Denver Post: Ginobili's Injury Shakes Up West

[duncan228]

Ginobili's injury shakes up West (http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_12094027)
By Chris Dempsey
The Denver Post

Carmelo Anthony looks at the landscape of the fast-approaching Western Conference playoffs and doesn't see a team that scares him.

"I think the West has been wide open," the Nuggets' star forward said. "I look at the West and I don't really see that one dominant team. Everybody says the Lakers. Yeah, the Lakers are pretty good. But I don't really see that team you can say is going to win the West. I think it's pretty much even right now."

Using Anthony's assessment as the foundation, San Antonio's announcement that guard Manu Ginobili (fractured foot) will miss the rest of the season and the playoffs makes the road appear a bit less difficult. A weakened Spurs team could open the door for an unexpected challenger, such as the
Nuggets, to make a deeper playoff run than first thought.

"Well, we'll see. I don't know," Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups said. "Of course, that's a big blow for them. He's a big piece of what they do. But we'll see how it all comes down."

The Spurs have been arguably the Nuggets' biggest playoff obstacle in recent history. They beat the Nuggets 4-1 in series played in 2007 and 2005. Both years the Spurs went on to win the NBA title.

Conventional wisdom says the Lakers, as the No. 1 seed, are the favorite to advance to the Finals, but the ever-present Spurs were expected to cast some doubt. Few teams win in the postseason the way San Antonio has over the past decade.

But the Nuggets, who currently occupy the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference, aren't ready to write off the Spurs.

"That's a big loss for the Spurs," Anthony said. "But I think the Spurs will find a way. They'll find a way. They'll find somebody to step up and take that challenge."

Said coach George Karl: "Anytime you lose a star player, there's a heaviness and disappointment that they are going to have to overcome. But they are still going to be a (darn) good team. They're probably a better playoff team than they are a regular-season team. I don't count them out."

Time will tell if the Nuggets even face the Spurs in the playoffs, but Ginobili has been a player Nuggets fans love to hate. And Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin feels no sympathy for the Spurs' loss.

"It's a sad thing that he can't play, but I don't feel sorry for them by any stretch of the imagination," Martin said. "You don't wish injury on nobody, but I don't feel sorry for the Spurs."

Asked if a depleted Spurs team makes the Western Conference playoff race more wide open, Martin hedged.

"I'm just worried about us," he said. "So whatever other teams are doing is not our concern at this point. All you guys think the Lakers are the team to beat anyway."

[benefactor]

"I think the West has been wide open," the Nuggets' star forward said. "I look at the West and I don't really see that one dominant team. Everybody says the Lakers. Yeah, the Lakers are pretty good. But I don't really see that team you can say is going to win the West. I think it's pretty much even right now."

I don't like the Lakers either Melo...but you're just wrong. Denver would probably be gone in 5 in a series against LA.

[ThaiFanofSpurs]

I don't like the Lakers either Melo...but you're just wrong. Denver would probably be gone in 5 in a series against LA.

Agree! I am also not sure if the Nuggets will go pass the first round. What team are they going to play. I think the Jazz, Rockets, Blazers, Mavs, and Hornets all can take them out in the first round w/o HCA.

[HarlemHeat37]

West is very weak this year..

shit like this is why Denver will never do anything significant..they're mentally weak, and that's never going to change..they've been going out of their way all season, saying that the Lakers aren't better than the rest of the West, and isn't the standout team..

why talk about it? stop being insecure..

[Rummpd]

Respect to George Karl for an unexpected wise statement.

[JWest596]

The West is still the dominant conference. There are 9 teams above .500 and in the East there are only 6 teams above .500. Weak?, compared to what?

Poor Phoenix would be a 4th-5th seed in the East right now so this idea that the West is now weak is a little off the mark.

[HarlemHeat37]

the bottom of the West is extremely weak, and the top West teams are benefitting from playing them more, leading to inflated records..OKC, Minnesota, Sacramento, the Clippers, and Memphis are unbelieveably weak teams, especially the latter 4..

also add in the fact that 3 of the 4 elite teams in the NBA are in the East, and that's why the West is weak this year..

a Spurs team with a healthy Duncan and Manu was the only other legit team in the West(other than LA of course)..the rest of the West teams are pretenders with serious flaws..

[ElNono]

Melo needs to get out of the first round... enough said, really...

[kace]

the bottom of the West is extremely weak, and the top West teams are benefitting from playing them more, leading to inflated records..OKC, Minnesota, Sacramento, the Clippers, and Memphis are unbelieveably weak teams, especially the latter 4..

also add in the fact that 3 of the 4 elite teams in the NBA are in the East, and that's why the West is weak this year..




yes, but the 4-9 teams of the west are way better than those same of the east.

[Muser]

Billups being in Denver has gone under many peoples radar, he can ball.

[dbestpro]

The West is still the dominant conference. There are 9 teams above .500 and in the East there are only 6 teams above .500. Weak?, compared to what?

