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Spurs drub Denver to finish rodeo trip

By Mike Monroe

DENVER — Fresh off the worst defeat for any Spurs team since 1997, a 40-point thumping in Portland, this season’s Spurs came out against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center as if they intended to secure their most lopsided victory in the past dozen seasons.

Leading by as many as 28 in the first half, the Spurs eventually settled for a 114-99 victory that closed out their ninth rodeo road trip with an 8-1 record.

Only in 2002-03, when the Spurs lost the first game of the inaugural rodeo trip and won the final eight, had the club produced as good a record for the extended journey.

No team in NBA history has had a better stretch of nine consecutive road games. But closing the trip out with a convincing victory was more important for what it prevented — five days of dwelling on what would have been back-to-back losses.

“It was great to get the win,” team captain Tim Duncan said. “It was important to start the game the right way, and we did that. We were happy with the outcome.”

The rest coach Gregg Popovich gave Duncan and All-Star point guard Tony Parker by holding them out of Tuesday’s game in Portland, derided as an insult to the game in some media quarters, proved a solid strategy. Duncan scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Parker took only four shots in the first half but finished with 16 points and 12 assists.

At 23 years of age, DeJuan Blair doesn’t need extra rest. He played 20-plus minutes in Portland but still had plenty left in Denver. Making 8 of 10 shots in the first half, he finished with 28 points, matching a career high. He also grabbed 12 rebounds.

“I don’t know what got into me,” Blair said. “All-Star break coming up, maybe. I was pretty aggressive. It was fun. A lot of fun.

“We wanted to come out and set the tone. They came off a loss last night, and we were coming off a huge loss. We wanted to hit, hit, hit them first.”

Blair’s aggression hit the Nuggets immediately. He made four of five shots in the first period, when the Spurs jumped out to a 31-15 lead.

“That’s what DeJuan always does,” Duncan said. “He finds a way to score the ball. He’s like a magnet to the ball. It’s just about getting his opportunities. He got a lot of those tonight, and he’ll finish them. He’ll put them in.”

Next up for ever team is All-Star Weekend, a five-day vacation for every Spurs player but Western Conference All-Star Tony Parker and rookie Kawhi Leonard, who will play in tonight’s Rising Stars Challenge.

It will be a welcome break for a team with three players on the injured list. Guard Manu Ginobili and center Tiago Splitter are still more than a week from their projected returns, and point guard T.J. Ford might miss the next game or two before returning.

Those injuries make every day without a game a bonus for the Spurs, now 24-10. Even their youngest player, 20-year-old Leonard, was feeling the fatigue of the rodeo trip. Feeling tightness in both calves at halftime Thursday, he sat out the second half, a luxury afforded to Popovich by their big lead.

As much rest as Duncan, Parker and their teammates got after the debacle in Portland, the short-handed Nuggets were primed for a fatigue-induced letdown. They arrived in Denver after 2 in the morning Thursday from a Wednesday night loss to the Clippers in Los Angeles.

Popovich said Thursday’s game was not a fair contest.

“Considering what (the Nuggets) had to go through, not just with injuries but with the schedule they just had, it was not a fair fight. They deserve a lot of credit for hanging in the whole game and making a run. A lot of teams would have packed it in. They showed a lot of character, and I’m sure (coach) George (Karl) is proud of them for that.”

mikemonroe@express-news.net
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– Associated Press photos

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Spurs 114, Nuggets 99: Feb. 23, 2012

San Antonio Spurs forward DeJuan Blair (45) scores with Denver Nuggets center Chris Andersen (11) defending during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012, in Denver. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker (9) and head coach Gregg Popovich, right, talk on the sideline during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012, in Denver. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker (9) drives by Denver Nuggets center Kosta Koufos (41) during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012, in Denver. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez) (AP)

Denver Nuggets’ Jordan Hamilton, front left, and Kenneth Faried, right, collide in midair while reaching for a rebound against the San Antonio Spurs during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012, in Denver. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs forward DeJuan Blair (45) drives past Denver Nuggets center Kosta Koufos (41) during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012, in Denver. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs center Tim Duncan (21) attempts a basket after being fouled by Denver Nuggets shooting guard Arron Afflalo during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012 in Denver. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs power forward Matt Bonner warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012, in Denver. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez) (AP)

Denver Nuggets guard Jordan Hamilton, from right, holds onto the ball after colliding with San Antonio Spurs small forward Richard Jefferson during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012, in Denver. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs forward DeJuan Blair (45) leaves the game for a quick break during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012, in Denver. The Spurs won 114-99. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez) (AP)

Denver Nuggets small forward Corey Brewer (13) scores past San Antonio Spurs center Tim Duncan (21) during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012, in Denver. The Spurs won 114-99. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs forward DeJuan Blair, top, blocks a shot by Denver Nuggets small forward Corey Brewer, bottom, but fouled him in the process during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012, in Denver. The Spurs won 114-99. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs center Tim Duncan (21) looks to pass with Denver Nuggets small forward Corey Brewer (13) defending during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012 in Denver. The Spurs won 114-99. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs forward DeJuan Blair (45) tries to drive past Denver Nuggets power forward Al Harrington (7) during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012, in Denver. The Spurs won 114-99. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez) (AP)

Spurs’ blowout loss blemish in big picture

By Mike Monroe

DENVER — The first half of the don’t-blink-or-you’ll-miss-it Spurs season ended with a calculated thud in Portland on Tuesday night.

