Game Blog: 12/15 - Spurs vs. Suns

[BadOne]

:wakeup 2 seasons ago, the Suns won the season series [3-1] against the Spurs...the playoffs that year were a completely different story. Win some...lose some...I'm sure the coaching staff will have plenty to rant about given the missed defensive assignments, wide open 3 balls, and poor ball movement in the 1st and 4th quarter.

S.A. made a helluva run there. This and the other previous 3 losses prove that its not a mountain they need to climb, just make some adjustments. I know...I know...it sucks hearing that crap almost every time they lose a close one, but the silver lining is that they're getting there. This team is capable of doing the job if they can get consistent. The rest of the month seems like a gimme. If all goes well, they'll enter the new year 20-10.

How about Tim takin over though. He still owns Amare. :ihit

[quentin_compson]

Oh come now, no props haha?
And tbh guys, Tony is going to have off games, let it go. Ginobili has always been streaky, and RJ... well... i don't know about that. Duncan playing MVP basketball as always.

A few calls go our way and we make easy 5 foot layups, then the game is ours, with or without their ridiculous 3 point shooting and Dragic out of nowhere.

Props to coming back in the second half. But our guys need to win at least a couple of these games against good teams right now.

[mexicanjunior]

Was that them Dallas Cowboys bums who suited up in Spurs uniforms tonight? Both the Spurs and Cowboys have about the same amount of heart.........NONE, ZILCH, NADA, ZIPPO!!! Well Timmy does but, that is where it stops.

Pretty much...

[hunterxaz]

Parker will NEVER be as good as Hill on defense
Hill will NEVER be as good as Parker on offense

They are just different!!:lol
Just compare their body type (:wow at Hill wingspan!)

i would agree. parker is graet, but he's mediocre when you compare his offensive contributions AND defensive.

question is, would you have him, vs. a player who contributes solely on offense, or defense?

[duncan228]

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=68&pictureid=395
PERIOD.

:toast He's still amazing.

[mexicanjunior]

Props to coming back in the second half. But our guys need to win at least a couple of these games against good teams right now.

Why should they...it's only December... :bang

[quentin_compson]

:toast He's still amazing.

Yeah, Tim is just incredible. Sucks that he had to play 35 minutes for this with a game due tomorrow though.

[Pauleta14]

My gripe was putting Parker back in when we were within striking distance of winning the game. There's a reason why he has the worst +/- of the night.


I don't think it was such a bad call from Pop to put Tony bck in the game...
A bad start of a game doesn't means a bad ending! we've seen that so many times...
Had he been efficient, (at least offensively :lol) it'd have been a great coaching...
and as good Hill is on D, he is not even close to Tony on offense...

Anyway, we lost this one, let's hope Tony shows some pride tomorrow!

I'm way much worried about RJ production and Manu's shape right now...

[mexicanjunior]

the silver lining is that they're getting there.

You could make a necklace out of all the silver linings...

[SCdac]

Damn Pop looks so pissed haha.

[quentin_compson]

Tim>dirk

Agree, but 18-7 is just better than what we have at the moment. Not that it's Duncan's fault. He is playing great as usual.

[Xevious]

.

[Xevious]

Tony, RJ, and Manu all folded tonight. Spurs lost the first quarter and were playing catchup the entire game.

Just be glad we have Tim or our record would be much worse. He was awesome tonight. Roger wasn't half bad either, it's nice to see him hit his shots again.

[Johnny RIngo]

I don't think it was such a bad call from Pop to put Tony bck in the game...
A bad start of a game doesn't means a bad ending! we've seen that so many times...
Had he been efficient, (at least offensively :lol) it'd have been a great coaching...
and as good Hill is on D, he is not even close to Tony on offense...

Anyway, we lost this one, let's hope Tony shows some pride tomorrow!

I'm way much worried about RJ production and Manu's shape right now...

I'm harsh on Parker because he's the second best player on the team and isn't playing like it. Higher expectations, you know.

