Craig looks like superb “3-and-D” player vs. Spurs in playoff series
SAN ANTONIO» Nuggets wing Torrey Craig doesn’t remember the last time he was nervous before a game.
Saturday night at the AT&T Center, despite a rowdy road environment and the pressure of potentially facing a 3-1 deficit to the San Antonio Spurs, was no exception.
In his first-ever playoff start, Craig made a massive difference as the Nuggets went on the road and stole home-court advantage to send the series back to Denver tied 2-2. Craig, who started in place of Will Barton, was the chess piece Nuggets coach Michael Malone tabbed to shadow Spurs star DeMar DeRozan. That matchup allowed Gary Harris to pester Game 3 star Derrick White.
“Our two best perimeter defenders on their two best perimeter players,” Malone said.
More than once, Craig picked up DeRozan well beyond halfcourt, hounding and bodying him as the Spurs had done to the Nuggets in Game 3. Late in the fourth quarter, Craig had slipped past DeRozan, snatched the ball and forced a foul directly in front of the Nuggets’ bench. On San Antonio’s next possession, DeRozan bolted down the lane and into the body of Harris, who drew an offensive foul. In a fit of rage, DeRozan turned and whipped the ball toward an official and was immediately ejected.
Craig, a G League player last season, gets partial credit for the relentless harassment.
“I just tried to stay disciplined, make every shot tough and make him feel me the whole night,” Craig said. “I think I did a pretty good job of that.”
What Malone admittedly didn’t envision, though, was that aside from the dogged defense, Craig would be a boon on the offensive end as well. Craig scored 18 points and sunk five 3pointers as part of Denver’s longrange assault. Two of his 3pointers came in the decisive third quarter. Another one squashed a Spurs minirun.
“I’d be lying if I said I knew Torrey Craig was going to go out and get 18 and hit five 3s,” Malone said. “But his defense, his rebounding, his shotmaking … and Malik (Beasley) was still fantastic off the bench.”
Malone’s tinkering worked. Craig was invaluable, Beasley was effective off the bench, and Barton drained three 3pointers in a reserve role.
When the Nuggets were in Miami this season, Craig made a similarly huge impact with his effort and energy on the offensive glass. His 11point, 16rebound game had local scribes scrambling to figure out who exactly the undrafted forward was from the University of South Carolina Upstate.
“For me, I never look at when you were drafted, what round, what school,” Malone said. “I don’t care. If you can play, I’m going to play you.”
Malone recalled a conversation he had with Craig last season when he told him to consider Bruce Bowen, the former Spurs wing who carved out a career as a 3andD guy. He gave Craig a template, and the humble kid rewarded him.
“I always dreamed of it happening, and I always wished for it to happen, but to be here now is indescribable,” Craig said. “I really can’t explain it.” DeRozan fined $25,000. Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan was fined $25,000 by the NBA for heaving a ball past an official and into the stands during Saturday’s playoff game against the Nuggets.
The fine was handed down Sunday by league discipline executive Kiki VanDeWeghe.
The incident occurred with about five minutes remaining in the Spurs’ 117103 loss to the Nuggets that tied the series at 22. DeRozan was called for an offensive foul against Denver’s Gary Harris and responded by whipping the ball in the general direction of the referee. DeRozan received a technical foul and was ejected.
DeRozan said afterward that he was frustrated by what he thought was a bad call.
Game 5 is Tuesday night in Denver.