Kori Ellis
05-22-2005, 12:13 AM
Spurs, Phoenix have gotten this far, so they won't be changing game plans now
Web Posted: 05/22/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA052205.1S.BKNspurs.suns.adv1.2998e73d8.html
PHOENIX — It has been almost three months since the Spurs walked off the court at America West Arena, since Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver flapped his arms and called them chickens.
It has been long enough for the Spurs to win the Southwest Division, for Manu Ginobili to torment George Karl and the Denver Nuggets, for Tim Duncan to quiet the mouths of Jerome James and Ray Allen.
In the meantime, Phoenix wrapped up a 62-victory season, as well as the Pacific Division title. The Suns opened the playoffs by flushing the Memphis Grizzlies in four games. Steve Nash collected the MVP award, then thumped it over the heads of the Dallas Mavericks, his former employers.
All of which has brought the Spurs back here this afternoon for the start of the Western Conference finals. The Suns, it seems, have been waiting.
"We want to play them," Phoenix forward Shawn Marion said. "Of course we want to. We wanted to play them, regardless how everything panned out. I wanted to play them definitely, to prove to everybody (that) to go through the West, you got to go through the best team."
Deciding best-in-the-West status could be a question of offense vs. defense. The Suns, eschewing conventional thinking that size matters, finished the season as the NBA's most prolific team in the past nine years. Employing a lineup that features only one player taller than 6-foot-7, they averaged 110.4 points per game during the regular season — 116.0 in the playoffs.
"I just keep beating the drums and telling them this is who we are," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "This is why we won 62 games. I just don't think we have to change what we do."
Nor do the Spurs. They finished the season with the league's top-ranked scoring defense, holding their opponents to 88.4 points per game. In the playoffs, they held Denver and Seattle — both transition-oriented teams — to an average of 91.1 points.
"Now we go into a series against a team that runs and shoots a lot of threes," Robert Horry said. "It's like a buildup. So, hopefully, we will be prepared after these first two rounds."
The Spurs, however, could stand to be healthier. Duncan sprained his left ankle in the fourth quarter of Thursday's series-clinching victory over Seattle. He didn't practice Saturday, but is expected to play today. How effective he will be remains to be seen.
Duncan's ankle, coach Gregg Popovich said, was "very sore." His right ankle, which he has sprained three times this season, has gradually become stronger, but hasn't completely healed.
"We're just going to have to see what he can do, what he can tolerate," Popovich said. "We're very concerned about it, obviously."
Ginobili bruised his right quadriceps Thursday — an injury he has sustained a handful of times this season — but is healthy enough to play. Glenn Robinson will miss at least today's game to be with his family after his mother died. Popovich also isn't counting on much from Devin Brown, who was a valuable part of the small lineup the team used to counter the Suns during the regular season.
"I'm not great on sportsmanship," D'Antoni said jokingly when asked about the injuries to Duncan and Ginobili. "If they're limping, that's life."
D'Antoni has his own concerns. Joe Johnson, the Suns' usual starting shooting guard, will miss his fifth consecutive game today after fracturing his left orbital bone in the Western Conference semifinals. He underwent surgery to repair the injury near his eye and appears doubtful to return until Game 3, at the earliest.
Despite Johnson's absence, Phoenix dismissed Dallas in six games. Running one pick-and-roll after another, Nash cut up his former team, averaging 30.3 points, 12.0 assists and 6.5 rebounds in the series.
"Everybody knows Nash is the head of the snake on that team," Ginobili said. "No doubt. But there is no easy way to take him out of the way, because he always has the ball in his hands."
As much trouble as Nash creates, the Spurs have yet to contain the Suns' ferocious young center, Amare Stoudemire. Stoudemire averaged 38.7 points in three games against the Spurs, the most they have ever allowed to a single player in a season.
"It's pick your poison," Stoudemire said. "Let the shooters shoot. Or let me dominate inside the paint. It's either-or."
While the Suns made it clear they plan to try to outrun their opponent, the Spurs are not the grind-it-out, halfcourt-oriented team of years past. Tony Parker and Ginobili are fast and skilled in the open court, and even Duncan has been seen leading the break.
The Spurs also leaned heavily on their own small lineup — albeit with Brown healthy — when they beat Phoenix twice in the regular season.
"People don't realize that even though we hold teams in the 80s and 90s most of the time, we try to push the ball a lot," Horry said. "If we have to get in a track meet, this team can adapt to whatever."
The Spurs will also have to adjust to their environment, opening a playoff series on the road for only the second time in seven seasons.
They lost during their last visit here, but neither Duncan nor Ginobili played. Sarver, who later apologized for his actions, clucked at the two All-Stars. The teams have been planning for their reunion ever since.
