It looks like this series is going to happen. Denver will need to win their final two games and Houston or Sacramento would have to lose their final two games to change it.
Looking ahead, what do you think the biggest challenges are? Why are the Nuggets the league's best team since the All-Star break?
Do they scare you?
Discuss.
I'll summarize everything I've posted on the subject:
1. George Karl has a playoff jinx.
2. Winning streaks in regular season does not automatically carry over to playoffs.
3. Although Nuggets have experience in the playoffs against the Timberwolves, the Spurs have more experience, and will not take the Nuggets lightly.
4. In a seven game series, the best team almost always wins. Does anyone here truly believe the Nuggets are a better team than the Spurs?
Last edited by MadDog73; 04-18-2005 at 10:12 AM.
I think Denver is the ideal first round opponent for SA despite Denver being the best team since the break. The only real challenge is to contain their bigs, Martin, Camby Nene. Bruce has held Carmelo to a combined 20-66 from the field and I doubt that would change come the playoffs. Miller and Boykins provide a formidable challenge for Parker and Udrih but when push comes to shove, Tony will be just to much. Denver, or any team has an answer for Manu, our depth is too much.. oh and we have that dude named Duncan to keep everyone in check. I say we take this series 4-0 and that will give us a nice break between Sac and Sea as that series could go six or seven.
I think they are worried more about the 'almost always'.4. In a seven game series, the best team almost always wins. Does anyone here truly believe the Nuggets are a better team than the Spurs?
Frankly, I feel like you play whoever happens to get in your way.
The Spurs can put up with any team in this league, hands down. I like those chances.
No team is ever assured a championship. Even the Bulls in their time had to earn it every now and then.
Believe.
I think the reason the nuggets are doing as well as they are after the break is they have not gotten beat soundly with karl as the coach. I like to see how they respond to their blowout loss the other night. Everything is always rossy with a new coach tell they lose. Melo has been quit because they have been winning.
No one forced you to post in this thread. Scroll.My God, hasn't this been discussed ad nauseum already?
I bet things with Karl would turn south real quick after a first-round sweep exit.
Boykins is their X factor and he's very difficult for the Spurs to guard.
Tony vs Andre Miller is a wash and Bruce will be able to handle Carmelo.
If Camby is healthy, their bigs -- Martin, Camby and Nene won't be easy to contend with.
I think the key to this series is Manu. Manu should be able to dominate any shooting guard that they put on the floor and that matchup should make up for any deficiencies the Spurs have in other spots.
The Nuggets are a very confident team heading into the postseason too -- I'm not sure the Spurs, because of all the injuries, will have confidence or any momentum.
Denver's stats after the All-Star break are nice. They have nine players averaging at least seven points per game. As a team, they are averaging 106.8 points per game since the break. They are winning games by almost ten points per contest. Their rebounds, steals, blocks and assists numbers are all very high. Their turnovers are low.
They are also shooting over 48% from the field, over 40% from beyond the arc and over 75% from the line.
This is a scary team. They can match the Spurs' size and have more energy players. The Spurs don't have anyone to match Earl Boykins or Eduardo Najera. Plus, playing in Denver -- no matter the sport -- is always tough due to the al ude.
I think the Spurs can win this series but Duncan can't be hobbled and the rest of the bigs have to come ready to play.
Last edited by timvp; 04-18-2005 at 09:49 AM.
Mike Wilks seemed to match up well with Earl Boykins when Pop was tinkering around in the last game. Looked like it had potential.
This may end up being Wilks' saving grace in making the playoff roster. Still seems highly unlikely.
Last edited by timvp; 04-18-2005 at 09:49 AM. Reason: oops was trying to edit my post :)
I think the reason the nuggets are doing as well as they are after the break is they have not gotten beat soundly with karl as the coach. I like to see how they respond to their blowout loss the other night. Everything is always rossy with a new coach tell they lose. Melo has been quit because they have been winning.
i like ducks point of view. These nuggets have not had to face adversity. Once they get down to the spurs, and they WILL get down, they will crumble. I think it's a 5 game series barring miracle shots. i'll say key to series is horry.
this is the series i wanted. Champions don't run from the best compe ion, they beat them. It's a good warmup for dallas or phoenix down the road....
No doubt, the Nuggets are scary and their Homecourt advantage is huge.
But I agree, as long as Tim plays well, and Manu or Tony don't choke, Spurs should win in 5 or 6.
