Spurs at Nuggets Previews

[duncan228]

San Antonio (29-21) at Denver (35-17) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2010021107&prov=ap)
Game info: 10:30 pm EST Thu Feb 11, 2010
TV: TNT
By Santosh Venkataraman

The San Antonio Spurs haven’t done a good job of taking advantage of teams playing without their stars on this road trip.

That’s a luxury the Spurs won’t have Thursday night when they take on Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets in the final NBA game before the All-Star break.

San Antonio (29-21) has not played like a title contender in splitting the first four games of this trip. The Spurs have beaten Sacramento and the Clippers and suffered losses to Portland and the Lakers.

What is especially troubling is that the Trail Blazers played without Brandon Roy and the Lakers were without Kobe Bryant as well as Andrew Bynum on Monday in their 101-89 victory.

“On this trip already we played Portland without Brandon Roy and didn’t get it done,” forward Richard Jefferson said. “Coach (Gregg Popovich) said it best: ‘We’re playing soft.’ And that’s starting with me. I haven’t shot the ball well the last 10 or so games.”

There was a chance that the Spurs may have caught a break and not seen Anthony for Denver (35-17). Anthony, though, returned after missing eight games with a sprained left ankle and scored 19 points in 30 minutes of a 127-91 rout of Dallas on Tuesday.

“The good thing is my first game back, I didn’t have to do too much,” Anthony said. “But the bad thing is, I already had been sitting out for two weeks. I wanted to play (more), but I’ll take a 36-point win any day.”

Denver beat San Antonio 103-89 without Anthony on Jan. 31, as Kenyon Martin had 27 points and 11 rebounds and Chauncey Billups added 25 points and 11 assists. This game could be even easier for the Nuggets since Anthony feels he is showing no ill effects from the ankle.

“I approached this game wanting to see what I could and couldn’t do, and I found out I could do pretty much what I’ve been doing,” said Anthony, who scored 34 in a 106-99 win over the Spurs on Dec. 5.

Anthony’s 20.3 career scoring average against the Spurs, though, is his lowest versus any Western Conference opponent.

While Denver gained confidence in going 5-3 during its latest stretch without Anthony, San Antonio is looking for answers.

Jefferson, acquired to bolster an aging roster and seemingly in his prime at age 29, is averaging 12.1 points - his lowest since his rookie season in 2001-02. He’s averaging 8.8 points on 33.8 percent shooting over the last eight games.

Point guard Tony Parker’s 16.9 scoring average is his lowest in five seasons, and reserve Manu Ginobili’s 13.3 is his worst in six seasons. In addition, the Spurs’ 45.6 defensive field-goal percentage is their worst since Tim Duncan was drafted in 1997, upsetting the defensive-minded Popovich.

“He’s going to keep pushing us and either we’re going to do it, or we’re not,” Parker said. “Simple as that.”

Denver has outrebounded San Antonio by an average of 7.5 in the two victories this season, with Martin averaging 12.0.

Martin, however, sat out Tuesday because of tendinitis in his left knee and his status is uncertain.

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

Team Stat Leaders

Points
Tim Duncan SA 19.4
Carmelo Anthony Den 29.5

Rebounds
Tim Duncan SA 10.8
Kenyon Martin Den 9.4

Assists
Tony Parker SA 6.0
Chauncey Billups Den 6.1

[Mhak]

Woot another L!!!! Small ball for FTL!!!!

[jason1301]

I soooo badly want us to Win this game.... I think we can do it.

This is it guys, a W against a quality team like Denver could give us the boost to finish the Rodeo trip undefeated... and that would be exactly what we need right now.

Its about time to get it together and turn that corner....

[Sean Cagney]

SMH at us on TNT again, hell us on TV in general :( I can see how this one is going to go already (At Denver too). I hope the Spurs shock me and win the game, but I wouldn't hold my breath at this point.

[timtonymanu]

Spurs take a minor lead. Then Denver goes on a 10-0 run. Pop responds with small ball. RJ has a bad shooting night again. It goes on and on until the final score is 105-85. Spurs lose. Can this not be the trend for once?

[SequSpur]

got damn..the game is tomorrow..couldn't this shit wait another day?

