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Spurs go for season sweep of Nuggets

Mar 4, 2012 - 3:48 PM (Sports Network) - It's been 10 years since the San Antonio Spurs swept the Denver Nuggets in a season series. The Alamo City inhabitants will try to end the lengthy drought when they host the Nuggets tonight at the AT&T Center.

The Spurs haven't had a perfect season series against Denver since taking all four matchups in the 2001-02 campaign -- just one year prior to winning the second of four NBA titles. The Spurs have won the first two meetings with the Nuggets in 2011-12 and seven of the past eight matchups overall.

Denver is winless in three straight and 15 of 21 trips to the Alamo City.

San Antonio will continue a seven-game homestand Sunday and rebounded from Wednesday's loss to Chicago by pounding Charlotte, 102-72, two nights later. Tony Parker had 15 points, four assists and three steals, while Richard Jefferson and Matt Bonner each went 4-for-6 from three-point range and scored 14 points for the Spurs, who have won 13 of 15 games and pushed their home record to a sizzling 14-2 mark.

"In the first half, I thought we could have played better. We had a lot of tough turnovers and tough breaks, but in the second half we play a lot better," said Parker. "It was a good win for us and now we have to focus on the next one."

Tim Duncan scored 14 points in a winning cause. The Southwest Division-leading Spurs will also host the Knicks, Clippers, Wizards and Magic on the current residency and hope to have guard Manu Ginobili back in the lineup tonight. Ginobili has been sidelined five straight games with an oblique strain and already missed a chunk of time this season due to a broken bone in his hand.

Ginobili (9,783 pts) is 17 points away from surpassing Mike Mitchell (9,799) and into fifth place on the Spurs' all-time scoring list.

The Nuggets know a thing or two about playing shorthanded, as four key contributors have been bothered by injuries. Forward Danilo Gallinari has been out with an ankle issue and forward Nene is probable for tonight with a balky calf. Center Timofey Mozgov (ankle) and guard Rudy Fernandez (back) are both questionable against San Antonio.

The Nuggets will close out a quick two-game road trip Sunday and have won three of five games, including Friday's 117-105 victory over the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center. Ty Lawson scored a team-high 22 points and handed out a career-best 15 assists for the Nuggets, who got 16 points and 11 rebounds from rookie Kenneth Faried. Andre Miller scored 16 points as well.

"I was just trying to be aggressive," said Lawson after the game. "People were open and I just gave them the shot with a good pass. I tried to take care of the ball most of the time but today I was on. Our guys hit a lot of shots."

Arron Afflalo added 17 points and Corey Brewer chipped in 15 to help Denver snap a four-game road losing streak. The Nuggets are 10-9 away from the Pepsi Center this season. Faried has registered his first four career double-doubles in his past seven games.

After visiting the Spurs Denver will head back to the Rocky Mountains to kick off a lengthy nine-game homestand versus the Kings, Cavs, Hornets, Grizzlies, Hawks, Thunder, Celtics, Mavericks and Pistons.