If subsequent rounds get any tougher for San Antonio than its slugfest with Denver on Monday night, the Spurs are going to be one tired team if they make it to the NBA Finals.
At least their chances of advancing look strong after their 126-115 punch-drunk overtime victory over the Nuggets in Game 4 of the first-round playoff series at the Pepsi Center.
Nuggets forward has the biggest playoff game of his young career with 28 points but thought he could have scored more.
“We didn’t get me the ball,” Anthony said. “I don’t want to sound selfish, but I had something going and we got away from it. I think San Antonio stuck to their game plan. Every time down the court, they went to their go-to guy.”
That would be all-pro Tim Duncan, who scored 39 points.
Ahead 3-1 in the series, the Spurs are now fully in control. They can close out Denver, led in Game 4 by ‘ 32 points, on Wednesday in Game 5 in San Antonio – and if that doesn’t work, they’ll have two more chances.
About Game 5 in San Antonio, Anthony said: “We’re going to go out fighting. We’ve got to go to San Antonio with the mentality we can go down there and get a game.”
Said coach George Karl: “We’re in the NCAA Tournament now. … Single elimination. Statistics and history are probably against us, but basketball has strange twists.”
Spurs guard Tony Parker took over in overtime, scoring nine consecutive points as San Antonio pulled away after a tight fourth quarter.
“We didn’t have enough gas or enough confidence after they took the big lead in overtime,” Karl said.
In overtime, the Spurs jumped out to a 113-107 lead by scoring the first six points.
Denver got within 113-109 on Anthony’s tip but would get no closer. Parker was in the midst of his run, which he capped with a 3-point shot from the top of the key for a nine-point lead, 118-109.
While Parker was the star in overtime, it was all Duncan for much of regulation. In addition to his 39 points, he had 14 rebounds and showed his MVP form when the Spurs needed it most during a pressure-packed fourth quarter. Over and over, the Spurs patiently worked the ball to Duncan in their halfcourt game.
“Duncan was having such a huge game that if the scoreboard was different, we might have doubled him,” Karl said. “This is a team that knows how to play. Whatever you throw at them, they have the counter.”
Said Anthony: “It’s tough. A team like San Antonio was milking Tim Duncan every time down. We can’t do that. We come down and whatever happens, happens.”
Parker’s baseline jump shot with 27.4 seconds left in regulation gave the Spurs a 107-105 lead. Anthony tied the game with 14.4 seconds left by hitting a pair of free throws after driving to the basket to draw a foul on Duncan.
Denver guard blocked Manu Ginobili’s jump shot from the free-throw line in the final seconds to force the extra period.
“Both teams, I don’t know how they could have gotten at it any harder, been more physical or played with more intensity,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.
San Antonio made 23 of its last 24 free throws in a game that featured 73 fouls.
“That’s certainly an aberration,” Popovich said of his normally poor free-throw shooting team. “We’re happy to accept it.”
For the first time in the series, the Nuggets cleared 100 points – in a game that felt like it had 100 fouls. Whistles were a constant.
The Spurs appeared to take control on the strength of a 25-14 third-quarter run that broke a 61-61 tie. But after trailing by 11, the Nuggets seized the lead back when hit a pair of free throws with 4:51 left to put his team up 95-94. Anthony’s jumper put Denver up three, but the Spurs tied it with 3:53 left and the game went back and forth to the finish of regulation.
As Karl predicted, Duncan did not repeat his “average” performance of Game 3. He owned the low post like the two-time league MVP that he is.
Neither team led by more than five points in the first half until San Antonio ripped off an 8-0 run late in the second quarter. The Spurs were aided by foul trouble on , Miller and Boykins, all of whom committed their third personal fouls during the second half of the second quarter.
After Miller drew his third, Boykins had to re-enter the game, and he ended the first half the way Miller did in Game 1 – with a momentum-boosting basket. The point guard sped nearly the length of the court in 3.8 seconds, scoring on a reverse as time expired.
Denver responded in the third quarter, starting out on a 10-4 run.
Staff writer Adam Thompson can be reached at 303-820-5447 or athompson@denverpost.com.
Game 4
KEY STAT: 39
Tim Duncan’s point total. The big guy came up with his biggest game in the series.
KEY PLAY: Manu stops Melo
Manu Ginobili’s block of ‘s attempted lay-in with two minutes to go in overtime. A basket there would have cut the Spurs’ lead to four points, 115-111.
OFFICIATING: Cry me a river
The officials couldn’t please anyone in this game. One game after Denver coach George Karl ripped into the officiating, neither team, nor coach, was happy with the bevy of calls. After foul after foul piled up, , Kenyon Martin, Anthony, and all found themselves in foul trouble for Denver, and Bruce Bowen, Rasho Nesterovic, Robert Horry and Glenn Robinson faced the same problem for San Antonio.
A NIGHT OF CHAMPS: Local inspiration
The Nuggets trotted out some local sports heroes early to get the crowd pumped up. Before the game, they introduced Broncos Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey. Then, during a break, they brought out University of Denver coach George Gwozdecky and the NCAA champion Pioneers hockey team.
BEST
* Predicted recovery: As George Karl guessed, Duncan was again himself Monday, finishing with 39 points and 14 rebounds.
* Use of 3.8 seconds: Boykins, who sped down three-quarters of the court for a reverse layup to bring the Nuggets within six at halftime.
* Elevation: Nuggets backup DerMarr Johnson, who skied for a one-handed follow dunk of a missed Boykins 3-pointer with 2:37 left in the third period.
* Response to a technical: After ref Derrick Stafford whistled Camby for a technical foul, Camby won a jump ball over Duncan that set up a Ginobili foul in transition.
* National anthem by a grade-schooler: Lindy Moe, granddaughter of Denver assistant coach Doug Moe, who hit every high note.
WORST
* Flow: With all the stops and starts the whistles brought to this game it was more like football than basketball.
* Ball distribution: The Nuggets again struggled to distribute the ball.
* Whiners: The Pepsi Center crowd, which cried about officiating that did not do many favors for either team.
