I don't hold out much hope that Denver will prevail, but man it would be a fantastic upset and a real feather in the Nuggets cap if they did! I know lots of forumites really like the San Antonio Spurs team, but I just cannot forgive them for Game 7 that took our repeat championship from us even if we were outplayed in the game itself. I really have a visceral dislike for Parker, Ginobili, Duncan and Bowen. The only Spur I like is Fabricio Oberto, Pop's "bull in the china shop." I think Pop is a great coach though, but to me Pistons/Spurs will always be a rivalry with teeth.

AI and Nene are my favorite players on the Denver team. They have an interesting group of bench players too. Najera, Kleiza, J.R. Smith, Blake...lots of entertainment value with that group. Win or lose, they aren't boring.

Ultimately, they won't be able to deal with the Spurs defense and even though the Nuggets defense has improved alot, they won't be able to play both ends of the court. I look to them to have a few nice games though.:fingerscr

So at halftime, the Spurs are shooting 33% from the floor, Duncan and Parker and Manu are a combined 7-33, Carmella and AI have combined for 28 points...and the Spurs are only down 2. Not exactly good news for Denver.

The Broncos oops Rockets looked good tonight. They have been playing really good ball. As a former coach of theirs, in the ABA, and with them having one of his all time favorite players playing at the top of this game, I am sure Pound 4 Pound is smiling about their "playing the right way" tonight.

:hoops:

Nice win for the Nugs. Spurs shot a lot better in the second half, but hurt themselves with more turnovers, and Denver's execution down the stretch was great. They can stay in pretty much any game where AI and Carmella combine for 61, and the athleticism from Nene and Camby made things really tough for Duncan and the Spurs front line. I'm not buying the hype from some corners about how Denver can win this series, but it does look like it could be pretty tough for San Antonio.

I'm not buying the hype from some corners about how Denver can win this series, but it does look like it could be pretty tough for San Antonio.

I dont know D4E, winning game 1 in SA is huge for the Nuggets. I know SA is a very good road team, however, if they go down 0-2, this will perhaps be the first upset of these playoffs.

A very good game, I love to see AI, set up his teamates and look for his shot. When he does that he is a handful! Blake needs to be a bit more agressive when the ball is in his hands, he seemed very hesitant to shoot when he had wide open looks.

Moreover, Nene and Camby is no joke as they pulled down 22 rebounds (Nuggets had 44 rebounds total) between them, SA had 35 rebounds, Duncan the only Spur (10) with double digit boards.

It will be a done deal if the Spurs lose game 2, IMO.

I dont know D4E, winning game 1 in SA is huge for the Nuggets. I know SA is a very good road team, however, if they go down 0-2, this will perhaps be the first upset of these playoffs.

Sure, although I think the Spurs are likely to play better in Game 2, and the shooting percentages for AI and Carmella (they both shot 50% or better tonight) aren't likely to be that high very often. Though it does look like Nene and Camby might be able to do some consistent damage on the boards and on D.

Wow, it's only one game but...

Happy for Aurora:)

Sad for Barb of SA:(

This could be a situation where the Nuggets came in hot and appear to have it all together at the right time with Melo, AI, Nene, and Camby. I know Spurs can come back and win it, but if they or even Dalls lose game two then you may have the whole west turned upside down here!!

This could be a situation where the Nuggets came in hot and appear to have it all together at the right time with Melo, AI, Nene, and Camby. I know Spurs can come back and win it, but if they or even Dalls lose game two then you may have the whole west turned upside down here!!

Works for me. I have Phoenix coming out of the West in my bracket.

I'm totally surprised the Spurs and Mavs lost today. This also should make us appreciate the Pistons wins over the Magic all the more. You just can't take playoff victories for granted.

Didn't Denver steal game one from SA a few years back only to have Spurs sweep the rest of the series? This one looks like it may get more interesting. This Denver team has players. They can compete in all categories. They have a quick penetrating guard, they have a high-scoring small forward, and they have front line that can get boards, defend, and put some points on the board. This is going to be one heck of a series.

Didn't Denver steal game one from SA a few years back only to have Spurs sweep the rest of the series?

Yes, and in '03, they lost Game 1 at home to Phoenix on that crazy running 3 off the glass by Marbury, but they went on to win that series in 6. And they eventually won the title in both of those seasons. Of course, this Denver team looks like it has more weapons than either of those previous first round opponents that the Spurs rallied against.

