By Marc J. Spears Denver Post Staff Writer San Antonio - Nuggets guard Allen Iverson doesn't like what he is seeing in the eyes of many people looking back at him. The Nuggets' star believes his team's 1-0 lead over San Antonioin the best-of -seven series is widely viewed as a fluke. But to change that perception, Iverson said the Nuggets must win tonight's Game 2. "We've got to have it," Iverson said Tuesday. "We've got to have it, just to make our chances better. We've got to come into this game like we're down 0-1. Honestly, in everybody's eyes, they expect (the Spurs) to win this game like we stole the first one. We've got to have it." Statistically speaking, a 2-0 series lead certainly would bode well for the sixt h-seeded Nuggets against the third-seeded Spurs. Since the 1983-84 season and excluding the NBA Finals, lower-seeded playoff teams that won the first two games of a best-of-seven series have won 13 of 16 series. Most recently, the Los Angeles Clippers took a 2-0 lead against the Nuggets last season, and went on to win. The Nuggets advanced both times they won the first two games of a playoff series: in the 1978 Western Conference semifinals against Milwaukee and the 1985 Western Conference semifinals against Utah. "I don't really want to brag about our mentality yet, because it's just being tested," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "It's the beginning of a challenge of a seven-game series of playing a championship team." The Nuggets, however, have dropped 13 consecutive Game 2s. Denver defeated the Spurs 93-87 in Game 1 of a first-round series in 2005, but San Antonio respond ed by winning the next four games by an average of 14.3 points. "It definitely feels good to get Game 1, and we put ourselves in a good position to win Game 2," Nuggets center Marcus Camby said. "We just can't go out here and lay an egg, like we did in '05." Footnotes The Commercial-Appeal (Tenn.) is reporting that former Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe will be interviewing today for the Memphis Grizzlies' GM opening, while former Nuggets coach Larry Brown will be interviewing for the vacant coach opening there. The interviews will be in Chicago with owner Michael Heisley. ... Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony blew out three pairs of his Jordan Jumpman sneakers in Game 1, according to equipment manager Sparky Gonzales. ... Karl received one third-place vote for the NBA's coach of the year award. ... Nuggets guard J.R. Smith received one third-place vote for the NBA's sixth man of the year award. ... Karl took his front office staff and coaching staff to dinner in San Antonio on Tuesday night. ... Anthony's third annual HOOD (Holding Our Own Destiny) Movement "3-on-3 Challenge" for boys and girls ages 10-18 will be held June 23 in his hometown of Baltimore at Cloverdale Park. The purpose of the tournament is to build community spirit in Baltimore. --

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