Poor Phoenix would be a 4th-5th seed in the East right now so this idea that the West is now weak is a little off the mark.

It's not about the records but rather the quality of play throughout the NBA. Teams just are not as good right now. The very best teams of today would be looking at a sixth seed a few years ago. The Lakers did not get better. Everybody got worse. This may really be an indictment of the poor defense that is currently played throughout the league.

[Mel_13]

The Lakers did not get better. Everybody got worse.

Look, if the Spurs don't go all the way this year, I'm jumping on the Anyone But Kobe bandwagon, but the Lakers certainly did get better.

Think all the way back to 21 months ago. The Spurs had just won number 4 and the Lakers had finished the three previous seasons with one in the lottery and two first round exits. Kobe was about to begin his national media tour that fueled a summer of trade speculation. At the start of the 07-08 season (last season!), the smart money was on the Suns and Mavs as the greatest obstacles to a Spurs repeat.

Well, between the summer of 2007 and the trade deadline in Feb, 2008, the Lakers added Gasol, Fisher and Ariza without giving up a single top-8 rotation player in return. Other teams may have gotten worse, but the Lakers today have a much better roster than they did at the end of the 2006-07 season.

[Dex]

"It's a sad thing that he can't play, but I don't feel sorry for them by any stretch of the imagination," Martin said. "You don't wish injury on nobody, but I don't feel sorry for the Spurs.

Sounds like somebodies still a little pissy about getting ousted by the Spurs a few times.

[Spursmania]

Billups being in Denver has gone under many peoples radar, he can ball.

Yes, he is the reason Denver has really become more focused. He's a leader, and he has helped the talent on that team come to fruition.

Th only proble is Karl is still the coach :lol

[TDomination]

It's not about the records but rather the quality of play throughout the NBA. Teams just are not as good right now. The very best teams of today would be looking at a sixth seed a few years ago. The Lakers did not get better. Everybody got worse. This may really be an indictment of the poor defense that is currently played throughout the league.

Probably due to all the rule changes that benefits the offense.

[TDomination]

Billups being in Denver has gone under many peoples radar, he can ball.
He's the only reason i wouldn't want to face the Nuggets. He makes them better.

We could easily end up playing the Nuggets in the 2nd round. If we stay 2nd or 3rd seed, they stay 2nd or 3rd seed, we will probably meet in the 2nd. If we can win the first.

[MoSpur]

If the Spurs meet the Nuggets in the playoffs, the Spurs will beat them in seven and go on to the Finals and win.

[pawe]

Cant wait for Drew Gooden to punk that bicep flexing bitch ass cry baby Kmart.

[DDS4]

Cant wait for Drew Gooden to punk that bicep flexing bitch ass cry baby Kmart.

Don't worry, KMart will have a towel over his head in disappointment soon enough.

[Leetonidas]

lol @ Carmello.

The Spurs and Lakers will shit all over the Nuggets if they meet in the postseason, Ginobili or not.

[rayray2k8]

After that raping that Manu gave to them in 2005, the nuggets are one team
that is for sure happy to see him out of the playoffs.
Though I'm pretty sure the spurs and Nuggets won't cross paths this year.

[lefty]

LOL @ Melo

Didn't he get swept last year by Kobe & Co?

[HarlemHeat37]

Kenyon Martin must absolutely hate the Spurs..Duncan absolutely owns him in EVERY game they play..I actually think the reason Martin stutters is because Duncan has traumatized him..

[Obstructed_View]

Manu owns 'melo...

:lmao

[NugzFan]

only thing funnier than melos comments are watching how easily its bothers spurs fans...holy crap you guys are uber-sensitive. anything he says and you guys start crying. funny thing is, no one said anything wrong. melo gave respect to the west (and props to the spurs for being able to overcome). martin said the truth (no team will feel sorry for any other team come playoffs...its true for ALL teams...even you guys, so no need to hate there - wasnt disrespectful). karl gave some nice comments too.

yet you guys take it like its an attack and start whining like crazy.

[NugzFan]

Kenyon Martin must absolutely hate the Spurs..Duncan absolutely owns him in EVERY game they play..I actually think the reason Martin stutters is because Duncan has traumatized him..

funny and classy. good post. :rolleyes

[braeden0613]

only thing funnier than melos comments are watching how easily its bothers spurs fans...holy crap you guys are uber-sensitive. anything he says and you guys start crying. funny thing is, no one said anything wrong. melo gave respect to the west (and props to the spurs for being able to overcome). martin said the truth (no team will feel sorry for any other team come playoffs...its true for ALL teams...even you guys, so no need to hate there - wasnt disrespectful). karl gave some nice comments too.

yet you guys take it like its an attack and start whining like crazy.
oh calm down...you would get the same reaction at any team's message board

[NugzFan]

oh calm down...you would get the same reaction at any team's message board

:lol you guys are uber-sensitive.