Manu's body isn't what it used to be so I can't blame him for being made out of glass. It's out of his hands.

Jefferson's the real joke here but I've come to expect so little out of him that I'm not surprised when he has a shitty performance.

[Ice009]

Really disappointed with TP.

Take that back... EXTREMELY disappointed with TP. He was getting killed out there on defense, and missing (BADLY) shots that he makes with consistency. It looks like he isn't even interested when he is on the court.

Tony is a volume shooter.

Doesn't anyone realize this? The only way he starts making shots is when he takes a lot of shots to get in rhythm then he is lethal, but if he shots sporadically he can't hit any shots. He's just a bad shooter. He won't start making shots unless he gets a lot of shots and that would mean he'd have to freeze everyone out to do it, which would be a detriment to the team.

Does anyone else not see this? Tony cannot just take a shot here and there and make it.

[Pauleta14]

i would agree. parker is graet, but he's mediocre when you compare his offensive contributions AND defensive.

question is, would you have him, vs. a player who contributes solely on offense, or defense?

I think that if you want to make a career in the NBA, you need ONE STRENGH.
Offense or defense, you choose, but a better defender than Tony with a worst offense will never be as succesful...

But if you wanna know, as a french guy who has followed Tony's career since he signed at the age of 17 in Paris ("PSG Racing"), I'm just AMAZED by what he achieved already,
I mean with his skinny body, no jump, no D, no real playmaker...
Except following his opponent all the court, he has NEVER been a natural defender!

[Ice009]

QUIT YER BITCHING.

"refs" and "calls" are the two most common words in this thread.

Not even mav fans bitch this much.

Of course I didn't get to see the game, so I don't really know what happened.

It's all on the Spurs you fucking cock sucker.

Most of us are getting on the players. I mentioned the refs once of twice, but that didn't cost us the game. Why don't you fuck off and go watch some more Mavs choke jobs on video tape.

FUCKING CLOWN.

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

question for Spurs fans. If the team doesn't pick it up and start winning and Duncan decided to ask to be moved to a contender so he can finish his career on a high, would you be mad?

I am assuming not many would be because he has given so much to the franchise already.

TD would never ask for a trade anyway. He already has rings and loves it in SA. I was just wondering what the ST reaction would be if the unlikely happened

[DesignatedT]

Tony is a volume shooter.

Doesn't anyone realize this? The only way he starts making shots is when he takes a lot of shots to get in rhythm then he is lethal, but if he shots sporadically he can't hit any shots. He's just a bad shooter. He won't start making shots unless he gets a lot of shots and that would mean he'd have to freeze everyone out to do it, which would be a detriment to the team.

Does anyone else not see this? Tony cannot just take a shot here and there and make it.

totally agree.

im just confused on what happened to all those easy layups in transition he used to get... i know tony cant shoot the jumper at a consistent level. everyone knows that. but he used to get so many easy layups.. this is what im confused about.

[Ice009]

Agree... like he's got cement boots on.

Exactly man. He just gets stuck to the ground everytime and he somehow recovers and gets back into the play with his long arms that bail him out.

[SouthTexasRancher]

You could make a necklace out of all the silver linings...


:lol Good one!!!

[DesignatedT]

question for Spurs fans. If the team doesn't pick it up and start winning and Duncan decided to ask to be moved to a contender so he can finish his career on a high, would you be mad?

I am assuming not many would be because he has given so much to the franchise already.

TD would never ask for a trade anyway. He already has rings and loves it in SA. I was just wondering what the ST reaction would be if the unlikely happened

anyone can say what they want.. if it ever came down to that.. i would predict over 60% of st move with him. lmao

[Ice009]

Tony was bad, we all agree...

But all on him?!? (RJ? Manu? Dyess?)

When you're not 100% healthy, you can't give everything on D, specialy with a sore ankle, defense is all about changing directions...
I'm not making an excuse for Tony, but guys, give him a break, he has proven all these years what he can do!

We need to judge him once he looks like himself again...

Again where the fuck did I say all on him.

