wijayas
12-26-2008, 12:30 AM
Spurs break Suns' hearts again
116 commentsby Paul Coro - Dec. 25, 2008 06:45 PM
The Arizona Republic
Game photos | Box score
Being plucked from a bad franchise and put into a successful one two weeks ago was like a Christmas present for Jason Richardson.
The new Sun wants so badly to help. Too badly.
His decision to help on defense Thursday against San Antonio's Tony Parker made the NBA's third-ranked 3-point shooter, Roger Mason, look as alone in the corner as a Christmas tree once the presents are gone. Mason, subbed in for that play, made good on the 3-point shot to beat the buzzer and the Suns, 91-90, at US Airways Center.
"You leave a guy who can shoot the ball that well, that open with the game on the line? Game over," Richardson said. "That hurts. You don't want to let your teammates down like that, especially in a big game."
The game was lost on that play but decided on many others.
The Suns led for all but 41 seconds until the final five minutes. The Spurs spotted them an 11-0 lead but Phoenix made 40 percent of its shots after the first 7:15. In the final two minutes, San Antonio's Tim Duncan avoided a sixth foul to stop three Amaré Stoudemire tries for go-ahead shots. The Suns closed with a season-worst quarter, scoring 14 in the fourth with 5-of-17 shooting.
"Merry Christmas," Suns guard Steve Nash said, feigning holiday cheer for the Spurs. "Got us again."
The Suns fell into an 88-84 hole on seven consecutive points from Parker but recovered with a Richardson 3-pointer and a Parker technical. As Parker missed three shots, Phoenix nearly had a game-ending 6-0 run.
After a time out because Nash got trapped with 7.7 seconds to go, the Suns ran the play that beat Orlando two weeks ago. Nash set a back screen for Hill. Just as Orlando overplayed Nash, Parker did not help on Hill and Stoudemire found him for a layup and a 90-88 lead with 4.3 seconds to go.
Suns coach Terry Porter put Hill on Parker for the final play. Parker headed left toward the corner where Mason sat. Thinking time was about to expire, Richardson left Mason open for Parker's pass and a game-winning shot.
"I thought we had it," Hill said. "I was thinking, 'Stay down and stay in front of him (Parker).' Once he went left, I kind of stayed with him. I was thinking to myself, 'I got the game-winning shot and the game-winning stop. I'm the man.' Then I realize I'm not the man."
The Suns ended their worst streak of surrendering 100-point games in 12 years but the Spurs shook off a 39-point first half. They made 51.2 percent of their second-half shots and made only six turnovers in the game.
"It hurts when you play as well as we did and don't come up with a win," said Porter, who said he would "take the bullet" for not reminding Richardson in the time out to not leave Mason. "If we play like that, we'll be fine. These are games that come back to bite you in April."
Report
Key player
Tim Duncan finished with 25 points and 17 rebounds. He also finished with five fouls, defending Amaré Stoudemire on three late misses without getting disqualified.
Key moment
Jason Richardson left Roger Mason and jumped at Tony Parker, making it impossible to recover on Mason's game-winning 3-pointer.
Key number
2: Points scored by the Suns bench in 48 cumulative minutes. Leandro Barbosa and Matt Barnes were 1 of 10 combined.
View from press row
Before Jason Richardson left Roger Mason for an open game-winning shot to help defend Tony Parker on what would have been a game-tying shot, Richardson looked out of sorts on the final play. Steve Nash was guarding Mason after Terry Porter switched Grant Hill to Parker before the inbound. As Parker took the pass, Richardson's man, Manu Ginobili, set a baseline screen for Mason. Nash got around it easily, but Richardson anticipated a switch, leaving Nash to scramble after Ginobili, who ran as free to the weak side as Mason wound up being on the strong side.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2008/12/25/20081225suns-CR.html
116 commentsby Paul Coro - Dec. 25, 2008 06:45 PM
The Arizona Republic
Game photos | Box score
Being plucked from a bad franchise and put into a successful one two weeks ago was like a Christmas present for Jason Richardson.
The new Sun wants so badly to help. Too badly.
His decision to help on defense Thursday against San Antonio's Tony Parker made the NBA's third-ranked 3-point shooter, Roger Mason, look as alone in the corner as a Christmas tree once the presents are gone. Mason, subbed in for that play, made good on the 3-point shot to beat the buzzer and the Suns, 91-90, at US Airways Center.
"You leave a guy who can shoot the ball that well, that open with the game on the line? Game over," Richardson said. "That hurts. You don't want to let your teammates down like that, especially in a big game."
The game was lost on that play but decided on many others.
The Suns led for all but 41 seconds until the final five minutes. The Spurs spotted them an 11-0 lead but Phoenix made 40 percent of its shots after the first 7:15. In the final two minutes, San Antonio's Tim Duncan avoided a sixth foul to stop three Amaré Stoudemire tries for go-ahead shots. The Suns closed with a season-worst quarter, scoring 14 in the fourth with 5-of-17 shooting.
"Merry Christmas," Suns guard Steve Nash said, feigning holiday cheer for the Spurs. "Got us again."
The Suns fell into an 88-84 hole on seven consecutive points from Parker but recovered with a Richardson 3-pointer and a Parker technical. As Parker missed three shots, Phoenix nearly had a game-ending 6-0 run.
After a time out because Nash got trapped with 7.7 seconds to go, the Suns ran the play that beat Orlando two weeks ago. Nash set a back screen for Hill. Just as Orlando overplayed Nash, Parker did not help on Hill and Stoudemire found him for a layup and a 90-88 lead with 4.3 seconds to go.
Suns coach Terry Porter put Hill on Parker for the final play. Parker headed left toward the corner where Mason sat. Thinking time was about to expire, Richardson left Mason open for Parker's pass and a game-winning shot.
"I thought we had it," Hill said. "I was thinking, 'Stay down and stay in front of him (Parker).' Once he went left, I kind of stayed with him. I was thinking to myself, 'I got the game-winning shot and the game-winning stop. I'm the man.' Then I realize I'm not the man."
The Suns ended their worst streak of surrendering 100-point games in 12 years but the Spurs shook off a 39-point first half. They made 51.2 percent of their second-half shots and made only six turnovers in the game.
"It hurts when you play as well as we did and don't come up with a win," said Porter, who said he would "take the bullet" for not reminding Richardson in the time out to not leave Mason. "If we play like that, we'll be fine. These are games that come back to bite you in April."
Report
Key player
Tim Duncan finished with 25 points and 17 rebounds. He also finished with five fouls, defending Amaré Stoudemire on three late misses without getting disqualified.
Key moment
Jason Richardson left Roger Mason and jumped at Tony Parker, making it impossible to recover on Mason's game-winning 3-pointer.
Key number
2: Points scored by the Suns bench in 48 cumulative minutes. Leandro Barbosa and Matt Barnes were 1 of 10 combined.
View from press row
Before Jason Richardson left Roger Mason for an open game-winning shot to help defend Tony Parker on what would have been a game-tying shot, Richardson looked out of sorts on the final play. Steve Nash was guarding Mason after Terry Porter switched Grant Hill to Parker before the inbound. As Parker took the pass, Richardson's man, Manu Ginobili, set a baseline screen for Mason. Nash got around it easily, but Richardson anticipated a switch, leaving Nash to scramble after Ginobili, who ran as free to the weak side as Mason wound up being on the strong side.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2008/12/25/20081225suns-CR.html