Dex
05-07-2007, 02:39 PM
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0506sunsnotes0507.html
Nash's absence creates issues
Despite opportunities, rest of cast unable to produce in final stretch
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
May. 6, 2007 09:57 PM
It was only 45.7 seconds of real game time but it seemed like forever to the Suns.
From the time Steve Nash had to leave the floor to the time he came back in the final minute Sunday, an opportunity to take Game 1 against San Antonio came and went.
"Steve's decision-making in those situations is why he's the MVP," Phoenix forward Shawn Marion said. "To not have him out there making the decisions for us was obviously tough." advertisement
But even with Leandro Barbosa at the helm on his own shaky afternoon, the Suns still had good enough opportunities. Barbosa had a good look at a go-ahead three-pointer, and Amaré Stoudemire grabbed one of his five offensive rebounds but missed the follow.
Stoudemire got inside to draw a foul for two free throws that made the Spurs lead 107-106 with 26.7 seconds remaining in the game.
"We needed to be full-force against the Spurs," Stoudemire said.
It was much like the rest of the night. The chances were misleadingly good, just as you would have liked Phoenix's odds of winning with 106 points and only seven turnovers.
But like the rest of the game, Marion said the Suns' rhythm was off without Nash, especially when they were trying to discuss plays during timeouts not knowing if the guy seated near them gushing blood would be in the play.
"It was a distraction, but at the same time we still had a grasp on the game," Marion said. "If it wasn't for a couple of calls here and there, we probably would have won it."
Guarding Parker
The Suns probably could have handled Tim Duncan's 33 points. Another 32 from Tony Parker was too much.
This is not the Parker who you just try to keep from having layup drills anymore. The Suns gave him jump shots, going under the screens set for him, and he consistently made them.
Nine of the 14 shots Parker made were jump shots.
"He hit them like that and I'm still contesting them," Marion said with his eyes widened. "It's not like he was sitting out there by himself shooting. It's tough.
"That (expletive) is fast. He was hitting shots with (expletive) all in his face. When he's hitting shots like that, damn."
Timely threes
The league's leading three-point shooting team gave up more three-pointers than it made. The Spurs' entourage of shooters, which Phoenix intended to honor, were hitting them in timely fashion too.
Michael Finley continued his hot shooting by making 3 of 7 three-point tries.
"This is still Tim's (Duncan), Tony's (Parker) and Manu's (Ginobili) team," Finley said. "I'm just coming and doing a spot check."
Robert "Big Shot Rob" Horry made daggers. First, it was a three-pointer near the end of the first half to help get the Suns' lead down to two by halftime. In the fourth, he wiped out the Suns' last lead by making a three with 5:38 to go.
Free throws
Barbosa was selected as this year's winner of the Dan Majerle Hustle Award. The award included five voting segments: Suns fans, players, coaches, employees and Majerle. A $9,000 donation will go to a charity Barbosa chooses.
• This is the second time since 1975 that the NBA's top scoring offense and scoring defense have met in the playoffs. The other was the Suns-Spurs 2005 series.
• Marion passed Charles Barkley as the team's all-time leading playoff rebounder. With six Sunday, Marion has 649.
Nash's absence creates issues
Despite opportunities, rest of cast unable to produce in final stretch
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
May. 6, 2007 09:57 PM
It was only 45.7 seconds of real game time but it seemed like forever to the Suns.
From the time Steve Nash had to leave the floor to the time he came back in the final minute Sunday, an opportunity to take Game 1 against San Antonio came and went.
"Steve's decision-making in those situations is why he's the MVP," Phoenix forward Shawn Marion said. "To not have him out there making the decisions for us was obviously tough." advertisement
But even with Leandro Barbosa at the helm on his own shaky afternoon, the Suns still had good enough opportunities. Barbosa had a good look at a go-ahead three-pointer, and Amaré Stoudemire grabbed one of his five offensive rebounds but missed the follow.
Stoudemire got inside to draw a foul for two free throws that made the Spurs lead 107-106 with 26.7 seconds remaining in the game.
"We needed to be full-force against the Spurs," Stoudemire said.
It was much like the rest of the night. The chances were misleadingly good, just as you would have liked Phoenix's odds of winning with 106 points and only seven turnovers.
But like the rest of the game, Marion said the Suns' rhythm was off without Nash, especially when they were trying to discuss plays during timeouts not knowing if the guy seated near them gushing blood would be in the play.
"It was a distraction, but at the same time we still had a grasp on the game," Marion said. "If it wasn't for a couple of calls here and there, we probably would have won it."
Guarding Parker
The Suns probably could have handled Tim Duncan's 33 points. Another 32 from Tony Parker was too much.
This is not the Parker who you just try to keep from having layup drills anymore. The Suns gave him jump shots, going under the screens set for him, and he consistently made them.
Nine of the 14 shots Parker made were jump shots.
"He hit them like that and I'm still contesting them," Marion said with his eyes widened. "It's not like he was sitting out there by himself shooting. It's tough.
"That (expletive) is fast. He was hitting shots with (expletive) all in his face. When he's hitting shots like that, damn."
Timely threes
The league's leading three-point shooting team gave up more three-pointers than it made. The Spurs' entourage of shooters, which Phoenix intended to honor, were hitting them in timely fashion too.
Michael Finley continued his hot shooting by making 3 of 7 three-point tries.
"This is still Tim's (Duncan), Tony's (Parker) and Manu's (Ginobili) team," Finley said. "I'm just coming and doing a spot check."
Robert "Big Shot Rob" Horry made daggers. First, it was a three-pointer near the end of the first half to help get the Suns' lead down to two by halftime. In the fourth, he wiped out the Suns' last lead by making a three with 5:38 to go.
Free throws
Barbosa was selected as this year's winner of the Dan Majerle Hustle Award. The award included five voting segments: Suns fans, players, coaches, employees and Majerle. A $9,000 donation will go to a charity Barbosa chooses.
• This is the second time since 1975 that the NBA's top scoring offense and scoring defense have met in the playoffs. The other was the Suns-Spurs 2005 series.
• Marion passed Charles Barkley as the team's all-time leading playoff rebounder. With six Sunday, Marion has 649.