I said Ducks won't at least give him 1 fucking percent of the blame. Ducks is insane if he won't even give Tony 1% of the fucking blame.

Was Parker injured last year cause his defense has sucked ass since last season.

You can't tell me that TP can't play defense cause I've seen him do it. You said he'll never be as good as Hill on defense. Well I have seen him do it, and do it just as good in the playoffs.

[JustinJDW]

Yeah, Tim Duncan remembers me time and time again why he is the greatest Power Forward to ever play the game.

Jefferson and Ginobili played like **** though. Parker got it going at times, but he should have played much better.

Roger Mason was awesome tonight, nailing 3 balls from everywhere. Hill was good and Blair was a beast. Although I am happy we cut a 20 point lead to 3, we still need to learn how to play better Defense and keep our momentum going. I can't totally blame the Spurs though, because the Suns got a lot of phantom calls down the stretch.

Oh well, we still got more rings. :D

[SouthTexasRancher]

question for Spurs fans. If the team doesn't pick it up and start winning and Duncan decided to ask to be moved to a contender so he can finish his career on a high, would you be mad?

I am assuming not many would be because he has given so much to the franchise already.

TD would never ask for a trade anyway. He already has rings and loves it in SA. I was just wondering what the ST reaction would be if the unlikely happened


TD would never betray his loyalty to SA and us fans would never, ever betray Tim either. Now we do have some girlieboyz on our team we would trade. Hope this helps.

[NRHector]

question for Spurs fans. If the team doesn't pick it up and start winning and Duncan decided to ask to be moved to a contender so he can finish his career on a high, would you be mad?

I am assuming not many would be because he has given so much to the franchise already.

TD would never ask for a trade anyway. He already has rings and loves it in SA. I was just wondering what the ST reaction would be if the unlikely happened
it would hurt but he deserves to win another ring and the current team does not deserve Tim Duncan

[Ice009]

Amazing game by TD... good fought win by the Suns.

Thanks.

Duncan is hands down player of the decade.

No way in hell Kobe is 1st. I have no problem with Kobe athlete of the decade, but not player of the decade. When TD is good physically he dominates both ends.

Anyway, great fucking win by the Suns.

[Pauleta14]

I'm harsh on Parker because he's the second best player on the team and isn't playing like it. Higher expectations, you know.

Manu's body isn't what it used to be so I can't blame him for being made out of glass. It's out of his hands.

Jefferson's the real joke here but I've come to expect so little out of him that I'm not surprised when he has a shitty performance.


So why do you blame Tony if you know he isn't 100% healthy?
+ he is THE ONLY ONE on the roster who HAS TO change his game for the good of the team.
You should realise that even healty it's not an easy thing to do after 8 years in the league (for anybody!)

You all blame the TP homers (whitch I'm not), but maybe they are/became because you guys ALWAYS find good excuses for Tim and Manu when they are not performing and when it comes to Tony it's like a gangbang at ST!!!!!!:lol

[Ice009]

Was that them Dallas Cowboys bums who suited up in Spurs uniforms tonight? Both the Spurs and Cowboys have about the same amount of heart.........NONE, ZILCH, NADA, ZIPPO!!! Well Timmy does but, that is where it stops.

hey mate, Dejaun Blair played his heart out.

Mason Jr showed up tonight too. I'm giving Roger props too.

[Chomag]

question for Spurs fans. If the team doesn't pick it up and start winning and Duncan decided to ask to be moved to a contender so he can finish his career on a high, would you be mad?

I am assuming not many would be because he has given so much to the franchise already.

TD would never ask for a trade anyway. He already has rings and loves it in SA. I was just wondering what the ST reaction would be if the unlikely happened

No you can't have TD! :nope

:lol

[draft87]

:wakeup 2 seasons ago, the Suns won the season series [3-1] against the Spurs...the playoffs that year were a completely different story. Win some...lose some...I'm sure the coaching staff will have plenty to rant about given the missed defensive assignments, wide open 3 balls, and poor ball movement in the 1st and 4th quarter.