[anonoftheinternets]

Spurs take a minor lead. Then Denver goes on a 10-0 run. Pop responds with small ball. RJ has a bad shooting night again. It goes on and on until the final score is 105-85. Spurs lose. Can this not be the trend for once?

lol would you prefer,

spurs take large lead, squander it in 3rd quarter, 4thquarter is close for the most part...denver wins by 5-6 points in teh last 1 min, and althought he final score is < 10 points, gaem was decided before teh last 3 mins. :flag:

[spurtech09]

spurs have a better chance if pop doesn't play small ball

[timtonymanu]

lol would you prefer,

spurs take large lead, squander it in 3rd quarter, 4thquarter is close for the most part...denver wins by 5-6 points in teh last 1 min, and althought he final score is < 10 points, gaem was decided before teh last 3 mins. :flag:

i meant a trend where they dont lose. lol. even yours i dont want to see happen.

[timtonymanu]

to be honest, this game is a win-win for me. Until the Spurs get eliminated, the Nuggets will be my 2nd team. I want to see Denver go far only if the Spurs are out.

[tim_duncan_fan]

Preview: Pop fails to start a second big man next to Tim and we get our asses whooped.

[SpursRulez4eVeR]

how about dick has a 17+ 4 4 game, play ratliff/ no micro ball, tp doesn't come out hurt in the second half, good ball movement/25+ assists.
if two or more are satisfied, spurs win.

[siraulo23]

Im hoping this wouldnt happen tomorrow:

Spurs start well, we get an 8 point lead, pop puts RJ at the 4, Denver makes a run, Pop calls a timeout yelling at the team for being soft, the game continues to be close, spurs once again fail executing down the stretch and lose by 10+ (and nene makes a 3 in the final seconds)

As long as Pop does not play any small ball at any point in the game I'll be happy regardless of the outcome (although very, very unlikely)

IDC if Bonner has to play 20+ mins

Go Spurs Go

[duncan228]

Thursday: Spurs (29-21) at Nuggets (35-17) (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/Thursday_Spurs_29-21_at_Nuggets_35-17.html)

Time: 9:30 p.m.
TV: TNT
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)
Billups wasn't an All-Star the last time these teams met; he is now.

SG - 3 George Hill (6-2, 2nd yr) - 6 Arron Afflalo (6-5, 3rd yr)
Hill about to find out if thedirty.com can be a distraction.

SF - 24 Richard Jefferson (6-7, 9th yr) - 15 Carmelo Anthony (6-8, 7th yr)
Nuggets beat Spurs without scoring leader Anthony in Jan. 31 meeting.

PF - 21 Tim Duncan (6-11, 13th yr) - 4 Kenyon Martin (6-9, 10th yr)
Duncan struggling with shooting stroke; Martin with knee pain.

C - 34 Antonio McDyess (6-10, 15th yr) - 31 Nene (6-11, 8th yr)
As promised, McDyess has turned it on since season hit halfway mark.

SPURS RESERVES

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

NUGGETS RESERVES

30 Malik Allen, F, 6-10, 9th yr
11 Chris Andersen, F/C, 6-10, 8th yr
32 Renaldo Balkman, F, 6-8, 4th yr
25 Anthony Carter, G, 6-2, 11th yr
3 Ty Lawson, G, 5-11, 1st yr
14 Joey Graham, F, 6-7, 5th yr
5 J.R. Smith, G, 6-6, 6th yr

COACHES
Spurs: Gregg Popovich
Nuggets: George Karl

INJURIES

Spurs: None
Nuggets: Balkman (back spasms) is out.

PROJECTED INACTIVE PLAYERS

Spurs: Malik Hairston, Ian Mahinmi
Nuggets: Johan Petro

NOTABLE

Spurs look to finish five-game western leg of rodeo trip over .500, but the task won't be easy. ... After 127-91 blowout of Dallas on Tuesday, Nuggets are 23-4 at Pepsi Center, the third-best home mark in the NBA. ... Denver is already 2-0 against Spurs this season, having won twice in San Antonio. Last victory came 103-89 on Jan. 31, in a game Anthony missed with injury.

- Jeff McDonald

[shelshor]

Referee Assignments
Thurs. Feb 11
San Antonio @ Denver: Ron Garretson; Rodney Mott; Phil Robinson

[PDXSpursFan]

Another loss :bang

[duncan228]

San Antonio Spurs (29-21) at Denver Nuggets (35-17) (http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/basketball/wires/story/1474589.html)

The Denver Nuggets are shooting for their second straight series win over the San Antonio Spurs, as the two Western Conference powers collide Thursday night at the Pepsi Center.

