San Antonio – After facing the San Antonio Spurs in two of the past three postseasons, not many players know the Western Conference champions as well as Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony does. And Anthony plans to pass on what he knows to his good friend Le- Bron James before Thursday night’s NBA Finals opener in San Antonio.
“My advice to LeBron is to always stay focused against those guys,” Anthony said. “The Spurs are a sharp, veteran team that takes advantage of mistakes. You cannot give them an edge.”
James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Eastern Conference championship with his clutch play. Anthony, through an interview Tuesday via text message, said he hasn’t had a chance to talk with James since the Cavs ousted Detroit, but will do so soon.
The Spurs ousted the Nuggets in the first round, 4-1, during which Anthony averaged 26.8 points and shot 48 percent from the field. In 2005, the Spurs also eliminated the Nuggets 4-1 and held Anthony to a 19.2-point average on 42.2 percent. The Spurs swarmed Anthony and forced someone else to try to beat them. They are expected to do something similar against James.
“The Spurs’ defense is great,” Anthony said. “They have very good individual and team defenders. Your offensive game has to be at a high level to be successful. LeBron will discover ways to score against them. His teammates have to do the same.”
Giving Cleveland hope is the fact the Cavs went 2-0 in the regular season against the Spurs, with James averaging 27.0 points and shooting 48.8 percent from the field. San Antonio, however, does an excellent job of slowing down up-tempo teams and hindering an opponent’s best weapon.
San Antonio forward Bruce Bowen, a 2007 first-team selection on the NBA’s all-defensive team, who is regarded as the league’s best perimeter defender, is expected to start against James, with plenty of help from his teammates on the interior.
Anthony and James are USA Basketball teammates and have had a growing friendship since they were selected third and first overall, respectively, in the 2003 draft.
San Antonio, gunning for its fourth NBA title since 1999, is a heavy favorite in this series. Anthony also views the Spurs as the team to beat, but gives Cleveland a fighter’s chance.
“The Cavs have a chance, but they will have to play their best basketball over the seven-game series,” Anthony said.
Footnotes
The Nuggets don’t have a draft pick, but are tentatively scheduled to have workouts for draft-eligible players June 14 and 18. Among the prospects expected to work out are Boise State guard Coby Karl, son of Nuggets coach George Karl; Oregon guard Aaron Brooks; Maryland guard D.J. Strawberry, son of former baseball star Darryl Strawberry; and San Diego State guard Brandon Heath. … Nuggets forward Linas Kleiza and swingman Yakhouba Diawara are working out at the Pepsi Center in preparation for international play with their native countries of Lithuania and France, respectively.
Staff writer Marc J. Spears can be reached at 303-954-1098 or mspears@denverpost.com.
