Game Blog: Playoffs 2010 - Second Round: Spurs @ Suns, Game 1

[Horse]

Timmy should've gone back up with that offensive rebound. Mason back in are you fucking kidding me?

[ffadicted]

Mason better hit a fuckign clutch 3 or else this loss is on Pop

[bdictjames]

lol Mason in

[Libri]

Why Mason? Why not Dice?

Mason is a 3-point specialist. :lol

[noles1983]

Fuck this, i would put in one of those hot chicks in the front row over mason. At least they would look good while being horrible

[Crookshanks]

Is Mason seriously coming back in the game......

Did Mason buy Pop a car? Or maybe several cases of good wine? Why is he back in the game in crunch time? Bad, bad Pop. :lol

[AnthonyM]

Hopefully, Mason will come out now that Gentry is reacting to the lineup Pop was going to put in...

Pop can't fuck around...to come out of this game alive would do wonders for the Spurs...because they sure as hell haven't played like they wanted it...or deserved it

[ajGambino]

Holy shit, it's like Pop wants to dig a hole so the players have to fucking dig themselves out...

FUCK MEEEEEEEE

[DPG21920]

Tim needs to tell pop no mason.

[phxspurfan]

JITB is so gross

[Cant_Be_Faded]

We could really use 2008 RMJ right now...

[DontStopBelieving]

LOL " Putting Mason in improves the Spurs 3 point shooting"

[itzsoweezee]

the sons are nothing. if george hill plays even decently we win this game easily.

[ohmwrecker]

We are still trying to win this game, right?

[Capt Bringdown]

Mason's going to come in and hit some killer 3's, including a corner 3 for the win.

Hey, if you're going to dream, dream big.

[NewJerSpur]

Well, with how bad he's played to this point, Mase is due.....I hope.

[TDomination]

im going to dream that mason actually does something good in this game

[Warlord23]

The difference in this game is the 25 minutes of PT wasted by Mason and Bonner

[TJastal]

I feel a couple of big 3's coming from Roger

[DontStopBelieving]

Tim Duncan 3 point shooting> Mason

[DPG21920]

Law of averages sub by pop.

[sammy]

Pinche Pop take Mason out! Bring Bogans back in! Why doesn't someone hit Nash on his bad hip (I really miss Horry) as I've seen these asshole taking swipes at Manu's nose!

[Spursfanfromafar]

The gulf between the Spurs top 3 and the Suns' ones ...and the same between the Suns bench and the Spurs' bench is yawning.

[slick'81]

lol no mason

[TDomination]

haha, RJ instead of MASON lol

[AnthonyM]

Phew...I was right...Pop took Mason out...

[Crookshanks]

fify

:lmao so true - how is it that one team can be so crappy at shooting freethrows and another team can be so good? Just doesn't make any sense when the Spurs are a good team otherwise.

[slick'81]

5 point game

[sammy]

RJ in for Mason!

[superjames1992]

Why Mason? Why not Dice?

Because Dice is useless against the lineup the Suns are playing. We need small ball.

Although, I'd prefer someone else over Mason.

[Capt Bringdown]

We must score here, or it's ballgame.

[mexicanjunior]

Mason is back out...

[oh crap]

tony

[CFH]

Parker J

[NewJerSpur]

Toniiiiiiiiieeeeeeeee!!!!

[slick'81]

money fckn shot tp9

[slick'81]

lucky shot

[DontStopBelieving]

Mason isn't in. Overraction posts lmao

[NewJerSpur]

Great shot by Amare, that was clutch.

[ohmwrecker]

Oh, good. Pop came to his senses.

[ShoogarBear]

RJ should have gone baseline that last time.

[Horse]

Anybody get more garbage rolls than amare?

[NewJerSpur]

Terrible shot.

[mexicanjunior]

Stoudamire has been great, I don't understand how you would not have wanted him instead of Hill-Blair.

[slick'81]

slipping away

[AnthonyM]

bad shot....need a stop

[TJastal]

bah, bad miss by Ginobili.. should have left Roger in there :/

[CFH]

More jumpshots...

[Texas_Ranger]

wtf Manu

[NewJerSpur]

Damn.

[Capt Bringdown]

That's ballgame.

[Death In June]

So many missed layups.

[TDomination]

bounces aint going our way tonight, dang!

[slick'81]

phew

[TJastal]

somebody needs to make a big shot now. c'mon

[Spurs Brazil]

good job Manu

[phxspurfan]

Yeah! Manu flop!!