S.A. made a helluva run there. This and the other previous 3 losses prove that its not a mountain they need to climb, just make some adjustments. I know...I know...it sucks hearing that crap almost every time they lose a close one, but the silver lining is that they're getting there. This team is capable of doing the job if they can get consistent. The rest of the month seems like a gimme. If all goes well, they'll enter the new year 20-10.

How about Tim takin over though. He still owns Amare. :ihit

+1.

seriously.

+1


Thanks for much needed and rare level-headed realism.

"I know...I know...it sucks hearing that crap almost every time they lose a close one, but the silver lining is that they're getting there. This team is capable of doing the job if they can get consistent."

It does suck dealing with so many losses. Some have been humiliating. Some have been frustrating, and some have been so close. Every single Spurs fan has a right to be extremely frustrated, confused, and worried... but the knee-jerk solution threads and blame game threads are pointless and a waste of time. Some are even 100% ignorant.

The 2010 Spurs are a wild animal. There's such a combination of new, old, and young that it's really, seriously will take time to make the pieces fit and function as the well-oiled machine we usually identify the team as. It's a very large task for Coach Pop and the team to reign it all in and get everything under control and in sync.

There are flashes of brilliance and there are glaring flaws. You can't realistically expect it to just work cause we want it to. This year's team reminds me of a complex beer. Some strong(high APV)microbrew or Belgian import. The flavors are intense and complex and taste at first bottling is usually strong, overwhelming, ...all-over-the-place. Cellar the bottle like you would a good wine(a few months and for beer-up to 3 years) and after time the ingredients settle nicely. All things hit your palette evenly and the true character is revealed.

I'm sure we're all tired of waiting, but I really feel like there are so many personalities and disciplines on this roster that it might take the whole season to come together. We might be biting our nails in April. We might be like the '95 Rockets(who we sadly fell against) and be a late bloomer, a surprise low-seed Champion that goes down in history as the tough competitors that never quit.

I hope we do well this season.
I hope all of you enjoy this season. Please try to enjoy Spurs basketball.

[DesignatedT]

sorry timmy

[ploto]

Good game Goran!!

[SouthTexasRancher]

Wooooooeeee, you know it's bad for the Spurs and their fans when so many threads get moved in one night. :tu WE only need a couple threads to get it all off our chest anyway. Time for Pop to go badass on the team and start kicking some ass. If RJ, Dice and Bogans can't fit in them get rid of their sorry asses. All of the other so-called contenders have new guys who are fitting in nicely. Something ain't right in SA. Time to get it corrected, Pop!

[Ice009]

I'm harsh on Parker because he's the second best player on the team and isn't playing like it. Higher expectations, you know.

Manu's body isn't what it used to be so I can't blame him for being made out of glass. It's out of his hands.

Jefferson's the real joke here but I've come to expect so little out of him that I'm not surprised when he has a shitty performance.

That's pretty much what I think too.

TP was supposed to carry the team or at least be the second best player and it hasn't happened. Tim is doing it all again.

[NRHector]

Damn the mods are real busy tonight :lol

[Pauleta14]

totally agree.

im just confused on what happened to all those easy layups in transition he used to get... i know tony cant shoot the jumper at a consistent level. everyone knows that. but he used to get so many easy layups.. this is what im confused about.


Remember a few years ago when he realy started being a beast at scoring?
He always said "Pop told me I could take 20 shots if I wanted..."

That's what puts a scorer in confidence!!!

Now he is ALWAY hesisating or getting rid of the ball quickly...
I HATE THAT!!!!!

LET HIM BE HIMSELF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:bang:bang:bang

He is not a natural playmaker AND WILL NEVER BE!!!!!
...and it's fine (and has alway been) in the spurs systems, where almost every plays are drawn and it's all about execution...

Pop is just destroying one of his best toys...

[Ice009]

question for Spurs fans. If the team doesn't pick it up and start winning and Duncan decided to ask to be moved to a contender so he can finish his career on a high, would you be mad?

