foodie2
05-07-2007, 06:31 AM
Suns' loss a bloody shame
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
May. 7, 2007 12:00 AM
The final score said the difference was only five points.
But the gash along Steve Nash's nose showed just how harmful it can be when a gap so narrow can't be closed.
The Suns and Nash got hit right between the eyes Sunday, losing to San Antonio 111-106 in Game 1 of the second-round playoff series. The Suns can't stop the bleeding against San Antonio, just as their efforts to rally were foiled when Nash had to sit in the last minute because the cut down the bridge of his nose was gushing blood.
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The trend annoys them to no end, but the results tell the truth. Phoenix is 1-3 against the Spurs this season and 4-12 since Nash came back.
And like Game 1 of the teams' 2005 series, the Suns have lost a season's worth of work to have home-court advantage against San Antonio, where they have not won the past two seasons.
"We scored 106 points," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "That should be enough. We've got to 'D' them up better than what we did. And they had too many offensive rebounds in the sense of timely ones - foul shots, stupid things, little things. We didn't line up right or whatever. We didn't come up with the hustle plays and big plays. Two years ago, it was more or less the same thing. We're going to have to do that real quick."
The Suns were right there with the Spurs again. And again could not knock out the heavyweight champs, as D'Antoni put it. San Antonio has won three of 16 games since the start of this season when yielding more than 100 points - and two of them are against Phoenix.
The Spurs are a three-year bugaboo that require even more attention. Phoenix made Tony Parker a pregame defensive focal point, but he scored 32 points. Tim Duncan tallied 33 points and 16 rebounds, while San Antonio role players hit timely three-pointers and outhustled the Suns for second chances.
"We've got to be a little hungrier," Nash said. "I think some of us didn't quite have the fire to beat a world championship team. That's not giving yourself a chance. I think we've got to play a little bit harder and a little bit more desperate."
Nash tried. In a fourth quarter that saw Leandro Barbosa miss 6 of 7 shots and Amaré Stoudemire miss 5 of 6, Nash reached for a steal with 2:53 to go and banged his nose into Parker. When he went to check on Parker, who was sprawled out, the stream of blood started from his own nose. Suns head athletic trainer Aaron Nelson used a blood timeout to get it stopped temporarily, and Nash returned to hit a three-pointer and a layup to carve the deficit to 106-104 with 1:13 to go.
But after Raja Bell took a Parker charge, Nash had to leave the game with 54.8 seconds to play.
Later, Stoudemire's two free throws made it 107-106 with 26.7 seconds to go.
Barbosa got tangled with Parker on the ensuing inbound pass attempt, drawing a debated foul call that gave Michael Finley a free throw and the Spurs the ball. That call ranked right up there with the third foul Stoudemire picked up at the end of the first half.
With Phoenix ahead 50-44, Stoudemire and Duncan had their arms intertwined when a Manu Ginobili miss came off. Stoudemire let go, and Duncan grabbed his arm to pull him down, but Stoudemire got the foul.
"They changed the complexion of the game," D'Antoni said of the two calls.
Regardless of the officiating, the Spurs controlled the game's physical style. The Suns started the game with Shawn Marion on Parker, who presumably would tax Nash defensively, to try to keep him from the 28 points he averaged in three regular-season meetings. Instead, Parker hit his first three jumpers and was able to drive strongly into the lane.
"He's hitting his outside shot but he's getting to the rim, too," D'Antoni said. "We can't have both of them."
Stoudemire started well on Duncan, who missed his first four shots, but Duncan hit 9 of 11 in the final three quarters.
The Suns must figure things out before Tuesday night.
"Sometimes, we just lack a little energy and a little desperation," Nash said. "They are too good of a team for us to have patches like that. There's too much for us to overcome - their experience, they've been there before all the way to the top three times. We just relax at times. It's unacceptable."
Asked if it is surprising that it still happens on this stage, he said: "Very surprising, very frustrating. I really don't know what to say about it. How many times can you talk about it?"
