The Spurs have three days off before they have to play the Portland Trail Blazers at SBC Center, and they are definitely looking forward to three straight off days.

"We've played nine games in 15 days," assistant coach P.J. Carlesimo said after their victory over the Nuggets on Saturday night. "It's been a pretty demanding schedule."

In fact, the Spurs have had only two legitimate practice sessions in the last two weeks.

REPLAY: Nuggets coach George Karl said before the game that his defensive focus was on keeping Tony Parker from getting inside on penetrations to either score or create for his teammates.

"Tony's the guy I'm most concerned about," Karl said. "Their offense is more tilted toward him right now. It will balance out when (Manu) Ginobili is back and in shape. But Parker has gotten better. His penetrations are a problem."

The Nuggets managed to contain Parker, all right, but Ginobili, playing just his third game after missing eight with a sprained right foot, was a different story. He scored 20 points and handed out eight assists in just 24:39, all the while being booed by Nuggets fans who recall how he tormented the Nuggets in the Spurs' first-round playoff series victory last spring.

"We really had to monitor Manu's minutes," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said, "but we really needed his energy on the court."