I am assuming not many would be because he has given so much to the franchise already.

TD would never ask for a trade anyway. He already has rings and loves it in SA. I was just wondering what the ST reaction would be if the unlikely happened

That's a good question. I would be mad at the Spurs for not surrounding him with the talent, but not at Tim if he wanted a trade. I love Tim and sometimes when I am really mad I think for a second the Spurs should trade him to a team like the Magic because he should have more rings. People are just starting to get on the Kobe wagon and not even mentioning Tim anymore and I think that is total bullshit for how great Tim has been and still is. It truly pisses me off and that's why I sometimes think he should ask for a trade.

[SouthTexasRancher]

hey mate, Dejaun Blair played his heart out.

Mason Jr showed up tonight too. I'm giving Roger props too.


You know who I'm talking about, Ice009. Guys who've spent some time in the NBA and are supposed to play like pro's but are not! I praise Blair nightly but, he is only a rookie who Pop is using sparingly and wasn't in my grouping of the TP's, RJ's, KB's AMcD's, etc.

I've posted tonight like I always do that Blair is making Dice look like a Junior High bball player. Dice has been worthless so far. Sheed is making Boston look like Geeenyusses and RC & Pop like beginners!

We need our guys to pull their collective heads out of their collective asses and start playing Spurs BBall...! :toast

[Ice009]

totally agree.

im just confused on what happened to all those easy layups in transition he used to get... i know tony cant shoot the jumper at a consistent level. everyone knows that. but he used to get so many easy layups.. this is what im confused about.

He can shoot it consistently, but that takes away too much from the offense.

The only time Tony is a consistent shooter is when he takes 15+ shots. We won't win like that though with him taking all the shots and freezing everyone else out.

[JustinJDW]

+1.

seriously.

+1


Thanks for much needed and rare level-headed realism.

"I know...I know...it sucks hearing that crap almost every time they lose a close one, but the silver lining is that they're getting there. This team is capable of doing the job if they can get consistent."

It does suck dealing with so many losses. Some have been humiliating. Some have been frustrating, and some have been so close. Every single Spurs fan has a right to be extremely frustrated, confused, and worried... but the knee-jerk solution threads and blame game threads are pointless and a waste of time. Some are even 100% ignorant.

The 2010 Spurs are a wild animal. There's such a combination of new, old, and young that it's really, seriously will take time to make the pieces fit and function as the well-oiled machine we usually identify the team as. It's a very large task for Coach Pop and the team to reign it all in and get everything under control and in sync.

There are flashes of brilliance and there are glaring flaws. You can't realistically expect it to just work cause we want it to. This year's team reminds me of a complex beer. Some strong(high APV)microbrew or Belgian import. The flavors are intense and complex and taste at first bottling is usually strong, overwhelming, ...all-over-the-place. Cellar the bottle like you would a good wine(a few months and for beer-up to 3 years) and after time the ingredients settle nicely. All things hit your palette evenly and the true character is revealed.

I'm sure we're all tired of waiting, but I really feel like there are so many personalities and disciplines on this roster that it might take the whole season to come together. We might be biting our nails in April. We might be like the '95 Rockets(who we sadly fell against) and be a late bloomer, a surprise low-seed Champion that goes down in history as the tough competitors that never quit.

I hope we do well this season.
I hope all of you enjoy this season. Please try to enjoy Spurs basketball.This.

Oh by the way, I just realized, we have yet to play a game in the Eastern Conference.

[Ice009]

Yeah, Tim Duncan remembers me time and time again why he is the greatest Power Forward to ever play the game.

Jefferson and Ginobili played like **** though. Parker got it going at times, but he should have played much better.

Roger Mason was awesome tonight, nailing 3 balls from everywhere. Hill was good and Blair was a beast. Although I am happy we cut a 20 point lead to 3, we still need to learn how to play better Defense and keep our momentum going. I can't totally blame the Spurs though, because the Suns got a lot of phantom calls down the stretch.