The outcome of the 33rd game of the 66-game post-lockout season was a 40-point loss that will skew some of Gregg Popovich’s favorite statistical benchmarks: opponent points allowed and opponent field-goal percentage.

The Trail Blazers’ 137 points and 59.3 percent shooting were season highs for a Spurs opponent.

Count on the Spurs’ coach to use those defensive efficiency measures as a prod when he needs a motivational tool.

Loss aside, it was rest for his top two scorers one night after claiming the team’s seventh victory of the nine-game rodeo road trip that mattered to Popovich — not extending an NBA season-best 11-game win streak heading into tonight’s game in Denver.

There was little expectation the Spurs would win a road game against the Blazers without five members of Popovich’s preferred playing rotation: team captain Tim Duncan, All-Star point guard Tony Parker, star shooting guard Manu Ginobili, backup point guard T.J. Ford and backup center Tiago Splitter.

Even after ending the first half of the regular season with such a lopsided loss, Popovich knows his team has exceeded every expectation anyone had for it, including its ability to thrive after Ginobili broke his left hand in just the fifth game of the season.

Getting to the midway mark with a 23-10 record that leads the Southwest Division and is second-best in the Western Conference surprised even him.

“They’ve exceeded expectations, without a doubt,” Popovich said.

There are many explanations for such overachievement, and Popovich went down the list one by one:

?“We’ve had some people who have had some of their best years, like Matt Bonner. I think this is his best all-around season so far.

?“Tiago Splitter has given us what we thought he would give us when we brought him over (from the Spanish ACB League), so that’s been a good addition.

?“The young guys like Gary Neal, Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard have all done a good job and exceeded expectations we had for them considering what kind of a season this is and how short training camp was. So you have to be pleased with what they’ve done.

?“Duncan has played at such a high level, I thought he should have made the All-Star team again.”

?“And, obviously, Tony Parker has played at a very high level. It may be his very highest level ever, because he’s not just scoring; he’s assisting, he’s playing defense and he’s leading.

Duncan and Parker will be back in the starting lineup against a Nuggets team that had to play the Clippers in Los Angeles on Wednesday night. The Nuggets’ charter flight wasn’t scheduled to land in Denver until after 3 a.m.

Popovich wants his players to maintain the unified play that made the first 33 games such a surprising success and re-establish their competitive edge.

“The group has played unselfishly, really played solid basketball, night in and night out and showed some mental toughness,” he said. “Hopefully, we don’t lose that edge during the All-Star break.”

mikemonroe@express-news.net

Gasol’s big game, late block boosts him to top of Thursday’s S&Ds

Pau Gasol missed out on an All-Star Game selection Thursday for the first time in three seasons.

He didn’t let that momentary disappointment affect his playing later that evening.

Gasol provided 25 points and 14 rebounds and delivered a game-saving block at the overtime buzzer that sealed the Los Angeles Lakers’ 88-87 victory at Boston.

His block of Ray Allen’s shot at the buzzer enabled the Lakers to escape with a victory, only their second win in the last eight road games.

“I’ve been in situations before in my career where you freeze … catch yourself looking at the ball and end up losing the game,” Gasol told the Asssociated Press.

Allen said he was stunned that Gasol was in position for his late play.

“I was in the perfect position,” Allen told the AP, “and he came out of nowhere.”

Lakers coach Mike Brown was just happy that Gasol was in place when he needed him.

“That shot that Ray Allen took was good, in my opinion,” Brown told the AP. “But Pau did not stop playing until he heard the horn, and he came up with the big block.”

That clutch play enabled him to lead Thursday’s Studs and Duds of the top players across the association.

STUDS

Los Angeles Lakers F Pau Gasol: Notched 25 points, 14 rebounds, three assists and two blocks in the Lakers’ overtime victory at Boston. Gasol’s key block at the end of overtime preserved the triumph.

Golden State G Stephen Curry: Erupted for 36 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and was plus-15 in the Warriors’ victory at Denver.

Los Angeles Lakers G Kobe Bryant: Went for 27 points, five rebounds, four assists and was plus-2 in the Lakers’ victory at Boston.

Sacramento G Tyreke Evans: Filled the stat sheet with 22 points, five rebounds, five assists, four steals and was plus-7 in the Kings’ triumph over Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City G Russell Westbrook: Produced 33 points, six rebounds and three assists in the Thunder’s loss at Sacramento.

Houston’s bench: All five substitutes scored in double figures as they outscored Phoenix’s bench, 57-13, in the Rockets’ triumph over the Suns.

DUDS

Los Angeles Lakers G Derek Fisher: Missed all seven shots from the field with two turnovers and was minus-10 in the Lakers’ victory over Boston.

Phoenix G Sebastian Telfair: Missed all four shots with a turnover and was minus-19 in the Suns’ loss to Houston.

Denver G Rudy Fernandez: Went 4 for 13 from the field with four turnovers and was a team-worst minus-17 in the Nuggets’ loss to Golden State.

Oklahoma City C Kendrick Perkins: Was limited to five points on 1-for-4 shooting, had three turnovers and was minus-1 in the Thunder’s loss at Sacramento.

Boston F Kevin Garnett: Clanked through a 6-for-23 shooting effort with a turnover in the Celtics’ loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.