[DontStopBelieving]

Manu Flopped.. lol

[Tp9gospursgo]

WTF hill

[NewJerSpur]

This is not Hill's game.

[Warlord23]

Be patient on offense

[slick'81]

dammit hill needed that1

[alchemist]

terrible shot selection

[AnthonyM]

Pick and roll...come on

or penetration and kick...

it's not hard

[MannyIsGod]

Everyone trying to make a 5 point shot. That is upsetting.

[peskypesky]

game

[ohmwrecker]

Man, they hate Manu so hard.

[oh crap]

ouch

[slick'81]

game.

[CFH]

That's game...

[noles1983]

too many missed shots tonight, we will win game 2 book it

[blkroadrunners]

Game over.

[phxspurfan]

Game....

[spursfan09]

ball game

[ffadicted]

Down by 5 with 2 minutes left, let's have a jumpshooting party :) YAY SPURS :)

fucking ballgame sons.... fucking ballgame

[AnthonyM]

and that's probably it...

[bdictjames]

lol, game 2 time

[mexicanjunior]

Hill showing he is not ready to be part of big time road playoff b-ball...Richardson with the dagger.

[DontStopBelieving]

Richardson made 3. Game over. Loss is on Hill and Pop.. GTFO

[Duncan2177]

Horrible defense.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

That's ball game.

[angelbelow]

ffffffff

[noles1983]

oh and fuck you spurs for making me stay up after it looked like u were gonna grow balls

[Warlord23]

The 3 point shooting has been the difference

[myhc]

game. set. match. i'm going to bed.

[boutons_deux]

George killed us tonight. he'll be back

[Capt Bringdown]

We've had our chances, but can't make any big shots.
GAME OVER

[HarlemHeat37]

This game is on George Hill IMO..he was absolutely horrible on both ends of the floor..

[sammy]

Fuck you Pop! Why you took out Bogans for RJ! WTF!

[Ice009]

Awesome effort from the Suns.

Suns fans in this thread great play from your team.

[Spurs Brazil]

ball game

Terrilbe misses by Tony and Hill

[NRHector]

fucking spurs deserve to lose tonight

[Spursox]

We found the x factor...Richardson.....Stop him and we win the series....

[Cant_Be_Faded]

There goes that fools gold.


Noone played good tonight. Glad to see we made the best of that 3 day rest.

[DPG21920]

Story of the game. Spurs miss suns answer.

[Spursfanfromafar]

Hill loses the game for the Spurs. Absolutely pathetic performance by the promising youngster. Misses a three and then fails to guard JR.

[Ice009]

Awesome effort from the Suns.

Suns fans in this thread great play from your team.

[Quiet Strength]

lol wow the spurs had their chances.. fuck the suns. I think the spurs will win this series.

[TJastal]

bah, should have left Mason in there..Pop ya shouldn't have second guessed yourself.

[VBM]

Gave this bitch away...just like Game 1 vs. Dallas...

[NewJerSpur]

Well, got to come out in Game 2 the way we did in the 2nd half and the way we played for much of the 4th Quarter.

[superjames1992]

Well, I guess that was all false hope.

Onto game 2...

The important thing is to steal one of these games in Phoenix. It doesn't matter if it's games 1, 2, or even 5 or 7. Just win them all at home and win one on the road.

[timtonymanu]

Wow our big 3 couldnt deliver there. Instead they settled for jumpers.

BOO to all of you.

[boutons_deux]

Arizona is really trash state, trash fans

[Tp9gospursgo]

this game is on george hill imo..he was absolutely horrible on both ends of the floor..

+1

[montgod]

WTH was that...?? What's up w/these crazy shots when it counts most?!?!?

[phxspurfan]

Hip check time yet...?

[naico]

Parker misses an easy layup, Manu with a forced 3 and bad transition defense. Thats some bad play in the clutch..

[Mr.Robinson]

Pick and roll...come on

or penetration and kick...

it's not hard

Hill was terrible tonight. Spurs played like shit, the Suns played a great game. Suns should have won by 20.

[dbestpro]

This game is erie similar to the first game with Dallas.

[slick'81]

i refuse to believe its phoenixs turn to win this series but they defended homecourt tonight great effort from the suns

[ATXSPUR]

DAMNIT!!! Between this and finall exams i'm going to be in a fucking bad mood for a long time to come!

