http://www.nba.com/games/20071215/DE...scoreboardhome
Nuggets-Spurs Preview
By DAN PIERINGER, STATS Writer
The San Antonio Spurs didn't miss a beat when Tim Duncan got hurt. When Tony Parker joined Duncan on the inactive list, however, the defending NBA champions suddenly looked vulnerable.
Parker will likely be sidelined for at least another game, but Duncan could return on Saturday when the Spurs try to rebound from their first back-to-back losses of the season as they host the surging Denver Nuggets.
Duncan has missed four games since spraining his right ankle during San Antonio's win over Portland on Dec. 2. Initially, the Spurs (17-5) looked fine without him, notching home wins over Dallas and Utah - two of the top five teams in the Western Conference last season.
San Antonio's early success without the two-time MVP was due primarily to the play of Parker and Manu Ginobili, who averaged 19.5 points and 37.0 points, respectively, in those two games.
Parker, however, was bothered by his own sprained ankle in Tuesday's 96-84 loss at Golden State, and sat out Thursday night's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Without Duncan and Parker, the Spurs lost 102-97 as they shot just 41.0 percent while getting outscored 17-2 on the break and 48-26 in the paint.
"It was hard," said Ginobili, who had 14 points and went 5-for-17 from the field while being hounded by the Lakers defense. "I tried at the beginning to play off the ball and find the open man. But we weren't making those shots, and I wasn't making mine, either."
Parker is expected to miss Saturday's game to rest his ankle. Duncan hopes to be back in the lineup, but a decision won't be made until the team sees how he holds up in practice.
Duncan could help San Antonio slow the prolific Denver offense, which ranks near the top of the league with 107.0 points per game.
The Nuggets averaged just 88.2 points in losing their first-round playoff series to the Spurs in five games last season. This is the teams' first meeting since that matchup, which saw San Antonio oust Denver from the postseason for the second time in three years.
The Nuggets (14-8) have ridden their high-scoring attack to wins in five of their last six games, including three straight. Carmelo Anthony scored 15 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter to lead Denver to a 105-99 victory over New Orleans on Wednesday.
The strong finish was a relief for Anthony, whose shooting struggles over the last week continued through the first half of that game. Anthony shot 34.8 percent (24-for-69) in his previous three games, and was 3-for-17 from the field early in Wednesday's contest before making seven of his last 11 shots.
"I've been trying to get my rhythm back on my shot. I thought my shots tonight were good, they just weren't going in," Anthony said. "In the fourth quarter, I made (attacking the basket) my priority and forced the refs to give me some calls."
Allen Iverson added 22 points and 11 assists on Wednesday, and is averaging 32.8 points and 10.3 assists while shooting 57.7 percent from the field in his last four games. Iverson has averaged 29.2 points in 19 career regular-season games against the Spurs, but was held to 22.8 per game in last season's playoff series.
I hate to say it but i think we're gonna get creamed tonight. i would love to see 13-0 at home but without a major offensive turnaround i dont think we'll put up the points to win this game. Our defense is good enough to slow denver down but without production on the other end of the floor it will all be useless. Go Spurs Go.
Hey guys, i'll be out for the game which sucks but i hope its a good one
Good luck tonight and lets hope everyone stays healthy
oh man this is bullcrapKmart is suspended for 1 game coz he elbowed Ely. Stern is a friggin' bag.
This could change things alot coz the Nuggets now have Camby/Mccoy (yes Jelani Mccoy) as their two bigs
If Duncan comes back he will have a field day
Kenyon Martin has been suspended for one game. He will not play tonight.
http://www.nba.com/news/Denverrsquos...248721-32.html
Nuggets without Kmart/Nene/Hunter/Atkins and maybe Najera
So if Denver loses will they cry Stern sucks the Spurs s again like the Suns fans?
Its only a regular season game. Who cares about the result?
Somehow the Nuggets have the 3rd best record in the West, despite being riddled with injuries. They have had the easiest schedule so far and so they need to start learning how to win games vs good teams despite being depleted.
They got blown out by the Celts and Rockets but have just beaten the Mavericks and Hornets.
I am assuming tonight will be a close game and Manu will explode for 40 and the Nuggets will lose.
I hope our guys aren't as injured as Pop would have us believe, I'd like to think he's just messing around with the roster, creating adversity after the all-to-easy 17-3 start.
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