Spurs, Nuggets Make for a Compelling First Round Matchup by Andrew "Schaddy" Schad [imgl]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v252/mosdefjeff/densa.jpg[/imgl]Andrew "Schaddy" Schad takes a look at the Western Conference?s 2/7 matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets, a series that pits a perennial power against an upstart team that?s playing its best basketball of the season at just the right time.
Spurs, Nuggets make for a compelling first round matchup (2) (7) Most years, the 2/7 matchup in the Western Conference Playoffs isn?t all that interesting. It usually matches an elite team against one that struggled just to get into the playoffs. Not this year. There is still an elite team, the Spurs, but the 7 seed this year is one of the most dangerous teams in the league. That?s because this year, the Denver Nuggets are the 7 seed. The Nuggets, you say? You mean the same Nuggets that were 22-26 and on the fringe of playoff contention just a couple of months ago? Yes, those Nuggets, coached by George Karl, the wily old veteran who just a few months ago (notice the trend here?) was considered washed up. The Nuggets have been revitalized due to an up tempo style of play and the emergence of some key players down the stretch. Carmelo Anthony, the ?other? small forward drafted in 2003?s first round, has emerged as a legit All-Star in the second half of this season. After averaging fewer than 20 points per game before March, he averaged 21.3 over the last two months. His defense and passing abilities also improved down the stretch, key proponents in the development of any young star. Marcus Camby also proved invaluable down the stretch, averaging 10.5 rebounds, 3.6 blocks, and 1.2 steals as the defensive conscience for the young Nuggets. Perhaps the biggest surprise down the stretch, however, was the play of point guard Andre Miller. On the trading block for most of the first half, he adapted very well to the wide-open style that Karl implemented, averaging 13.5 points and 8.7 assists over the final two months of the year. Don?t sleep on the Spurs, however. This is a team which has won two NBA championships since 1999, and the most important cog in both of those championship teams, Tim Duncan, remains the heart and soul of the Spurs. It?s the ankle of the franchise, however, that has Spurs fans worried. That?s because the ankle belongs to Duncan. After badly spraining his ankle in a contest against the Pistons a month ago, Duncan has been a spectator for most of the stretch run. He?s said to have a clean bill of health for the playoffs, but his ankle bears watching, because if Duncan doesn?t play, the Spurs become far more vulnerable to the up tempo style of the Nuggets. [imgl]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v252/mosdefjeff/tonyp.jpg[/imgl]In Duncan?s absence, other Spurs have stepped up. Tony Parker, the diminutive but lightning quick point guard, emerged as a top flight player this year, averaging 16.7 ppg and 6.2 apg. He averaged 14.7 and 5.5 last year in the regular season, but upped those numbers to 18.4 and 7.0 in the playoffs. If he repeats that jump in numbers this year, pencil the Spurs into the Finals. Also breaking out of his shell this year was wing Manu Ginobili, who was selected to play in his first All-Star game. He averaged 16.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg and 3.9 apg, and had some huge games, including 48 against Phoenix and 40 just 10 days ago against the Clippers. Ginobili?s potential to explode for a huge game now and then makes him more dangerous than the Nuggets' third best player, Kenyon Martin. While Martin is a tough rebounder, with the ability to bring the crowd to its feet with his powerful dunks, Ginobili can score as well as create for teammates. When he and Brent Barry get into the game at the same time, Spurs fans hardly recognize their team, as the two run and make slick passes that even the Nuggets would admire. The Spurs also improved their depth at the trading deadline, acquiring Nazr Mohammed from the Knicks to back up at both big spots. He could prove a valuable addition, as starting center Rasho Nesterovic has been banged up as well. This matchup also features two veteran coaches who have experienced plenty of success in the playoffs. Both Gregg Popovich and George Karl have coached in the NBA Finals, and each will try to dictate tempo in this series. Popovich?s Spurs would prefer to slow the pace, working the ball inside to Duncan and allowing him to decide whether to post or kick to an open teammate. The Spurs play some of the best team defense that the NBA has seen in recent years, and a key to their playoff success will be keeping scores manageable and imposing their will on smaller, softer teams. Karl, on the other hand, wants to run. And run. Then run some more. Why not? Denver was 32-7 after he took the reins, and the roster is ideally suited for an up tempo system. Karl?s boys play just enough defense, and with all the athletic players the Nuggets feature, plus Camby?s shot blocking prowess in the middle, Denver?s defense often leads to offense, in the form of fast breaks and run-outs created by defensive pressure. The benches of both teams will be important in this series. The Spurs feature a solid