KEY STAT
0-17
Denver held San Antonio without a field goal from the 10:17 mark of the fourth quarter to the final nine seconds, when Robert Horry hit a meaningless 3-pointer. During that span, San Antonio missed 17 consecutive field goal attempts.
KEY MOMENT
Duncan denied
With Denver ahead 88-84 and San Antonio desperately needing a basket, Spurs star Tim Duncan missed a shot in the lane, had the ball squirt back to him, then left another shot in the lane short. That was the Spurs’ last gasp.
SHOT OF THE SEASON
Miller’s magic
When hit his second 3-pointer of the first half – after making all of six the entire regular season – you knew it might be the Nuggets’ night. Miller drilled his second 3-pointer from just inside the half-court line as the first half ended.
STRANGE COACHING MOVE
Robinson rests
San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich sat his best offensive punch off the bench, veteran forward Glenn Robinson, for the first three quarters of the game. Robinson never got into a rhythm, and the Spurs’ offense wilted.
BEST
Soft shooting
Defensive work: By the Nuggets’ big men on Tim Duncan, who finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds but shot only 7-of-22 from the field.
Drama: Neither team led by more than two points in a great back-and-forth stretch over the first half of the third quarter.
Dunk: ‘s first-quarter reverse windmill, with an honorable mention to Manu Ginobili’s facial over .
Bench performance: With Eduardo Najera hurt, Denver’s Nene provided an energetic nine points and six rebounds in 17 minutes.
Surprise: Spurs backup center Nazr Mohammed had 15 points and 15 rebounds.
WORST
Pass it, please
Distribution: The Nuggets didn’t register their first assist until 5:41 remained in the second quarter.
Shot sustained: In a game with plenty of contact, Nazr Mohammed got the worse of a first-quarter collision with . Mohammed needed four stitches over his right eye after the hit.
Fake-out: Spurs coach Gregg Popovich indicated before the game he would consider playing Rasho Nesterovic, even though most indications were the 7-foot center’s sprained left ankle
had not healed.
