San Antonio – For one night, the Nuggets let their trademark lapse. They scored one of their least Nugget-esque wins of the season Sunday against San Antonio.
As Denver prepares for Game 2 of their first-round playoff series tonight, the team is well aware that another game with only 14 fast-break points and 13 turnovers against 12 assists probably won’t cut it.
Asked how many wins the Nuggets could manage at the Spurs’ slower speed, center Marcus Camby said, “Not many, because that’s not our forte.”
Coach George Karl responded, “Maybe one.”
Not that Karl is complaining about his team’s 93-87 Game 1 victory. He was aware how tired players on both sides felt by the end.
“I’d give it a B,” Karl said. “On this court, playing against the team that gives up the fewest points in the paint? Tim Duncan’s the best transition defensive big man in the league. I’d give it a B. Some people in San Antonio thought it was frantic. Come watch us play Phoenix. You’ll see frantic.”
Karl is the first to admit a faster game favors Denver. More offensive chances provide more chances for different players to get into a groove. In an 85-point game, Karl said he probably needs another “stud” performance like the improbable 31-point showing Sunday by Andre Miller.
“I don’t think Andre’s going to get 35 tonight,” Karl said. “I just don’t think that’s going to happen.”
While the Nuggets’ fast style creates different heroes each game, Karl added the opposite is true and allows San Antonio to live off its three stars, Duncan and guards Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
“The slow-down game, they’re going to go to Duncan. They’re going to go to Parker. They’re going to go to Ginobili,” Karl said. “So I think we want to keep it at a pace game because they’re probably better in a half-court game.”
The coach said he expects San Antonio to get Duncan more touches early tonight so the all-star forward gets into a rhythm. He also guessed the Spurs will run fewer pick-and-roll plays than the 37 they ran Sunday.
What encourages the Nuggets is the fact they have plenty of room for improvement. They missed 8-of-30 free throws. They let forward Nazr Mohammed, normally a backup, get 15 points and 15 rebounds, including nine on the offensive glass. They made just three 3-point shots.
The Nuggets also realize San Antonio will do everything in its power to slow the pace.
“We want to get up and down the court,” forward Kenyon Martin said. “But if we can’t and they do an excellent job getting up and down on (defense), that’s what we have to play.”
Guard Earl Boykins guessed Denver’s offense wouldn’t necessarily decide the series.
“The most important thing for us is defense,” he said. “If we can stop them and continue to defensive rebound, I think it’s going to be the key to this entire series.”
In Karl’s eyes, the Nuggets must make sure they at least establish a running game at home for Games 3 and 4 and then be prepared for surprises if the series extends to six or seven games, as he expects it will.
Miller, who kept Denver in the game Sunday with 24 first-half points, seemed to be the only Nugget unconcerned by the pace.
“Doesn’t matter as long as we win,” he said.
Staff writer Adam Thompson can be reached at 303-820-5447 or athompson@denverpost.com.