Oh well, we still got more rings. :D

Maybe we should start Mason Jr and bench RJ.

TP needs shooters around him and I think the only role Mason Jr. could excel at is starting at SG again. If you want to maximize Mason Jr. you might have to start him again. We also cut the lead to 1 point, not three, so we were right there.

[Ice009]

So why do you blame Tony if you know he isn't 100% healthy?
+ he is THE ONLY ONE on the roster who HAS TO change his game for the good of the team.
You should realise that even healty it's not an easy thing to do after 8 years in the league (for anybody!)

You all blame the TP homers (whitch I'm not), but maybe they are/became because you guys ALWAYS find good excuses for Tim and Manu when they are not performing and when it comes to Tony it's like a gangbang at ST!!!!!!:lol

Parker said in an interview the other day that he is very close to 100% healthy. WTF do you want us to do when he says that.

[Ice009]

Good game Goran!!

FUCK off.

Coming into this thread to rub it in and rag on the Spurs some more huh?

[Pauleta14]

Again where the fuck did I say all on him.

I said Ducks won't at least give him 1 fucking percent of the blame. Ducks is insane if he won't even give Tony 1% of the fucking blame.

Was Parker injured last year cause his defense has sucked ass since last season.

You can't tell me that TP can't play defense cause I've seen him do it. You said he'll never be as good as Hill on defense. Well I have seen him do it, and do it just as good in the playoffs.


It wasn't directed to you only!! cool!

But a lot of people are just making Ducks act like that because of their lack of objectivity toward Parker!
It's like nobody ask himself WHY he is performing that way...
Everybody point out his weaknesses as if he was a rookie we were discovering...

The guy is in his 9th year with the spurs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So give him a litle respect when he is not good, he has earn it I think...

PS; About his D, we have all talk about it hundreds of time, he has not the physical capability to defend all year the way he defends during the playoffs... I don't like it, but it's fine with me (and Pop too I gess)

[DesignatedT]

He can shoot it consistently, but that takes away too much from the offense.

The only time Tony is a consistent shooter is when he takes 15+ shots. We won't win like that though with him taking all the shots and freezing everyone else out.

im not even talking about jumpshots or him taking 20+ shots a game, im talking about the 4-6 easy layups off screens or in transition tony used to get every game last year. he could make those in his sleep. im wondering why everything is coming so hard now.

not why tony cant get into a rhythm without taking a bunch of jumpers.

[Ice009]

im not even talking about jumpshots or him taking 20+ shots a game, im talking about the 4-6 easy layups off screens or in transition tony used to get every game last year. he could make those in his sleep. im wondering why everything is coming so hard now.

not why tony cant get into a rhythm without taking a bunch of jumpers.

Well I'll just say some of those layups are tough shots. It is amazing that TP was making all those layups. Some of those layups that TP has made in previous seasons have been amazing. TP has really been one of the best PG finishers in NBA history with those layups. I don't need to tell you that though as you already know that, but what I am saying it that you can't blame him for not finishing like that all the time. That's gotta be tough to make those shots.

You know I am a shooter and get on guys for missing jumpers, but I could never make any of those layups TP makes so I am usually amazed most of the time when Tony makes those.

I really don't like what Chip did too because now TP has lost that Tear drop runner. That was such a lethal weapon.

Remember in 2008 Manu was trying to add that tear drop to his game too. What happened with that? Why don't both Manu and TP still try to keep working on that shot.

[duncan228]

Updated.

Suns remain perfect at home with win over Spurs (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2009121521&prov=ap)

The Spurs expected big games from Amare Stoudemire and Steve Nash. Goran Dragic’s sharp shooting was what stunned San Antonio.

Stoudemire had 28 points and 14 rebounds and Nash had 25 points and 13 assists as the Suns broke a three-game skid to San Antonio with a 116-104 victory Tuesday night, improving to 9-0 at home to remain the NBA’s only unbeaten team at home this season.

Dragic had a career-high 18 points while making 7 of 9 field-goal attempts, including a career-high 4 of 5 from 3-point range.