The last time Denver notched back-to-back series victories against the Spurs was during the 1986-87 and 1987-88 seasons. The Nuggets, who won two of three meetings in 2008-09, are unbeaten in the last three encounters with San Antonio, the longest stretch since winning five in a row from February 4 - November 17, 1988.

Denver has won two of three and 12 of its last 15 games, including Tuesday's 127-91 victory versus the Dallas Mavericks in the opener of a quick homestand. Carmelo Anthony scored 19 points in 30 minutes in his return to the court, and had missed the last eight games with a sprained ankle. He previously sat out five consecutive games at the beginning of January with a bruised knee, and went 8-of-16 from the field, including 3-of-5 from three-point range.

"The team was playing so well, you don't want to step in and try to overshadow anything, just try to get everybody involved," Anthony said.

Nene led the Nuggets with 21 points and Chauncey Billups added 16 in a winning effort. Denver is an impressive 23-4 at home this season and owns the third- best home record in the NBA (Cavs, 23-3; Lakers, 25-4).

San Antonio will continue its eight-game rodeo road trip Thursday and is 2-2 on the trek following a 101-89 loss to the Kobe Bryant-less Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night at Staples Center.

Manu Ginobili had 21 points off the bench, while Tony Parker scored 20 points for the Spurs, who failed to build on a victory in this same building two nights ago against the Clippers. All-Star Tim Duncan registered 16 points and 15 rebounds in defeat.

"A disappointing loss. The Lakers were obviously a little short-handed and played mentally tougher than we did," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "They played physically tougher than we did and got a win."

The Spurs will also visit the Pacers, Sixers and Pistons, and are 10-11 away from the Alamo City this season.

[duncan228]

Pick 'n' roll: Thursday's best NBA bets (http://www.covers.com/articles/articles.aspx?theArt=181521&t=0)
By Covers.com

San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets (http://www.covers.com/pageloader/pageLoader.aspx?page=/data/nba/matchups/g5_summary_2.html) (-5.5, 204)

Handling Tim Duncan is a two, maybe three-man job. It’s just bad timing that the Nuggets happen to be a man down heading into Thursday's Western Conference showdown.

Power forward Kenyon Martin is nursing tendonitis in his knee and is questionable to face Duncan and the Spurs. Martin is a major key to Denver’s success. Not only does he score more than 12 points and pull down nine rebounds a game, but he is their top defender against mobile frontcourts.

The last time the Nuggets faced the Spurs, Martin poured in 27 points and grabbed 11 boards to help lead Denver to a 103-89 win despite not having fellow forward Carmelo Anthony in the lineup. In a 106-99 win over San Antonio, K-Mart scored nine points, snagged 13 rebounds and had three blocked shots. The Nuggets covered as underdogs in both of those contests.

In fact, Denver has covered against San Antonio in six of their last eight meetings. One of those ATS losses, a 104-96 Nuggets win as 11.5-point favorites, came with Martin on the sideline due to injury.

Without Martin patrolling the paint Thursday, the Spurs will cash in on some easy buckets inside and keep this game close.

Pick: San Antonio

[duncan228]

Game 53 Preview & Thread: Nuggets vs. Spurs (http://www.denverstiffs.com/2010/2/11/1305944/game-53-preview-thread-nuggets-vs#storyjump)
Nate Timmons
Denver Stiffs

The particulars ...

Records:
Denver: 35-17 (23-4 at home, 12-13 on the road)
San Antonio: 29-21 (19-10 at home, 10-11 on the road)
Denver current streak: Won 1. They are 7-3 in their last 10 games.
San Antonio current streak: Lost 1. They are 4-6 in their last 10 games.
Injuries:
Denver: Renaldo Balkman (back spasms) is out. Kenyon Martin (left knee tendinitis) is a game-time decision. Arron Afflalo (left ankle sprain) is probable.
San Antonio: No injuries on report.

Opposition's Take: Pounding the Rock (http://www.poundingtherock.com/)
TV: TNT

My buddy Rich has been predicting the downfall of the Spurs for about the third season in a row. I think he might actually be starting to get it right. San Antonio has had a very nice run and collected some hardware in the process. As it stands now the Spurs would face off against the Nuggets in Round 1 of the playoffs as a #2 vs. #7 match up. Who would be scared to face the Spurs this season?

