Suns at Spurs Previews

[Spurs Brazil]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Sunday_Suns_37-23_at_Spurs_32-24.html

Sunday: Suns (37-23) at Spurs (32-24)

Express-News - Time: Noon
TV: ABC
Radio: WOAI-AM 1200, KCOR-AM 1350

STARTING LINEUPS
POS - SPURS - SUNS

PG - 9 Tony Parker (6-2, 9th yr) - 13 Steve Nash (6-3, 14th yr)
What's next for Parker? Missed Houston game with food poisoning.

SG - 3 George Hill (6-2, 2nd yr) - 23 Jason Richardson (6-6, 9th yr)
Suns are 18-2 when Richardson reaches 20-point mark.

SF - 10 Keith Bogans (6-5, 7th yr) - 33 Grant Hill (6-8, 16th yr)
Bogans went scoreless in 14:24 in loss to Houston.

PF - 21 Tim Duncan (6-11, 13th yr) - 1 A. Stoudemire (6-10, 8th yr)
Since trade deadline, Stoudemire averaging 22.6 points.

C - 34 Antonio McDyess (6-10, 15th yr) - 15 Robin Lopez (7-0, 2nd yr)
Lopez notched first 30-point game of career in Suns' victory vs. Clippers.

SPURS RESERVES
15 Matt Bonner, C/F, 6-10, 6th yr
45 DeJuan Blair, F, 6-7, 1st yr
4 Michael Finley, G/F, 6-7, 15th yr
20 Manu Ginobili, G, 6-6, 8th yr
1 Malik Hairston, G/F, 6-5, 2nd yr
24 Richard Jefferson, F, 6-7, 9th yr
8 Roger Mason Jr., G, 6-5, 6th yr

SUNS RESERVES
17 Lou Amundson, F, 6-9, 4th yr
55 Earl Clark, F, 6-10, 1st yr
20 Jarron Collins, C, 6-11, 9th yr
2 Goran Dragic, G, 6-3, 7th yr
3 Jared Dudley, F, 6-7, 3rd yr
8 Channing Frye, C, 6-11, 5th yr
32 Taylor Griffin, F, 6-7, 1st yr

COACHES
Spurs: Gregg Popovich
Suns: Alvin Gentry

INJURIES
Spurs: Parker (strained lower abdominal) is day-to-day.
Suns: Leandro Barbosa (right wrist) is out.

PROJECTED INACTIVE PLAYERS
Spurs: Ian Mahinmi.
Suns: Barbosa.

NOTABLE
Over past 20 games, Spurs have gone 9-11. Suns come in as one of NBA's hottest teams, having won five in a row and 11 of their past 13. ... Spurs have not had a winning or losing streak longer than two games this month. ... In past 10 games, Spurs shot 32.1 percent from 3-point range, fourth-worst in the league during that span. ... In 109-104 loss at Houston, Hairston received his first playing time since being recalled from Austin and scored eight points.

- Jeff McDonald

[Spurs Brazil]

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=300228024

Suns-Spurs Preview

The Phoenix Suns have to be happy with their decision to make Robin Lopez a starter. The 7-footers' play against the San Antonio Spurs, however, hardly suggested he was even an option to assume that role.


After getting a career game from the big man, the Suns look extend a five-game winning streak in a matchup with the struggling Spurs on Sunday.

Phoenix (37-23) matched its longest winning streak of the season with a 125-112 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. The Suns are 14 games above .500 for the first time since finishing the 2007-08 season at 55-27.

With 12 wins in its last 14 games, Phoenix is in fifth place in the Western Conference following a tough two months. One of the catalysts for the Suns' resurgence has been Lopez's strong play since replacing Channing Frye in the starting lineup.

Phoenix put its trust in Lopez even though he had never done much to distinguish himself.

He averaged 3.2 points as a rookie in 2008-09 and 4.0 points in 20 games off the bench this season. In three games versus the Spurs (32-24), Lopez has a total of four points and four rebounds in 21 minutes.

Lopez, though, is averaging 13.1 points and 6.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks while shooting 63.9 percent in 19 games as a starter. He's coming off an outstanding game, setting career highs with 30 points and 12 rebounds against the Clippers.

Lopez's previous career high was 20 points on Jan. 20 against New Jersey and his twin brother, Brook, who still owns the highest-scoring mark in the fraternal competition with a 32-point game. Robin Lopez made 13-of-16 shots and is shooting 70.6 percent (24 for 34) over his last four games.

"To shoot that efficiently tells me I'm doing my job out there," he said. "That shows how much faith my teammates have in me and my coaches have in me."

With Amare Stoudemire, Steve Nash and Jason Richardson, Phoenix doesn't necessarily need another go-to scorer. Still, Lopez's emergence gives the Suns a player who can help them match up some of the West's top big men, such as San Antonio's Tim Duncan.

The Spurs, though, have been having trouble without Tony Parker on the perimeter to complement Duncan. Parker missed San Antonio's 109-104 loss to Houston on Friday night due to a stomach ailment after sitting out two of his previous four contests due to a mild hip strain.

Parker's status is uncertain.

San Antonio has lost three of four games and is now contending with Portland for the West's final two playoff spots.

Duncan had a game-high 34 points against the Suns on Dec. 15, but the Spurs lost 116-104. Phoenix shot 51.6 percent (49 for 95) from the field and 61.1 percent (11 for 18) from 3-point range, getting 28 points and 14 rebounds from Stoudemire.

Stoudemire is averaging 27.0 points and 12.3 rebounds in his last three games against San Antonio.

[TJastal]

I thought Lopez was too foul prone to make a difference out there? You mean, *gasp* the suns actually coached him and gave him a chance to become a better player?

OMG what a concept...... this is unheard of around here

[TJastal]

Hill and J-Rich are going to take turns sodomizing Bogans.

[Slo spurs fan]

SUNS RESERVES
17 Lou Amundson, F, 6-9, 4th yr
55 Earl Clark, F, 6-10, 1st yr
20 Jarron Collins, C, 6-11, 9th yr
2 Goran Dragic, G, 6-3, 7th yr
3 Jared Dudley, F, 6-7, 3rd yr
8 Channing Frye, C, 6-11, 5th yr
32 Taylor Griffin, F, 6-7, 1st yr



it is 2nd yr

[Spursfanfromafar]

Waiting for the day when Michael Finley is the Projected Inactive player of the game. (not because of injury)

[shelshor]

Referee Assignments
Sun. Feb 28
Phoenix @ San Antonio: Monty McCutchen; Jason Phillips; Leroy Richardson

[Darthkiller]

goran dragic goes off on spurs again , calling it now

[MaNu4Tres]

I'm praying Pop makes the right changes.