Saturday, January 30th, 2010...5:51 pm
Preview: Spurs vs. Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets, if the rumor mill is to be believed, have been searching for an additional big man since being dispatched by the Lakers in last season’s Western Conference Finals.
While the Nuggets have been sifting through names like Jeff Foster or Brendan Haywood, the Spurs may have settled on a permanent starting frontline partner for Tim Duncan. Ironically, it’s in the same big man that might have pushed Denver over the top last season.
It’s a small sample, but reintroducing Antonio McDyess into the starting lineup has left the Spurs looking like a Gregg Popovich-coached team once again as Tim pointed out in his last recap.
With the gradual return of Matt Bonner and the inclusion of Antonio McDyess into the starting lineup, the Spurs are not featuring as much small-ball. This is a two game sample, and other factors come into play, but their interior defense looks better because of it.
In two games, McDyess the starter has put up a 17-point, four rebound performance and 11 and eight while the Spurs have put away two quality opponents (I know, referring to the Grizzlies as such is still is a bit odd).
The Spurs will need it tomorrow. In Nene, Chris Anderson and Kenyon Martin have an active and underrated front line. How underrated? Admit it, outside of Denver and Brazil, Henry Abbott is probably the only soul who thinks that Nene was snubbed:
According to plus/minus, Nene is a top 10 NBA player. And when you watch the Nuggets play, it’s not hard to understand. He’s enormous, powerful and quick, which lets him influence plays all over both ends of the court. His scoring is efficient, his defense is tenacious and he rebounds like a maniac. He was excellent last season, and is probably even better now.
With all that said, the matchup of the night could come down to a pair of ankles, or which team can best overcome their injured one. Parker, as we know, is out after spraining his. Carmelo Anthony remains day-to-day.
18 Comments
January 30th, 2010 at 8:30 pm
An old roommate of mine is a huge Nuggets fan, and so we watched a LOT of Nuggets games on League Pass. I’ll be honest, Nene is a beast all the way around. Kinda like Dampier, only much, much better. I wouldn’t mind having him on our team. Going against that front line trio is going to be a great test for our big guys. Should be exciting.
January 31st, 2010 at 2:38 am
How the Spurs defend will be the main key, as it should be. It’ll be interesting to see how Pop counters from the first time these teams played. And please, please Spurs, do not turn the ball over against this team. There are points to be scored and we don’t want to feed their fast break.
Go Spurs!
January 31st, 2010 at 10:38 am
Good to see Mike Finley’s corpse on the court..
Hooray bonner/finley combo!
Or is it Hooray Beer?
January 31st, 2010 at 10:47 am
Every time a Nugget has put a foot in the paint, they’ve scored! Bonner made Kenyon Martin look like the best post player in the world with his 3 consecutive post up scores.
Body ‘em up. Play physical. Get aggressive.
Way to go Blair!
January 31st, 2010 at 11:08 am
Gotta love how the Jefferson 3 on 2 turnover on a pass ten miles behind Ginobili ignited a 12-0 run by the Nuggets, by which the Spurs never scored in the last 3 minutes of the 1st half. C’mon Jefferson, get with the program.
January 31st, 2010 at 11:11 am
Ginobili 2-7, one was a parting of the lane dunk, Mason 0-3 on nobody is guarding me 3’s, McDyess 0-4. Man, this early morning game is killing us. Maybe they can run some wind sprints to warm up for the 2nd half. Or start Blair, maybe. Yeesh!
Let’ go Spurs, go Spurs go!
January 31st, 2010 at 11:36 am
Finally, the Spurs are keeping the Nuggets out of the paint. Spurs are attacking the rim with Jefferson, Hill, and Ginobili.
January 31st, 2010 at 11:51 am
Playing better D, but the Hill turnover and the Jefferson turnover(it was a foul) and 0 pts in the last 2 minutes don’t help.
Spurs can win, but it will be difficult.
January 31st, 2010 at 11:57 am
Now the referees are shafting the Spurs, offensive foul on Ginobili for trying to shoot a layup?, foul on Blair on a clear, plain as day jump ball?, foul on Mason off the ball for something that had nothing to do with the play going on or affecting Lawson in any way, shape, or form?