No. They only have a winning record against a SINGLE WC playoff team - the Grizz. They don't hold tie-breakers against any other.
Their record since the all-star break is impressive, but had the Spurs done the same w/the schedule the Nuggs have had; nobody in here would be all jazzed about it. When Barkely was informed in '93 that the Spurs had the best record since January, before the Suns took the good guys out, he replied, "really, well we've had the best record since November". Simple wisdom in that.
"The hottest team since...." is simply code for "at some point these guys sucked".
Had they not caught the Spurs TWICE during this run w/Tim hurt - they would have at least 1 more "L" since the AS - to go along with the 3 (after tonite) from Phoenix and the Houston stomping.
By the time the series gets back to Denver, the "hottest" team will have lost 4 of 5; let's see if they have enough confidence at that point to avoid the sweep.
Spurs defense will probably hold. If it doesn't, the Spurs lose, eg, when Denver scored 102 pts vs 84, blowing out the Spurs defense, beating the Spur in FG%, points in paint, RBs, ASTs, FT pts, and FB points.
As I've noted many times, the loss @DEN showed the Spurs absolutely pitiful on both offense AND defense. The tactic "the Spurs defense holds while the offense catches up" almost never works out. When the Spurs can't score (shooting FG% in the 30's, like 32% @DEN), they don't defend, either.
The best thing about this series is that the first 2 games are @SBC, aka HCA. If the Spurs split those games (rendering the Spurs SBC season dominance meaninglesss), they'll be in deep trouble, as a weak road team, playing the next 2 in Denver. My ideal Denver series is going up 2-0, splitting @DEN, and finishing @SBC, 4-1. Resting for the Sonics, who could get pushed to 6 or 7 by the Kings.
Looking at how badly and how the Spurs lost @DEN, it's easy to say what are the keys to the series for the Spurs (and how Denver has been winning under George):
1. Limit FB pts (Spurs did this wonderfully vs Finals 03 Nets)
2. Limit points in the paint
3. Which forces Den to beat us with jump shots.
The Spurs offense? It will take care of itself if the Spurs play their league-best defense. ie, get everybody focusing/aggressive on defense, and the focus will carry over to focus/aggression on offense.
Nothing very Denver-specific there. Just generic Spurs basketball (starting with dominance @SBC), and Denver goes fishing.
Standard issue.
1. Limit fast breaks by Denver. Force them to score in the half-court.
2. Limit turnovers.
3. Rebound.
4. Get the ball to TD on the low post early and often.
5. Get to Denver the day before Game 3 and run a short practice to acclimate.
Nice post. Welcome to the forum.
I agree that if the Spurs win the first two games, the Nuggets will most likely fold if the Spurs come to play in game three.
the nuggets don't scare me... =)
in the few games i've seen them play the key to their wins was inside presence.
it wasn't really the guard play, nor the fast break (they are kinda connected).
it was their bigs that really mattered.
if we get outrebounded (w/ timmy and nazr prolly not)
if camby dominates our penetration (which he won't because timmy is there)
if they shoot at an insanely high percentage (which is scary)
then we might lose.
We will be playing Sacto....believe it.
but the spurs want a tough first round opponent!
to make it kinda exciting...
we don't want sacramento... w/ all their injuries and their crappy defense we'd sweep them
yes they want a sweep.
Brown, Rasho and TD need all the rest and easy games they can get to get ready for the tough matchups later.
No way do they want to have 7 game series in rd 1....they would never make it to Finals if that happened, you can bet on that.
Has a team ever won championship after going 7 games in rd 1?
No.
LOL! A little misleading, there. The 7-game first round series hasn't been around long enough to really test that statement.
BUT as much as I'd love for the Spurs to be the first team to do it, I would like for them to SWEEP the Nuggets even more!
For that to happen Denver must win tonite in Phoenix. Not gonna happen; as much as I would like it to.
Three words:
Bring em on.
Sacto has to lose at Utah first...otherwise, it is a moot point.
However, if Denver does win in Phoenix after Utah wins, then Phoenix would be in do or die game at Sacto on Tuesday.
If that happens, Spurs win either way...because if Phoenix wins that game, Sacto drops to 7 seed.
If Sacto beats Phoenix, Spurs get 1 seed.
Tonight is the key.
Utah must win.
Go Jazz!!!
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