[01Snake]

Missed FT's and 3's did us in again.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Hill reverted to rookie form. He let his defensive troubles affect his entire game.

He didn't look to score aggressively once after the 1st quarter. He should have done more.

But Duncan played worse than him IMO.

[Ice009]

There goes that fools gold.


Noone played good tonight. Glad to see we made the best of that 3 day rest.

I wanted to apologize for a comment I made to your earlier in the game. I wanted to do immediately after the post, but got caught up in the game.

[Horse]

3 straight possesions we don't do shit,even got a couple stops.

[itzsoweezee]

spurs are just playing dumb. a few adjustments for game two is all that's needed. you bandwagon fans can jump off now.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Hill reverted to rookie form. He let his defensive troubles affect his entire game.

He didn't look to score aggressively once after the 1st quarter. He should have done more.

But Duncan played worse than him IMO.

[DontStopBelieving]

Manu had ANOTHER bad shooting night. Tony couldn't finish when it counted. Hill just flat out sucked. Mason played a HUGE amount of minutes with nothing to show for it. Pop continued to put Mason in. RJ wasn't even there.. Tim played like shit for the first 3 quarters..

Game 2 can't come soon anough.

[magui86770]

miss free throws - duncan big culprit, hill absolutely horrible, tony has 21 pts but on 20 shots...

[AnthonyM]

damn that and 1 would have been huge

[NewJerSpur]

George has got to find his game on the road, given the fact we won't have HCA for the remainder of the playoffs.

[Texas_Ranger]

We've got game 2.

[Capt Bringdown]

Can't believe we let them win this game. We were backfooted from the tipoff.

[jack sommerset]

Well, looks like the Spews lost. Good luck next game.

[roycrikside]

There goes that fools gold.


Noone played good tonight. Glad to see we made the best of that 3 day rest.

Ginobili had 25-4-5 and turned Nash over five times. I don't know what more you want out of him. Parker and Dancan were pretty good too. I don't think the big three were the problem today. We got like literally nothing from anyone else, except maybe Dice.

[peskypesky]

Spurs don't deserve to win, so I don't feel so bad. They were horrible at the line. Both of them.

[Mr.Robinson]

Parker misses an easy layup, Manu with a forced 3 and bad transition defense. Thats some bad play in the clutch..

Suns deserve this. Tim won't play this bad in game 2. Tim played good in the fourth, though.

[Ice009]

Hill reverted to rookie form. He let his defensive troubles affect his entire game.

He didn't look to score aggressively once after the 1st quarter. He should have done more.

But Duncan played worse than him IMO.

I think it's obvious that starting Hill on the road of a series is not the right move by the Spurs. He's not ready for it and TP should be starting, especially in road games.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

So painful to watch this.

Give credit to the Suns. They were in complete control no matter what the score was, and always answered every big shot and run we made.

[noles1983]

lol grant hill...retire you old fuck. take nash and kidd with you

[peskypesky]

Suns 4-2. Fuck you, faggots.

Suck it! :blah:blah

[alchemist]

thanks Manu, could've used that type of offense in the 1st half

[VBM]

Hill you idiot...don't foul Nash

[montgod]

Game is over... we all know Nash isn't goin to miss

[timtonymanu]

Pop really needs to give Hill a talk after this game.

Hill fuckin sucked.

[Spurs Brazil]

Hill looks like the stupid player in the whole world today

[mexicanjunior]

Nice to see us driving to the hoop during garbage time...at least we made Gentry put Nash and Amare back in at the end.

[Tp9gospursgo]

Nash kills Hill. Parker should start next game.

[montgod]

NIce play TP

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Ginobili had 25-4-5 and turned Nash over five times. I don't know what more you want out of him. Parker and Dancan were pretty good too. I don't think the big three were the problem today. We got like literally nothing from anyone else, except maybe Dice.

his jump shot selection was very bad and some of his bad misses helped jump start suns shots


that clanked 3 pointer to give phx another shot to finish the 3rd quarter was especially stupid

[Horse]

Well atleast we know what we have to do. I know we're old but we have to shorten the bench.

[sammy]

Game over! The big three and Bogans came to play, the rest played like dogs!

[blkroadrunners]

And1 TP

[CFH]

Parker and 1 though I think this is most likely over by now :lol

[kuato]

Lack of 3s !!!

[magui86770]

just strange for the spurs to lose game 1 to the suns in a playoff series..

