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Spurs-Nuggets Preview

Feb 10, 2010 - 7:34 PM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

San Antonio (29-21) at Denver (35-17), 10:30 p.m. EDT

The San Antonio Spurs haven't done a good job of taking advantage of teams playing without their stars on this road trip.

That's a luxury the Spurs won't have Thursday night when they take on Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets in the final NBA game before the All-Star break.

San Antonio (29-21) has not played like a title contender in splitting the first four games of this trip. The Spurs have beaten Sacramento and the Clippers and suffered losses to Portland and the Lakers.

What is especially troubling is that the Trail Blazers played without Brandon Roy and the Lakers were without Kobe Bryant as well as Andrew Bynum on Monday in their 101-89 victory.

"On this trip already we played Portland without Brandon Roy and didn't get it done," forward Richard Jefferson said. "Coach (Gregg Popovich) said it best: 'We're playing soft.' And that's starting with me. I haven't shot the ball well the last 10 or so games."

There was a chance that the Spurs may have caught a break and not seen Anthony for Denver (35-17). Anthony, though, returned after missing eight games with a sprained left ankle and scored 19 points in 30 minutes of a 127-91 rout of Dallas on Tuesday.

"The good thing is my first game back, I didn't have to do too much," Anthony said. "But the bad thing is, I already had been sitting out for two weeks. I wanted to play (more), but I'll take a 36-point win any day."

Denver beat San Antonio 103-89 without Anthony on Jan. 31, as Kenyon Martin had 27 points and 11 rebounds and Chauncey Billups added 25 points and 11 assists. This game could be even easier for the Nuggets since Anthony feels he is showing no ill effects from the ankle.

"I approached this game wanting to see what I could and couldn't do, and I found out I could do pretty much what I've been doing," said Anthony, who scored 34 in a 106-99 win over the Spurs on Dec. 5.

Anthony's 20.3 career scoring average against the Spurs, though, is his lowest versus any Western Conference opponent.

While Denver gained confidence in going 5-3 during its latest stretch without Anthony, San Antonio is looking for answers.

Jefferson, acquired to bolster an aging roster and seemingly in his prime at age 29, is averaging 12.1 points - his lowest since his rookie season in 2001-02. He's averaging 8.8 points on 33.8 percent shooting over the last eight games.

Point guard Tony Parker's 16.9 scoring average is his lowest in five seasons, and reserve Manu Ginobili's 13.3 is his worst in six seasons. In addition, the Spurs' 45.6 defensive field-goal percentage is their worst since Tim Duncan was drafted in 1997, upsetting the defensive-minded Popovich.

"He's going to keep pushing us and either we're going to do it, or we're not," Parker said. "Simple as that."

Denver has outrebounded San Antonio by an average of 7.5 in the two victories this season, with Martin averaging 12.0.

Martin, however, sat out Tuesday because of tendinitis in his left knee and his status is uncertain.