San Antonio eliminated the Nuggets 4-1 in both the 2005 and 2007 playoffs and it'd be sweet to be able to knock them out of the 2010 post season. But like the saying goes, be careful what you wish for.

San Antonio has been dealing with an assortment of issues with age, injuries, defense and mixing in new role players. It used to be that the Spurs could plug in new additions in the offseason their Big 3 (Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker) could carry them. The Spurs now are relying too much on their role players as the Big 3 have been banged up and aging. Reading some the recent posts on Pounding the Rock you can clearly tell the fan base is frustrated watching their once mighty team fall back to Earth a bit. Any sports fan that rooted for a champ can share these same feelings. I recall watching the Denver Broncos go down the same path after their back-to-back Super Bowl victories (although we didn't have to watch John Elway on the downside of his career).

In the Spurs most recent game on Monday, Feb. 8th, they lost (101-89) to a short-handed Lakers team that was missing Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum. The Spurs were at full strength, but just couldn't put together a decent game at Staples Center. We've seen the short-handed Nuggets put together some great wins and like I've said, sometimes short-handed teams can be the most dangerous ones.

Denver looked like a very dangerous team against the Mavericks on Tuesday night in their 36 point routing of the Dirk Nowitzki and Company. And the Nuggets have been very good against the Spurs this season as well. The Nuggets boast a 2-0 record in San Antonio this season and now the Spurs have to travel to Denver where the Nuggets have been as good as anyone on their home floor.

I'm guessing if Kenyon Martin can't play again tonight (and perhaps George Karl should just rest him) that we'll see more Malik "Tacos" Allen and perhaps more of the French Resistance with Johan Petro. I like to joke that Allen only comes on the floor when Denver is assured a victory, but Allen has been playing well when he gets some minutes and has proved to be a better than advertised rebounder.

Johan Petro is coming off his best game as a Nugget. Petro went 5-5 from the field for 13 points, 5 rebounds and 1 nasty blocked shot against the Mavs. I missed Petro's post game interview, but it was nice to hear second-hand that he was happy to get some meaningful minutes (22 minutes in all) and it was great to see the home crowd recognize his efforts with a standing ovation.

We wont know for sure if Petro and Allen's recent increased roles are in an effort to trade them or not, but it was nice to see the bench rotation opened up against the Mavericks, even if it was just because Martin was out.

In Melo's return to action I was very curious to see how he'd fit back in. I expected Melo to try to get into a shooting rhythm and he did that to an extent as he didn't really test that ankle with any of his usual punishing drives. Like Andrew pointed out in his recap, Melo didn't attempt a single foul shot. I was pleasantly surprised with Melo's unselfishness as he posted 6 assists (second highest season total). I thought Melo was making a great effort and actually passing up shots that he'd normally take. I'm ready to see how he performs tonight.

The Nuggets have a chance to go up 3-0 on the Spurs this season and further cement that the Spurs might not be a threat to Denver anymore.

Views you can use:

• In Denver's two wins against the Spurs this season they have outscored San Antonio 101-88 in the third and fourth quarters. (53-40 on Dec. 5th and 58-48 on Jan. 31st).

• The man nicknamed "The Beast" aka DeJuan Blair has only averaged 7 points and 2.5 rebounds against the Nuggets. On the season Blair averages 7.5 points and 6.5 rebounds.

• It was reported on ESPN that Birdman forgot his hair gel when Denver traveled to Los Angeles. Bird didn't make a trip to the store for more against L.A. or Utah and he continued his natural look against the Mavs ... the result: Bird is averaging 12 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks sans gel.

[duncan228]

Nuggets' Martin says he's a game-time decision (http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_14382256)
By Chris Dempsey
The Denver Post

The left knee tendonitis that kept Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin out of Tuesday's game against Dallas is likely to do so again tonight against the Spurs.

Martin, however, left the door open more for his return than his coach, George Karl, did.

"The rumor is no (he won't play)," Karl said.

"We'll see," Martin said. "I'm a game-time decision, depends on how I feel."

Martin, who leads the Nuggets in double-doubles with 21, did not do much of anything in this morning's shootaround.

