Nuggets-Spurs Preview

By ALAN FERGUSON
Posted Nov 16 2012 2:35PM

Fatigue from a West Coast trip appeared to play a role in a rare home loss for the San Antonio Spurs this week.

Now having spent some time back in town, the Spurs will seek a better performance Saturday night when they welcome the Denver Nuggets, who were victorious in their most recent visit to the AT&T Center.

San Antonio (7-2) was poised to add to its strong start to the season Thursday against New York, taking a 12-point lead well into the fourth quarter after Tiago Splitter scored all 13 of his points in a 2:38 span. The Spurs, though, gave up 27 points in the final seven-plus minutes en route to a 104-100 loss.

They missed seven of their final nine shots and committed turnovers on back-to-back possessions in the final two minutes. The game came two nights after an 84-82 win over the Los Angeles Lakers capped a four-game road swing.

"I think we ran out of gas," coach Gregg Popovich said. "Guys busted their butts but they didn't have enough in the tank after that road trip. We definitely got tired."

The loss was only the third in 25 home games for San Antonio, including the playoffs. The Spurs' 67-11 home record in the regular season since the start of 2010-11 is easily the NBA's best.

One of those losses came in the Nuggets' most recent visit, 99-94 on March 4. Ty Lawson had team highs of 22 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds as Denver beat the Spurs for the second time in nine meetings.

Lawson was held scoreless for the second time in 109 career starts in a 98-93 home loss to Miami on Thursday. He had a potential go-ahead shot waived off due to an offensive foul midway through the fourth quarter after Denver (4-5) had trailed by 19 earlier in the second half.

"We just have to move on to the next game," said guard Andre Miller, who had a season-high 19 points. "It was a game that we definitely needed to win before we go out on this three-game road trip."

The trip includes visits to Memphis and Minnesota next week for a Nuggets team which plays 17 of its first 23 games on the road, where they are 2-4 and needed double overtime to secure one of those wins. They've allowed more than 100 points in four road games and not once at home.

Spurs star Tony Parker is averaging 15.8 points and 10.0 assists in home games, well above his numbers on the road. He's averaged 21.8 points on 59.2 percent shooting in his last five matchups with Denver.

His point guard counterpart, Lawson, has scored at least 20 points in three of his last four visits to San Antonio. Andre Iguodala has averaged 20.4 over his last five games there.

Nuggets teammate Kenneth Faried posted a fifth straight double-double Thursday with 16 points and a career-high 20 rebounds. The second-year forward now goes up against Tim Duncan, who had a season-best 14 boards Thursday and has blocked 15 shots over the last four games.

The status of San Antonio's Gary Neal is unknown. The reserve guard cut his right index finger while lifting his luggage before Tuesday's win and was limited to eight minutes in that game before sitting out Thursday.

Ginobili powers Spurs past Nuggets 126-100

Posted Nov 18 2012 12:36AM

SAN ANTONIO (AP) Manu Ginobili had 20 points and the San Antonio Spurs set a season high for points in a 126-100 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night.

DeJuan Blair added 19 points and Danny Green had 15 for San Antonio (8-2). Tony Parker and Tim Duncan each scored 14 points while playing 25 and 23 minutes, respectively.

Danilo Gallinari scored 15 and Kenneth Faried finished with 14 for Denver (4-6), which has lost three straight games for the second time this season.

The Spurs shot 54 percent from the field, including a 16-for-20 performance from 3-point range. San Antonio never trailed by less than 18 points in the second half.

With the outcome in little doubt, one of the few second-half highlights came when Tiago Splitter dunked over JaVale McGee with 7 minutes remaining. The dunk caused Duncan to leap out of his chair in celebration.

Duncan gave San Antonio its largest lead at 74-42 on a pair of free throws with 7:49 left in the third.

Stephen Jackson made his first start of the season for the Spurs, and Blair was in the starting lineup for the second time this season. They combined to score 12 straight points after Green opened the game with a dunk for a 14-9 lead.

Jackson finished with nine points. Blair also had eight rebounds and three assists.

Denver finished with 21 turnovers.

NOTES: Spurs F Kawhi Leonard, hampered by quadriceps tendinitis above his left knee, missed his first game of the season. He is expected to miss at least 10 days. ... Spurs G Gary Neal missed his second game after he cut his right index finger when he picked up his luggage. Neal sported a small bandage around the index finger. ... The Spurs wore their silver alternate jersey, which features their traditional Spur logo on the front. It's the first jersey in NBA history without any writing on the front of the jersey. ... Nuggets F Wilson Chandler (hip) missed his second straight game.

Notebook: Spurs 126, Nuggets 100

Andrew McNeill, for NBA.com
Posted Sun Nov 18, 2012 12:15 AM - Updated Sun Nov 18, 2012 12:15 AM

THE FACTS: The Spurs went on a 22-2 run in the first half to build an early lead over the Nuggets en route to a 126-100 win. Six Spurs hit double figures in scoring, lead by Manu Ginobili with 20 points off the bench. DeJuan Blair added 19 points and eight rebounds.

San Antionio forced the Nuggets into 22 turnovers on the night and outshot Denver in every phase of the game.

Denver was led by Danilo Gallinari with 15 points. Kenneth Faried added 14 points.

QUOTABLE: "[The Spurs] did a great job of finding the open man; hitting somebody with a little bit better shot."

-- Spurs coach Gregg Popovich

THE STAT: San Antonio hit 16 3-pointers to the Nuggets' four. All but three players who saw action for the Spurs knocked down a shot from beyond the arc.

TURNING POINT: The Spurs hit four 3-pointers in the first quarter, while Denver committed nine turnovers.

QUOTABLE II: "I think San Antonio would've beat any team tonight by the way they played with their ball movement and shooting."

-- Nuggets coach George Karl

HOT: Ginobili. The Spurs' sixth man has struggled in the early season, but broke out against Denver with 20 points on 7-for-10 shooting and 5-for-7 from beyond the arc.

NOT: Denver's shooters. The Nuggets' starters were 0-for-4 from 3-point range and 21-for-45 from the field.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: In addition to his 20 points, Ginobili had five 3-pointers, four assists and a steal for San Antonio. Tony Parker had a line of 14 points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals. Corey Brewer had 14 points, two 3-pointers and seven rebounds.

ROOKIE WATCH: Evan Fournier had 10 quick points and two assists in seven minutes of late game action for the Nuggets. Nando De Colo gave San Antonio 17 solid minutes with five points and three assists. Quincy Miller was inactive for Denver.

NOTABLE: Tim Duncan hit a 3-point shot from the corner to end the first half, it was his first made 3-pointer of the season. San Antonio lead by as many as 32 points in this game. San Antonio had a season-high 33 assists against the Nuggets.

UP NEXT: For the Nuggets, Monday @ Memphis, Wednesday @ Minnesota, Friday vs. Golden State. For the Spurs, Monday vs. L.A. Clippers, Wednesday @ Boston, Friday @ Indiana.

• Nuggets: Chandler, Miller
• Spurs: Joseph

• Nuggets: --
• Spurs: --

• Lead Changes: 2
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX
• Officials: #47 Bennie Adams, #74 Curtis Blair, #40 Leon Wood
• Attendance: 18581
• Duration: 2:05