San
Antonio at Denver
It's hard to believe that I'm picking this one over a
Suns/Mavericks tilt.
Dallas and Phoenix matchups have provided some of the best
basketball games we've seen over the last half-decade, whereas the Spurs and
Nuggets seem to meet every year in the playoffs, and every year the pairing
results in some of the most boring basketball of the postseason. And that's
counting other Spurs games, as well. No sliding scale,adidas 1 Smart Ride, here.
But we don't know where Steve Nash's stomach is at,Adidas adiZero, or if
the Suns will be running. Shocking to say, but a team coached by Rick Carlisle
might be pushing the ball more than the one with Steve Nash and/or Leandro
Barbosa at the helm.
The Spurs and Nuggets, meanwhile, are in a state of flux.
Good flux. Funflux 2008. The Spurs just returned to relatively good health,
with Tim and Tony and Manu back on the floor,adidas LA Trainer, along with sparkplugs like Roger
Mason Jr. and rookie George Hill filling out the rotation. This is a fun team
to watch.
And while the Nuggets of old could be fun to watch at times,
the squad's offensive issues were sometimes so frustrating that it didn't
matter if they were running at every chance and putting up a hundred shots a
game. Now, with Chauncey Billups around, things have slowed, but the team
doesn't make you want to throw things at your TV, even if you're an impartial
observer.
If I'm wrong? Well, you'll have already seen a Suns/Mavs
classic by the time this one tips off, so what's the diff?
Denver Nuggets:
13-6, 94.6 possessions per game (6th-most in the NBA), 107.5 points
scored per 100 possessions (12th-most in the NBA), 102.6 points
allowed per 100 possessions (7th-most in the NBA). Shootout at the Fantasy
Factory.
San Antonio Spurs:
9-8, 87.4 possessions per game (29th), 104.8 points scored per 100
possessions (20th), 104.9 points allowed per 100 possessions (11th).
Paper Sun.
Related: Game to pay attention to
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