DuncanMVP
03-10-2005, 01:37 PM
Spurs playing with Suns' heads
Dan Bickley
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 10, 2005 12:00 AM
Buckle up, basketball fans. If the Suns and the Spurs meet again this season, the stakes will be through the roof.
Robert Sarver took care of that.
Livid over the Spurs' mysterious decision to rest Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, the incoming Suns owner put on his own marquee performance Wednesday at America West Arena, one that got the attention of the visitors' bench.
He screamed at Spurs coach Gregg Popovich to put his headline players in the game. More than once, he stood up from his courtside seat and flapped his arms like a chicken. And near the end of the first half, he and a couple of friends engaged in a derogatory chant aimed at the opponent.
"Varsity! Varsity! Varsity!"
It was a night when we're all lucky that Sarver didn't possess a giant foam finger with the middle digit extended. Just as alarming, it was a night when the Suns struggled to beat a team that was casually resting its two All-Star performers.
Hopefully, it will not be a night that comes back to haunt a team with championship dreams.
"Yeah, we saw (Sarver), and I have no comment on that," the Spurs' Robert Horry said. "Me, personally, I just think he's trying to be another Mark Cuban. You know? Get your own identity."
Alas, if this were a night where it felt like the losers won and the winners lost, it isn't far from the truth. Only a 44-point performance from Amaré Stoudemire saved the hosts from serious embarrassment, and one can only imagine the fallout if the Suns had dropped a game handed to them on a platter.
So what was supposed to be a defining moment in the season - a showdown that would test the Spurs' psychological advantage over a Suns' team that beefed up its bench since their last meeting - quickly digressed into a party stocked with stale beer.
The indestructible Ginobili was scratched with three different ailments, even though he was nowhere to be found on the Spurs' pregame list of potentially injured players. Duncan was scratched in deference to his sprained right ankle, even though he played 30 minutes the night before.
"This last sprain really bothers me because we're so close to playoff time," Popovich said. "I don't think back to back games make sense."
Sorry, what doesn't make sense is bringing back Duncan for a surprise return against the Nets on Tuesday, then resting him against the Suns, in a game that could eventually decide the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
Clearly, Popovich took a gamble. He didn't want to lose to the Suns at full strength, which could've bolstered the growing confidence in Phoenix. Conversely, if the Suns prevailed against the Spurs' makeshift lineup, it would prove absolutely nothing.
But if the Spurs won without their two All-Stars, there could be psychological scar tissue plaguing the Suns in a playoff rematch. It almost happened, and even with the in-game loss of Quentin Richardson due to a mild concussion, that is hard to swallow.
When the news about the Spurs' sudden injuries came down, Suns coach Mike D'Antoni immediately knew there was trouble. Anticipating the chance to make a major statement, the Suns were suddenly in a no-win situation. The last time this happened - a game against the Grizzlies when Memphis scratched some key players before tip-off - the Suns quickly lost their intensity, their focus and the game.
Fans didn't see this one coming, either, and outside, a scalper said he was getting $150 for single tickets, peddling his product to fans unaware of the changes in the Spurs' starting lineup. When the scalper heard that Duncan and Ginobili weren't playing, he looked to make sure no potential customers were around.
"I think I'll keep my lips zipped on that one," he said.
In the end, Sarver may have wished he'd done the same.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/columns/articles/0310bickley0310.html
Dan Bickley
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 10, 2005 12:00 AM
Buckle up, basketball fans. If the Suns and the Spurs meet again this season, the stakes will be through the roof.
Robert Sarver took care of that.
Livid over the Spurs' mysterious decision to rest Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, the incoming Suns owner put on his own marquee performance Wednesday at America West Arena, one that got the attention of the visitors' bench.
He screamed at Spurs coach Gregg Popovich to put his headline players in the game. More than once, he stood up from his courtside seat and flapped his arms like a chicken. And near the end of the first half, he and a couple of friends engaged in a derogatory chant aimed at the opponent.
"Varsity! Varsity! Varsity!"
It was a night when we're all lucky that Sarver didn't possess a giant foam finger with the middle digit extended. Just as alarming, it was a night when the Suns struggled to beat a team that was casually resting its two All-Star performers.
Hopefully, it will not be a night that comes back to haunt a team with championship dreams.
"Yeah, we saw (Sarver), and I have no comment on that," the Spurs' Robert Horry said. "Me, personally, I just think he's trying to be another Mark Cuban. You know? Get your own identity."
Alas, if this were a night where it felt like the losers won and the winners lost, it isn't far from the truth. Only a 44-point performance from Amaré Stoudemire saved the hosts from serious embarrassment, and one can only imagine the fallout if the Suns had dropped a game handed to them on a platter.
So what was supposed to be a defining moment in the season - a showdown that would test the Spurs' psychological advantage over a Suns' team that beefed up its bench since their last meeting - quickly digressed into a party stocked with stale beer.
The indestructible Ginobili was scratched with three different ailments, even though he was nowhere to be found on the Spurs' pregame list of potentially injured players. Duncan was scratched in deference to his sprained right ankle, even though he played 30 minutes the night before.
"This last sprain really bothers me because we're so close to playoff time," Popovich said. "I don't think back to back games make sense."
Sorry, what doesn't make sense is bringing back Duncan for a surprise return against the Nets on Tuesday, then resting him against the Suns, in a game that could eventually decide the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
Clearly, Popovich took a gamble. He didn't want to lose to the Suns at full strength, which could've bolstered the growing confidence in Phoenix. Conversely, if the Suns prevailed against the Spurs' makeshift lineup, it would prove absolutely nothing.
But if the Spurs won without their two All-Stars, there could be psychological scar tissue plaguing the Suns in a playoff rematch. It almost happened, and even with the in-game loss of Quentin Richardson due to a mild concussion, that is hard to swallow.
When the news about the Spurs' sudden injuries came down, Suns coach Mike D'Antoni immediately knew there was trouble. Anticipating the chance to make a major statement, the Suns were suddenly in a no-win situation. The last time this happened - a game against the Grizzlies when Memphis scratched some key players before tip-off - the Suns quickly lost their intensity, their focus and the game.
Fans didn't see this one coming, either, and outside, a scalper said he was getting $150 for single tickets, peddling his product to fans unaware of the changes in the Spurs' starting lineup. When the scalper heard that Duncan and Ginobili weren't playing, he looked to make sure no potential customers were around.
"I think I'll keep my lips zipped on that one," he said.
In the end, Sarver may have wished he'd done the same.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/columns/articles/0310bickley0310.html