Spurs back in business
Nuggets blown out in Game 2
By Adam Thompson
Denver Post Staff Writer
San Antonio Express-News / Billy Calzada
San Antonio - After tearing the Nuggets apart Wednesday night, Tim Duncan spoke with the same calm tone he always uses.
"I don't get angry," the San Antonio forward explained in a voice fit for National Public Radio.
He had just brought his team even with a stellar performance in the Spurs' 104-76 mauling of Denver in Game 2 of the first-round Western Conference playoff series. The Spurs leveled the series, 1-1, as they head to the Pepsi Center for Game 3 on Saturday.
The Nuggets still own home-court advantage because of the job they did on Duncan in a Game 1 victory Sunday when he was noticeably bothered by an ankle injury. Wednesday, Duncan looked as good as ever in helping San Antonio stake out a 63-32 halftime lead, with Denver getting no closer than 19 points the rest of the way.
That left the Nuggets with an all- time low for points in the playoffs and tied for their sixth-most lopsided postseason loss.
"Duncan was good. Their perimeter game was good. Their penetration game was good," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "Offensively our starters couldn't get shots to go down, so their defense was good. They had everything cooking."
Duncan showed plenty of rust in going 7-for-22 from the field in Game 1. He matched his 18-point output in that game by halftime Wednesday on his way to 24 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three blocked shots. He showed more elevation off his sprained right ankle than in Game 1.
"An excuse a lot of y'all gave him last time was his ankle was bad. But he was the same Duncan he was in Game 1. He was hitting shots and he looked fine to me both ballgames," Denver center Marcus Camby said. "He's a terrific ball- player, former MVP, two-time NBA champion. His credentials speak for themselves."
Saying his ankle felt good and his game had benefited from extra shooting practice the past two days, Duncan credited his team's turnaround to better passing and offensive decision-making.
He also made it clear San Antonio, which has won two NBA les in the past six years, knows how to execute under playoff pressure.
"We're tough mentally," he said. "We have a team that, after a game like our first game, we're going to come back and respond. We're going to respond the right way. We have all season."
Karl called the Spurs the NBA's best team, if not its most talented.
"A compe ive person can find more when they've been beaten when they supposedly don't think they should've been beaten," he said. "That's what you saw. You saw an angry team with adrenaline, an extra adrenaline feel for the game to not only win, but to win with a statement."
The Nuggets never got going on offense. DerMarr Johnson led Denver, which shot 36 percent, with 12 points.
Spurs guard Tony Parker, another local target of criticism after Game 1, danced his way to 19 points and six assists, while all-star guard Manu Ginobili reacted to his first game off the bench this season with 17 points.
"Their response was very predictable," Karl said. "I was just hoping that maybe the basketball gods would give us a better opportunity. Now the Denver Nuggets are going to have to show that they have some pride and some championship mentality by responding on Saturday."
The Nuggets have lost only once at home since Karl's arrival Jan. 27. Camby said life had been almost too easy for the Nuggets - until Wednesday, that is.
"Right now, playoff basketball, we need to get stung a little bit," he said. "We need to wake up."
Staff writer Adam Thompson can be reached at 303-820-5447 or [email protected] .
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Duncan back in groove
Tim Duncan displayed his all-star form Wednesday night. A comparison to Game 1, the regular season and his career playoff performance before this season:
FG pct. Reb. Pts.
Game 1 31.8 11.0 18.0
Game 2 73.3 9.0 24.0
Season 49.6 11.1 20.3
Career 50.7 13.1 23.9
After shooting only 7-of-22 in Game 1 against the Nuggets, Spurs star Tim Duncan made more noise in Game 2. He fueled the Spurs’ 104-76 dominance Wednesday night in San Antonio with 11-of-15 shooting and 24 points.
After shooting only 7-of-22 in Game 1 against the Nuggets, Spurs star Tim Duncan made more noise in Game 2. He fueled the Spurs’ 104-76 dominance Wednesday night in San Antonio with 11-of-15 shooting and 24 points.
TD is so stoic, he never shows emotion.
Kori:
Popovich declined to discuss what the Spurs did to stop the Nuggets' transition game, as if it were a dark secret which, if discovered, would cause light bulbs to pop on all along the Nuggets bench.
Yeah I told you last night that was hysterical.
"No."
CIA Pop...
Why? It's war time.
Did Kori ask the question?????
I loved it... Smart-ass Pop at his best. I think he answered it that way simply because of the way the question was asked (and because he was in a good mood): "Can you talk about how you stopped their transition game?" "No." Awesome!
Also... "I don't get angry"... Am I the only one who thought there was a joke in there, but Tim checked it before it came out? If he weren't so good at hiding his emotions, he would've added "I get even."
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