“Steve and Amare did what they do. They played well. Dragic kind of shocked us a little bit,” San Antonio’s Tim Duncan said.

Dragic’s 3-pointer with 6:07 remaining gave the Suns (17-9) a 100-90 lead, and the Spurs, who cut a 20-point third-quarter deficit to one in the first minute of the fourth quarter, never were closer than nine again.

“My coach from Serbia has been in town for the last four days, and we worked a lot on my shot,” Dragic said. “Before when I shot, my arch was not so high. Today it felt great. The arch was higher.”

Duncan had a season-high 34 points and 14 rebounds for San Antonio (12-10), and Roger Mason had a season-high 19 points, including a season-high five 3-pointers. Starters Richard Jefferson and Tony Parker and sixth man Manu Ginobili had a combined 26 points on 8-of-26 shooting.

“I thought Phoenix did a great job coming out aggressively and keeping the aggressiveness for 48 minutes. We had too many pathetic games from too many people. You can’t do that against a team like Phoenix,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said.

Stoudemire had his seventh double-double of the season.

“I was definitely in attack mode tonight, bringing that energy that we needed,” Stoudemire said. “I think we collectively brought great energy.”

The Suns made 11 of 16 3-point attempts while shooting 52 percent from the field.

Phoenix has scored 100 points or more in its last 35 home games, a streak that began after San Antonio won at U.S. Airways, 91-90, on Dec. 25, 2008, when Mason hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer after entering for the first time with 4.3 seconds to play.

“It’s a real good win against a real, real solid team. You look at their record now. Come back to me in April. They won’t be two games over .500 then,” Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. “It’s always fun playing against them. They are such a smart team and have such a high basketball IQ. They hung around until they made a run. I thought we won the game with our defense.”

The Suns outrebounded San Antonio, 47-42, and limited the Spurs to 46.5 percent shooting from the field.

Phoenix led by as many as 18 points twice, the last when Nash made a 3-pointer from the right wing to give the Suns a 63-45 lead with 1:13 remaining. Dragic acquired from San Antonio in a 2008 draft-day deal, had three 3-pointers and 11 points in the first half.

Grant Hill gave Phoenix its biggest lead, 76-56, on a basket with 8:38 left in the third quarter. San Antonio cut it to 89-84 at the end of third quarter, finishing on a 28-13 run that included three 3-pointers by Mason and eight points by Duncan.

“Against a great team like Phoenix, one half is never enough,” said Ginobili, who had seven points. “We started soft. They are a high-scoring team, and if you make mistakes, they punish you. We didn’t expect Dragic to make four 3s. We want Steve and Amare to score on us, and nobody else. It’s a good lesson.”

NOTES: Nash had his fourth straight 20-point game and drew four offensive fouls. … Suns guard Jason Richardson, playing with his right wrist taped after bruising it in a 105-99 loss at Denver on Saturday, started but missed his first three shots in the first quarter and did not play in the second. Richardson’s first basket of the game was a 3-pointer with 8:38 remaining in the third quarter, and he finished with three points in 23 minutes. Muhammad Ali had a court-side seat. Ali has a home in the Phoenix area. Phoenix center Louis Amundson suffered a mild left ankle injury in the first half and did not return. He had four points and a blocked shot in seven minutes.

[ElNono]

I'm just glad there was no vBookie tonight... :lol

[Blue Jew]

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p55/RackTheMouse/RTM-21/pop-sucks-8.jpg

[senorglory]

question for Spurs fans. If the team doesn't pick it up and start winning and Duncan decided to ask to be moved to a contender so he can finish his career on a high, would you be mad?

Did Jazz fans boo Malone?

[VivaPopovich]

question for Spurs fans. If the team doesn't pick it up and start winning and Duncan decided to ask to be moved to a contender so he can finish his career on a high, would you be mad?


he's not Chauncey, he's staying right here

[Slo spurs fan]

FUCK off.

Coming into this thread to rub it in and rag on the Spurs some more huh?

