2008-09 Game 48 – Denver Nuggets vs San Antonio Spurs Game Thread

February 3, 2009
by Jeremy

Before we get started make sure to head on over to the ESPN/TrueHoop Network Spurs blog 48 Minutes of Hell for a mini-interview with a world renowned Nuggets blogger.

Beware the San Antonio Spurs.  I was one of the moronic suckers that really honestly though the Spurs had no shot to keep their run of championships in odd years going in 2009.  Well, guess who is second in the west after overcoming early season injuries to Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili?

Playing against the Spurs is always an event for the Nuggets due to the fact they have put the kibosh on Denver’s two most promising campaigns over the previous four seasons, but tonight’s game is especially vital.  The winner takes the season series two games to one and thus earns the tiebreaker should it come into play.

The Spurs have won four straight and eight of their last nine with the sole blemish being a smack down at the hands of the Lakers at Staples Center.  Tim Duncan has been playing great this season.  His scoring is up a smidge and his rebounding has fallen off a bit, but what has made him so effective this season is he is averaging his highest assist rate of his career. 

Tony Parker is scoring at a higher rate than in the past.  After leveling off a bit in the middle part of January he has scored from 23 to 26 points over his last four games, although he did not post those totals in numerical order. 

The only concern Spurs fans have really had lately has been whether or not Manu was going to be healthy enough to do Manu things.  Well, over his previous three games he is averaging 28 points per outing.  Last night he dumped in 32 points in Golden State as the Spurs came back from a double digit fourth quarter deficit to win in overtime.

We all know what those three can do, but to me the real key to the Spurs success this season has been Roger Mason.  The only flashy number Mason is putting up is his 44.9% three point shooting, but if the Spurs need a big basket and the ball finds its way to Mason, he always seems to come through.

Hopefully the extra reps that Golden State put the Spurs through last night will help Denver tonight.

The Nuggets need all the help they can get.  The last time they played the Spurs in Denver San Antonio simply demolished the Nuggets thanks to a 31 to 15 second quarter run that basically ended the competitive portion of the game.  The Nuggets will have to close out the Spurs shooters, defend the pick and roll soundly and keep Parker and Ginobili out of the paint.

Obviously those things are not easy, but good teams are able to take away what their opponent does best.

One other thing to keep in mind is this is the Nuggets last home game until they play Boston on February 23rd.

A second other thing to keep in mind is George Karl has said he wants to limit Carmelo Anthony’s minutes in his first few games back from his fractured hand.  It will be interesting to see how much Melo plays if the game is close, which I fully expect it to be.

Denver Nuggets Game Notes

Previous Matchups:  Game 12 – Den 91 San 81 | Game 20 – Den 91 San 108

Featured Blogs:  48 Minutes of Hell | Pounding the Rock

Posted on February 3, 2009 at 5:00 pm | filed in Game Preview | 19 Comments

19 Responses to “2008-09 Game 48 – Denver Nuggets vs San Antonio Spurs Game Thread”

  1. Jordo5150 says:
    February 3, 2009 at 6:47 pm

    Martin out for the Nuggs tonight. Parker, Ginobili, and Duncan ALL three out for the Spurs.

    http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/feb/03/nuggets-martin-spurs-duncan-parker-ginobili-all-ou/

    Reply
  2. Josh Hopp says:
    February 3, 2009 at 7:36 pm

    No excuses whatsoever.

    Reply
  3. UnarmingMermaid says:
    February 3, 2009 at 7:59 pm

    So was Pop worried the Thuggets would rough up their pansy asses?

    Reply
  4. Josh Hopp says:
    February 3, 2009 at 8:01 pm

    I love that that dirty bastard Bowen has an equally filthy player in D. Jones to deal with

    Reply
  5. UnarmingMermaid says:
    February 3, 2009 at 8:03 pm

    Yeah man…those two are getting a little chippy.

    Reply
  6. UnarmingMermaid says:
    February 3, 2009 at 8:05 pm

    Gotta finish out the half here…starting to let ‘em creep back in it.

    Reply
  7. UnarmingMermaid says:
    February 3, 2009 at 8:05 pm

    oh shit…Chauncey is limping.

    Reply
  8. Josh Hopp says:
    February 3, 2009 at 8:06 pm

    Oh my god

    Reply
  9. Josh Hopp says:
    February 3, 2009 at 8:08 pm

    thank science. he’s ok

    Reply
  10. Josh Hopp says:
    February 3, 2009 at 8:09 pm

    JR continues to lead the league in airballed free throws

    Reply
  11. Josh Hopp says:
    February 3, 2009 at 8:14 pm

    Some truly nauseating stuff from our guys down the stretch. JR continues to be infuriatingly inconsistent and wild when he drives and his long range game is non existent. Both Melo and LK have thrown airballs from 3 point range. If any one of the Spurs big 3 were playing we would be exposed badly by now.

    Reply
  12. UnarmingMermaid says:
    February 3, 2009 at 8:16 pm

    Alright…not bad. As one of the commentators said “it’ll be interested to see how the Spurs hold up late in the game with a shallow bench”. Even without their stars it would be very satisfying to blowout the Spurs. Melo with 20 in the first half…I’d say the hand is doing okay. Anyway, I’m off to the local watering hole to watch the second half.

    Go Nugs!

    Reply
  13. Lethalturnip says:
    February 3, 2009 at 8:17 pm

    i have to say i like the 12 pt lead though

    Reply
  14. UnarmingMermaid says:
    February 3, 2009 at 8:18 pm

    One more thought, I think Lebron should change his number to 33. Seems to have a thing with that number.

    Reply
  15. markph says:
    February 3, 2009 at 8:37 pm

    Billups on the benh

    Reply
  16. markph says:
    February 3, 2009 at 8:38 pm

    uhhhh….bench

    Reply
  17. snafuthai says:
    February 3, 2009 at 9:43 pm

    Well, I really wish I hadn’t watched that game and just checked the box score afterwards, applauded the win, and moved on with my life.

    Un-fucking-fortunately, I had to watch Anthony Carter throw 50% of his passes to the opposing team, JR forgetting how to catch a basketball, and the Nuggets play simply awful defense against a bunch of one-dimensional bench players.

    There was that moment in the 4th quarter where the Nuggets completely ramped up the defense, got two turnovers, went on a 9-0 run and you thought the game was iced. Then coming out of the SA timeout they just reverted right back to getting owned by pick and rolls.

    Gah! I feel like every time I watch the Spurs play, regardless of the outcome, I come away feeling really fucking irritated.

    Reply
  18. Josh Hopp says:
    February 3, 2009 at 10:07 pm

    Crucial, ugly win. Let’s all pray to our respective deities that Chauncy’s ankle is pristine for tommorow @OKC.

    Reply
  19. BeefySwats says:
    February 4, 2009 at 9:31 am

    @snafuthai – that’s playing the spurs for you. I used to live in San Antonio and just being near the arena made me break out into a rash.

    Reply

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