The surprising Denver Nuggets battled with the defending champs for the top seed in the Western Conference all season, but in the end they fell short. The Nugs flirted with the top spot until a blowout loss in Golden State a few weeks ago ended any hope of that happening. Denver played the role of contender all season now we’ll see if they are up to the challenge in the playoffs. Moving on won’t be easy against an experienced San Antonio Spurs squad that qualified for the second season for the 22nd straight year.
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No. 2 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 7 San Antonio Spurs Series Schedule
Game 1: Spurs at Nuggets, Saturday, April 13, 2019, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 2: Spurs at Nuggets, Tuesday, April 16, 2019, 9 p.m. ET (NBATV)
Game 3: Nuggets at Spurs, Thursday, April 18, 2019, 9 p.m. ET (NBATV)
Game 4: Nuggets at Spurs, Saturday, April 20, 2019, 5:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5: Spurs at Nuggets, Tuesday, April 23, 2019 (If Necessary)
Game 6: Nuggets at Spurs, Thursday, April 25, 2019 (If Necessary)
Game 7: Spurs at Nuggets, Saturday, April 27, 2019 (If Necessary)
Series Price at BookMaker.eu: Check Back Later
While the Spurs are back in the playoffs for the 22nd consecutive season, they don’t have a chance of winning the West and probably won’t get out of this series. It’s been a tumultuous season and in many ways it mirrors what the club went through last year, though the Kawhi Leonard saga isn’t hanging over them. The Spurs finished with the same 47-34 record and the No. 7 seed.
The difference is that they get the Nuggets this season and not the Warriors, who won the first-round matchup in five games on their way to another title. The Spurs were teetering at the end of February after winning once in their eight-game rodeo road trip dropping to 33-29 overall. At that time winning a game was the focus and not the playoffs. They won their next nine games and finished the season with 15 victories in their last 20 outings.
The Spurs avoided a first-round matchup with the Warriors, which was important to Gregg Popovich. But this series is going to be just as brutal. Quietly going about his business, LaMarcus Aldridge had another stellar season leading the team with 21.3 points and 9.2 rebounds per game while shooting 52 percent from the floor.
To make any noise in the postseason, the Spurs need DeMar DeRozan to shed his past playoff failures. A change of scenery might be just what DeRozan needs as he begins his first postseason with San Antonio. DeRozan overcame mid-season shooting struggles to give Aldridge some help offensively by averaging 21.2 points.
It’s been six years since the Nuggets last reached the postseason and it’s been a decade since they won a playoff series. So, the pressure is on the No. 2 seed. They are expected to win and they should win, but the pressure is a bit different once the second season begins. And the question is how will the Nuggets handle it?
While the Nuggets are a young squad, they do have veteran leadership from guys like Paul Millsap, Mason Plumlee and Will Barton to lean on. The biggest advantage - and I mean biggest - is Nikola Jokic, who averaged 20 points, 10.8 rebounds and 7.2 assists during the season, all team highs. It’s rare to have a center so adept at passing the basketball and the offense runs through him. Jokic had some big games against the Spurs during the season routinely backing down Aldridge in the block and either taking the ball to the hole or dishing to a teammate.
And the Spurs’ defensive numbers have declined now that Leonard is no longer around. San Antonio ranked 20th in defensive efficiency and 12th in points allowed per game during the regular season.
Player to Watch
There are the usual suspects to keep an eye on, Aldridge and DeRozan for the Spurs, Jokic and Jamaal Murray for the Nuggets. However, one player who can make a difference for Denver is Gary Harris. He’s been a solid defender all season, but he turned it up offensively over the final weeks of the regular season averaging nearly 16 points on 53 percent shooting over the last three games. Adding a third scoring option allows the Nuggets to break down an already suspect Spurs defense.
Nuggets vs. Spurs Free Picks
The teams split the four-game season series with each winning twice on its home floor, and that’s advantage Denver, which had the best home record in the Association. There might be some early jitters from the Nuggets, but I like their overall athleticism and their play in the Mile High city will come in handy as this series could go the distance.
Nuggets vs. Spurs Series Pick: Nuggets in 7 Games
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