THE SIXTH MAN
04-05-2007, 12:44 AM
Link (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA040507.01D.BKNspurs.suns.363f97c.html)
Spurs face off with surging Suns
Web Posted: 04/04/2007 11:32 PM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
The Spurs had their choice of viewing options Sunday night in the visitors locker room at Indiana's Conseco Fieldhouse: the Pacers' recent game with New Jersey, replaying on the large film screen in the room; or Phoenix's game against Dallas, live on a small TV hanging from the ceiling.
The setup allowed players to keep one eye on that night's opponent and the other on the Suns, whom they are chasing for the Western Conference's No. 2 seed. Nearly four hours later, the Spurs exited the room with faces as blank as the screens they had been watching.
While the Spurs won't need a remote to see Phoenix tonight, the Suns' visit to the AT&T Center has lost some of its significance after Sunday's events. Losing in Indiana — coupled with Phoenix's rout of the Mavericks — dropped the Spurs three games behind the Suns, a deficit that remained after both teams won Tuesday.
Even if the Spurs win tonight, they would have to make up two games on the Suns with seven left.
"There's not much we can do," Manu Ginobili said. "That game is lost. It was a bad opportunity we lost, but we've got to keep playing."
That should be motivation enough. Phoenix has beaten Dallas twice in the past three weeks and is 17-5 since the All-Star break, further enhancing its position as one of the top championship contenders.
The Spurs have won 20 of their past 23 games but have lacked a steady diet of quality opponents, making them eager to challenge one of the Western Conference's elite.
"It's a great test time for us, especially coming down toward the end of the season," Tim Duncan said. "It's good to have them come into our house here and be able to measure up a little bit."
The Suns beat the Spurs 103-87 on Feb. 1 in Phoenix. The Spurs were within a point with a little more than five minutes left before being outscored 18-3 the remainder of the game.
"That's what they do," Ginobili said. "Sometimes they're even going to be down 10 and they're going to make one of those runs that gets them all pumped up and they start making every shot.
"You have to be aware of that."
The Suns are averaging 110.7 points while shooting 49.7 percent, both of which lead the league. Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni has tried to speed up his team's pace in recent days by moving the 6-foot-7 Shawn Marion to power forward and starting Leandro Barbosa alongside point guard Steve Nash.
The Spurs have won only one game this season when allowing 100 or more points, a 111-106 overtime victory over the Suns on Nov. 8. And they likely would have lost that one, too, had Phoenix guard Raja Bell not missed a free throw with 1.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
While much of the Spurs' success remains dependent on their defense, that doesn't mean they hope to lull the Suns into a slug-it-out halfcourt game.
"San Antonio runs more than people think they do," D'Antoni said. "They're more of an opportunistic team that will run. If you give them the advantage, they will do it, and they're not going to back off of that.
"They just won't helter-skelter go like we do. We're trying to up the tempo, and so sometimes we take a quicker shot that, in retrospect, it might have been better if we didn't."
Tonight's game also could be a preview of the Western Conference semifinals should the Spurs and Suns both survive the opening round of the playoffs.
The difference between the second and third seeds would mean home-court advantage, but both teams have proved to be formidable opponents on the road. The Spurs also beat Suns in the 2005 conference finals despite opening the series in Phoenix.
"Nobody is going to get scarred psychologically either way," D'Antoni said of tonight's game. "But it should be exciting and fun. I think our players really look forward to something like this, and I'm sure San Antonio does, too."
Barry, Horry uncertain: The Spurs might have to play without Brent Barry and Robert Horry again. Barry missed the past game with back spasms and wasn't able to practice Wednesday.
Team officials listed him as doubtful to play tonight against Phoenix. Horry, who has missed four of the past five games with an abdominal contusion, practiced but was noncommittal.
"I'm going to wait and see," Horry said. "It's hard to judge because what we do in practice is totally different from games. You amp it up a couple of notches and overexert yourself."
Spalding testing waters again: Representatives from Spalding brought different synthetic basketballs to Wednesday's practice for the players to examine.
Michael Finley, who loathed the microfiber balls, began booing when he saw them. Horry also wasn't a fan of the synthetic ball.
Asked if he planned to look at the balls, Horry said, "Why? The (NBA) is just going to do whatever they want anyway."
