duncan228
03-22-2011, 03:11 PM
Game is Wednesday, 9:30 CST on ESPN.
San Antonio (57-13) at Denver (42-29) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2011032307)
Tipoff: 10:30 pm EDT Wed Mar 23, 2011
TV: ESPN, ALT
By Noey Kupchan
The San Antonio Spurs cruised in their last game despite losing Tim Duncan.
Winning might not be so easy if their 13-time All-Star remains sidelined for long.
With Duncan out indefinitely, the Spurs look to inch closer to wrapping up the top seed in the Western Conference when they visit the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.
The Spurs (57-13), who already have clinched a playoff berth and own a big lead atop the West, have made 13 consecutive postseason appearances and won four championships since drafting Duncan No. 1 overall in 1997.
Duncan landed awkwardly after scoring early in the first quarter Monday night and did not return in a 111-96 win over Golden State. An MRI taken Tuesday confirmed he sprained his left ankle.
“I thought he had done real damage, like broken or fractured,” forward Antonio McDyess said. “I was just happy to see it was just a severe sprain. I actually thought it was worse.”
Duncan will stay in San Antonio for rehabilitation during the team’s three-game road trip which begins Wednesday, but the Spurs are unsure how much time he will miss. He hasn’t sat out more than seven games in a season since 2004-05.
While Duncan is averaging career lows with 13.3 points and 9.0 rebounds, he’s recorded a team-best 1.9 blocks per game. His teammates aren’t sure how the season will play out if he misses an extended period.
“It’s really hard to tell,” said Manu Ginobili, who scored 28 points Monday. “You never know. I’m guessing that (coach Gregg Popovich) is going to be extra cautious … but we need him in the court.”
After Duncan left Monday’s game, rookie center Tiago Splitter recorded his first double-double with 10 points and a season-high 14 rebounds.
“Tiago is going to give you that every night,” Popovich said. “He’s going to bust his butt to rebound and play defense. He’s going to give you that grunt that every team needs and every coach loves.”
It’s likely Splitter will start in Duncan’s place after doing so Saturday against Charlotte, when Popovich gave his star big man a night to rest. That’s the only game Duncan has missed this season.
Another player who could see additional minutes during Duncan’s absence is forward DeJuan Blair, who was unavailable Monday due to a wrist problem but is expected to return for this game.
The Spurs have won seven of the last eight games they’ve played without Duncan, and they enter this matchup having won six of seven overall.
They’ve won five straight over the Nuggets, including three this season.
Denver (42-29) is fifth in the West but four games behind fourth-place Oklahoma City.
“They probably have too much of a gap on us,” coach George Karl said. “But let’s try to scare them. You never know in basketball.”
The Nuggets are 10-4 since trading Carmelo Anthony to New York and have limited teams to 94.7 points per game in that span - 8.4 below than their season mark.
Denver defeated Toronto 123-90 on Monday night for its seventh straight home win - the last three were by an average of 34.4 points.
“We’re definitely playing great at home,” forward Danilo Gallinari, acquired in the Anthony deal, told the Nuggets’ official website. “I remember when I was in New York, it was tough to come to come into Denver and play the Nuggets because of the altitude and many reasons.”
Ty Lawson led seven Nuggets in double figures Monday with 23 points and handed out eight assists.
Lawson, who took over as the starting point guard when Chauncey Billups left in the Anthony trade, is averaging 16.3 points and 8.1 assists in 10 games this month. He entered March averaging 10.3 points and 3.9 assists.
Guards Raymond Felton (ankle) has sat out two straight games, Arron Afflalo (hamstring) has missed four of the last seven and it’s unclear if either will play Wednesday.
*********************
Team Stat Leaders
Points
Manu Ginobili SA 18.0
Wilson Chandler Den 16.0
Rebounds
Tim Duncan SA 9.0
Nene Hilario Den 7.4
Assists
Tony Parker SA 6.6
Raymond Felton Den 8.6
*********************
Team Comparison
Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
San Antonio 57-13 1st Southwest / 1st West 103.5 97.1 Road 24-10 Won 3 8-2
Denver 42-29 2nd Northwest / 5th West 107.5 103.1 Home 28-7 Won 1 7-3
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2011032307
San Antonio (57-13) at Denver (42-29) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2011032307)
Tipoff: 10:30 pm EDT Wed Mar 23, 2011
TV: ESPN, ALT
By Noey Kupchan
The San Antonio Spurs cruised in their last game despite losing Tim Duncan.
