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Before the Billups trade, I had written off the Nuggets this season. But man, they're really starting to look like a team these days.
Denver (7-4) at San Antonio (5-5) Preview
Game info: 8:30 pm EST Wed Nov 19, 2008 TV: ALT
By Kate Hedlin
After a slow start which was further marred by injuries, the San Antonio Spurs have a chance to move above .500 for the first time this season.
Unfortunately, the Denver Nuggets have been playing even better than they have recently.
The Spurs look to continue their home dominance over the surging Nuggets when the teams meet Wednesday for the first time this season.
With the starting backcourt of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili sidelined with injuries, it’s not a big surprise that San Antonio (5-5) has started slowly this season. The Spurs, however, have played much better recently, winning three straight and four of five.
Improved defense has been the biggest catalyst in the turnaround.
The Spurs allowed 105.0 points during a 1-4 stretch to start the season, but have since limited opponents to 81.6 during the last five games.
On Monday, San Antonio beat the Clippers 86-83 as Roger Mason scored 21 points, hitting a 3-pointer with 8.4 seconds remaining. Tim Duncan had 20 points, 15 rebounds and a season-high six blocked shots.
“Obviously we’re short-handed, but we’ve found a way to win games,” said Duncan, who is averaging 23.9 points. “It’s on my shoulders a little bit more. There’s going to be a learning curve with everybody.”
Duncan praised Mason for stepping up in Parker and Ginobili’s absence. Mason was drafted by Chicago 2002, and after spending time with Toronto and Washington, was signed as a free agent by the Spurs in July.
Mason is averaging 14.5 points this season after posting a career-best 9.1 with the Wizards in 2007-08.
“He’s been great for us, he’s gotten great results,” Duncan said. “When (Parker and Ginobili) come back, he’s going to have an even bigger role. People will be paying more attention to them.”
The Spurs have always fared well at home against the Nuggets (6-4), winning 30 of 36 meetings there since the start of the 1991-92 season.
Denver, though, has been impressive since trading Allen Iverson to Detroit for Chauncey Billups on Nov. 3. The Nuggets have won three straight and six of seven with Billups on the court, including a 114-105 victory over Milwaukee on Tuesday.
Linas Kleiza scored a season-high 25 points, Carmelo Anthony added 17 and five other players finished in double figures. It was Denver’s highest scoring game of the season and the first time in five games it broke 100 points.
“Having Chauncey and everybody, we’re trying to figure each other out,” Kleiza said. “I think we’re doing a great job; everybody’s getting involved.”
While Denver’s recent winning stretch does happen to coincide with Billups’ arrival and Iverson’s departure, it also comes at the expense of several of the NBA’s weaker teams. Five of the last six wins have come against teams with losing records, and all six of the wins have been by 10 or fewer points.
The Nuggets, though, expect to get a bigger test in their next two games. After visiting the Spurs, they take on the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on Friday.
“It was a solid win, and we have a great opportunity on the road against two of the best teams in the NBA,” Nuggets coach George Karl said. “And we fought hard to get here and I think you’ll see us continue to fight hard.”
Notes:
Nuggets:
G Chucky Atkins saw action for the first time this season after missing the first 10 games recovering from right knee surgery. ... F Renaldo Balkman left in the fourth quarter with a sprained right ankle. He is listed as questionable for Wednesday's game at San Antonio. He had 10 points, four blocks and a pair of steals before departing. ... Denver improved to 6-0 this season when having multiple bench players score 10 or more points.
Spurs:
The Spurs have now won nine straight and 17 of the previous 18 contests against the Clippers. Los Angeles last captured a game in the series on March 7, 2006 with a 98-85 win. ... The Spurs got to the free-throw line just six times, converting all of them, but didn't get their first attempt until 2:42 was left in the second quarter. ... G Manu Ginobili, who has been out all season while recovering from surgery on his surgically repaired ankle, traveled with the team and worked out lightly before tip-off.
Team Stat Leaders
Points
Carmelo Anthony Den 21.0
Tony Parker SA 27.4
Rebounds
Carmelo Anthony Den 8.4
Tim Duncan SA 10.2
Assists
Chauncey Billups Den 6.4
Tony Parker SA 5.8
Team Stat Comparison
Nuggets
PPG N. Hilario 14.7
RPG N. Hilario 7.6
APG C. Billups 6.4
FT% C. Billups .887
3PT% C. Billups .406
BLK N. Hilario 18
STL K. Martin 17
Spurs
PPG T. Duncan 23.9
RPG T. Duncan 10.2
APG T. Duncan 3.1
FT% T. Parker .889
3PT% M. Bonner .476
BLK T. Duncan 17
STL R. Mason 11
Before the Billups trade, I had written off the Nuggets this season. But man, they're really starting to look like a team these days.
Wednesday: Spurs (5-5) vs. Nuggets (7-4)
Express-News
Time: 7:30 p.m.
TV: KMYS
Radio: WOAI-AM 1200, KCOR-AM 1350
STARTING LINEUPS
POS - SPURS - NUGGETS
PG - 3 George Hill (6-1, 1st yr) - 7 Chauncey Billups (6-3, 12th yr)
Allen Iverson who? Nuggets on a roll since trading for Mr. Big Shot.
SG - 8 Roger Mason Jr. (6-5, 5th yr) - 30 Dahntay Jones (6-6, 6th yr)
Mason rates as Spurs’ second-leading rebounder, at 4.3 per game.
