Game 2: Going for the jugular

[SPARKY]

Phoenix is feeling the pressure now. Despite terrific production from Nash and Stoudemire and putting 114 points on the San Antonio Spurs' defense they lost. At home. This is no time for the Spurs to relax, to feel that they've gotten their split and that's all they needed. Should the Spurs win game 2 then this series is over. No way do the Spurs lose at home anymore in this playoffs.

So the Spurs should make a maximum effort to snag game 2. That means playing Ginobili 40+ minutes if need be. They'll have 3 days off to rest and recuperate before game 3.

Win game 2, take this baby home to wrap it up and get ready for...the next level.

[SWC Bonfire]

I think Tim made it perfectly clear that they would be going all out to win game 2. I know they didn't make it to this level by wallowing in "moral" victories like Denver in the 1st round.

[kskonn]

yea Tim seemed pretty determined to give their best effort to take game 2. I believe he said something to the extent or, we are happy about the victory, but we want game two, we really want to put them on their heels.

[wildbill2u]

I think Tim made it perfectly clear that they would be going all out to win game 2. I know they didn't make it to this level by wallowing in "moral" victories like Denver in the 1st round.

The tendency for most teams in this circumstance is to coast. We'll see if the Spurs have the 'killer instinct' to knock a team out. They don't have to win in my opinion, but if they show the fire to win and play hard, then they have the instinct of a championship team.

[GoSpurs21]

the suns are really going to be under alot of pressure on game 2 and they all know it
if the shots dont start falling early they are going to be in serious trouble
yea the suns won and dallas and memphis, but the Spurs have only lost 4 times at home all season (and not one of those was to the suns)

[2centsworth]

The tendency for most teams in this circumstance is to coast. We'll see if the Spurs have the 'killer instinct' to knock a team out. They don't have to win in my opinion, but if they show the fire to win and play hard, then they have the instinct of a championship team.
I agree they have to come out and compete. Worst thing that could happen is they relax and get blown out. A win tomorrow and the spurs should win in 6 max.

[TDMVPDPOY]

A game 2 win for the spurs could make the suns players go book early reservations for fishin trip for the whole year since their might be a lockout :D

[GrandeDavid]

Phoenix is a great road team, so oddly as it seems I still will not feel too comfortable heading home up 2-0. Phoenix is more than capable of stealing one in San Antonio. Two is asking too much. However it spins out, I'm sticking with Spurs in 6, my pre-playoffs WCF prediction.

Spurs
Suns
Spurs
Spurs
Suns
Spurs

[beirmeistr]

I think the Spurs should utilize Manu and Tony to drive and drive and drive.
Make the Suns commit fouls. Once the Suns get in foul trouble, their game is somewhat disrupted because they are so used to playing 40 minutes with their starters.

[2centsworth]

I think the Spurs should utilize Manu and Tony to drive and drive and drive.
Make the Suns commit fouls. Once the Suns get in foul trouble, their game is somewhat disrupted because they are so used to playing 40 minutes with their starters.
Totally on target. Tony and Manu should have a field day to the hoop.

[NoMoneyDown]

I'm really starting to think this will be a 4-game series. I know that that sounds far-fetching, but the Spurs are just so much better. Nash commented after the game that they felt fatigued, and this was probably due to both the Spurs' (transition) defense working their players more than Memphis and Dallas, and the fact that the Spurs just came off a tough physical series with Seattle. This series must feel like a walk in the park to Duncan & crew.

So now Phoenix must regroup, having just played a fast-paced series with Dallas and getting beat by a tough Spurs team, and having less than 48 hours to do so. They have a longer layover between games 3 & 4, but have to play in a building where the Spurs have proven themselves almost unbeatable.

While this series could very well go 5, 6, or even 7 games, I look for the Spurs to clamp down in Game #2, and close this thing out in four games.

[bigzak25]

i can easily see our Spurs losing a home game, necessitating another road win in phoenix.

if/when our Spurs are up 3-0, i'll break out the sweep talk. but props for going out on those limbs if it comes to fruition.

[ZStomp]

i can easily see our Spurs losing a home game, necessitating another road win in phoenix.

if/when our Spurs are up 3-0, i'll break out the sweep talk. but props for going out on those limbs if it comes to fruition.


Me too. :lol

The Spurs usually do this but I hope I'm wrong...we're wrong Big Z

[Ballcox]

In anticipating this series, I wasn't expecting us to win the first game in Phoenix. I thought the Tuesday night game would be the one the Spurs could really focus on winning. I just thought with Tim's ankle and having just finished a very physical/demanding series, the Sunday game didn't set up very well for us to win, man was I wrong. If the Spurs can buckle down and really bring some focus/intensity to the game Tuesday night, the Suns could really be on the ropes. If we win tomorrow night, this series goes 5 games max. If the Suns win, I could see a 6-7 game series.

respect the 'fro :fro

[Rummpd]

Spurs in 5. The trendy line is 6, the optimistic line is 4, the reality is Spurs will win game 2, screw up game 3, win 4 and annihilate Suns in 5 to have won 3/4 on road = which will give them great confidence heading into finals.