"I keep getting hit in the same spot," Martin said. "It's tendonitis, but getting tendonitis bumped in the same spot of my patella. It tends to make it a lot more sore than it normally should be."

Martin said he has given some thought to simply shutting it down for tonight to get extra rest before the All-Star break. Since he hasn't played since the Utah game last Saturday, it would mean Martin gets a full 11 days rest before the Nuggets resume action on Feb. 18.

"I thought about it," Martin said. "I don't want to leave teammates stuck out there, but we'll see."

Also, forward Renaldo Balkman remains out with a mid-back strain.

[DesignatedT]

Lol martin destroyed us last meeting. lets hope he sits out.

[My Fault]

Might be best to skip this one. Melo is gonna have his way with RJ...

[rayray2k8]

Pick 'n' roll: Thursday's best NBA bets (http://www.covers.com/articles/articles.aspx?theArt=181521&t=0)
By Covers.com

San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets (http://www.covers.com/pageloader/pageLoader.aspx?page=/data/nba/matchups/g5_summary_2.html) (-5.5, 204)

Handling Tim Duncan is a two, maybe three-man job. It’s just bad timing that the Nuggets happen to be a man down heading into Thursday's Western Conference showdown.

Power forward Kenyon Martin is nursing tendonitis in his knee and is questionable to face Duncan and the Spurs. Martin is a major key to Denver’s success. Not only does he score more than 12 points and pull down nine rebounds a game, but he is their top defender against mobile frontcourts.

The last time the Nuggets faced the Spurs, Martin poured in 27 points and grabbed 11 boards to help lead Denver to a 103-89 win despite not having fellow forward Carmelo Anthony in the lineup. In a 106-99 win over San Antonio, K-Mart scored nine points, snagged 13 rebounds and had three blocked shots. The Nuggets covered as underdogs in both of those contests.

In fact, Denver has covered against San Antonio in six of their last eight meetings. One of those ATS losses, a 104-96 Nuggets win as 11.5-point favorites, came with Martin on the sideline due to injury.

Without Martin patrolling the paint Thursday, the Spurs will cash in on some easy buckets inside and keep this game close.

Pick: San Antonio

im sorry, i laughed when i read that. :lol

[duncan228]

NBA Expert Picks – Steady Nuggets Host Disappointing Spurs (http://www.betus.com/sports-betting/nba-basketball/free_picks/nba-expert-picks-steady-nuggets-host-disappointing-spurs-2010-02-11/)
by Eric Williams
betus.com

The San Antonio Spurs have got to be the most disappointing team in the league this season.

Despite adding several talented players this past offseason, the Spurs have had huge problems with inconsistency all season long.

San Antonio will take on a Denver Nuggets team that has battled valiantly through injuries to several of its key players this season to remain arguably the top conference title contender next to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Spurs vs. Nuggets (-5.5)
(O/U) 206
February 11, 10:30 PM ET

San Antonio Spurs (29-21 SU, 24-25-1 ATS, 22-27-1 O/U)
Denver Nuggets (35-17 SU, 24-25-3 ATS, 25-27 O/U)

Tonight, both teams will be trying to pick up a win prior to the annual All-Star weekend break when they battle at the Pepsi Center tonight at 10:30 PM ET.

Before I break down both ballclubs, let’s take a look at the key head-to-head NBA betting trends (http://www.betus.com/sports-betting/nba-basketball/betting-trends/) surrounding this contest.

• Under is 21-7 in the last 28 meetings
• Spurs are 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings in Denver
• Under is 11-5 in the last 16 meetings in Denver
• Spurs are 2-6 ATS in the last 8 meetings
• Underdog is 6-0 ATS in the last 6 meetings
• Road team is 6-0 ATS in the last 6 meetings

San Antonio 411

• Spurs are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games as an underdog.
• Spurs are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games.
• Spurs are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall.

The Spurs have alternated wins and losses over the last six games and fell to the L.A. Lakers 101-89 on Monday night (http://www.betus.com/sports-betting/nba-basketball/free_picks/pro-basketball-betting-action-spurs-get-big-test-against-kobe-lakers-tonight/). Manu Ginobili scored a team-high 21 points off the bench but it wasn’t enough to help the Spurs cash in for pro basketball betting members as a 2.5-point road underdog to fall to 1-4 ATS over the last five games and just 3-7 ATS over the last 10 games overall.