[ffadicted]

Man, if only the spurs attacked with this much effort the whole game

[alchemist]

hate these refs, they wouldn't call these shitty fouls (like the one Parker just got) but they do it when the game is out of reach. :bang

[jack sommerset]

They gave them hell but they lost.

[noles1983]

Suns 4-2. Fuck you, faggots.

lol at your fucking retarded fanbase chanting mvp for whoever is shooting free throws

[timtonymanu]

Ok now these guys drive in. WTF?!

[Mr.Robinson]

Suns 4-2. Fuck you, faggots.

Good for you.

[SpursRulez4eVeR]

hill said hes one of those players who don't get frustrated or confused easily, but tonight says otherwise.

[Danny.Zhu]

This is so lame. Hopefully we could turn it around the next game.

[magui86770]

and book it - TP starts in game 2!

[phxspurfan]

TNT has been calling this game a Spurs loss since 11:28 left in the 1st

[NewJerSpur]

To start Game 2, I'm trapping Nash hard....he didn't handle that too well the times we threw it at him. Don't let him and Amare get comfortable with the pnr.

[Brox6]

im waiting for pop to let the dogs out in game 2

[AnthonyM]

I think the upside here was Tony really looked like he remembered in the 2nd half that he owns the Suns...

He will most likely be starting for the rest of the series...

I also wonder if Pop will think about moving Ginobili to the bench for the start of the game...because I think Hill will lose confidence if Pop sits him for the start of the game...whereas Ginobili can easily come off the bench and may be better off it...

Onto game 2...

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Anyone got Spurs record against Bennett Salvatore in the playoffs?

[ducks]

tied game had duncan not missed a free throw

[Spurs Brazil]

Big 3 with no help tonight

Hill 9pts (awful D)
RJ 5pts (3FGA)

[NRHector]

suns won tonight we got next game

[montgod]

Here comes foul and FTs most likely... who to foul. NASH AGAIN!?!? Dang..

[Death In June]

Nice flop.

[Tp9gospursgo]

Nash flopped there. BS call

[DontStopBelieving]

Parker needs to start game 2. Manu needs to quit taking the damn jump shots. Hill needs a damn talking to. Mason needs to be released before they get on the plain.

Bogans looked good tonight. Reward him with Mason's minuted.. :/.

Timmy needs to get the head out of his ass.

[sammy]

Down by 5, but a foul against us for the yellow teeth Nash!

[TDomination]

just strange for the spurs to lose game 1 to the suns in a playoff series..

yeah, we havn't done that since 2003 when we missed ft after ft, giving the suns the opportunity to make that game winning shot at the buzzer

[phxspurfan]

Ball dont lie

[Tp9gospursgo]

Ball don't lie Nash.

[peskypesky]

Suns squeak by at home after a terrible game by the Spurs. nothing to worry about IMO.

[jack sommerset]

It's a road game so it means nothing.

[alchemist]

he scored 9 points in the second quarter alone, how many points you want from him?
I'm talking more about the break down, the pick and roll with Tim...he didn't use it much in the 1st half, his defense was great but the offense could've been worked on a bit more.

[Tp9gospursgo]

This game is not COMPLETELY out of reach.

[roycrikside]

his jump shot selection was very bad and some of his bad misses helped jump start suns shots


that clanked 3 pointer to give phx another shot to finish the 3rd quarter was especially stupid

Again, I don't know what you want from him. He's not Michael Jordan. I'll take 27-4-5-4 every time from him no questions asked and I'm sure most right thinking people would as well. Again, the big the weren't the problem tonight. You're a fool if you think they were.

You need your role players to show up to win a road game in the playoffs.

[DesignatedT]

quick 3.

[Capt Bringdown]

his jump shot selection was very bad and some of his bad misses helped jump start suns shots


Manu's misses often lead to opponent scoring runs. I don't know why that is...

[Horse]

Suns 4-2. Fuck you, faggots.
That's what dallas thought dickhead.:nope

[ffadicted]

lol I'd love if we TMac'd this shit 2 possession game

[mexicanjunior]

I also wonder if Pop will think about moving Ginobili to the bench for the start of the game...because I think Hill will lose confidence if Pop sits him for the start of the game...whereas Ginobili can easily come off the bench and may be better off it...

Onto game 2...

I would agree with starting Hill at the 2 if he could guard anyone. Richardson and Grant Hill would abuse him in the paint...

