Spurs vs. Nuggets Previews

[duncan228]

Denver (14-5) at San Antonio (9-7) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2009120524&prov=ap)
Game info: 8:30 pm EST Sat Dec 5, 2009
TV: NBATV, KENS
By Anthony Giornalista

A poor-first round performance kept San Antonio from facing the Denver Nuggets in the 2009 playoffs. The Spurs lost the little momentum they had hoped to carry into the teams’ first contest of this season.

The Spurs, who were starting to come around after a sluggish start, look to bounce back from their first loss in six games as they host the Nuggets on Saturday night.

A second-round series between second-seeded Denver and third-seeded San Antonio was expected to be one of the most compelling matchups of last season’s playoffs, but the Spurs lost to Dallas in five games in the opening round. The Nuggets would advance to the Western Conference finals before losing to the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers.

Denver (14-5) is again establishing itself among the conference’s top teams, leading the Northwest Division by 2 1/2 games. San Antonio (9-7), meanwhile, won five straight following a 4-6 start, but had its streak end Thursday night in a 90-83 home loss to Boston.

Coach Gregg Popovich acknowledged that contest was somewhat of a litmus test. Only four of the nine teams San Antonio has beaten have had winning records.

The Spurs were sloppy against one of the league’s best teams, committing 18 turnovers while having their worst shooting game of the season from the free-throw line (7 of 17) and 3-point range (2 of 16).

“They’re not going to hang their heads,” Popovich said. “They’re going to continue to play hard, but we know full well that we’re making too many mental errors in games.”

A bright spot for San Antonio was its play in the paint, outrebounding Boston 55-32. Led by Tim Duncan and rookie DeJuan Blair, the Spurs had a season-high 20 offensive rebounds.

Duncan had 15 rebounds but committed six turnovers. Blair had a career-high 18 points and 11 boards.

Blair, a second-round pick, had 11 points and 10 rebounds in a 97-89 win over Philadelphia on Sunday night, giving him consecutive double-doubles for the first time.

“I am getting more comfortable every day,” Blair said. “My teammates are doing great at helping in situations when I don’t know what to do. I am just listening and asking questions. We are going to fight back from this and try to get a win on Saturday.”

San Antonio, allowing 96.1 points per game, has its hands full against a Denver team that has averaged 116.3 over its last seven contests, winning six. The Nuggets shot 52.9 percent (9 for 17) from 3-point range in a 114-96 win over Miami on Thursday night.

Denver, though, is kicking off a four-game stretch on the road, where it lost four of five before a 124-111 victory at Minnesota on Nov. 25 in its most recent road game.

Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony is shooting 42.9 percent from the field on the road, compared to 54.0 percent at home. Anthony, who leads the NBA with 30.2 points per game, is the only player in the league to score at least 20 in every game this season.

“It’s a cool streak. Hopefully I’ll keep it going,” Anthony said.

Anthony is averaging 17.0 points - 7.4 below his career average - and shooting 37.1 percent in his last nine games at San Antonio.

The Nuggets won two of three games against the Spurs last season, including a 91-81 victory in the only meeting in San Antonio.

*********************

Team Stat Leaders

Points
Carmelo Anthony Den 30.2
Tim Duncan SA 18.4

Rebounds
Nene Hilario Den 9.3
Tim Duncan SA 11.1

Assists
Chauncey Billups Den 6.1
Tony Parker SA 5.7

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

Nuggets are in the Northwest Division. How do some journalists keep a job? :lol

I know you don't like to edit other people's work duncan228 :toast

[duncan228]

Nuggets are in the Northwest Division. How do some journalists keep a job? :lol

I know you don't like to edit other people's work duncan228 :toast

I don't, but I fixed this one. Some are just too glaring to let slide. :lol

I have no clue what happened to fact checking or proof reading. It's ridiculous how many stupid mistakes get out.

[duncan228]

Saturday: Nuggets (14-5) at Spurs (9-7) (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/Time_730_pm.html)

Time: 7:30 p.m.
TV: KENS
Radio: WOAI-AM 1200, KCOR-AM 1350

STARTING LINEUPS
POS - SPURS - NUGGETS

PG - 9 Tony Parker (6-2, 9th yr) - 1 Chauncey Billups (6-3, 13th yr)
Billlups ranks 11th in NBA in assists (6.0), 7th in free-throw percent (89.2).

SG - 10 Keith Bogans (6-5, 10th yr) - 6 Arron Afflalo (6-5, 3rd yr)
Scoreless against Celtics, Bogans has only eight points in last four games.

