alamo50
05-28-2005, 01:29 AM
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
May. 27, 2005 12:00 AM
Coach Mike D'Antoni insists there's no shortage of reasons for hope as the Suns go fishing for a series-altering victory in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals.
D'Antoni is clinging to the notion, also held entering Game 2, that some improved effort would change much of what ailed the Suns in a pair of narrow losses at home. More hope is provided by the return of Joe Johnson, a belief that San Antonio may not be able to play any better, and some correctable problems that surfaced in the two losses.
"Where we think we got beat is because three or four times (late in the game) we really didn't run back hard, and there was about four or five times we really didn't pursue the second rebound really hard," D'Antoni said. "We really didn't move the ball as well as we should. advertisement
"We can't be small and slow."
Phoenix committed seven first-quarter turnovers (four by Steve Nash) that led to 12 points by San Antonio, which held a 10-point lead after the first quarter for the second consecutive game. D'Antoni said his team was too caught up in forcing one-on-one action early in the games when it should have been passing.
Amaré Stoudemire said the Suns must win both games at San Antonio, where it was 38-3 this season.
"No excuses in the Western Conference finals," Stoudemire said. "Age difference, experience, it doesn't matter."
Pick 'em apart
The first two wins are sitting well with Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, but the style's been tough to swallow. San Antonio is arguably the NBA's best defensive team but won the first two by outscoring the high-octane Suns.
The Spurs have denied Quentin Richardson the three-point game and limited Shawn Marion's freelance baskets, but they have been hammered by Nash, Stoudemire and their pick-and-roll game.
"You just try to do the best that you can against the best player in the world this year," Popovich said after Thursday's practice in San Antonio. "They are making (John) Stockton and (Karl) Malone look like Laurel and Hardy out there with their pick-and-roll this season. Stockton and Malone were the best out there at that for a long time, and these two guys are able to score at will. We are supposed to be a pretty good defensive team, but these guys are carving us up."
Stoudemire averaged 39 points in the two games on 61 percent shooting. Nash averaged 29 points on 57 percent shooting with 14 assists per game. Phoenix's 111-point average is 22.6 points higher than San Antonio's league-leading average for the regular season.
Bonus shot
Phoenix has scored more than 100 in all 12 playoff games, the longest streak since the 1987 Celtics reached triple digits in 22 games.
The Arizona Republic
May. 27, 2005 12:00 AM
Coach Mike D'Antoni insists there's no shortage of reasons for hope as the Suns go fishing for a series-altering victory in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals.
D'Antoni is clinging to the notion, also held entering Game 2, that some improved effort would change much of what ailed the Suns in a pair of narrow losses at home. More hope is provided by the return of Joe Johnson, a belief that San Antonio may not be able to play any better, and some correctable problems that surfaced in the two losses.
"Where we think we got beat is because three or four times (late in the game) we really didn't run back hard, and there was about four or five times we really didn't pursue the second rebound really hard," D'Antoni said. "We really didn't move the ball as well as we should. advertisement
"We can't be small and slow."
Phoenix committed seven first-quarter turnovers (four by Steve Nash) that led to 12 points by San Antonio, which held a 10-point lead after the first quarter for the second consecutive game. D'Antoni said his team was too caught up in forcing one-on-one action early in the games when it should have been passing.
Amaré Stoudemire said the Suns must win both games at San Antonio, where it was 38-3 this season.
"No excuses in the Western Conference finals," Stoudemire said. "Age difference, experience, it doesn't matter."
Pick 'em apart
The first two wins are sitting well with Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, but the style's been tough to swallow. San Antonio is arguably the NBA's best defensive team but won the first two by outscoring the high-octane Suns.
The Spurs have denied Quentin Richardson the three-point game and limited Shawn Marion's freelance baskets, but they have been hammered by Nash, Stoudemire and their pick-and-roll game.
"You just try to do the best that you can against the best player in the world this year," Popovich said after Thursday's practice in San Antonio. "They are making (John) Stockton and (Karl) Malone look like Laurel and Hardy out there with their pick-and-roll this season. Stockton and Malone were the best out there at that for a long time, and these two guys are able to score at will. We are supposed to be a pretty good defensive team, but these guys are carving us up."
Stoudemire averaged 39 points in the two games on 61 percent shooting. Nash averaged 29 points on 57 percent shooting with 14 assists per game. Phoenix's 111-point average is 22.6 points higher than San Antonio's league-leading average for the regular season.
Bonus shot
Phoenix has scored more than 100 in all 12 playoff games, the longest streak since the 1987 Celtics reached triple digits in 22 games.