[DontStopBelieving]

We need a quick 3, and.... something..

[Spursfanfromafar]

Manu was the star for the Spurs this game. Absolutely riot. Even if we lose this, I think Manu+TP will win the series for the team.

[phxspurfan]

Ok Suns, we'll give you your precious game 1...let you celebrate your 2nd round championship. Then we'll be back in game 2, dirtier than ever!

[jack sommerset]

It's 2010, maybe the Spews can mustard up a miracle.

[NRHector]

quick 3.yeah by who?

[sammy]

Salvatore screwed us in Game 1 of the Dallas series so we should've known we'd be screwed tonight! Fuck! On to game 2!

[ffadicted]

lol THAT is ballgame

[Horse]

I could see Parker starting game 2, then we don't get off to the shitty start. nash has to guard him, and he can't guard him.

[timtonymanu]

That's game.

Fuck Phoenix and their fans except the good ones on this site.

[Mr.Robinson]

Hill can't start, he is tenative against Nash, Parker can attack, Nash every chance he gets.

Seems like he respects Nash a little too much.

[NewJerSpur]

I might think about bringing Hill off the bench moving forward, particularly on the road. Let him start off guarding Barbosa and getting into the flow of the game rather than trying to help establish it.

[noles1983]

with all that we did awful, we still could have won. not worried about these pussy suns. spurs in 6

[RobSM64]

"hey Hey... goodbye?" WTF?

[jack sommerset]

I think it's safe to say it's over.

[roycrikside]

Manu's misses often lead to opponent scoring runs. I don't know why that is...

Great. I guess he should just stop missing shots then. Brilliant.

[timtonymanu]

Are they really singing the na na na song on Game ONE?

Fuckin loser fans.

[ffadicted]

LMAO @ Suns fans singing the "goodbye" tune after a game 1 home win :lol

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Suns singing the goodbye song after Game 1? :lol

[mexicanjunior]

Sakvatore screwed in Game 1 of the Dallas series so we should've known we'd be screwed tonight! Fuck! On to game 2!

That's what happens when you are a 7th seed relying on road calls...

[spursfan09]

lol sun fans embracing eachother

[Mr. Peabody]

Ha. The premature chants of the Phoenix crowd . . . .

[NewJerSpur]

Suns fans are ridiculous....they're making the Cavs' bench look like good sportsmen.

[Capt Bringdown]

Spurs obviously miss Bowen.

And the missed FT's are inexcusable. I know Pop's got a "too cool for school" attitude about FT practice, but he needs to lock his millionaires in the gym until they learn how to shoot FFS.

[AnthonyM]

I would agree with starting Hill at the 2 if he could guard anyone. Richardson and Grant Hill would abuse him in the paint...

Yeah, but Hill is too important to this team if we want a chance to win...besides he'd likely be starting next to Ginobili if Pop doesn't start Parker...

I just don't want Hill to think Pop has lost faith in him off one bad game...He can bounce back and Pop needs to show him that he believes that...

[jack sommerset]

Close game . Lots to gain from it

[timtonymanu]

Spurs dont prove these fucker fans right and win game 2.

[td4mvp21]

What did the Spurs do the last 4 days? 27 fast break points for the best fast break team in the league? Where was the defense?

[Mr. Peabody]

Streamers? Really?

[noles1983]

when you suck for so many yrs you take joy in the little things...so sad sun fans..no really..so sad

[NRHector]

wtf? celebrating like they won the ship :lol

[boutons_deux]

the whole AZ state and esp the fans are stinking foreclosure, trailer park trash

[Refocus]

Probably Hills worst game of his career.. fucking awful tonight.

[Ice009]

Great effort from the Suns. Congrats to the good Suns fans.

Spurs totally fucked themselves this game. TP should have started and he needs to start especially on the road.

[spursfan09]

Is that "we beat the Spurs" mentality.

[boutons_deux]

It's on George to bounce back.

[stealthjbravo]

Singing naw naw and dropping confetti. :D What a bunch of stupid pussies

[sammy]

LMAO @ Suns fans singing the "goodbye" tune after a game 1 home win :lol

What a bunch of jackasses as they will be crying once we send them fishing! They are celebrating early like the Mavs and look what happened to them! We will get the last laugh!

[NewJerSpur]

Close game . Lots to gain from it

:tu

Especially after coming back twice in the midst of some terrible basketball.

