San Antonio – In a day or two, might allow himself to smile, to take solace and feel something good about this season.
However, Wednesday night, moments after the Nuggets were eliminated from the 2005 playoffs, was not the time.
“We stuck together as a team,” Nuggets point guard Miller said. “We stuck together through these playoffs. Even though we made mistakes, we stuck together as a team.”
Four straight losses to the Spurs were the cause of hurt feelings and angst in Denver’s postgame locker room. Players reminisced on missed shots, missed rebounds and botched defensive assignments. All played a small part in the Nuggets’ downfall.
“We had opportunities in every game we lost to win,” center said. “That’s what you want to have. It hurts. The guys’ egos are a bit hurt. We’re frustrated.”
But the biggest credit, the players said, goes directly to the Spurs.
“We just didn’t make enough plays like the Spurs did,” Camby said. “We kept fighting and clawing back, but they just seemed to have the answer. Either (Tim) Duncan, (Manu) Ginobili, (Tony) Parker or tonight, (Robert) Horry. Those guys are well-balanced over there.”
San Antonio’s knockout punch was a fourth quarter in which it held the Nuggets to six points in the first 8:30. During that span, the Spurs outscored the Nuggets 14-6.
Denver’s pinpointed a possession in which the Nuggets allowed San Antonio to get multiple offensive rebounds, resulting in a Glenn Robinson 3-pointer that put the Spurs up by eight points.
“But we fought hard,” Martin said.
The simple fact that the Nuggets made the playoffs at all was a source of some comfort.
Denver started the season 17-25 before hiring George Karl to coach the team. Karl directed the Nuggets to a 32-8 record, making the Nuggets the hottest team in the NBA the last three months of the regular season.
‘s play improved. The playoffs, which seemed unattainable in January, became a reality in April. The Nuggets were especially good at home, where they compiled a 19-1 record under Karl.
“We’ve come a long way from where we were three months ago to where we are now,” Martin said. “There’s a lot of people that thought we were dead and didn’t give us a shot.”
A win over the Spurs here in the first game of the series added hope. But the playoff-tough Spurs put an end to the upstart Nuggets’ magic carpet ride.
Nuggets guard was to upset for words.
“I don’t have nothing to say,” he snapped as he zipped up his sweat suit and headed out of the SBC Center’s visitor’s locker room.
But Camby pointed toward a bright future.
“I’m excited,” Camby said. “I can’t wait for next year.”
Chris Dempsey can be reached at 303-820-5455 or cdempsey@denverpost.com.
