Game Thread Spurs (62-19)vs Nuggets (53-28) (Sunday 4/12/26) [7:30PM CDT]

[Bones]

Hopefully Mitch has the balls to pull a Claxton/Beno over TP if Harper is balling and Fox is selling

 

[Mugen]

I just don't think they have an answer for Jokic tbh and the Nuggets can at least put Gordon on Victor. Granted, nobody has answer for Jokic but the matchup takes away a lot of San Antonio's strengths defensively.

I don't think they can have Vic guard Joker 1on1. They'll just put him in screen n roll action every time and it gives Murray just enough of an advantage where he can get into the paint and do damage. Strawther was even making Castle look helpless out there tonight, that'll be magnified when it's the Murray/Joker 2 man game.

Which means - they'll have to put Keldon or Castle on Joker (we saw both looks tonight) so Vic can play free safety as much as possible. The issue is that there's really nowhere to hide him if Cam Johnson or Braun are hitting shots (what we saw in the OT matchup). Gordon is a sniper from the corners and both Cam/Braun have been shooting better of late. That's pretty much what the series will come down to: whether Cam and Braun can hit the open shots that Mitch will give up to them.

On the bright side, Denver is not great defensively. But you'll need everybody (Fox/Castle/Harper + all of our shooters) to be playing well on that end to keep pace with them. I just don't have enough faith in playoff Fox, 2nd year Castle and maybe 80% healthy Harper to think they get it done.

Vic would need an absolutely dominant series on both sides of the ball for the Spurs to win it tbh.

 

[Mugen]

And make no mistake, we are where we are (ahead of schedule) because of our defense. If Wemby is even somewhat neutralized on that end, we turn into an average team pretty quickly tbh.

 

[frenchfred]

I think if the Nuggets beat the Spurs it will be a pyrrhic victory for them anyways. That series will go the distance and they won't have much left to beat OKC.

I can see a sweep or 4-1 (Denver winning) with all the games either going in OT or a win on the last shot.

 

[timtonymanu]

I just don't think they have an answer for Jokic tbh and the Nuggets can at least put Gordon on Victor. Granted, nobody has answer for Jokic but the matchup takes away a lot of San Antonio's strengths defensively.

I don't think they can have Vic guard Joker 1on1. They'll just put him in screen n roll action every time and it gives Murray just enough of an advantage where he can get into the paint and do damage. Strawther was even making Castle look helpless out there tonight, that'll be magnified when it's the Murray/Joker 2 man game.

Which means - they'll have to put Keldon or Castle on Joker (we saw both looks tonight) so Vic can play free safety as much as possible. The issue is that there's really nowhere to hide him if Cam Johnson or Braun are hitting shots (what we saw in the OT matchup). Gordon is a sniper from the corners and both Cam/Braun have been shooting better of late. That's pretty much what the series will come down to: whether Cam and Braun can hit the open shots that Mitch will give up to them.

On the bright side, Denver is not great defensively. But you'll need everybody (Fox/Castle/Harper + all of our shooters) to be playing well on that end to keep pace with them. I just don't have enough faith in playoff Fox, 2nd year Castle and maybe 80% healthy Harper to think they get it done.

Vic would need an absolutely dominant series on both sides of the ball for the Spurs to win it tbh.

Agree with all this. That being said, throw our guys into the fire, tbh. This is how you build champions. Best case scenario, we win a title. Worst case scenario, we gain valuable playoff experience with our future big 3. I’m excited, tbh.

 

[Mugen]

Agree with all this. That being said, throw our guys into the fire, tbh. This is how you build champions. Best case scenario, we win a title. Worst case scenario, we gain valuable playoff experience with our future big 3. I’m excited, tbh.

Yeah, they'll definitely get their playoff experience one way or another soon enough tbh.

 

[spursistan]

Mitch had a short post-game availability and looked slightly upset. They, front office and ownership, know deep down they fumbled the bag big time tonight (potential extra revenue from WCF among other). Just a sour note to end on for such a great season.

 

[NASpurs]

Mitch had a short post-game availability and looked slightly upset. They, front office and ownership, know deep down they fumbled the bag big time tonight (potential extra revenue from WCF among other). Just a sour note to end on for such a great season.

Then play Wemby if they really wanted to win.