[NewJerSpur]

At least Bogans and Blair looked pretty good coming off the bench. We're going to need that support, and Bogues has to keep shooting no matter what when he's open.

[mexicanjunior]

Yeah, but Hill is too important to this team if we want a chance to win...besides he'd likely be starting next to Ginobili if Pop doesn't start Parker...

I just don't want Hill to think Pop has lost faith in him off one bad game...He can bounce back and Pop needs to show him that he believes that...

Again, who do you put him on? I think Hill's only real matchable player is Barbosa because he is either a straight speed driver or a 3pt chucker. Anyone with a decent crossover dribble can get to the lane easily on him...anyone over 6'5 with bulk can post him and force double teams. He is just too much of a liability to start and expect to win the +/-...

[sammy]

George Hill played horrible in Game 1 of Dallas series and bounced back! Spurs will win Game 2 and take care of business at home! Pop needs to play Bogans more as he did great defense and can shoot the 3!

[Whisky Dog]

So many chances to get this game, but props to suns for hitting shots they needed to hit while mason and Hill bricked crunch time 3s and the Spurs didn't execute down the stretch.

Just like the mav series the Spurs have a chance to win game 2 and take control of the series - Richardson/Grant Hill/etc. won't play nearly as well in SA and our role players will be much better.

[TampaDude]

Make your FTs, guys, and you win this game...oh, well...Spurs will win Game 2 and win the series in 6 games...no worries...GO SPURS GO!!!!!

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Duncan makes his free throws
We hit a couple more outside shots

and even with all the other bad shit tonight, we win.


Too bad though we are climbing mt everest with four broken limbs right now

[mexicanjunior]

George Hill played horrible in Game 1 of Dallas series and bounced back! Spurs will win Game 2 and take care of business at home! Pop needs to play Bogans more as he did great defense and can shoot the 3!

Bogans has at least earned all of Mason's minutes. He would be our best defender against Richardson.

[phxspurfan]

really bad 3pt shooting, bad game by Hill, ok game by Manu, bad defense...our team's got a lot to work on

[DDS4]

Suns Big 3 > Spurs Big 3.

We're gonna have keep JRich below 20 pts to have a chance.

[mexicanjunior]

Duncan makes his free throws
We hit a couple more outside shots

and even with all the other bad shit tonight, we win.


Too bad though we are climbing mt everest with four broken limbs right now

Too bad relying on Duncan (or the Spurs for that matter) to make his FT's is a losing formula.

[Kamala]

LOL Charles Barkley drunk on the air again!

[NewJerSpur]

Props to the Suns for defending HC, now it's up to the Spurs to make adjustments. Those new to the playoffs/Spurs/series on the team should now realize that the Mavs and the Suns are different teams and adjustments must be made accordingly.

[alchemist]

Close game . Lots to gain from it
:lol this jackoff only shows up when the Spurs lose or about to lose.

[marini martini]

score????

[Killakobe81]

Richard Jefferson - MIA.

A HUGE part of this loss ...They GOTTA get him going to win in Game 2 ....

[Killakobe81]

Yeah, but Hill is too important to this team if we want a chance to win...besides he'd likely be starting next to Ginobili if Pop doesn't start Parker...

I just don't want Hill to think Pop has lost faith in him off one bad game...He can bounce back and Pop needs to show him that he believes that...

I agree, and think Pop will get in his ear and make Hill adjust.

[duncan228]

Updated.

Nash, Suns finally beat Spurs in a Game 1, 111-102 (http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=300503021)
By Bob Baum

Sore hip? What sore hip?

After resting his strained right hip for three days, Steve Nash had 33 points and 10 assists, and the Phoenix Suns broke their Game 1 curse against the San Antonio Spurs with a 111-102 victory on Monday night in the opener of their Western Conference semifinal series.

Any doubt that Nash would be slowed by the injury ended in the early minutes of the game, when he made his five shots, including an array of twisting, swiveling drives to the hoop. He had 17 points by the end of the first quarter.

"He ran it down our throat," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.

"He kind of just picked us apart," added San Antonio's Tim Duncan.

Jason Richardson scored 27 and Amare Stoudemire had 23 points and 13 rebounds for the Suns.

Manu Ginobili, tape across his broken nose, scored 27, Tony Parker 26 and Duncan 20 for the Spurs, who had won three straight Game 1s against the Suns, two of them in Phoenix. Both of those times, in 2005 and 2007, the Spurs went on to win the NBA title.