[Extra Stout]

Spurs in 5. The trendy line is 6, the optimistic line is 4, the reality is Spurs will win game 2, screw up game 3, win 4 and annihilate Suns in 5 to have won 3/4 on road = which will give them great confidence heading into finals.If the Spurs win Game 2, Phoenix will collapse. The Spurs already have a huge mental edge. Phoenix will crack with another home loss.

But winning Game 2 will be the toughest task the Spurs have had all year.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

Phoenix is a great road team, so oddly as it seems I still will not feel too comfortable heading home up 2-0. Phoenix is more than capable of stealing one in San Antonio. Two is asking too much. However it spins out, I'm sticking with Spurs in 6, my pre-playoffs WCF prediction.

Spurs
Suns
Spurs
Spurs
Suns
Spurs


since when did we have to win 5 games to close out the series?

[boutons]

"But winning Game 2 will be the toughest task the Spurs have had all year."

Hmm, the 2 games @DEN were damn nasty and pressure-filled, and then closing out @SEA was no trivial task, either. (note to GRobb: Sonics committed 2 T's and lost by 2 pts)

But now, the Spurs have got the (banana) split @PHX.

Winning Game2 would be whipped cream on top for us, while it's do-or-die max pressure of an stark empty plate for PHX.

Game2 means much more to PHX, it's effectively an elimination game, than it does to Spurs. Damn, the winner of Game1 of the Conf Finals nearly always wins the series. And this is the veteran Spurs, with a quorum of Spurs wearing rings, vs the Cinderella team that plays no defense.

Game2 is a huge test of the Spurs, again on the road. It would be delicious to see the Spurs go up 2-0, and all that W will probably require.

I'll even say winning Game2 means these Spurs are fully ready now to start the Finals.

[Extra Stout]

Phoenix is a great road team, so oddly as it seems I still will not feel too comfortable heading home up 2-0. Phoenix is more than capable of stealing one in San Antonio. Two is asking too much. However it spins out, I'm sticking with Spurs in 6, my pre-playoffs WCF prediction.

Spurs
Suns
Spurs
Spurs
Suns
Spurs


since when did we have to win 5 games to close out the series?

:lmao

[Extra Stout]

Game2 means much more to PHX, it's effectively an elimination game, than it does to Spurs. Damn, the winner of Game1 of the Conf Finals nearly always wins the series. And this is the veteran Spurs, with a quorum of Spurs wearing rings, vs the Cinderella team that plays no defense.

Game2 is a huge test of the Spurs, again on the road. It would be delicious to see the Spurs go up 2-0, and all that W will probably require.

I'll even say winning Game2 means these Spurs are fully ready now to start the Finals.Phx will come out with the intensity of an elimination game. That means they will play all night like they did in those segments in the second and third quarters when they blitzed the Spurs. Nash might go for another triple-double while scoring 30+ like he kept doing against Dallas.

The Suns are a great team with a lot of pride and that will be on display early on Tuesday night.

The Spurs will need to be hitting on all cylinders to beat that kind of effort. Getting motivated will be tough because if they lose, eh, they're tied 1-1 going back to SBC with a great chance to go up 3-1.

If they win, for Phx it will be like the state the Spurs were in after Game 2 against LA in 2001, or what Portland was in after the MDM. The Suns would be mentally destroyed and the rest of the series would be a formality.

Odds are Suns win. Only historically great teams win in the kind of environment the Spurs will find themselves.

[T Park]

uh i count 4 games

game 1 Spurs
Game 2 Suns
Game 3 Spurs
Game 4 Spurs
Game 5 Suns
Game 6 Spurs


That looks like his prediction to me.


More genius from Duncan = CWebb.

[SPARKY]

http://www.nba.com/media/espanol/nesterovic_portrait_308.jpg

The bitches they ours.

[T Park]

^^^ LOL


Him and Big Doggie gonna get em.

[Tek_XX]

No one should feel comfortable after this win. No doubt it was a solid victory but the suns are more than capable of stealing one of our home games. Although we have a great home record they have an equally good road record. Spurs have to really want this game tommorow to win it, the suns will see it as an elimination game and play for their basketball lives.

[Timoha]

Right now, the Spurs have an amazing opportunmity to go up2-0 and go back to SA. However, I feel like the Suns will be playing tommorow like this is a must win situation (which it sort of is) and the Spurs can sometimes get a little complacent. (like after we won 2 games in the Seattle series.) However, I really do hope that they come out and compete and perheps take both wins. :)

[ca®lo]

if the spurs and close out the suns run and gun offense and get em to play half court.

those suns will set.

let amare get his points. clamp down on the rest.

if the spurs win game 2. sweep is very most likely.

and how sweet will that be?

sweeping the team with the best nba record this season.

then all the spurs fans will do the chicken dance. he he

[Chris]

http://www.nba.com/media/espanol/nesterovic_portrait_308.jpg

The bitches they ours.
:lol

[slayermin]

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000001C6M.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[wildbill2u]

I think the Spurs should utilize Manu and Tony to drive and drive and drive.
Make the Suns commit fouls. Once the Suns get in foul trouble, their game is somewhat disrupted because they are so used to playing 40 minutes with their starters.

Brilliant observation--because this is what I've been saying ever since we knew it was the Suns against us. Keep that kind of pressure on them and good things will happen. :elephant

[SpursChampsIII]

Spurs in 6.