Spurs at Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets looked like a team on the rise last spring, earning the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference and appearing set for years to come with a young nucleus. Instead, the Nuggets will still be searching for their first win when they host the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday. Denver missed out on a chance to face the Spurs in the semifinals of the Western Conference playoffs last spring after falling in the first round.
The Nuggets led the NBA in scoring at 106.1 points last season but put up an average of 93 in dropping the first two games of 2013-14. “It’s a process,” new coach Brian Shaw told the team’s website. “I’ve said that all along. We’ll take our lumps while we try to get through this process.” The Spurs did not have that type of turnover on the roster and are plugging along with veteran savvy as they attempt to bounce back from a loss at Portland.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (San Antonio), Altitude (Denver)
ABOUT THE SPURS (2-1): San Antonio got Tim Duncan back from a chest contusion on Saturday and was rewarded with 24 points and seven rebounds from the future Hall of Famer but still suffered a 115-105 setback. Duncan, Parker and Manu Ginobili are holding up their end of the scoring load, and newcomer Marco Belinelli is starting to find his role off the bench, but the rest of the supporting cast is catching on slower. Starting shooting guard Danny Green is putting up just 3.3 points and went scoreless in 17 minutes on 0-of-3 shooting at Portland.
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (0-2): Denver is the only team in the league without at least three games under its belt and used the extra time off to make some changes during practice over the weekend. “We definitely are going to have to inject some more energy to start out the games,” Shaw said. The Nuggets were in a 64-50 hole at halftime in a 113-98 loss to the Trail Blazers on Friday and could not match the energy of the Sacramento Kings during a 90-88 opening setback while getting little production in the frontcourt.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The teams split the four meetings last season, with each protecting homecourt.
2. San Antonio F Boris Diaw scored 14 points in each of the first three games.
3. Denver F Wilson Chandler (hamstring) missed the first two games but is hoping to return Tuesday.