Spurs' D Ices Out That Hottest Team

"The hottest team in the NBA" saw its fire doused by defense last night, as the Spurs stifled the Denver Nuggets to end Denver's season. For weeks we heard so much about how Denver was dangerous, had won 11 consecutive games at home since midseason, was 22-1 in the Pepsi Center since they got their new coach, George Karl. The most dangerous team in the playoffs, nobody wants to face them now.

Hey, we saw them beat the Spurs on a Saturday night down in San Antonio. It was one of just three home losses, even if we didn't have Manu and Tim Duncan on the floor. They looked vulnerable.

Then ESPN reported this breathless stat:

George Karl set an NBA record by leading the Nuggets to a 32-8 record after he became head coach in January. Karl's .800 winning percentage was the highest in NBA history by a midseason replacement who coached at least 20 games.

"Blah, blah, blah. Denver got beat in both of its home games in the series. The Spurs scratched them out of the playoffs in four straight losses, jamming up the likes of Carmelo Anthony with penetrating defense. So the Nuggets became the first team in 12 years to post the best second-half NBA record and then lose in the first round of the playoffs.

Coach of that other team, in 1993? George Karl. (That hissing sound you hear is the air escaping that gaudy "Karl for Coach of the Year" balloon. Fleeting glory is built on half a season, as Karl already knows.)

Our heart rates stayed below 140 we watched Karl's season end tonight. Not like that Spurs overtime win on Monday. We didn't get to sleep that night until nearly 2 AM, with the game running long out in the Mountain time zone.

Tickets go on sale tomorrow morning for the weekend's conference semifinal games against Seattle, another run and gun team. (The Spurs want to fill their SBC Center in San Antonio with friendly faces, so Ticketmaster won't process a playoff order if your zip code is further away than Austin. If you're not from around here, you gotta get yours on the street, or from a broker. Few NBA teams limit sales like this, and it really cheesed off the Dallas fans two years ago in the conference finals. Playoff games sell out in Texas. Who needs the out of towners?)

The Spurs are likely to see all three NBA hot shooters on the way to the finals. First Denver, scoring more than 110 points a game at home. Now Seattle, driven by the 3-ball master, Ray Allen, Mr. "Jesus Shuttlesworth" of He Got Game movie fame. The Spurs have their own 3-point shooter. Might have heard of him, a fellow with five title rings: Big Shot Bob Horry.

When the Spurs ground the Sonics, they probably face the flaming fast break of the Suns and Little Stevie Nash. For a spot in the Finals, no less.

Cool defense kills off these torch artists, those who play high-octane ball and not much D. In last night's fourth quarter, the Spurs held Denver to 14 percent shooting. Stifling.

And everybody thought the Spurs would have trouble breathing, up in Denver. Defense makes the air so rare, anywhere.

The Spurs D, which everybody outside of Central Texas calls ugly to watch, comes in so many little clampdowns. Like the offensive rebounding of Nazr Mohammed, who replaced fan favorite Malik Rose in February. Fans were angry then about the trade. But I don't remember many Malik nights in closeout games where he swiped 7 offensive boards. (It's been a tough spring for Malik, who got his two Spurs title rings stolen last week in a burglary at his home in San Antonio.)

We still can't figure why the Knicks traded us "Nazy," but their loss is our defensive gain. Those offensive boards keep the ball out of the hands of these barnburning teams. Defense isn't ugly. It's a cool way to bring another title to one of the NBA's smallest markets.