SF - 24 Richard Jefferson (6-7, 9th yr) - 15 Carmelo Anthony (6-8, 7th yr)
Anthony leads NBA in scoring (30.1), has 20 or more in all 19 games.

PF - 21 Tim Duncan (6-11, 13th yr) - 4 Kenyon Martin (6-9, 10th yr)
Quietly, Duncan has been much improved at the foul line, at 73.9 percent.

C - 34 Antonio McDyess (6-10, 15th yr) - 31 Nenê (6-11, 8th yr)
After a double-double in Houston, McDyess is scoreless in last two games.

SPURS RESERVES

8 Roger Mason Jr., G, 6-5, 6th yr
20 Manu Ginobili, G, 6-6, 8th yr
3 George Hill, G, 6-2, 2nd yr
15 Matt Bonner, 6-10, 6th yr
45 DeJuan Blair, F, 6-7, 1st yr
4 Michael Finley, F, 6-7, 15th yr
42 Theo Ratliff, F/C, 6-10, 15th yr

NUGGETS RESERVES

30 Malik Allen, F, 6-10, 9th yr
11 Chris Andersen, F-C, 6-10, 8th yr
25 Anthony Carter, G, 6-2, 11th yr
14 Joey Graham, F, 6-7, 5th yr
3 Ty Lawson, G, 5-11, 1st yr
27 Johan Petro, C, 7-0, 5th yr
5 J.R. Smith, G, 6-6, 6th yr

COACHES
Spurs: Gregg Popovich
Nuggets: George Karl

INJURIES

Spurs: None.
Nuggets: None.

PROJECTED INACTIVE PLAYERS

Spurs: Ian Mahinmi, Malik Hairston, Marcus Haislip.
Nuggets: Renaldo Balkman.

NOTABLE

Nuggets won season series in 2008-09, 2-1. ... Anthony notched first 50-point game of his career vs. Knicks on Nov. 27. ... Nuggets have matched best 19-game start in club history. ... Spurs had their best offensive rebounding game of season vs. Celtics, getting 20, and limited Celtics to season-low two offensive boards. ... Five of last seven Spurs opponents have scored 90 or fewer points.

— Mike Monroe

[024]

it's going to funny watching bogans and afflalo guard each other. two defensive stoppers going at it. i am also very interested in watching jefferson guard melo.

[Chieflion]

I think Bogans will guard Melo and Affalo will guard Jefferson. This means this is the first true test of Bogans' defense. Melo is one of the best offensive players in the league today. The key is Parker vs Billups. We will let the two point guards settle my dilemma when the game is close. Another matchup would be Manu Ginobili vs J.R Smith off the bench. Would be a hell of a matchup.

[duncan228]

Nuggets ready to face new-look Spurs (http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_13931358)
Despite early struggles, San Antonio still tough
By Chris Dempsey
The Denver Post

On an otherwise routine Nuggets media day in September, coach George Karl was once again asked what to him was becoming an increasingly irritating question about keeping up with the Joneses in the Western Conference.

San Antonio revamped its team with the free-agent signings of Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess. The Spurs then drafted undersized but bruising forward DeJuan Blair. All were statements to make clear that getting to the playoffs and then losing the first round — as San Antonio did last season, to Dallas — was not acceptable. The Spurs were committed to getting back to championship form.

The Nuggets made a handful of moves — none flashy — and the question was asked: Should they have done more to keep up with the Spurs and others?

Karl's response: "Some of those other teams made those changes because I think they knew they had to catch up. I think one of the teams they had to catch up to was us."

Now the Nuggets get their first up-close look at the team that made arguably the biggest offseason splash. The Spurs team they will be facing, however, is 9-7 and struggled early trying to make the new pieces fit.

But they are figuring things out. San Antonio lost Thursday night at home to Boston, but has won five of its past six games.

"They acquired some new guys on their team and they are playing well right now," Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony said. "I'm pretty sure they're going to be up to play against us."

At 13.4 points and 4.4 rebounds in 32 minutes per game, Jefferson hasn't had the huge impact most thought he would. In fact, the career 17.6-ppg player has put together three straight games of single-digit scoring.

But Anthony, who on Friday was named Western Conference player of the month, is expecting more, saying Jefferson "gives them more options. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and of course (Manu) Ginobili coming off the bench. Richard Jefferson is giving them another scoring option, another big body; somebody that they can rely on to get them a basket when they need it."

Karl agreed.