 

[dn0774]

Biyombo -14 in 5 minutes. I never want anyone on this board to say 3rd bigs don’t matter again.

 

[Mugen]

I mean the silver lining to tonight is that they got punched in the mouth in a (all things considered) "meaningless" game and they'll have a full week of practice to recover.

I'll definitely take that over getting punched in the mouth in a playoff game with a short turnaround tbh.

 

[DaSlicer]

I can see a sweep or 4-1 (Denver winning) with all the games either going in OT or a win on the last shot.

The series will go 6 or 7 games and I feel it's 50-50 on if the Spurs win the series. Denver is a great offensive team but defensively they have never been good which is the reason why the series will go the distance. They will win games on heroic play but their defense will also heroically cost them games.

 

[siraulo22]

Fucking bitter end to an otherwise glorious regular season tbh

thankfully i skimmed through this game and didnt watch in full or i woulda been 10x more pissed

 

[scott]

The series will go 6 or 7 games and I feel it's 50-50 on if the Spurs win the series. Denver is a great offensive team but defensively they have never been good which is they the series will go the distance. They will win games on heroic play but their defense will also heroically cost them games.

I think it will get hyped up as one of the greatest series of all time… and it may very well deliver based on the one game we really saw between the two teams.

 

[spurraider21]

Biyombo -14 in 5 minutes. I never want anyone on this board to say 3rd bigs don’t matter again.

They matter when your 2 other centers are out, yes.

 

[Kick-Stand]

I mean the silver lining to tonight is that they got punched in the mouth in a (all things considered) "meaningless" game and they'll have a full week of practice to recover.

I'll definitely take that over getting punched in the mouth in a playoff game with a short turnaround tbh.

Bend over, I'll give you a short turnaround

 

[spurraider21]

plumdog and Biyombo (and hypothetically Olynyk) were always going to get dog-walked by Jokić, but they could have offered a semblance of resistance to Valanciunas

 

[Mugen]

Bend over, I'll give you a short turnaround

Tremendous moxie for his size tbh

 

[DaSlicer]

plumdog and Biyombo (and hypothetically Olynyk) were always going to get dog-walked by Jokić, but they could have offered a semblance of resistance to Valanciunas

That's exactly how I felt and they could have limited the offensive rebounds the Nuggets were getting with Valanciunas.

 

[elpimpo4cc]

Great effort mermaids exactly what we wanted

 

[spursistan]

The more i think about it the more i believe this will be the costliest season finale faux pas by the Spurs since that '15 Pelicans loss. It is not just the bracket rearrangement but the mental edge surrendered to the Nuggets in such dumb fashion will come back to haunt them..

 

[BatManu20]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2043494464442736781

 

[cediskace]

wow, i discover the result now in the morning in France....... what a stupid loss.......

Even for Denver, it's a stupid win. Both teams title odds went down 15% and OKC one went up 10%......

Denver will have to play Minnesota in the first round instead of Houston.
We'll have to play them in the 2nd round, if we're here, instead of Minnesota.

And OKC will have to face Houston (or LA) in the 2nd round instead of Denver.

Winning the title is not beating all the best teams, it has never been. It's a lot about the path, and both team made their more difficult while easing OKC one.....

And even LA was stupid enough to beat Utah (difficult to lose to them honestly) to help us .....

very disappointing..... that and the loss in OT against them some games ago.....

The only way to make it good is if Minnesota beats Denver.... it will made us face Minnesota having battled against Denver instead of cakewalking against LA......

Well, still have to beat Pheonix on the 1st round, not an easy task... but what a great regular season, we don't need to forget that i guess. Excited to see the Spurs in the PO again !!

 

[Fireball]

Spurs

could this have ended worse? Suns will give us fits and the Spurs just cant stop the Nuggets regardless of who is playing. what a letdown

bless Harpers thumb btw

 

[scott]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2043494464442736781

Mikal Bridges bitch ass played 23 seconds today to keep his iron man streak alive. Shameful.

 

[WembyFan]

Went to the game and enjoyed it but of course the Spurs play was not what i was used to the last couple months. Makes sense though, Spurs were looking ahead to the playoffs and so too were the Nuggs but they were playing guys who were looking to show off their skills. On to the playoffs!