duncan228
12-16-2009, 01:02 AM
Spurs have no Nash stopper (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Spurs_have_no_Nash_stopper.html)
Jeff McDonald
PHOENIX Tony Parker knew how Steve Nash was feeling Tuesday night.
Everything Nash tried in Phoenix's 116-104 victory over the Spurs seemed to work. He had his jumper going, and he had his passing going, finishing with 25 points and 13 assists. .
It was one of those nights, when you're rolling, and everything you're doing is working, said Parker, who finished with 15 points. I've known those nights.
In the past, the Spurs often had a Nash stopper available for just such an occasion. Bruce Bowen, however, has retired to the television booth.
Instead, the Spurs ran a handful of players at Nash, most often Parker and George Hill, with little success.
Steve's always in a zone, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. He's an MVP, he's an All-Star, he's a great player.
Entering the game, the Suns were 7-0 in games in which Nash doled out at least 14 assists. With that in mind, the Spurs set out with a game plan to force Nash to score and limit his assists.
It didn't work.
After the Spurs carved what had been a 20-point lead to one early in the fourth quarter, Nash responded with a 3-point play on Hill, a nifty dish to Amare Stoudemire for a dunk and a pass to Goran Dragic for a 3-pointer. By the time the run was over, Phoenix was back ahead by 10.
Steve is tough to guard whether he's in a zone or he's not in a zone, Hill said. He's Steve Nash. He's going to be tough scoring, and he's going to be tough passing. If he gets both going, it's a long night.
From Russia, with love: In a Twitter post Tuesday afternoon, Nash joked that Popovich's success as a head coach was derived from his time as an American spy in Russia.
He's absolutely correct, Popovich said. I spent all my military time in Russian basketball courts and different cities collecting as many out-of-bounds plays as I possibly could. Now I finally get a chance to employ them.
Hack-me-not: In the 2008 playoffs, Popovich made news by purposely fouling then-Suns center Shaquille O'Neal in order to put the poor-shooting big man on the foul line.
Asked if he would continue the strategy against O'Neal's replacement, the sharpshooting Channing Frye, Popovich said no.
We'd only do that with Shaq, because he expects it, and I think he'd feel badly if we didn't keep doing that with him, Popovich said, adding, I can't wait until we get to Cleveland.
Jeff McDonald
PHOENIX Tony Parker knew how Steve Nash was feeling Tuesday night.
Everything Nash tried in Phoenix's 116-104 victory over the Spurs seemed to work. He had his jumper going, and he had his passing going, finishing with 25 points and 13 assists. .
It was one of those nights, when you're rolling, and everything you're doing is working, said Parker, who finished with 15 points. I've known those nights.
In the past, the Spurs often had a Nash stopper available for just such an occasion. Bruce Bowen, however, has retired to the television booth.
Instead, the Spurs ran a handful of players at Nash, most often Parker and George Hill, with little success.
Steve's always in a zone, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. He's an MVP, he's an All-Star, he's a great player.
Entering the game, the Suns were 7-0 in games in which Nash doled out at least 14 assists. With that in mind, the Spurs set out with a game plan to force Nash to score and limit his assists.
It didn't work.
After the Spurs carved what had been a 20-point lead to one early in the fourth quarter, Nash responded with a 3-point play on Hill, a nifty dish to Amare Stoudemire for a dunk and a pass to Goran Dragic for a 3-pointer. By the time the run was over, Phoenix was back ahead by 10.
Steve is tough to guard whether he's in a zone or he's not in a zone, Hill said. He's Steve Nash. He's going to be tough scoring, and he's going to be tough passing. If he gets both going, it's a long night.
From Russia, with love: In a Twitter post Tuesday afternoon, Nash joked that Popovich's success as a head coach was derived from his time as an American spy in Russia.
He's absolutely correct, Popovich said. I spent all my military time in Russian basketball courts and different cities collecting as many out-of-bounds plays as I possibly could. Now I finally get a chance to employ them.
Hack-me-not: In the 2008 playoffs, Popovich made news by purposely fouling then-Suns center Shaquille O'Neal in order to put the poor-shooting big man on the foul line.
Asked if he would continue the strategy against O'Neal's replacement, the sharpshooting Channing Frye, Popovich said no.
We'd only do that with Shaq, because he expects it, and I think he'd feel badly if we didn't keep doing that with him, Popovich said, adding, I can't wait until we get to Cleveland.