"Jefferson will give them another scoring athlete on the perimeter," he said. "I still think they have a lot of good role players, led by Duncan, Ginobili and Parker. I don't think anything is going to change. Their defense is going to be good. We're going to have to play an 'A' game in order to win."

The Nuggets won at San Antonio last season, so confidence won't be an issue. The two teams are so familiar with each other that Karl hadn't studied much of the Spurs at all as of Friday night.

"I haven't seen a lot of them," Karl said. "I'm sure they are going to be a (coach Gregg) Popovich-Duncan-led type of team, with Parker and Ginobili getting in a lot of pick-and-rolls. It's always a challenge to play there. It's fun to go down there and try to win. It's one of the more difficult places to play."

The road has been a difficult place for the Nuggets this season. Four of Denver's five losses have come away from Denver. The Nuggets are currently riding a two-game road losing streak.

But no one is ready to push the panic button just yet.

"We'll be OK," Anthony said. "This is another good road trip for us. We'll be OK, and we'll be ready to play."

*********************

Denver at San Antonio

Spotlight on DeJuan Blair: The oldest team in the league drafted some low-post spunk this summer in Blair, the former Pittsburgh standout who thrives despite an unconventional body size (6-foot-7, 265 pounds). On Thursday against Boston, the Spurs reserve post scored a career-high 18 points on 9-for-11 shooting, and he did so in just 21 minutes. He also nabbed five offensive rebounds (he averages 5.9 total rebounds and 6.7 points) in the Spurs' loss. "Blair almost single-handedly turned this game around for them," Celtics coach Doc Rivers told reporters. "He beat us on the post. He kept balls alive."

Nuggets: At 14-5, Denver is off to its best 19-game start in team history. . . . Forward Carmelo Anthony has scored 20 or more points in Denver's first 19 games. Allen Iverson holds the NBA record with 21 in 2005-06. If Melo gets 20 tonight, he will have a chance to tie the record playing against Iverson in Philadelphia on Monday. . . . Nene leads NBA centers in assists with 2.8 per game. . . . Guard Arron Afflalo scored 17 in Thursday's win and now he has eight 10-point games this season. In the previous two seasons he had a combined 19 games with 10 or more.

Spurs: This is San Antonio's first game against Denver this season. . . . Power forward Tim Duncan is fifth in the NBA in both rebounds (11.1 per game) and blocks (2.0). . . . Starters Antonio McDyess and Keith Bogans went scoreless in the Spurs' Thursday loss to the Celtics. . . . Spurs opponents shoot 44.2 percent from the field. Only three teams in the Western Conference hold opponents to a lower shooting percentage. . . . The Spurs average 21.8 assists per game, while opponents average just 18.1. Only Utah and Boston have a better assist differential in the NBA.

Benjamin Hochman, The Denver Post

[timtonymanu]

I think Bogans will guard Melo and Affalo will guard Jefferson. This means this is the first true test of Bogans' defense. Melo is one of the best offensive players in the league today. The key is Parker vs Billups. We will let the two point guards settle my dilemma when the game is close. Another matchup would be Manu Ginobili vs J.R Smith off the bench. Would be a hell of a matchup.

Hill vs Lawson is a great matchup as well. I also wanna see Blair vs the Nuggets bigs.

[Chieflion]

Hill vs Lawson is a great matchup as well. I also wanna see Blair vs the Nuggets bigs.
That matchup would be irrelevant at the end of games. During the 1st half, that would be the thing I would be focusing on though. Blair's minutes are like the stock market. It can rise or drop depending on Pop's mood. I am just wondering how many of Blair's attempts at the basket will get blocked by the Birdman.

[Spurs Brazil]

Coach Pop - Practice Report 12/4/09

http://www.nba.com/spurs/multimedia/091204_pop.html

George Hill - Practice Report 12/4/09

http://www.nba.com/spurs/multimedia/091204_hill.html

[shelshor]

Referee Assignments
Sat. Dec. 5
Denver @ San Antonio: Ron Garretson; Tony Brothers; Phil Robinson

[TJastal]

I think Bogans will guard Melo and Affalo will guard Jefferson. This means this is the first true test of Bogans' defense. Melo is one of the best offensive players in the league today. The key is Parker vs Billups. We will let the two point guards settle my dilemma when the game is close. Another matchup would be Manu Ginobili vs J.R Smith off the bench. Would be a hell of a matchup.

No.

Bogans already had his first "true" test, Ray Allen, and failed badly. If he has problems with 6'5" 35 year old Ray Allen there is no way he will have a prayer against the much bigger and versatile 6'8" Anthony.