San Antonio also played Under the 193.5-point O/U total against L.A. just as I predicted in the NBA locker room that day.

Denver 411

• Nuggets are 17-5 ATS in their last 22 vs. NBA Southwest.
• Nuggets are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.

The Nuggets have alternated wins and losses over their last five games but laid a 127-91 smackdown on the Mavericks on Tuesday night, cashing in for pro hoops gamblers as 7-point home favorites as Nene scored a team-high 21 points to lead seven players in double figure scoring.

The Nuggets have gone a respectable 2-2-1 ATS over the last five games and 5-4-1 ATS over its last 10 games overall.

The Matchup: The Nuggets have beaten the Spurs three straight times, including twice this season. Denver has covered the NBA point spread (http://www.betus.com/sports-betting/nba-basketball/odds-lines/) in each of the last two meetings against San Antonio and spanked their conference counterparts 103-89 on Jan. 31 to cash in as 5.5-point road underdogs despite playing without Carmelo Anthony.

Kenyon Martin had a double-double in that contest with 27 points and 11 rebounds and Chauncey Billups added 25 points and 11 assists to lead the Nuggets to victory.

The Spurs will also face a Nuggets team that just got back Anthony in time for Denver’s win over Dallas.

"The good thing is my first game back, I didn't have to do too much," Anthony said. "But the bad thing is, I already had been sitting out for two weeks. I wanted to play (more), but I'll take a 36-point win any day."

Analysis: This contest looks like a near lock if you ask me pro basketball betting members.

The Nuggets have recorded a fine 23-4 SU record at home this season while the Spurs have gone an uninspiring 10-11 SU on the road.

Small forward Richard Jefferson, acquired this past offseason to bolster the aging Spurs, , is averaging an unimpressive 12.1 points per game (his lowest since his rookie season in 2001-02) while Tony Parker is putting up just 16.9 points per contest, his lowest in five seasons, and backup swingman Manu Ginobili is scoring just 13.3 points per night, his lowest average in six seasons.

The Nuggets have a plethora of capable scorers in addition to Anthony and Billups and is just too powerful for the offensively-challenged Spurs to keep up with.

Play the Nuggets to cover the NBA moneyline with the emphatic SU and ATS home win.

NBA Expert Pick: Nuggets -5.5 Points

[ulosturedge]

lol 2 teams going in completely opposite directions. We can only hope that the Nuggets lose all interest and give us this game lol. Otherwise we are going to get a shalacking.

[Blackjack]

Game Preview: Spurs @ Nuggets (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2010/02/11/game-preview-spurs-nuggets/#more-6417)
by Jesse Blanchard

http://cache4.asset-cache.net/xc/74035317.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=77BFBA49EF8789215ABF3343C02EA548AC0380420680F717 C57496593718ED9582874FFC52DD5720

Pending any unforeseen (or speculated) trade, tonight offers the last opportunity for the Spurs to make the Rodeo Road Trip a success in the court of public opinion.

Chances are the Spurs sweep the remaining road games following the All-Star break at Indiana, Philadelphia and Detroit. But feasting on hapless opponents is nothing new this season.

For all the disappointing performances the Spurs have come up with against elite teams that have been less than whole, a win tonight with a relatively healthy Nuggets team would ease a lot of minds heading into the All-Star break.

The Nuggets are now widely considered the team with the greatest chance of unseating the Lakers in the Western Conference this spring. And given the performances of the Spurs and Nuggets in last year’s playoffs, perhaps that’s the way it should have been all along.

In the last meeting, Denver crushed any momentum the Spurs had after impressive wins over Atlanta and Memphis. This time the Spurs will have to answer to Carmelo Anthony.

Anthony returned from ankle injury on Tuesday, scoring 19 points in 30 minutes in a route of the Dallas Mavericks. Needless to say, small forward will be the matchup of the night and the Spurs will need Richard Jefferson to offset some of the damage Anthony will likely inflict.

Spurs fans have been complaining about Jefferson’s lack of production all season, but the national media has finally caught up. This past week nearly every major sports site placed Jefferson at the top of the biggest offseason busts list with some hints that Spurs are finally losing patience.

With the trade deadline looming, tonight is the last impression the Spurs will be able to make in deciding whether or not to shake up their roster.