Than just coaching the Denver Nuggets to a third consecutive North-West Division title, George Karl has a bigger battle on his hands as the second half of the NBA season gets underway. Karl announced on Tuesday that he will miss a handful of games while undergoing chemotherapy treatments to deal with a recurrence of cancer, according to a story on NBA. com.

The 50-year-old Karl told the website," I'm probably going to miss a couple of games in the middle of March."

"And then come back, and then a game here and there. ... For me, not being a part of the team would be worse than being a part of the team and being out of it a little. My basketball family is my family, too."

Sports broadcaster ESPN reported that Karl has been diagnosed with throat cancer.

An NBA coach for 22 seasons, Karl had successful prostrate cancer surgery in 2005, but the latest findings, which were discovered before guiding the Western Conference in Sunday's NBA All-Star Game in Dallas, were not in the same area.

Starting with Thursday's match-up against the league-best Cleveland Cavaliers, Karl intends to coach the Nuggets for the next three weeks.

He will not be able to be on the bench all the time during the treatment schedule but he will not take a leave of absence during his treatments, which have already started.

Though assistants Tim Grgurich and Adrian Dantley are the likely candidates it is not known yet who the Nuggets will name to fill the void when Karl is out. (With Input from Agencies)