Ray Allen blew by Bogans at will and shot jumpshot after jumpshot straight over him with ease.

Anthony would be performing layup drills.

[Mel_13]

I think Bogans will guard Melo and Affalo will guard Jefferson. This means this is the first true test of Bogans' defense.

After the job RJ did on Pierce, I can't see any reason why he wouldn't get the job to cover Melo. Bogans is just too small.

[SpursRulez4eVeR]

looking forward to george hill making ty lawson his bitch

[Chomag]

After the job RJ did on Pierce, I can't see any reason why he wouldn't get the job to cover Melo. Bogans is just too small.

Agree, as tuff as Bogans is he just lacks way to much size here. It was nice to see RJ do so well on Pierce the other night but so far it's uncertain to me if it was a fluke or not? I don't know, I'm not sold on RJ there yet. It will be nice to see how well RJ can guard Melo tonight though, and maybe he can put some of my doubts to rest. I do hope so because we really need defense intensity from him since he is the only player we have right now that can contend body wise with players like Melo,Koby, and Lebron.

I know your never going to stop scorers like these but you need someone on them that will at least make it difficult for them.

[SamoanTD]

Agree, as tuff as Bogans is he just lacks way to much size here. It was nice to see RJ do so well on Pierce the other night but was far it's uncertain to me if it was a fluke or not? I don't know, I'm not sold on RJ there yet. It will be nice to see how well RJ can guard Melo tonight though, and maybe he can put some of my doubts to rest. I do hope so because we really need defense intensity from him since he is the only player we have right now that can contend body wise with players like Melo,Koby, and Lebron.

I know your never going to stop scorers like these but you need someone on them that will at least make it difficult for them.
true but I think jefferson and bogans can switch off on those guys

[SamoanTD]

No.

Bogans already had his first "true" test, Ray Allen, and failed badly. If he has problems with 6'5" 35 year old Ray Allen there is no way he will have a prayer against the much bigger and versatile 6'8" Anthony.

Ray Allen blew by Bogans at will and shot jumpshot after jumpshot straight over him with ease.

Anthony would be performing layup drills.
I think the reason ray allen seem so fast was because he didnt have to work on the defensive end of the floor he was just scoring against bogans and didnt really have to do much to stop bogans on the offensive end.

[TJastal]

I think the reason ray allen seem so fast was because he didnt have to work on the defensive end of the floor he was just scoring against bogans and didnt really have to do much to stop bogans on the offensive end.

Good point. I think Bogans is going to end up just too 1 dimensional to cut it as a starter. Similar to what happened to Bonner.

[duncan228]

Denver Nuggets (14-5) At San Antonio Spurs (9-7) (http://www.ktvu.com/nba/21874364/detail.html)

The San Antonio Spurs hope to rebound from their first loss in two weeks tonight when they host the Northwest Division-leading Denver Nuggets at the AT&T Center.

The Spurs fell for the first time in six games Thursday when Kevin Garnett finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists, as the Boston Celtics took a 90-83 win over San Antonio in the Alamo City.

Rookie DeJuan Blair had a career-high 18 points and 11 rebounds to pace the Spurs, while Tim Duncan added 16 points and 15 boards in the setback. Tony Parker had 17 points and seven assists for San Antonio, which lost despite gathering a season-high 20 offensive rebounds.

"That's the type of game I like to play," Blair said. "I was just out there, [Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich] gave me the minutes. Whether I play five minutes or whatever minutes I played tonight it's all about working hard, hustling, being there for the team and rebounding."

The Nuggets, who are kicking off a four-game road trip tonight, finished a four-game residency in positive fashion on Thursday when Carmelo Anthony had 22 points to lead six Denver players in double-figures, as the Nuggets routed the Miami Heat, 114-96, at the Pepsi Center.

Arron Afflalo had 17 points, while J.R. Smith had 16 points off the bench for the Nuggets, who have won two in a row and six of seven overall. Nene added 15 points and eight rebounds in the victory.

Dwyane Wade had a game-high 25 points and 10 rebounds for Miami, which had beaten Denver on November 6 to snap an eight-game losing streak against the Nuggets.

"I think we showed a lot of professional pride of understanding that we didn't play very well down in Miami, and we wanted to kind of repay the misery they gave us," Denver head coach George Karl said.

The Nuggets, who are 5-4 on the road this season, won two of three games vs. the Spurs last season, including a 91-81 victory in San Antonio.