San Antonio @ Denver

Blame Rasho · Post #1 » by **Blame Rasho** » Tue Jan 1, 2008 10:18 pm

floppymoose wrote:Oh, and the people saying Kawhi was attacked can go suck a ****.

Eh...Well we are still gimpy....I don't think Pop will play Manu.

3 Keys to the game.

Make our threes... sucks that we don't have our 2 of our best shooters

Rebound... We can't get killed on the boards.

Defend... We can't let them play a open court game.

We have been lacking in our bench production and quite honestly I can see us losing this game.

The one team that Manu just loves to play is Denver. They have problems with his herky jerky style of play.

It is hard to expect Finley to have 3 good games from us in a row.

HarlemHeat37 · Post #2 » by **HarlemHeat37** » Wed Jan 2, 2008 1:08 am

This one is going to be a tough game..the Nuggets defend Duncan fairly well, so Parker is going to have to step up..he's playing arguably the worst perimeter D in the NBA, so hopefully he doesn't play erratically..

we don't match up well with Denver without Ginobilli and Barry..

Blame Rasho · Post #3 » by **Blame Rasho** » Wed Jan 2, 2008 1:17 am

HarlemHeat37 wrote:This one is going to be a tough game..the Nuggets defend Duncan fairly well, so Parker is going to have to step up..he's playing arguably the worst perimeter D in the NBA, so hopefully he doesn't play erratically..

we don't match up well with Denver without Ginobilli and Barry..

I think they are a very good defending team... Ballings7 might think otherwise but at least when we face them the difference is that we always control tempo and and we always outshoot them from 3. I think we are going to miss Barry alot during this stretch and as you can see in the Raptor game our bench falls apart without Manu.

Ballings7 · Post #4 » by **Ballings7** » Wed Jan 2, 2008 2:39 am

Yeah, from what I've gathered over the last couple years up to now, I come away with the position that they're inconsistent, not disciplined and committed enough defensively. As a team. Specifically and especially lacking defensively (not gambling for steals) in the back-court. Not going off stats much there, but mostly going off what I've seen.

Traditional, consistent, above-average defense is not one of Denver's strengths. Gambling for steals and blocks, certainly are, and is what gives them one of their main team identities. Aside from Carmelo, AI, and probably Nene, in the half-court doing what they do.

Anyway, Manu and Barry out especially should hurt in this game, and edges things closer for Denver. Them being at home and more up for this game, should only add to that.

I'm actually going to lean to Denver winning here, we come up short. We still have a pretty good chance to win, though.

UDRIH14 · Post #5 » by **UDRIH14** » Wed Jan 2, 2008 4:09 am

duncan is going to expose that camby dude

Black_Jack21 · Post #6 » by **Black_Jack21** » Wed Jan 2, 2008 7:58 am

hopefully Udoka gets some playing time and can do a reasonable job on Melo so Bowen can shut down AI.
Maybe Johnson get some playing time too to help spread th floor with his shooting.
Parker is getting back in the grove and TD has bee playing really well as of late, need big games from them if we are to come away with one here.
TD has to hold his on on the boards to or Denver will kill us on the rebounding end.

Blame Rasho · Post #7 » by **Blame Rasho** » Wed Jan 2, 2008 8:03 am

I don't think Johnson who might have 2 practices with the team will get significant playing time.

co_laper · Post #8 » by **co_laper** » Wed Jan 2, 2008 12:27 pm

I have a feeling we're gonna drop this game.

it's away.

high altitudes.

nonexistent bench production with our top 2 bench scorer out.

It's also hard to expect Duncan to give playoff effort in a regular season game where he'd demand the ball and will his team to a win. it's just not the time.

Magz50 · Post #9 » by **Magz50** » Wed Jan 2, 2008 3:00 pm

No Manu, No Barry, No Elson = Loss

LyMinh · Post #10 » by **LyMinh** » Thu Jan 3, 2008 4:18 am

On the bright side Vandy is 13-0 going into Thursday's game against Rice.

L-Burna89 · Post #11 » by **L-Burna89** » Thu Jan 3, 2008 11:51 am

Ballings7 wrote:Yeah, from what I've gathered over the last couple years up to now, I come away with the position that they're inconsistent, not disciplined and committed enough defensively. As a team. Specifically and especially lacking defensively (not gambling for steals) in the back-court. Not going off stats much there, but mostly going off what I've seen.

Traditional, consistent, above-average defense is not one of Denver's strengths. Gambling for steals and blocks, certainly are, and is what gives them one of their main team identities. Aside from Carmelo, AI, and probably Nene, in the half-court doing what they do.

I agree that we really don't look very good defensively (at least much of the time), but somehow we're still 2nd in the league in defensive efficiency. It may not look great all of the time, nor may it be what you would call traditional, but it does get the job done. I guess its ironic though, because its really our mediocre and inconsistent offense (only 15th in the league) that has been our biggest downfall this season.

UDRIH14 · Post #12 » by **UDRIH14** » Thu Jan 3, 2008 11:54 am

easy win, next

Ballings7 · Post #13 » by **Ballings7** » Thu Jan 3, 2008 11:58 am

L-Burna99 wrote:I agree that we really don't look very good defensively (at least much of the time), but somehow we're still 2nd in the league in defensive efficiency. It may not look great all of the time, nor may it be what you would call traditional, but it does get the job done. I guess its ironic though, because its really our mediocre and inconsistent offense (only 15th in the league) that has been our biggest downfall this season.

Okay. But it just gets the job done to a certain extent, not what's needed for what the Nuggets ultimately want to do, and have to do first, in order to get to that goal. It doesn't have to be "very good" either.

The offense in ways also relates to how the defense is played. Shot selection, energy expense, focus from players with how the offense is going. This is part of having the right kind of defensive mind-set. Denver hasn't shown that to me consistently.

The focus from the staff probably isn't a factor, because from all indications things significantly went to more of a defensive camp/practices.

SMRattler · Post #14 » by **SMRattler** » Thu Jan 3, 2008 3:40 pm

It's too bad we are dealing with injuries this year. We've been lucky with that the last couple of years. Manu, Bones, Elson... that's 3 of our top 10 down, inlcuing maybe our second best player.

UDRIH14 · Post #15 » by **UDRIH14** » Thu Jan 3, 2008 4:56 pm

injuries are good

at least we get to see what duncan is capable off without the help he gets

i wanna see duncan continue with his +25pts +13rebs

expose them duncan

Blame Rasho · Post #16 » by **Blame Rasho** » Thu Jan 3, 2008 11:15 pm

UDRIH14 wrote:easy win, next

I like your optimism.

LyMinh · Post #17 » by **LyMinh** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 3:12 am

Nice shot by Duncan at the end of the half!

If only it had counted.

Ballings7 · Post #18 » by **Ballings7** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 3:22 am

Got it going our way early 2nd... fun stuff

I always get more into these games that are against media-attentitive teams.

Like against us (and in the past), Denver ran into similar troubles against the Lakers both times this year (2nd half of each game) and vs. Portland at home, in playing a slower game and being defended effectively. Looking like a totally different team compared to earlier in the game. Though against Portland in Denver, it was all game long, and just got handled by them.

Blame Rasho · Post #19 » by **Blame Rasho** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 3:25 am

Well we really slowed their pace... and that will always favor us. We will see if we can maintain it. Halfcourt game favors us...

pro2020 · Post #20 » by **pro2020** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 4:31 am

Why did they let all that time run out and finally Bruce fouls Iverson with 6 sec. to go? Bonehead play.