# Playoffs Round 1, Game 1: Nuggets at Spurs || 16 to go



## Pimped Out (May 4, 2005)

*San Antonio Spurs (0-0) vs Denver Nuggets (0-0)*








vs









*Location:* AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas
*Date:* Sunday, April 22, 2007
*Time:* 6:00 PM CDT / 7:00 PM EDT / 5:00 PM MDT / 4:00 PM PDT
*TV:* TNT, FSNSW
*Radio:* WOAI 1200

*Spurs Expected Starting Lineup*





































C - Francisco Elson *|* PF - Tim Duncan *|* SF - Bruce Bowen *|* SG - Michael Finley *|* PG - Tony Parker

*Bench*
Emanuel Ginobili
Michael Finley
Fabricio Oberto
Robert Horry
Beno Udrih
Matt Bonner
Jacque Vaughn
Melvin Ely
Jackie Butler



*Nuggets Expected Starting Lineup*





































C - Marcus Camby *|* PF - Nene Hilario *|* SF - Carmelo Anthony *|* SG - Allen Iverson *|* PG - Steve Blake

*Bench*
J.R. Smith
Eduardo Najera
Yakhouba Diawara
Reggie Evans
Linus Kleiza
DerMarr Johnson
Jamal Sampson

*Injuries*
Kenyon Martin - PF - Knee - I-L. Out for the season​
*Game Notes*
The last time these two teams met, the Spurs were able to stifle the high scoring Denver offense. That was back on February 20th. The Nuggets were still struggling to adjust with their new line up featuring Allen Iverson, who was hobbled by a bad ankle in that game. 

Both teams have been playing their best ball coming into the playoffs. The Spurs have the best record since the All-Star break (I think) and the Nuggets finally seemed to get things together late in the season. Their offense stayed potent and they finally started playing something resembling offense.

The Nuggets should provide match-up problems for the Spurs with AI and Melo and the 2 and 3. Melo is a great low post threat and Bowen tends to have trouble stopping him once Melo gets the ball. AI's quickness can provide problems for anyone. They are still an inside team though so Duncan presence. Parker, Finley, Barry, and Ginobili should have a field day on the perimeter with the Nuggets poor defense. Like the Spurs, the Nuggets also have a defensive anchor in the middle with Camby.


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## Sliccat (Oct 16, 2004)

Hey, would you mind if I bit this and took it to the Nuggets Forum?


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## LineOFire (Apr 20, 2004)

Ah hell naw! You stole my game thread! 

I'm looking forward to what should be a great series.


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## Pimped Out (May 4, 2005)

Sliccat said:


> Hey, would you mind if I bit this and took it to the Nuggets Forum?


sure, i stole most of it from LineOFire's last game thread between the spurs and nuggets. 




LineOFire said:


> Ah hell naw! You stole my game thread!
> 
> I'm looking forward to what should be a great series.


I wasnt sure if you were going to show up in time.

I probably wont be posting much here since i will be cheering for the nuggets.


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## ez8o5 (Aug 22, 2002)

so james white didnt make the playoff roster???????????


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## Pimped Out (May 4, 2005)

ez8o5 said:


> so james white didnt make the playoff roster???????????


guess not.

the spurs' big 3 arent doing well, but they are staying in it. 
both teams need to do a better job on the defensive glass


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## Pimped Out (May 4, 2005)

spurs are failing to take advantage of some good looks, which is good news for them looking forward to the rest of the games. 

ginobili seems to be lacking a certain explosiveness today. he should be able to take advantage of their perimeter defense, but the nuggets front line isnt one any guard would want to challenge continually.


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## Sliccat (Oct 16, 2004)

It must get lonely around here.


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## LineOFire (Apr 20, 2004)

Gotta hand it to the Nuggets. They played some great defense and completely took the big three out of their game. If it wasn't for our bench stepping up this would have been a huge blowout. That being said, I'm still not worried. My prediction of Spurs in 6 still stands.

2003 - Round 1 Game 1 loss at home - Championship
2005 - Round 1 Game 1 loss at home - Championship
2007 - Round 1 Game 1 loss at home - ????????????

This is looking awfully familiar somehow.


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## darth-horax (Nov 21, 2005)

Spurs in 6? Nah.

The Spurs/Nuggets series will be one of the best battles in this year's playoffs...trust me on that.

I fully expect Poppovich to come back with a great game plan for game 2, but also expect Karl to have some tricks up his own sleeve as well.

I'm not stupid...I knwo that Ginobili and Duncan and co. did not play their best game, however, neither did Denver. Our bench was non-existent, which is rare...especially in Kleiza and JR Smith's case...I'm expecting a knock down, drag out battle from here on out.

My prediction: Nuggs won game 1 in SA; Nuggs win game 2 in SA; Nuggs lose game 3 in Denver; Nuggs win game 4 in Denver; Nuggs lose game 5, Nuggs win game 6.

Nuggs in 6.


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## TiMVP2 (Jun 19, 2003)

LineOFire said:


> Gotta hand it to the Nuggets. They played some great defense and completely took the big three out of their game. If it wasn't for our bench stepping up this would have been a huge blowout. That being said, I'm still not worried. My prediction of Spurs in 6 still stands.
> 
> 2003 - Round 1 Game 1 loss at home - Championship
> 2005 - Round 1 Game 1 loss at home - Championship
> ...


Must I say that I do concur.

I, myself even predicted a loss in the first game of this series. Spurs in 6, horrible shooting in game one and we were still so close to the victory.


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## Pimped Out (May 4, 2005)

darth-horax said:


> Spurs in 6? Nah.
> 
> The Spurs/Nuggets series will be one of the best battles in this year's playoffs...trust me on that.
> 
> ...


the nuggets showed a lot of talent in that game, but they also showed they lacked that killer instinct at the end of the game when they were leading. they kept letting the spurs crawl back in. they looked they were panicking when they had a nice lead and didnt seem confident trying to run or play a half court late in the game. they way the nuggets carried themselves late in the game doesnt make me really believe they could take the spurs 3 more times in the next 6 games.


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## darth-horax (Nov 21, 2005)

They HAVE had that issue all year long, unfortunately. I'm just glad they're finally starting to come around and play as a team at the right time of the season.

It's weird, cause they play better on the road tahn they do at home, so I wouldn't be surprised to see Denver win 2 and then lose their home games.


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