Winning might not be so easy if their 13-time All-Star remains sidelined for long.
With Duncan out indefinitely, the Spurs look to inch closer to wrapping up the top seed in the Western Conference when they visit the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.
The Spurs (57-13), who already have clinched a playoff berth and own a big lead atop the West, have made 13 consecutive postseason appearances and won four championships since drafting Duncan No. 1 overall in 1997.
Duncan landed awkwardly after scoring early in the first quarter Monday night and did not return in a 111-96 win over Golden State. An MRI taken Tuesday confirmed he sprained his left ankle.
“I thought he had done real damage, like broken or fractured,” forward Antonio McDyess said. “I was just happy to see it was just a severe sprain. I actually thought it was worse.”
Duncan will stay in San Antonio for rehabilitation during the team’s three-game road trip which begins Wednesday, but the Spurs are unsure how much time he will miss. He hasn’t sat out more than seven games in a season since 2004-05.
While Duncan is averaging career lows with 13.3 points and 9.0 rebounds, he’s recorded a team-best 1.9 blocks per game. His teammates aren’t sure how the season will play out if he misses an extended period.
“It’s really hard to tell,” said Manu Ginobili, who scored 28 points Monday. “You never know. I’m guessing that (coach Gregg Popovich) is going to be extra cautious … but we need him in the court.”
After Duncan left Monday’s game, rookie center Tiago Splitter recorded his first double-double with 10 points and a season-high 14 rebounds.
“Tiago is going to give you that every night,” Popovich said. “He’s going to bust his butt to rebound and play defense. He’s going to give you that grunt that every team needs and every coach loves.”
It’s likely Splitter will start in Duncan’s place after doing so Saturday against Charlotte, when Popovich gave his star big man a night to rest. That’s the only game Duncan has missed this season.
Another player who could see additional minutes during Duncan’s absence is forward DeJuan Blair, who was unavailable Monday due to a wrist problem but is expected to return for this game.
The Spurs have won seven of the last eight games they’ve played without Duncan, and they enter this matchup having won six of seven overall.
They’ve won five straight over the Nuggets, including three this season.
Denver (42-29) is fifth in the West but four games behind fourth-place Oklahoma City.
“They probably have too much of a gap on us,” coach George Karl said. “But let’s try to scare them. You never know in basketball.”
The Nuggets are 10-4 since trading Carmelo Anthony to New York and have limited teams to 94.7 points per game in that span - 8.4 below than their season mark.
Denver defeated Toronto 123-90 on Monday night for its seventh straight home win - the last three were by an average of 34.4 points.
“We’re definitely playing great at home,” forward Danilo Gallinari, acquired in the Anthony deal, told the Nuggets’ official website. “I remember when I was in New York, it was tough to come to come into Denver and play the Nuggets because of the altitude and many reasons.”
Ty Lawson led seven Nuggets in double figures Monday with 23 points and handed out eight assists.
Lawson, who took over as the starting point guard when Chauncey Billups left in the Anthony trade, is averaging 16.3 points and 8.1 assists in 10 games this month. He entered March averaging 10.3 points and 3.9 assists.
Guards Raymond Felton (ankle) has sat out two straight games, Arron Afflalo (hamstring) has missed four of the last seven and it’s unclear if either will play Wednesday.
*********************
Team Stat Leaders
Points
Manu Ginobili SA 18.0
Wilson Chandler Den 16.0
Rebounds
Tim Duncan SA 9.0
Nene Hilario Den 7.4
Assists
Tony Parker SA 6.6
Raymond Felton Den 8.6
*********************
Team Comparison
Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
San Antonio 57-13 1st Southwest / 1st West 103.5 97.1 Road 24-10 Won 3 8-2
Denver 42-29 2nd Northwest / 5th West 107.5 103.1 Home 28-7 Won 1 7-3
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2011032307