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
May. 7, 2007 12:00 AM
The final score said the difference was only five points.
But the gash along Steve Nash's nose showed just how harmful it can be when a gap so narrow can't be closed.
The Suns and Nash got hit right between the eyes Sunday, losing to San Antonio 111-106 in Game 1 of the second-round playoff series. The Suns can't stop the bleeding against San Antonio, just as their efforts to rally were foiled when Nash had to sit in the last minute because the cut down the bridge of his nose was gushing blood.
advertisement
The trend annoys them to no end, but the results tell the truth. Phoenix is 1-3 against the Spurs this season and 4-12 since Nash came back.
And like Game 1 of the teams' 2005 series, the Suns have lost a season's worth of work to have home-court advantage against San Antonio, where they have not won the past two seasons.
"We scored 106 points," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "That should be enough. We've got to 'D' them up better than what we did. And they had too many offensive rebounds in the sense of timely ones - foul shots, stupid things, little things. We didn't line up right or whatever. We didn't come up with the hustle plays and big plays. Two years ago, it was more or less the same thing. We're going to have to do that real quick."
The Suns were right there with the Spurs again. And again could not knock out the heavyweight champs, as D'Antoni put it. San Antonio has won three of 16 games since the start of this season when yielding more than 100 points - and two of them are against Phoenix.
The Spurs are a three-year bugaboo that require even more attention. Phoenix made Tony Parker a pregame defensive focal point, but he scored 32 points. Tim Duncan tallied 33 points and 16 rebounds, while San Antonio role players hit timely three-pointers and outhustled the Suns for second chances.
"We've got to be a little hungrier," Nash said. "I think some of us didn't quite have the fire to beat a world championship team. That's not giving yourself a chance. I think we've got to play a little bit harder and a little bit more desperate."
Nash tried. In a fourth quarter that saw Leandro Barbosa miss 6 of 7 shots and Amaré Stoudemire miss 5 of 6, Nash reached for a steal with 2:53 to go and banged his nose into Parker. When he went to check on Parker, who was sprawled out, the stream of blood started from his own nose. Suns head athletic trainer Aaron Nelson used a blood timeout to get it stopped temporarily, and Nash returned to hit a three-pointer and a layup to carve the deficit to 106-104 with 1:13 to go.
But after Raja Bell took a Parker charge, Nash had to leave the game with 54.8 seconds to play.
Later, Stoudemire's two free throws made it 107-106 with 26.7 seconds to go.
Barbosa got tangled with Parker on the ensuing inbound pass attempt, drawing a debated foul call that gave Michael Finley a free throw and the Spurs the ball. That call ranked right up there with the third foul Stoudemire picked up at the end of the first half.
With Phoenix ahead 50-44, Stoudemire and Duncan had their arms intertwined when a Manu Ginobili miss came off. Stoudemire let go, and Duncan grabbed his arm to pull him down, but Stoudemire got the foul.
"They changed the complexion of the game," D'Antoni said of the two calls.
Regardless of the officiating, the Spurs controlled the game's physical style. The Suns started the game with Shawn Marion on Parker, who presumably would tax Nash defensively, to try to keep him from the 28 points he averaged in three regular-season meetings. Instead, Parker hit his first three jumpers and was able to drive strongly into the lane.
"He's hitting his outside shot but he's getting to the rim, too," D'Antoni said. "We can't have both of them."
Stoudemire started well on Duncan, who missed his first four shots, but Duncan hit 9 of 11 in the final three quarters.
The Suns must figure things out before Tuesday night.
"Sometimes, we just lack a little energy and a little desperation," Nash said. "They are too good of a team for us to have patches like that. There's too much for us to overcome - their experience, they've been there before all the way to the top three times. We just relax at times. It's unacceptable."
Asked if it is surprising that it still happens on this stage, he said: "Very surprising, very frustrating. I really don't know what to say about it. How many times can you talk about it?"