duncan228
04-29-2008, 02:06 PM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA042908.sunssider.en.38d2919.html
Spurs: Suns expected to stick with Diaw
Mike Monroe
Express-News staff writer
PHOENIX — Suns coach Mike D'Antoni calls the Spurs' performance in Game 3 of the Western Conference first-round playoff series one of the greatest he ever has seen in all his years playing, coaching and watching basketball.
His team's performance in Game 4, Sunday's 105-86 thumping of the Spurs, he said, was an equally rare example of excellence, at both ends of the floor.
This raises the prospect of something very special in tonight's Game 5 at the AT&T Center: “If they repeat their performance from Game 3,” D'Antoni said, “and we repeat ours from (Game 4) yesterday, it's going to be a heck of a basketball game.”
D'Antoni, the basketball fan, would enjoy watching such a Game 5 performance, certain to thrill and drive the TV ratings through the roof.
D'Antoni, the coach of a Suns team one loss from elimination?
“Come on,” he said. “Am I stupid? I would like to see (us play) our fourth game and (the Spurs play) their fourth game.”
One thing is certain: The Suns aren't about to change their approach before their second elimination game of the series. Phoenix's victory on Sunday trimmed the Spurs' lead in the best-of-7 series to 3-1. The Suns know they need the same energized effort that produced Sunday's blowout.
“The key to everything is your effort and energy and your decisiveness,” said point guard Steve Nash. “The next game is probably going to be completely different. It's not all or nothing. We made some threes (in Game 4), which was nice. We were aggressive. Our attitude offensively was really good.
“The shots come and go. It's your effort and toughness that win games down the stretch.”
D'Antoni isn't about to tinker with his most successful lineup of the series. Grant Hill, the former All-Star forward who started 68 of the 70 regular-season games he played for the Suns before a strained groin limited his effectiveness, will be on the bench for tonight's tipoff. He did not play Sunday, and isn't likely to play tonight, either.
Boris Diaw, who got the Game 4 start at small forward in Hill's stead, will be in the starting lineup again and will get more defensive duty on Spurs point guard Tony Parker.
The presence of the 6-foot-8 Diaw in the low post, a slick passer defended by a smaller Spurs player — Michael Finley, Manu Ginobili or Ime Udoka — made the Suns a more efficient offensive unit on Sunday.
“We ran the offense through Boris (Sunday),” said Nash. “Tough matchup for them. He can score, as he proved yesterday, but he also is a terrific passer. It really makes our team difficult to beat when he becomes a focal point and makes people pay like that.”
As good a job as Diaw did giving Tony Parker less room to operate the Spurs' pick-and-roll, his ability to take a large chunk of the Suns' offensive load helped Phoenix just as much.
The Suns' top regular-season scorer, Amare Stoudemire, totaled only seven points on Sunday. That, he said, was because Diaw's production enabled him to focus on helping Shaquille O'Neal defend Tim Duncan in the post.
“It's always good to attack and be an aggressive offensive player,” Stoudemire said, “but you win championships by playing the game defensively. If we just continue to get better defensively — which we are a pretty good team — and with players like Raja (Bell) and Boris playing like they played (Sunday), we've got a great shot at getting another win.
“They tried to put a smaller guard on Boris, thinking that he wasn't going to attack. He attacked and did a great job at it. He rebounded the ball well, passed out of double teams well. All that combined makes him a solid basketball player and makes us a solid basketball team.”
Spurs: Suns expected to stick with Diaw
Mike Monroe
Express-News staff writer
PHOENIX — Suns coach Mike D'Antoni calls the Spurs' performance in Game 3 of the Western Conference first-round playoff series one of the greatest he ever has seen in all his years playing, coaching and watching basketball.
His team's performance in Game 4, Sunday's 105-86 thumping of the Spurs, he said, was an equally rare example of excellence, at both ends of the floor.
This raises the prospect of something very special in tonight's Game 5 at the AT&T Center: “If they repeat their performance from Game 3,” D'Antoni said, “and we repeat ours from (Game 4) yesterday, it's going to be a heck of a basketball game.”
D'Antoni, the basketball fan, would enjoy watching such a Game 5 performance, certain to thrill and drive the TV ratings through the roof.
D'Antoni, the coach of a Suns team one loss from elimination?
“Come on,” he said. “Am I stupid? I would like to see (us play) our fourth game and (the Spurs play) their fourth game.”
One thing is certain: The Suns aren't about to change their approach before their second elimination game of the series. Phoenix's victory on Sunday trimmed the Spurs' lead in the best-of-7 series to 3-1. The Suns know they need the same energized effort that produced Sunday's blowout.
“The key to everything is your effort and energy and your decisiveness,” said point guard Steve Nash. “The next game is probably going to be completely different. It's not all or nothing. We made some threes (in Game 4), which was nice. We were aggressive. Our attitude offensively was really good.
“The shots come and go. It's your effort and toughness that win games down the stretch.”
D'Antoni isn't about to tinker with his most successful lineup of the series. Grant Hill, the former All-Star forward who started 68 of the 70 regular-season games he played for the Suns before a strained groin limited his effectiveness, will be on the bench for tonight's tipoff. He did not play Sunday, and isn't likely to play tonight, either.
Boris Diaw, who got the Game 4 start at small forward in Hill's stead, will be in the starting lineup again and will get more defensive duty on Spurs point guard Tony Parker.
The presence of the 6-foot-8 Diaw in the low post, a slick passer defended by a smaller Spurs player — Michael Finley, Manu Ginobili or Ime Udoka — made the Suns a more efficient offensive unit on Sunday.
“We ran the offense through Boris (Sunday),” said Nash. “Tough matchup for them. He can score, as he proved yesterday, but he also is a terrific passer. It really makes our team difficult to beat when he becomes a focal point and makes people pay like that.”
As good a job as Diaw did giving Tony Parker less room to operate the Spurs' pick-and-roll, his ability to take a large chunk of the Suns' offensive load helped Phoenix just as much.
The Suns' top regular-season scorer, Amare Stoudemire, totaled only seven points on Sunday. That, he said, was because Diaw's production enabled him to focus on helping Shaquille O'Neal defend Tim Duncan in the post.
“It's always good to attack and be an aggressive offensive player,” Stoudemire said, “but you win championships by playing the game defensively. If we just continue to get better defensively — which we are a pretty good team — and with players like Raja (Bell) and Boris playing like they played (Sunday), we've got a great shot at getting another win.
“They tried to put a smaller guard on Boris, thinking that he wasn't going to attack. He attacked and did a great job at it. He rebounded the ball well, passed out of double teams well. All that combined makes him a solid basketball player and makes us a solid basketball team.”