Denver Post: Bigger is better, and key

[Kori Ellis]

Bigger is better, and key
By Mark Kiszla
Denver Post Staff Columnist

http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~107~2847027,00.html


If the game is basketball, the Nuggets are not going to beat San Antonio. But this NBA playoff series is far from over.

Let the fisticuffs begin.

The fight began in earnest when forward Carmelo Anthony sent a message as subtle as a lead pipe, clubbing Spurs all-star Manu Ginobili with a flagrant foul to end the hostilities of Game 3.

The Nuggets lost, but landed the last shot.

And it struck me as funny.

A fellow nicknamed Melo is now Denver's enforcer. I teased Anthony about it Sunday.

"I'll be the enforcer, but I ain't that type of player," he said, before speaking the hard truth about his hit on Ginobili. "It was a hard foul. I just wish I could have done it early in the game."

If you can't beat them, beat them up.

Call me crazy, but I believe the Nuggets are fully capable of overcoming a 2-1 deficit to win this series.

How they can do it is the surprise.

Denver can cause the Spurs the most pain with size, not speed.

Ginobili, who plays with the recklessness of an avalanche rolling down a mountain, irritates the heck out of Nuggets coach George Karl.

So squish the pest like a bug. Denver has enough big bodies to knock down Ginobili every time he drives to the hoop.

Going big is the best way to hurt San Antonio.

The Spurs do not want to play eye-for-an-eye and tooth-for-a-tooth with Denver.

"We're not going to get dirty, because we're not that kind of team," San Antonio forward Tim Duncan said.

Let Karl beef up his lineup with Marcus Camby at center, Kenyon Martin and Nene at forwards. Team this huge front line with Anthony and Andre Miller at guard, then see how the Spurs digest the problem.

"If I had to play big guard, I'm thinking I'd have no trouble adjusting," Anthony said.

I'm thinking it could give Spurs coach Gregg Popovich major heartburn if he was forced to defend Martin with Brent Barry in order to leave Bruce Bowen checking Anthony.

Denver, a team in love with the fast break, cannot beat San Antonio by running from the challenge.

Karl must start forcing matchups that jangle the Spurs' nerves.

San Antonio is mentally tougher than an NYPD interrogation by Detective Andy Sipowicz.

But I suspect the Spurs are soft physically, from the tender ankle that limits the lateral defensive ability of Duncan, to the indecisive post moves of center Nazr Mohammed, to the slender European body of point guard Tony Parker.

There is too much wishy- washy wringing of hands in Denver about how the Nuggets have already blown their best shot at an upset. It escapes me why Karl worries about his team getting bullied by Ginobili, a wire-thin Argentinean separated at birth from actor Bronson Pinchot.

After averaging a disheartening 82 points per game in the series, Karl and his blind followers will be tempted to demand the re-establishment of tempo. There will be well-intended pining to see Earl Boykins play alongside Miller in the Denver backcourt for lengthy periods of time.

The quick tandem of Boykins and Miller can work, in small doses. But here's a promise: Fast, pretty or easy elimination of San Antonio is not going to happen.

When Anthony admitted the Spurs have hammered a stop sign through the heart of Denver's fast break, it was not a weak concession of defeat so much as a sober acceptance of reality.

Popovich is a connoisseur of food and wine, but when it comes to winning in the playoffs, he would paint chest hairs on the Mona Lisa and declare it gorgeous.

The best way for Denver to steal easy baskets is early in the shot clock, with Anthony rubbing off screens or Martin attacking the rim.

Why is Nene wasting away on the Denver bench? A big lineup could prevent San Antonio from winning again with lousy shooting and strong rebounding.

While every Ginobili score is a painful reminder of how general manager Kiki Vandeweghe allocated too few resources at shooting guard, the money and power in these Nuggets are invested up front. So use them.

The Spurs like to play head games, robbing foes of their basketball identity.

But beat on the body and San Antonio's head will die.