January 31st, 2010 at 12:07 pm
Got to bench Mason for the rest of the game, wide open 3 down 2, BRICK. Billups 3 seconds later, a 3 point basket. Mason is now 0 for 5 on nobody is guarding me 3 pointers!
We should have traded for Stephen Jackson!
January 31st, 2010 at 12:12 pm
Keep doubling Billups on the perimeter and make Kenyon Martin be an offensive playmaker. McDyess has finally arrived.
Only down 2. Keep attacking the rim. Don’t shy away Jefferson.
January 31st, 2010 at 12:29 pm
With Carmelo out, we can’t even pull it off. 43% shooting, 17.6% from 3.
Is this what being good is like? I liked us better when we were great…
January 31st, 2010 at 12:33 pm
Great to see we can’t beat a Melo-less Denver team at home.
Jefferson defense was atrocious. 4 of his 5 fouls were AND1’s for the Nugs.
I don’t get it, Blair brings energy and only plays 10 minutes?
I am really starting to despise the lack of heart we play with. No hustle, fight, or give-a-shitness (new word).
They keep sucking me in, and then embarass themselves again.
Please Spurs, quit giving your fans turd sandwiches.
January 31st, 2010 at 12:34 pm
Ginobili needs to go. I’m sorry but he can’t buy a basket. For every decent play he makes, he forces another 5. Jefferson is a bust, Pop is blind and is afraid to admit it was a terrible decision.
Mason and Bonner as usual cannot perform under pressure and against good teams.
Timmy has disappeared lately. Man he looks so weak. He gets pushed around so much, he looks soooo fragile.
Our defense is stupid lazy, we just let Kenyon shoot time after time uncontested.
I think is about time for the Spurs and Pop to admit they suck. I’m tired or hearing, I’m proud of the guys, the effort, blah blah blah. We have no consistent shooters, boring offense, lazy players
and horrible defense. Every single of the last 10 games at least, we’ve had a decent lead and the Spurs just go on OLD mode, they get slow, lazy, weak, we need some swagger cause everyone is stepping all over the Spurs.
January 31st, 2010 at 12:38 pm
What an atrocious last 6 minutes of the game. Jefferson was atrocious with his 3 pansy, wussy, hesitating fouls (Fouled on an alley oop pass out of bounds while the Spurs are in the penalty for a free 2 pts, are you brainless?). Billups put a step back 3 in his grill (Make him try to score a layup on you, idiot).
Hill and Ginobili with turnovers on the 1st pass of an offensive possession. How infantile and 9th grade like.
Lack of hustle on a Martin brick for a defensive rebound that led to an easy 3 pt basket to stretch the lead to 8 pts from 5 and end the game.
Nuggets 9 for 12 vs. Spurs 3 for 17 on 3 pointers @ home.
We should have traded for Stephen Jackson. Mason was awful(1-6). Jefferson was pathetic(5-14). Ginobili great passing, but sad shooting(3-11). I counted 10 drives to the basket by Ginobili but, only 2 baskets!!
The Spurs are toast and a 1st round playoff exit without a trade upgrade.
January 31st, 2010 at 1:55 pm
I warned y’all yesterday that Mason would regress to his mean.
Joe Johnson has a $14, 977,000 contract.
Richard Jefferson has a $14,200,000 contract.
Which one actually earns his bread?
January 31st, 2010 at 2:05 pm
The Spurs have officially jumped the shark. It was nice knowing you guys. Thanks for the memories. I’ve never seen the perimeter defense so bad. We should just tank the rest of the season and get in the lottery.
February 1st, 2010 at 6:21 am
Cant blame the players for all of this. Coach Pop coached the Spurs into a .500 record. Too much weirdness and mystery. Too much unused talent rotting on the bench. Pop became accustomed to winning with marginal players. To his credit, it worked in the past and led to 4 championships. However, the leauge caught on and the talent level has greatly increased. Bonner, Finley, Mason, Bogans…Not marquee players. Bonner couldnt defend himself, let alone other power forwards, yet he is still here and still playing while Mahinmi and Ratliff ride the pine and a young Marcus Haislip is realeased. Maddness! Fans are getting a little tired of the Pop games…Better tighten up Pop……Even you can be ousted!
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