San Antonio Spurs vs. Denver Nuggets: Postgame Grades and Analysis
The San Antonio Spurs shook off a rough start against the Denver Nuggets to earn a 109-99 victory Tuesday night at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.
Kawhi Leonard tallied a team-high 17 points and 15 rebounds for the Spurs, who ripped off an 11-2 run early in the fourth quarter to pull away from the Nuggets.
Despite the victory, San Antonio started 1-of-11 from the field and was outscored 56-32 in the paint. Additionally, the Nuggets managed 12 second-chance points on 12 offensive rebounds.
Gregg Popovich was visibly upset with his team's effort on multiple occasions, perhaps never more obvious than when the Spurs' longtime head coach called a timeout just 22 seconds into the third quarter.
"Who wants to guard under the rim? No one? OK then.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) January 21, 2015"
The Western Conference battle featured 12 ties and five lead changes, but Leonard's first three-pointer midway through the third frame gave San Antonio the lead for good.
Denver made just five of its 14 attempts from long range and shot 69 percent from the charity stripe.
| Kawhi Leonard | A- |
| Tim Duncan | B- |
| Tony Parker | B+ |
| Manu Ginobili | B |
| Rest of Team | B- |
| Arron Afflalo | A- |
| Wilson Chandler | D |
| Jusuf Nurkic | B+ |
| Kenneth Faried | B |
| Rest of Team | C- |
San Antonio Spurs
Kawhi Leonard: A-
Without Kawhi Leonard, the Spurs would've fallen to Denver. The small forward dominated the glass, was excellent defensively and picked up the offense throughout a sluggish game.
Leonard's defensive presence altered multiple possessions, forcing the Nuggets into a handful of turnovers for which he didn't get credit even though he absolutely caused them.
Tim Duncan: B-
Tim Duncan was held scoreless during the first half but bounced back during the latter frames to register 16 points. The veteran took advantage of mismatches down low for most of his scoring, capitalizing on Denver's collectively suspect post defense.
Conversely, Duncan wasn't consistently able to contain Kenneth Faried in the post, whether he was switched on to the Manimal or not. With that being said, Duncan's offensive contributions outweighed any lapses on the other end.
Tony Parker: B+
Tony Parker wasn't overly active in the paint, taking 18-foot jump shots and roaming the perimeter for a majority of the game. He did, however, drain a pair of critical shots with less than two minutes remaining in the contest.
The point guard contributed 18 points, seven assists and four rebounds. Nevertheless, San Antonio is still waiting for Parker's drive-and-kick prowess to appear on a regular basis.
Manu Ginobili: B
As has become typical, Manu Ginobili was both excellent and terrifying. He was the second unit's key facilitator, attacking the smallest of passing lanes and rifling eight assists.
Granted, the sixth man launched a couple of unnecessary triples and barely escaped disaster on a few jump passes, but that's really a routine development. Ginobili buried a couple of off-balance shots at the rim and one three-pointer, ending with 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting.
Rest of Team: B-
Tiago Splitter was unable to control the paint, but reserve center Aron Baynes stepped up in a major way. The Big Banger drew five fouls and converted on all nine of his free-throw attempts, finishing with 15 points, four rebounds and one block.
Though Danny Green was a meager 2-of-8 from three-point land, his icy night didn't hurt San Antonio since Patty Mills hit two of his three attempts. Boris Diaw exploited a favorable second-half matchup with J.J. Hickson and scored 10 points, the Frenchman's highest total over the past six games.
Denver Nuggets
Arron Afflalo: A-
Though Arron Afflalo exploded for 13 of his 21 points in the tertiary frame, he was essentially the only backcourt threat. He carried Denver to the brink of an upset but needed more offensive support to finish the job.
Afflalo added four rebounds, three assists and two steals, which was one of his best all-around performances of the season.
Unsurprisingly, Kenneth Faried was the most active Denver player on the court. Admittedly, the Manimal was out of control at times, but he simply outworked San Antonio for 14 rebounds and a game-high 26 points.
Jusuf Nurkic: B+
Jusuf Nurkic gained rebounding position on both ends, which undoubtedly led to some of Popovich's frustration. Additionally, Nurkic's off-ball movement forced San Antonio into issues with its defensive rotation and led to a handful of easy Denver buckets.
Strangely, Nuggets coach Brian Shaw elected to play Nurkic just seven minutes during the final 24 despite the Spurs taking advantage of his absence. Nurkic ended with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Wilson Chandler: D
Chandler tallied six points and four rebounds during the opening frame before his offensive production practically ceased, considering he missed six consecutive shots.
What's more, the swingman was unable to contain Leonard's late outburst, and Denver suffered on the scoreboard because of the combination of shortcomings. He finished with 11 points and five boards.
Rest of Team: C-
Ty Lawson was largely a non-factor save for eight assists, but he did stop Parker from penetrating into the lane for most of the night. Jameer Nelson chipped in eight points and six assists but wasn't a factor as a three-point shooter.
The Spurs took advantage of Hickson's mediocre defense, since Baynes, Duncan and Diaw each picked on the power forward with great success.
What's Next?
Winners of four straight, San Antonio (27-16) will take on the Chicago Bulls (27-16) Thursday, Jan. 22, at the United Center. TNT will broadcast the matchup, which is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. ET.
The Spurs and Bulls split the season series last year, with the away team earning the victory in each contest. San Antonio will return home for a six-game homestand following the meeting with Chicago.
Denver (18-24) will host the Boston Celtics (13-26), Friday, Jan. 23, at the Pepsi Center, and Altitude will televise the 9 p.m. ET clash. The Nuggets currently sit 8.5 games out of eighth place in the Western Conference, so their already fleeting playoff hopes are thinning with every loss.
Follow Bleacher Report NBA writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