"You can't get too excited," Stoudemire said. "They're a team with a great pedigree that knows how to come back in a series."

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Wednesday night in Phoenix.

In the second half, the situation seemed ripe for another of those San Antonio daggers to the Suns' heart.

Twice San Antonio rallied from 14 back, with a 12-0 run in the third quarter and a mighty 13-0 outburst that sliced Phoenix's lead to 94-93 on Ginobili's 7-foot runner with 4:26 to go in the game.

These Suns had whatever it took to withstand the charge.

"That's really frustrating when that happens," Ginobili said, "especially the second time. ... Against these guys, with the level of confidence they're playing at, you just can't blink."

Stoudemire sank two free throws, then after Keith Bogans and Parker missed 3-pointers, Grant Hill made two from the line to put the Suns ahead 98-93.

Parker's 19-footer cut it to 98-95 with 3:38 left, then Richardson brought the house down with a 3-pointer to make it 103-95 with 1:23 left. After Parker's two free throws cut it to 103-97, Hill made a 13-foot jumper with 51 seconds left, and the Suns put it away by making six of eight free throws from there.

"When we did get back into it, we gave up a bunch of points in transition," Duncan said, "and that's the best transition team in the league."

Nash hurt his hip in a shootaround before Game 3 of the first-round series against Portland, and the injury bothered him greatly in the deciding Game 6 last Thursday. The team had Friday off, then he sat out practice Saturday and Sunday.

The rest did wonders.

"You never know what the game is going to present," Nash said. "You have to be willing and aggressive and do whatever you can. For me, I didn't know how I was going to feel physically, but dragging my leg around in Game 6 in Portland wasn't very fun and it was great to get out there and feel like I could do something."

The Spurs had to rely on their veteran big three, without much help, to stay in the game. George Hill managed just nine points on 2-of-9 shooting and struggled defensively. Richard Jefferson had five points and three rebounds in 33 minutes.

The Spurs had never led before that 12-0 outburst put them up 67-64 with 7:25 left in the third quarter. Ginobili, his nose broken by an elbow from Dirk Nowitzki in Game 3 of the first round, started and ended the run with 3-pointers.

Richardson responded with a 3 and it was 67-all. After two more ties, Nash scored on a squirming inside move, then handed out assists on the next three baskets in a 10-0 Phoenix run that put the Suns ahead 83-73. It was 85-75 entering the fourth.

Stoudemire scored the first four points of the final quarter to stretch the lead to 89-75 and it was 94-80 with 8:10 to go after Lou Amundson made one of two free throws. Yet here came the Spurs again, this time led by Duncan.

He scored seven in the 13-0 surge that almost caught Phoenix.

Nash dominated immediately after the opening tip, making his first five shots, dribbling around George Hill repeatedly for layups. He finished with 17 first-quarter points on 7-of-10 shooting. Nash wrapped up the quarter with a pair of three-point plays.

"We came in the mindset that we were going to push the basketball," Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry said, "and that if we pushed the basketball like we thought we could, Steve would get the ball to the basket."

Phoenix outshot San Antonio 56 percent to 42 percent in the first half yet the Spurs were lurking within striking distance, down 57-47.

NOTES: Suns C Robin Lopez says he isn't ready yet to return but expects to play in the series. He's been out since March 26 with a back injury (bulging disk). ... Nash's career playoff high is 48 points against Dallas on May 15, 2005. ... The Spurs are 20-10 in playoff games against Phoenix in the Duncan era. ... Nash is 6-0 in the playoffs when he has at least 30 points and 10 assists. .... The fans were given orange T-shirts that red "It's R Turn." The team's marketing slogan this season was "R U Orange?" ... San Antonio missed five 3-pointers in the final four minutes and wound up 4 of 19 from long range.

[Budkin]

Nash dropped 33 on your faggot asses, LOL. Pwneddddddddddddddddddd. Nice Defense, shitheads.

Suck it. Suns in 5.

It's trolls like these that make coming back to the threads so fun when we win.

[VivaPopovich]

tough loss but the spurs got this. they lost game 1 against dallas also

when you take away the cheap tricks, the suns don't have much left. plus they still cant play defense, nor do they care to

i'll take coach pop over what's his face any day

and hey, since the suns are so soft we can actually give bonner more minutes now! i know that'll make a lot of people here happy lol