Alongside Houston's Tracy McGrady and Steve Nash of Phoenix, Ginobili is the rare NBA star worth every penny of a $75 ticket.

Nevertheless, the Nuggets should put an unspoken bounty on Ginobili's head. No layups allowed.

Let the battle begin.

Want to stare down San Antonio? The Nuggets have two choices.

Go big. Or go home.

[Kori Ellis]

Nevertheless, the Nuggets should put an unspoken bounty on Ginobili's head. No layups allowed.

:wtf

[timvp]

:lol

Desperation is often quite funny.

Please, please, please go with that big lineup so that I can see Carmelo Anthony guard Manu :lmao

[Mr. Body]

Should a national newspaper print this kind of thing? Should a sportswriter incite violence? Should this not beg for letters to the editor? Shouldn't this ask for a certain writer to be suspended, at the very least?

[T Park]

Once again.

Some teams are good because they are.


Other teams aren't so they have to resort to BS like this.


The writer should be ashamed. Hurt guys on purpose just to win??

Pathetic.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

San Antonio is mentally tougher than an NYPD interrogation by Detective Andy Sipowicz

:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao


Alongside Houston's Tracy McGrady and Steve Nash of Phoenix, Ginobili is the rare NBA star worth every penny of a $75 ticket.

ain't that the truth!

[texbumTHElife]

Please, if the last game taught these fools anything its should be that Manu doesnt care who is in the lane. He will get in there and get his due somehow. He will keep getting back up. He will keep getting players ejected and he will keep winning games for us.

Throw everything you have at us Denver. We do after all have control over this series now. We have won two in a row including beating you in your own mile high house. It IS up to you to make the adjustments not us. Lets see what you come up with Karl. I am telling you right now it better amount to more than hack-a-Manu because this team has three super stars and the best bench in the league.

Or have the Denver fans forgot the last game so fast?

[spursfaninla]

gimmicks are born of desperation.

Going big concedes they can't run, first off. Half court will be in our favor, no doubt.

If they want to hit Manu every time he goes in for a layup, their bigs WILL foul out. They only have 3 quality bigs (Nene, Camby, Martin) , and they have to guard Duncan too. Who is going to sub in again?

Second, what is to stop us from playing Robinson or Horry at sf and Bowen at sg? We can match them big for big, I have no doubt.

Third, having 3 bigs is senseless, the lane will be too clogged for them to get anything with this idea. You can only have 2 guys on the post, and the third will be a high post guy....the best you get out of this is you can't block the jump shot, big whoop.

This guy is a fool.

[T Park]

Please, please, please go with that big lineup so that I can see Carmelo Anthony guard Manu

Not only that, once you get all the bigs in foul trouble, having a small line up out there would seal the game.


Nice try Edgar Allen Poe, but edit the story and try again.

[T Park]

Im hoping tommarow night's game goes like game 4 in Minnesota in 99.

Timberwolves come out stupid, and the Spurs walk all over them, and their bigs try to "fight"

[zeleni]

Popovich is a connoisseur of food and wine, but when it comes to winning in the playoffs, he would paint chest hairs on the Mona Lisa and declare it gorgeous.


But beat on the body and San Antonio's head will die.

Go big. Or go home.

It seems that Game 4 will be Parker's and Beno's night. And a night of a Big Dog... SA monster has many heads, and they grow when you cut them. So Pop shurely will call such monster gorgeous, wouldn't you think so? :lol :fro

[boutons]

This is scary talk.

The Denver team, coach, trolls, sports "writer"s are even more trashy, cheap, dirty bastards than I thought.

from: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/2001/playoffs/news/2001/05/05/mavs_spurs_ap/

"Dallas' Juwan Howard was ejected late in the first half for a flagrant foul on Anderson, who separated his right shoulder and could miss the rest of the playoffs.

As Anderson drove and jumped for the basket, Howard swung his arm into Anderson's side. Anderson landed on his shoulder and hobbled off the court grimacing and cradling his arm."