The league plans to continue using the leather ball next season while Spalding redesigns the composite model.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Spurs face off with surging Suns
Web Posted: 04/04/2007 11:32 PM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
The Spurs had their choice of viewing options Sunday night in the visitors locker room at Indiana's Conseco Fieldhouse: the Pacers' recent game with New Jersey, replaying on the large film screen in the room; or Phoenix's game against Dallas, live on a small TV hanging from the ceiling.
The setup allowed players to keep one eye on that night's opponent and the other on the Suns, whom they are chasing for the Western Conference's No. 2 seed. Nearly four hours later, the Spurs exited the room with faces as blank as the screens they had been watching.
While the Spurs won't need a remote to see Phoenix tonight, the Suns' visit to the AT&T Center has lost some of its significance after Sunday's events. Losing in Indiana — coupled with Phoenix's rout of the Mavericks — dropped the Spurs three games behind the Suns, a deficit that remained after both teams won Tuesday.
Even if the Spurs win tonight, they would have to make up two games on the Suns with seven left.
"There's not much we can do," Manu Ginobili said. "That game is lost. It was a bad opportunity we lost, but we've got to keep playing."
That should be motivation enough. Phoenix has beaten Dallas twice in the past three weeks and is 17-5 since the All-Star break, further enhancing its position as one of the top championship contenders.
The Spurs have won 20 of their past 23 games but have lacked a steady diet of quality opponents, making them eager to challenge one of the Western Conference's elite.
"It's a great test time for us, especially coming down toward the end of the season," Tim Duncan said. "It's good to have them come into our house here and be able to measure up a little bit."
The Suns beat the Spurs 103-87 on Feb. 1 in Phoenix. The Spurs were within a point with a little more than five minutes left before being outscored 18-3 the remainder of the game.
"That's what they do," Ginobili said. "Sometimes they're even going to be down 10 and they're going to make one of those runs that gets them all pumped up and they start making every shot.
"You have to be aware of that."
The Suns are averaging 110.7 points while shooting 49.7 percent, both of which lead the league. Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni has tried to speed up his team's pace in recent days by moving the 6-foot-7 Shawn Marion to power forward and starting Leandro Barbosa alongside point guard Steve Nash.
The Spurs have won only one game this season when allowing 100 or more points, a 111-106 overtime victory over the Suns on Nov. 8. And they likely would have lost that one, too, had Phoenix guard Raja Bell not missed a free throw with 1.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
While much of the Spurs' success remains dependent on their defense, that doesn't mean they hope to lull the Suns into a slug-it-out halfcourt game.
"San Antonio runs more than people think they do," D'Antoni said. "They're more of an opportunistic team that will run. If you give them the advantage, they will do it, and they're not going to back off of that.
"They just won't helter-skelter go like we do. We're trying to up the tempo, and so sometimes we take a quicker shot that, in retrospect, it might have been better if we didn't."
Tonight's game also could be a preview of the Western Conference semifinals should the Spurs and Suns both survive the opening round of the playoffs.
The difference between the second and third seeds would mean home-court advantage, but both teams have proved to be formidable opponents on the road. The Spurs also beat Suns in the 2005 conference finals despite opening the series in Phoenix.
"Nobody is going to get scarred psychologically either way," D'Antoni said of tonight's game. "But it should be exciting and fun. I think our players really look forward to something like this, and I'm sure San Antonio does, too."
Barry, Horry uncertain: The Spurs might have to play without Brent Barry and Robert Horry again. Barry missed the past game with back spasms and wasn't able to practice Wednesday.
Team officials listed him as doubtful to play tonight against Phoenix. Horry, who has missed four of the past five games with an abdominal contusion, practiced but was noncommittal.
"I'm going to wait and see," Horry said. "It's hard to judge because what we do in practice is totally different from games. You amp it up a couple of notches and overexert yourself."
Spalding testing waters again: Representatives from Spalding brought different synthetic basketballs to Wednesday's practice for the players to examine.
Michael Finley, who loathed the microfiber balls, began booing when he saw them. Horry also wasn't a fan of the synthetic ball.
Asked if he planned to look at the balls, Horry said, "Why? The (NBA) is just going to do whatever they want anyway."
The league plans to continue using the leather ball next season while Spalding redesigns the composite model.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[email protected]