The Denver Nuggets took the day off and soaked up the good news about Nene’s knee Thursday. The truth is they could use the rest more than they could use Nene right now.

In 77 minutes in the previous two games before he sprained his left knee in Game 5, Nene had only three field goals, as the Nuggets have been unable to develop a big-man advantage. And size is supposed to become an even bigger factor as a series drags on and the speedy guys slow down.

The Nuggets looked weary even in victory Wednesday night. It took them 40 minutes before they finally pulled away from the Utah Jazz, who ought to be running on fumes themselves right now with their starters logging heavy minutes in the absence of Mehmet Okur and Andrei Kirilenko.

The Nuggets still have the treadmill set at the steepest grade, needing a victory at one of the league’s toughest road venues in Game 6 Friday night in order to force a Game 7. It’s possible that Nene could return if the series goes the distance.

Even before the Nuggets saw the test results, they were bracing for going a stretch without Nene based on the way he went down and the pain he was in back in the locker room. Yet another setback.

“We’ve been facing challenges like that the whole season,” Carmelo Anthony said. “I was out, Chauncey [Billups] was out, Kenyon [Martin] was out, Coach [George] Karl was out. Guys had to step up and face that challenge and succeeded. As a whole we did a great job of doing that this season. I don’t see why we can’t continue right now.”

Because eventually it all catches up with you. Whether it’s a cruel twist of nature, as with Karl’s cancer, or self-inflicted scattering from the central plan, no team is dealing with as much as the Nuggets are right now.

You see them leaning over and tugging on their shorts. They limp back into the huddle. The only two with bounce in their steps are rookie Ty Lawson, who’s hyped to be in his first playoffs, and J.R. Smith, who always operates off the main grid, with his own power supply.

Most are like Kenyon Martin, who describes himself as “Getting through it. Getting through it.”

Before he came to the interview room to meet the media, Anthony sat in his locker for an extended time after the game, reclining in a plush blue robe with his last name and No. 15 on the back. During the game he stayed on the deck for a few extra beats before getting helped up by his teammates, or he passed out of seemingly advantageous single coverage matchups.

He still found his spots, scoring 26 points, but he doesn’t look up to carrying his team to a victory right now. He didn’t have to in Game 5, when five other Nuggets scored in double figures and a sixth, Lawson, effectively changed the pace of the game.

But on the road it’s usually incumbent on the stars to carry an extra load, and Carmelo is already close to maxed out. He played all but seven minutes in the past two games. He’ll probably have to go at least another four minutes.

No practice Thursday also meant no media, a plus for a group that’s sparked mini-stories with their words recently and became, in acting coach Adrian Dantley’s case, more defensive about questions. At least Anthony’s “I need help” subplot has subsided for now, but you never know when the next one’s coming.

“That’s Denver Nuggets,” Dantley said. “Those guys, they’re used to this.”

Sometimes familiarity is seeded lower than fatigue.