And we know from JH's numerous flagrant, hard fouls since, he wasn't "going for the ball", but for Derek, most vulnerably in the air.

Is that the type of playoff game that the Denver scumbag motherfuckers are calling for?

The can't beat Manu with basketball, so they resort to beating up on Manu like criminals.

Spurs have to put these low-life Nuggets out of the playoffs Wed night @SBC.

[Kori Ellis]

Here's two more articles from the Denver Post:

Ginobili's style stings (http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~90~2846838,00.html)

Nuggets know Game 4 is series' big one (http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~90~2846836,00.html)

[Mr. Body]

Doesn't it seem like Denver's being taken out of their game?

[SilverPlayer]

If they go big, the spurs would own the fastbreak, and I don't mean a little. Manu and Parker would kill a bigger lineup like that in the open court. Thats whats great about this team and stupid writers never seem to remember (with their "spurs are boring attitude") We can run with teams like Phoenix any day of the week.

[dcole50]

ugh. this "if you can't beat them, beat them up mentality" is ridiculous. i don't see karl stooping that low, but we can retaliate. we don't have willis, but nazr and big dog could throw some denver thugs to the ground.

i don't want the game to come to that, but i'm just pointing out that if they go dirty, they will pay. if they send melo out to do dirty work and he's ejected, then they are all but done. if we respond with big dog and he's ejected, we'll survive.

[MI21]

"I'll be the enforcer, but I ain't that type of player," he said, before speaking the hard truth about his hit on Ginobili. "It was a hard foul. I just wish I could have done it early in the game."

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/images/2004-2005/BKN0105_spurs7_massenburg_jd.jpg

"Whatchu sayin' young buck? Yo want some of dis?"

[Useruser666]

Can the Nuggets go "Super Sized"?

The Spurs have the height to match anything they have.

[SLOVENIAN 8]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/images/2004-2005/BKN0105_spurs7_massenburg_jd.jpg

"Whatchu sayin' young buck? Yo want some of dis?"

Please dont hurt our Sasha Vujacic :lol :lol

[SLOVENIAN 8]

"It was a hard foul. I just wish I could have done it early in the game."

What a morron!!!

[spur219]

If Manu is not scared to take it in to Shaq I am pretty sure he has no problem taking it in to Camby and Martin.

[Gerryatrics]

Well, the Spurs have a 6'7" PG if they want him, so if the Nuggets go big the Spurs could go even bigger. Barry, Bowen, Horry, Duncan, Nazr/Rasho/TMass... it might not be the prettiest lineup, but it would be pretty cool to see.

[MI21]

That's what I was thinking Gerryatrics.

If you want to go mammoth, you could go Ginobili, Robinson, Horry, Duncan, Rasho.

So no Denver, going big is not going to help you.

[LilMissSPURfect]

Staff writer Mark Kiszla can be reached at 303-820-5438 or [email protected].


i made my voice heard...


i feel better now!

:angel

[Jimcs50]

Popovich is a connoisseur of food and wine, but when it comes to winning in the playoffs, he would paint chest hairs on the Mona Lisa and declare it gorgeous.

:lol

This is one of the most hilarious quote ever...maybe because it is so true.

:rollin

[ladiesman]

Call me crazy, but I believe the Nuggets are fully capable of overcoming a 2-1 deficit to win this series.



CRAZY and :drunk :drunk

[GrandeDavid]

Its flagrants like the one on Manu that make you miss Kevin Willis.

[boutons]

"Kevin Willis"

Myth!

Kevin was big guy and looked mean (but was a super person), but did he have a reputation as a Flagrant/Hard Fouler or Enforcer when on the Spurs? before the Spurs?

And if he did (I remember only one ejection of Spur Kevin), did it really dissuade any team from beating up on the Spurs?

I bet none of the Spurs are shakin in the boots because the hatchet job on Manu's last drive, so why would Kevin/TonyM put the fear into the Nuggets?