Can´t take it like a men? Fuck off then pussy.

[ploto]

Coming into this thread to rub it in and rag on the Spurs some more huh?

I am very proud of Goran. His rookie year was not good, but he kept on working hard and is showing why he belongs in the NBA. He's a good, young guy. After the impressions made by Beno and Sasha about young guards from Slovenia, I am very happy to see one doing things the right way.

[Xylus]

I am very proud of Goran. His rookie year was not good, but he kept on working hard and is showing why he belongs in the NBA. He's a good, young guy. After the impressions made by Beno and Sasha about young guards from Slovenia, I am very happy to see one doing things the right way.

Goran is becoming a fan favorite here in Phoenix. He had a lot of doubters last year, but he's doing all the right things this season.

[duncan228]

Behind the Box Score, where the Spurs can't guard anyone (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Behind-the-Box-Score-where-the-Spurs-can-t-guar;_ylt=Ak5Nc_GdEPxYsBo5pxUeMmi8vLYF?urn=nba,209 206)
By Kelly Dwyer

Phoenix 116, San Antonio 104 (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore?gid=2009121521)

It was borderline shocking to watch the San Antonio Spurs play as if they'd never seen a pick and roll in their lives. As if they hadn't make a habit of shutting down that go-to play (or, at least, putting into a sometimes-workable box that they could deal with overall) for the better part of a decade.

But there the Suns were, just shooting over the top of San Antonio, especially in that first half.

Channing Frye gets a pair of three-pointers because Manu Ginobili fakes help but then decides to not leave Grant Hill at the top of the three-point arc (wha?). Tim Duncan doesn't show properly on Steve Nash. George Hill doesn't fight through anything. The Suns, as brilliant as they are, against the Spurs (who I know have been pretty average this year defensively), drop 67 first half points.

Now, my jaw dropped when I found out the Pacers nearly did that to the Wizards over the weekend. But the Suns to the Spurs?

San Antonio was actually down 20 points a few minutes into the third quarter when coach Gregg Popovich pulled his entire starting lineup save Tim Duncan, and though replacements Hill, Ginobili, and Matt Bonner struggled in the first half, the lineup (with Roger Mason Jr., who did not struggle in the first half, nor in the second) actually got it down to a five point game entering the fourth quarter.

Popovich's offense failed him after that, despite the coach desperately working to find a lineup that flowed. Just 20 points in the final 12 minutes, a killer against a team like Phoenix.

25 points, 13 assists, and six turnovers for Nash. Goran Dragic has perfected that corner three-pointer and managed 19 off the bench. Frye had 15 on 10 shots. Amar'e Stoudemire managed 28 and 14 with three steals and turned the ball over just once in over 41 minutes.

[Ice009]

Can´t take it like a men? Fuck off then pussy.

Ploto usually trolls and that is what I thought she was doing. I only ever see here post when the Spurs lose.

Troll or not I'm not taking it up the ass, maybe you like to, but I don't.

[Ice009]

I am very proud of Goran. His rookie year was not good, but he kept on working hard and is showing why he belongs in the NBA. He's a good, young guy. After the impressions made by Beno and Sasha about young guards from Slovenia, I am very happy to see one doing things the right way.

I thought you were flat out trolling and I'm still not sure that you weren't.

The Spurs definitely made him look at better than he is by showing him no respect.

[Creation88]

tony needs to get his fucking head outta his peppie le pew ass and stop turning the ball over. 5 TOs already tonight plus one from Tim when he wasn't paying attention.

[024]

lol turnovers.

[45 bank shot]

Tony's mind is def somewhere else

[45 bank shot]

omg another turnover fest... when will the spurs ever learn?

[Creation88]

wow no one in the thread tonight. Tim was outstanding tonight. =MAN

[AnthonyM]

wow no one in the thread tonight. Tim was outstanding tonight. =MAN

That's cuz you're in the wrong thread

[Quiet Strength]

That's cuz you're in the wrong thread

:lmao