Denver sure does have more this time. This should be an entertaining series, and a close one at that. It is a little bit strange, just because Spurs looked so good during the last quarter of the season. Maybe all the time off for Spurs and Mavericks players threw their timing off just a bit? I guess we'll find out soon enough.

Watching the second half I was thinking that the second tier of players - Finley, Barry, Horry et al needed to step up more if the Spurs were going anywhere. It seemed like the offense consisted of nothing but Parker drives fishing for fouls.

Then I looked at the box score - if the big three continue to shoot 37% it's going to be a tough series for the Spurs. Fortunately they can pretty much rely on Melo falling apart at some point.

What happens if Anthony doesn't fall apart? Spurs second tier players are not getting any younger. Horry was always reliable in the playoffs. Not sure I can say the same about Finley, but they brought him in for his scoring, so he needs to do more of that. I don't think Spurs' big three are used to playing lots of minutes, so they do need the bench to be of help.

What happens if Anthony doesn't fall apart?

I start out the playoff brackets in a hole?

Oh, besides that (it was sure to happen anyway sooner or later).

Besides that, it makes for a long series. On paper Denver is a pretty well rounded team and one might argue they only finished in sixth because of injuries and maybe should have pushed Houston for fourth. If Melo holds it together and AI is AI, and Camby and Nene dominate the middle, maybe the Spurs look a lot older a lot sooner.

Still, even with Melo's game 1, if Duncan or Parker or Ginobili had hit a couple more shots we'd be driving some nails into Denver's coffin right now.

The Spurs lost by 6 in a game where Allen Iverson shot 50% from the field and Tim Duncan had maybe the least dominant playoff performance of his career?

I'd be concerned about the Spurs if Duncan scores less than 25 in Game 2.

YouTube - Tim Duncan hit with a Bball in the head (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MljtCOZ1m_c)

well the nuggs took one i personally dont like the spurs either but as a pistons fan i dont have to worry about the nuggs or the sours because in the end itll be dallass or phoenix buit i hate the whole spurs team except Oberto and Elson plus in this case i like the nuggets because reggie evans plays for them and he went to iowa and iowa is my fav in most college sports

lol that videos funny he was just spacin off and whammy bball in the face

Well too bad but this is looking a little bit more like I expected. :rolleyes:The combination of the Nuggets coming out tight and shooting cold and the Spurs playing their smart D and making the adjustments Pop must have come up with...well I don't know which is contributing to the Nuggets woes more. But it's looking dire to me at the last five minutes of the second half. :help2:

Charles Barkley wishes he had been a Spur. Every year he just pounds away at how wonderful they are. On and on with the Ginobili, Tony Parker and Tim Duncan adoration from him. I realize they're really really good Chuck, don't you think it might be time for a new shtick?:gun1:

I didn't expect the Nuggets to take the second game, just like I didn't expect they would take the first. :) Their defense is so inconsistent, actually everything about them as a team is inconsistent. But dang I just really like them and I don't want them to get humiliated, especially by one of my Love:love: to Hate:mad2: teams. I'd like Denver to have a respectable showing in this series going into the next season. I mean A.I. is over there in the West Coast now where it takes some serious winning to be in the top of the Conference. :eek: I just want them to hold their own and build their confidence.:pray:

Actually every time I watch the Spurs play I wonder that people think they are washed up. They have so many weapons and they play real intelligent. God they drive me crazy. :frusty: I can never forget when I woke up the morning after we lost Game 7 and our Pistons repeat. I vow to never ever forgive them for breaking my heart like that!!!!! GO NUGGETS!!!!!

I personally was more upset about Rip's chokejob in Game 5 than LB's in Game 7, but both were difficult to watch.

Duncan finishes with 22, and Ginobili, who the Nuggets absolutely cannot check, has at least 17. Spurs win Game 2 going away and appear to be back on track.

So far a close game in Denver. Very important game for both teams. If Spurs can win, they'll have psychological advantage for the remainder of the series. If Denver wins, watch out...

Goodbye Denver.

Goodbye Denver.

Oh that's sad ahb. But I think you speaketh the truth. I'm such a sucker for the underdog team. I was so hoping Denver would be able to get this series.

Well Denver has another game at home to play in front of their fans and I think even if they lose this series, as long as they don't have a horrifying last game blowout at home they will have acquitted themselves pretty well and set themselves up for the future.

I still find them 100 times more exciting to watch than San Antonio. San Antonio is the "watching paint dry" team in the NBA.