[GrandeDavid]

Boutons, I was by no means implying that Kevin Willis is/was a dirty player, rather a tough defender capable of tough, physical play. He is/was always very supportive of teammates and never backed down from physical play. Having said all that, should Game 4 get ultra-physical, he or someone like him would be nice to have.

[GrandeDavid]

Boutons, I also agree that Kevin is a nice guy. I've had the pleasure of meeting him and talking with him several times. He owns a home near mine in San Antonio.

[MadDog73]

This stuff makes me sick. It's why I hate the First Round of the Playoffs - very rarely will a Low seed upset a high seed, but more ofen then not the low seed gets desperate and starts playing dirty. :cuss

Hope the refs keep a tight lease on tonight...

[exstatic]

Let Karl beef up his lineup with Marcus Camby at center, Kenyon Martin and Nene at forwards. Team this huge front line with Anthony and Andre Miller at guard, then see how the Spurs digest the problem.


C Nazr
PF Duncan
SF Horry
SG Manu
PG Parker

We would still have Rasho and TMass off the bench. They would have no one. You could bring Barry in to back up Parker, and Bowen to back up Manu and Horry. Nice try, asshat. Big, small, fast, brutal...the Nuggs just come up short. Good to see how desperate they feel now, though. If Karl is even thinking along those lines, the series is over. Frankly, I thought that starting Buckner was a mistake for Karl in game 2. You should save him as your Manu shadow, not expend his energy trying the impossible task of running after Parker.

[ladiesman]

C Nazr
PF Duncan
SF Horry
SG Manu
PG Parker

We would still have Rasho and TMass off the bench. They would have no one. You could bring Barry in to back up Parker, and Bowen to back up Manu and Horry. Nice try, asshat. Big, small, fast, brutal...the Nuggs just come up short. Good to see how desperate they feel now, though. If Karl is even thinking along those lines, the series is over. Frankly, I thought that starting Buckner was a mistake for Karl in game 2. You should save him as your Manu shadow, not expend his energy trying the impossible task of running after Parker.

They would be the ones rushing to get back on defense id they go big. How about that, beaten at your own game....

[MiNuS]

They're gonna get all Olivia Newton John on us?

Lets do it!Lets get physical!

[EasilyAmused]

Nice to see Manu getting so much attention...but some of these articles are unbelievable!

[ChumpDumper]

Why is Nene wasting away on the Denver bench?Because his play has sucked. What have you been watching?

[ctpsb]

George Karl reminds me of the abusive husband after he has hit his wife and then says "See what you made me do?" What a hypocrite! They play like that and he accuses us of playing dirty and getting calls??!!

[spur219]

It would not surprise me if I see a Denver player give a cheap shot to one of the Spurs on an intention of hurting them.

[The sone]

IT DON'T MATTER WHO PLAYS... NU-NU, GUMBY, ANTHONIE...GODZILLA. the spurs will take it to ya

[nkdlunch]

The Nuggets lost, but landed the last shot.

:lmao



Call me crazy, but I believe the Nuggets are fully capable of overcoming a 2-1 deficit to win this series.

How they can do it is the surprise.

The surprise? More like the "mystery"



So squish the pest like a bug. Denver has enough big bodies to knock down Ginobili every time he drives to the hoop.

Yes, focus on Manu. Meanwhile Duncan will drop 40 on your ass.

:idiot

[IX_Equilibrium]

I have a feeling TMass will be seeing alot of minutes

[ManuTastic]

The absolute last thing I want to see is great players like Manu intentionally hurt by guys who can't stay with his game and get frustrated. Let's hope everyone in the Denver organization realizes what can happen when expensive athletes start trying to injure each other. Do they really want to see Camby's fragile ass back in traction? How about a high-flying Melo being helped head-first into the basket support on a drive? This crap is ridiculous and helps NO ONE.

[MiNuS]

The "Rash" will break into an all out "disease" tonight.

I smell payback sometime tonight. Pop's an army guy
and he won't let what happened to Manu go unanswered.
Bowen is the Hitman tonight.Potmelo is going down,hard.