second unit that includes Mohammed (9.5 ppg/7.6 rpg/1.26 bpg), the versatile Barry (7.4 ppg/2.2 prg/2.3 apg), newly signed Glenn Robinson (9.2 ppg/2.6 rpg in 8 games with the Spurs) wing Devin Brown (7.4 ppg/2.6 rpg/1.4 apg), and rookie point guard Beno Udrih (5.8 ppg/1.9 apg/41.4% 3FG). They have one of the better benches of all the teams in the playoffs, as each player knows his role and plays it well. Barry comes in to relieve pressure on backcourt mates Parker and Ginobili, Mohammed can spell Duncan or fill in next to him, and Robinson can add some scoring at the 3 when Bowen gets a breather. [imgr]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v252/mosdefjeff/dermarr.jpg[/imgr]The Nuggets? bench lacks depth, but there are a couple of major contributors. Mighty point guard Earl Boykins (just 5?5?) averages 12.2 ppg and 4.4 apg off the bench, while big man Nene Hilario (just call him Nene) averages 9.4 ppg and 5.8 rpg as the backup at both big spots. After Voshon Lenard was lost for the season in just the Nuggets? second game of the year, they went out in search of someone, anyone to fill the void at the 2 guard. They?ve tried Greg Buckner, Wes Person, and most recently DerMarr Johnson at the spot. While Johnson (who has made a feel good story comeback from a career-threatening neck injury) is a good fit for the up and down style that the Nuggets like to play, none of the three has been able to fully make up for Lenard?s absence by himself. As a group, though, they?ve filled in nicely, allowing the Nuggets to play their style of go-go basketball without missing a beat. Recently, Lenard has said that he may be able to return from Achilles? tendon surgery for the playoffs, but don?t bet on it. Eduardo Najera is a useful defender at forward off the bench, and Francisco Elson is capable of spelling Camby for short stretches, but overall the Nuggets? bench lacks the depth and quality of the Spurs. The Spurs will probably take this series, as they are playoff tested, deep, well coached, and most of all healthy for the first time in a long time. The Nuggets won?t go quietly, however, and it will not be surprising to see them win a couple of games. If Duncan gets banged up again, Denver very possibly could pull the upset. But for now, I?ll go with the tough, experienced Spurs. This should be a rare exciting 2/7 matchup, and neither team will go down without a fight. It matches two teams with totally different styles and systems, and should make for one of the more entertaining first round series in quite some time. Can the upstart Nuggets pull the upset? Or will the battle hardened Spurs prevail? My money says that the Spurs will take the series in 6 games, besting the young Nuggets with their hustle, grit and experience. Only time will tell, but one thing?s for sure: it ought to be fun to watch. <u>Key Matchups</u> vs. Tim Duncan vs. Marcus Camby Duncan is the focal point of his team?s offense, while Camby is the anchor of his unit?s defense. It should be interesting to see if Camby can hold Duncan in check for the whole series. If he allows Duncan to go off for a big game or two, it will put a lot of pressure on the rest of the team. vs. Bruce Bowen vs. Carmelo Anthony Anthony is one of the league?s brightest young stars, but Bowen is arguably the league?s best defender. Bowen will be charged with keeping the opponent?s best offensive player in check, while Melo will need to be a consistent source of offense for the Nuggets. vs. Tony Parker vs. Andre Miller Parker is a blur, scoring on pick and rolls and quick flashes through the lane. Miller is an outstanding open court setup man. Each will be looked upon to control the effectiveness of their counterpart, and whoever does the better job will give a big boost to his team?s chances.
Definitely a tough one to call. The Nuggets, by pure virtue of how well they are playing and their freestylin' ways, are a bit "unpredictable." I think that Parker's game will elevate once again though. When he's given the green light by Pop, he can deliver.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Zhone:</div><div class="quote_post">Definitely a tough one to call. The Nuggets, by pure virtue of how well they are playing and their freestylin' ways, are a bit "unpredictable." I think that Parker's game will elevate once again though. When he's given the green light by Pop, he can deliver.</div> yup. he's proven to be one heck of a playoff performer in his young career. it will be interesting to see how some of the nuggets' young guys react to this series. melo, miller, nene and boykins all played in their first postseason ever last year, so it'll be interesting to see how they adjust this year, having experienced last year's playoffs. i just think that the spurs are more used to the playoffs, have better experience, and understand the importance of elevating their games in the postseason. I just think they're too smart, tough and good to stumble in the first round. It should be a real fun series to watch, though. As much as I favor a tough defensive team, the Nuggets are pretty entertaining.
Very good article. I think this will be one of the best 2/7 playoff matchups ever. I agree that much of this series will depend on the play of Parker. I'll take the Spurs in 6 also.
