SAN ANTONIO — For a night, Tim Duncan was not the best post player in a Spurs game. Really, one could argue that Wednesday, he wasn’t the second best, either.
Denver’s Kenyon Martin and Nene each played Goliathesque defense and each flirted with double-doubles in the Nuggets’ 91-81 victory at San Antonio (5-6).
For the second straight night, Denver’s opponent played without two key cogs, and the injured Spurs duo was pretty darn significant — Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, both out with left ankle injuries.
But the real battle was in the low post, where both teams were pretty healthy. And Denver dominated.
Martin finished with 18 points and seven rebounds, Nene had 16 and nine and Denver won for the second time in as many nights. The first-place Nuggets are now 8-4 and 7-1 with Chauncey Billups in the lineup, titillating news to Nuggets faithful. And now, the litmus test is Friday, when the Nuggets travel to Los Angeles to play the mighty Lakers, the team that swept Denver in the first round of the playoffs last season.
For the night, Denver kept the Spurs to just 38.7 percent from the field, thanks to methodical team defense, Denver’s forte this season.
As for Duncan, he logged a respectable 12 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in 30 minutes, but without his key backcourt teammates, he was unable to get into a flow. And Denver’s defense didn’t help his cause, either. Duncan scowled more than he shot. And with 1:21 left in the third quarter, he was slapped with a technical foul. With 29.9 seconds left in the third quarter, Billups swished a 3-pointer, giving Denver a 20-point, 73-53 lead, and Duncan rested on the bench for the rest of the night.
The Nuggets picked up right where they left off Tuesday in Wednesday’s first half. The Nuggets’ intense defense forced the Spurs to force shots. The result was a pathetic 34.1 percent effort in the first half, good for just 40 points. Meanwhile, the Nuggets tallied 50 first-half points, thanks to double-digit scoring from Martin, Nene and Carmelo Anthony.
In the previous two games, Anthony made just four field goals, and Wednesday he made five, but just like in those other two games, both victories, Anthony contributed in other key ways. On Wednesday, he tallied seven assists while grabbing nine rebounds, tied with Nene for a team high.
The Nuggets’ on-court communication has been clear and continuous, perhaps epitomized by one play, early in the third quarter. Anthony held the ball near the top of the key, while Billups was on the left wing. While Anthony controlled possession, he pointed toward a spot on the floor and yelled out a play call. Billups yelled back to Anthony and, suddenly, Billups popped open on the wing, received an anticipated pass and splashed an open 3-pointer.
Benjamin Hochman:
303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com