"San Antonio was going to be there," D'Antoni said. "That was a given. They're the baddest guy on the block right now. We're going to try to knock them off."
Web Posted: 05/22/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA052205.1S.BKNspurs.suns.adv1.2998e73d8.html
PHOENIX — It has been almost three months since the Spurs walked off the court at America West Arena, since Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver flapped his arms and called them chickens.
It has been long enough for the Spurs to win the Southwest Division, for Manu Ginobili to torment George Karl and the Denver Nuggets, for Tim Duncan to quiet the mouths of Jerome James and Ray Allen.
In the meantime, Phoenix wrapped up a 62-victory season, as well as the Pacific Division title. The Suns opened the playoffs by flushing the Memphis Grizzlies in four games. Steve Nash collected the MVP award, then thumped it over the heads of the Dallas Mavericks, his former employers.
All of which has brought the Spurs back here this afternoon for the start of the Western Conference finals. The Suns, it seems, have been waiting.
"We want to play them," Phoenix forward Shawn Marion said. "Of course we want to. We wanted to play them, regardless how everything panned out. I wanted to play them definitely, to prove to everybody (that) to go through the West, you got to go through the best team."
Deciding best-in-the-West status could be a question of offense vs. defense. The Suns, eschewing conventional thinking that size matters, finished the season as the NBA's most prolific team in the past nine years. Employing a lineup that features only one player taller than 6-foot-7, they averaged 110.4 points per game during the regular season — 116.0 in the playoffs.
"I just keep beating the drums and telling them this is who we are," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "This is why we won 62 games. I just don't think we have to change what we do."
Nor do the Spurs. They finished the season with the league's top-ranked scoring defense, holding their opponents to 88.4 points per game. In the playoffs, they held Denver and Seattle — both transition-oriented teams — to an average of 91.1 points.
"Now we go into a series against a team that runs and shoots a lot of threes," Robert Horry said. "It's like a buildup. So, hopefully, we will be prepared after these first two rounds."
The Spurs, however, could stand to be healthier. Duncan sprained his left ankle in the fourth quarter of Thursday's series-clinching victory over Seattle. He didn't practice Saturday, but is expected to play today. How effective he will be remains to be seen.
Duncan's ankle, coach Gregg Popovich said, was "very sore." His right ankle, which he has sprained three times this season, has gradually become stronger, but hasn't completely healed.
"We're just going to have to see what he can do, what he can tolerate," Popovich said. "We're very concerned about it, obviously."
Ginobili bruised his right quadriceps Thursday — an injury he has sustained a handful of times this season — but is healthy enough to play. Glenn Robinson will miss at least today's game to be with his family after his mother died. Popovich also isn't counting on much from Devin Brown, who was a valuable part of the small lineup the team used to counter the Suns during the regular season.
"I'm not great on sportsmanship," D'Antoni said jokingly when asked about the injuries to Duncan and Ginobili. "If they're limping, that's life."
D'Antoni has his own concerns. Joe Johnson, the Suns' usual starting shooting guard, will miss his fifth consecutive game today after fracturing his left orbital bone in the Western Conference semifinals. He underwent surgery to repair the injury near his eye and appears doubtful to return until Game 3, at the earliest.
Despite Johnson's absence, Phoenix dismissed Dallas in six games. Running one pick-and-roll after another, Nash cut up his former team, averaging 30.3 points, 12.0 assists and 6.5 rebounds in the series.
"Everybody knows Nash is the head of the snake on that team," Ginobili said. "No doubt. But there is no easy way to take him out of the way, because he always has the ball in his hands."
As much trouble as Nash creates, the Spurs have yet to contain the Suns' ferocious young center, Amare Stoudemire. Stoudemire averaged 38.7 points in three games against the Spurs, the most they have ever allowed to a single player in a season.
"It's pick your poison," Stoudemire said. "Let the shooters shoot. Or let me dominate inside the paint. It's either-or."
While the Suns made it clear they plan to try to outrun their opponent, the Spurs are not the grind-it-out, halfcourt-oriented team of years past. Tony Parker and Ginobili are fast and skilled in the open court, and even Duncan has been seen leading the break.
The Spurs also leaned heavily on their own small lineup — albeit with Brown healthy — when they beat Phoenix twice in the regular season.
"People don't realize that even though we hold teams in the 80s and 90s most of the time, we try to push the ball a lot," Horry said. "If we have to get in a track meet, this team can adapt to whatever."
The Spurs will also have to adjust to their environment, opening a playoff series on the road for only the second time in seven seasons.
They lost during their last visit here, but neither Duncan nor Ginobili played. Sarver, who later apologized for his actions, clucked at the two All-Stars. The teams have been planning for their reunion ever since.
"San Antonio was going to be there," D'Antoni said. "That was a given. They're the baddest guy on the block right now. We're going to try to knock them off."