Nuggets coach George Karl said Sunday he believes you must win two games on the road to capture a playoff series. The San Antonio Spurs hope to make Karl’s theory come true tonight at the Pepsi Center.
The Spurs hold a 2-1 lead over the Nuggets in the first-round series after winning Game 3 96-91 on Saturday at Denver. A win tonight would leave the Spurs a win away from winning the series, with Game 5 and a possible Game 7 at home.
“You don’t want to keep playing with these guys,” Spurs swingman Bruce Bowen said. “I don’t want to keep chasing (Allen Iverson) and then go to the big wall of Carmelo (Anthony). You want to end it as quick as you can, but you can’t look ahead.
“You got to take it one game at a time. I know it’s an old cliché, but it’s important because you can learn from each and every game.”
Two years ago the Spurs entered a Game 4 in similar position in Denver. San Antonio won two games at the Pepsi Center before winning the series in five games. Bowen acknowledged that while the Spurs respected today’s Nuggets, they “underestimated” them before losing Game 1 in San Antonio. The Spurs are taking Denver seriously now.
“(Game 4) is really important to us,” guard Michael Finley said. “Hopefully, we can come out with the same intensity that we came out with the other night. And hopefully that can get us a win.”
The veteran Spurs never seemed rattled in Game 3 despite playing in front of a loud pro-Denver crowd of 19,951 that was the largest in Nuggets’ history. Finley credited the experience of the Spurs, who have won three NBA titles since 1999, as the reason why the franchise is so composed in big road games.
“Guys on the team have faced playoff challenges throughout their career,” Finley said. “They’ve faced crowds maybe even louder than (Saturday) night. There is no surprise when crowds are as rowdy as they were (Saturday) night. It’s just about us focusing on our task at hand, staying together.”
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said: “One hopes that experience can be a positive factor. But it can often times be negated by someone else or a team.”
Horry adds to legacy
Spurs forward Robert Horry has built a reputation for making big shots during his 15-year NBA career and owns the nickname “Big Shot Rob.”
Horry added another big shot to his résumé with a 20-foot jumper late in Game 3 that sealed the Spurs’ win.
“I don’t think you can go into a gym and try to be a player to be like Robert Horry,” Finley said. “I just think it’s in his DNA. His makeup. That’s what he’s been doing his whole career. And when you’ve been doing it your whole career, it breeds confidence.”
Said Popovich: “Just when you need it he just seems to come up with that sort of thing.”
Footnotes
The Spurs had a light workout at the Pepsi Center in which several key players were allowed to rest. … When asked if Nuggets center Marcus Camby being awarded the NBA defensive player of the year award before Game 3 motivated him, Bowen simply said: “No.”
Staff writer Marc J. Spears can be reached at 303-954-1098 or mspears@denverpost.com.