SF - 4 Michael Finley (6-7, 14th yr) - 15 Carmelo Anthony (6-8, 6th yr)
With Iverson gone, Spurs have more defensive options for Anthony.
PF - 21 Tim Duncan (6-11, 12th yr) - 4 Kenyon Martin (6-9, 9th yr)
Duncan has topped 20 points in nine of 10 games this season.
C - 7 Fabricio Oberto (6-10, 4th yr) - 31 Nenê (6-11, 7th yr)
Nenê not the shot blocker Marcus Camby was, but few are.
SPURS RESERVES
18 Blake Ahearn, G, 6-2, 2nd yr
15 Matt Bonner, F, 6-10, 5th yr
12 Bruce Bowen, F, 6-7, 13th yr
5 Ime Udoka, G/F, 6-5, 5th yr
40 Kurt Thomas, C/F, 6-9, 14th yr
35 Anthony Tolliver, C, 6-8, 1st yr
11 Jacque Vaughn, G, 6-1, 12th yr
NUGGETS RESERVES
12 Chucky Atkins, G, 5-11, 10th yr
32 Renaldo Balkman, F, 6-8, 3rd yr
25 Anthony Carter, G, 6-2, 10th yr
43 Linas Kleiza, F, 6-8, 4th yr
35 Cheikh Samb, C, 7-1, 2nd yr
1 J.R. Smith, G, 6-6, 5th yr
COACHES
Spurs: Gregg Popovich
Nuggets: George Karl
INJURIES
Spurs: Tony Parker (left ankle sprain) and Manu Ginobili (left ankle surgery).
Nuggets: Steven Hunter (right knee surgery), Chris Andersen (fractured rib) and Sonny Weems (left groin strain) are out. Atkins (right knee surgery) is probable.
PROJECTED INACTIVE PLAYERS
Spurs: Parker, Ginobili, Ian Mahinmi.
Nuggets: Hunter, Andersen, Weems.
NOTABLE
Spurs have a three-game winning streak and looking to top .500 for the first time this season. ..... Spurs have held past four opponents to less than 90 points.
- Jeff McDonald
+Billups +Anthony=this is NOT the old Nuggets team that we used to beat in the reg & playoffs..Denver improved to 6-0 this season when having multiple bench players score 10 or more points
DEFENSE & REBOUND
sad. oberto, thomas, and bonner should be ashamed.
It's not fair to call them out like that, especially since Mason is playing almost twice as much as any one of them, if on of them were averaging 30+, that guy could get 7 or more. I can't wait to see Ian's rebounding ability though. Hope he can clean up those O rebounds everyone seems to get on the Spurs lately. Or KT/Fab get out of their funk.
'Georgie' (khe) will have his hands full with Billups.
I wonder if Tolliver will be in starting five looking at athletic nene to match with him better.
Let's go SPURs
The Spurs allowed 105.0 points during a 1-4 stretch to start the season, but have since limited opponents to 81.6 during the last five games.
WOW.
Nuggets have 5 guys averaging more than 4.8 rpg, and the Spurs have 1?
Im annoyed at the Nuggets seemingly horrible rebounding, so you guys must be very frustrated with the Spurs rebounding at times.
"The Spurs have now won nine straight and 17 of the previous 18 contests against the Clippers. Los Angeles last captured a game in the series on March 7, 2006 with a 98-85 win"
is this a Clips post-view, or a Nuggs pre-view?
Isn't the Spurs playoff history of eliminating Nuggs more relevant?
Go Spurs Go
Keep the streak alive.
D UP!
Spurs aim for fourth straight win vs. Denver
(Sports Network) - The San Antonio Spurs try and climb above the .500 mark for the first time this season when they welcome Denver to the Alamo City on Wednesday.
Roger Mason scored 21 points, including the go-ahead three-pointer with 8.4 seconds left in the game, to lead the streaking Spurs in an 86-83 victory over the struggling Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.
Tim Duncan added 20 points, 15 rebounds and four assists for the Spurs, who have won a season-high three games in a row. Michael Finley had 19 points in the win for San Antonio, which continues to play without banged-up veterans Manu Ginobili (ankle) and Tony Parker (ankle).
The Nuggets remained red-hot on Tuesday when Linas Kleiza scored a season-high 25 points in a reserve role, guiding Denver to a 114-105 win over the Milwaukee Bucks at the Pepsi Center.
Carmelo Anthony had 17 points and Nene scored 13 for the Nuggets, who have won three in a row and six of seven.
Chauncey Billups, acquired in the Allen Iverson deal to Detroit, scored 11 and dished out five assists as the Nuggets continued to progress from the Nov. 3 blockbuster deal.
Dahntay Jones chipped in 15 points, while Renaldo Balkman and Kenyon Martin each scored 10 in the victory, Denver's 10th in the last 12 meetings with the Bucks.
Balkman is questionable for tonight's game with a sprained right ankle.
The Nuggets and Spurs spilt a four-game season series last season.
Because we have been playing so well I see this as the biggest test of the season so far. Lets keep the defense solid and give ourselves a chance to win late in the game. We still have Tim Duncan...and they don't.
Much-maligned Melo is leading the way for the new-look Nuggets
http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthre...71#post2911071
I have a feeling Billups is gonna ing destroy our PGs tonight. easy win for Denver
Billups has been red hot lately and big pgs always give us trouble. Lets hope that Hill/JV can hassle him into making some bad choices and that our help d is on tonight.
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