I'll go with the wildly inconsistent and variable Nuggets anyday! Winning ISN'T Everything in this case. Staying Awake is a priority as well.

Did Carmella choke at the line? He missed some freebies.

Good night Denver! Horry does it again.

The biggest news coming out of the Nuggets video session this morning was coach George Karl announcing he was benching reserve guard J.R. Smith.
"He's done," Karl said.
Smith's mistakes throughout the series have grated on Karl, leading to the decision to bench him for Game 5, to be held Wednesday in San Antonio. The final straw apparently was Smith's missed three-pointer with 25.7 seconds left in Game 4 on Monday night with the Nuggets trailing 93-89.
"And then, of course the one with eight seconds to go, from 50 feet," Karl said. "I just love the dignity of the game being insulted right in front of me."
Karl said he had not talked to Smith about the benching by the time he met reporters at around noon. Smith is averaging 4.5 points and 2.3 rebounds in 11.8 minutes a game during the playoff series, which the Nuggets trail 3-1.:sssh: Why don't we have an "escape goat" smilie?

Find me one, and I'll add it.

lol poor jr...he was tearing up before AI got there now hes just mudd.

Well I'm going to try to watch this Game 5 in San Antonio. I have watched a ton of Nuggets games since AI was traded there so I'm "emotionally involved." How I hate these elimination games when the team I like is the likely eliminee. When you add to that how much I hate to see any San Antonio Spurs players look happy, it could be a long night of basketball fandom. LOL.

The Spurs' Defense has really affected AI's scoring and his shooting average. He shot 50% in Game 1 and about 30-35% in the other three games. AI is my favorite non-Piston player so watching him get shut down is a drag.

Man, these Spurs play some very competent defense, don't they? I haven't watched them all season because (have I mentioned?) I HATE THEM! LOL. If they beat Phoenix in the next bracket, I will be inconsolable.

A nagging irritation: When are they going to get rid of those horrible unis with the name Spurs across the chest where the U letter is that dumb spur? Horrible!

A bad sign. Nuggets down by 10. San Antonio making it look like a walk in the park. And me? It's only the second quarter and I have to mute the sound because I definitely can't endure an entire arena of happy Spurs fans.

aurora, you're precious. :)

Always nice to see a good team blow out a bad team Playing The Right Way.

Oh that's sad ahb. But I think you speaketh the truth. I'm such a sucker for the underdog team. I was so hoping Denver would be able to get this series.

Well Denver has another game at home to play in front of their fans and I think even if they lose this series, as long as they don't have a horrifying last game blowout at home they will have acquitted themselves pretty well and set themselves up for the future.

I still find them 100 times more exciting to watch than San Antonio. San Antonio is the "watching paint dry" team in the NBA.

I'll go with the wildly inconsistent and variable Nuggets anyday! Winning ISN'T Everything in this case. Staying Awake is a priority as well.

I think Iverson is too old (32 this summer) for Denver to be set up for the future. With the type of game he plays relying on his speed and physical ability so much, when the end of his game comes for him it will come very fast. With the physical punishment he takes game in and game out I give him 1 to 2 more years of being effective.

Marcus Camby is 33.

I think that Denver may have 1 or 2 years left of finishing in the bottom of the playoff stack before they become a lottery team.

Sorry. That is my opinion.

:hoops:

Personally I think the downfall of this Nuggets team stemmed from their offense running through Anthony and Iverson when IMO Nene should have gotten many more touches than he did.

Instead he shoots 6 times while the other two guys jack the ball up like fools.

I hate to say it, because Iverson is one of my favorite players, but it looks like the Nuggets could have used some more PRACTICE.

Many times, AI and Carmella looked like they were doing some serious freelancing, and the Spurs aren't the kind of opponent where you can make it up as you go and expect a win.

I saw quite a few turnovers from the Nuggets that should/could have been avoided by running their sets.

Yeah, I'm talking about PRACTICE.

I hate to say it, because Iverson is one of my favorite players, but it looks like the Nuggets could have used some more PRACTICE.

I was thinking something similar watching the game last night. The Nugs are a pretty amazing team on paper. But they really don't seem to know what to do with all the pieces. And it's not even like everyone needs the ball to be effective. Karl seemed more bored than not when the camera showed him during the game. Managing that much talent just might be beyond George.

Certainly the Spurs can make even the best teams look like they're running in circles, but it seemed different last night. More like the Nuggets had a total lack of imagination on the offensive end.

Another ballhog bites the dust.