-+=

[Obstructed_View]

Where's Jack "The Anti-Nugget Playoff Enforcer" Haley when you need him?

Anyone remember that?

[GhostofAlfrederickHughes]

Kiszla's a dope. I lived in Denver for 6 years, and listened to this guy first whine about the Rockies, then the Broncos, and now the Nuggets. His M.O. is always the same. Expose the weakness of the home team, then come up with some 'creative' way to bail out a head coach who he thinks isn't performing well.

[FromWayDowntown]

Where's Jack "The Anti-Nugget Playoff Enforcer" Haley when you need him?

Anyone remember that?

I do. The only playoff game in McNichols arena that year. I seem to recall that the fans of Denver were so excited about that game that they threw all kinds of coins onto the floor before it ended. At least I thought they were showing their appreciation . . . .

[Obstructed_View]

I do. The only playoff game in McNichols arena that year. I seem to recall that the fans of Denver were so excited about that game that they threw all kinds of coins onto the floor before it ended. At least I thought they were showing their appreciation . . . .
I remember Haley coming in during garbage time of a physical game and getting into a fight with the smallest guy on the court. The Nuggets had this little bug-eyed backup point guard that looked like that guy on Howard Stern. It was definitely the funniest thing I saw that year.

[FromWayDowntown]

I remember Haley coming in during garbage time of a physical game and getting into a fight with the smallest guy on the court. The Nuggets had this little bug-eyed backup point guard that looked like that guy on Howard Stern. It was definitely the funniest thing I saw that year.

The legendary Greg Grant.

That was actually Game 2, though, in the Alamodome. Grant had taken a flagrant foul on AJ and I seem to recall that he had basically thrown AJ into the goal support (back then, you couldn't actually see all the playoff games on TV in SA unless you did the pay-per-view, which I didn't for that one). Bob Hill cleared the bench and Haley entered to be ejected very quickly thereafter. It created all the bad blood that went on in Denver with the coin-throwing, Bickerstaff's ejection, Brian Williams' (RIP) brawling and several other unseemly events. (with all of the crap that went down between the T'Wolves and Nuggets last year, the Spurs are fortunate that the fans stayed fairly cool on Saturday night -- two of the last 3 playoff games in Denver had ended in near-riots).

In retrospect, maybe it said volumes about the 1994-95 Spurs that their sacrifice-able "enforcer" was Jack Haley. Good times.

[Obstructed_View]

Greg Grant! That's the guy. LOL. I knew it wasn't in the coin-throwing game, and I remembered that Grant had done something he shouldn't have done. I was actually glad to see someone going after him, but man it was funny seeing Haley square off with him. The dude realized he might get pounded into the floor by this big goofy white guy in a rage.

I forgot about having to do PPV for playoff games. What a rip. It's nice not having an arena that seats 40 thousand people anymore.


In retrospect, maybe it said volumes about the 1994-95 Spurs that their sacrifice-able "enforcer" was Jack Haley. Good times.
Quote of the day. ROFLMAO.

[Samr]

Ok, so let's say they put in Martin, Camby, Nene, Anthony, and Miller as their starting lineup. Let's say Denver is that incredibly stupid, which isn't much of a stretch. What happens?

The Spurs start a lineup of Rasho Nesterovic, Tim Duncan, Tony Massenburg, Bruce Bowen, and Tony Parker. They save Nazr Mohammed to come off the bench, because no one on the Nuggets' bench will be able to match his athleticism. They'll have Manu, Brent, Beno, Horry, and Nazr on reserve. Who will the Nuggets have? No one. No one that can match the Spurs' second team.

Putting Melo at shooting guard is stupid. Wasting their only decent backup big by giving him starting minutes is suicide.

[Obstructed_View]

If the Nuggettes put in that starting lineup the Spurs will score 40 in the first quarter. Carmelo can't defend someone at his own position. A guard will go right around him.