game 7 in Denver on Sunday. Tip-off of Friday’s game is scheduled for 8 p.m. Mountain Time and the game can be seen on ESPN2.

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