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Crap, when someone 350 pounds runs into you, you fall down. Period.
Duncan's unlikely 3-pointer, Manu's double-OT layup lift Spurs past Suns
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Midway through the first quarter after missing two jumpers, Tim Duncan threw the ball up yet again, then held his arms wide.
This time, would the shot fall?
It did. And much later the Spurs' big man hit an even bigger one. Duncan's first 3 of the season with just ticks left sent his team into double overtime against the revenge-minded Phoenix Suns.
Then it was Manu Ginobili's turn, and his layup with 1.8 seconds left pushed the defending champions past the Suns 117-115 Saturday in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.
Now the teams have two days to rest from their marathon best-of-seven Western Conference opener before meeting for Game 2 on Tuesday night.
"I got a wide-open shot. Wound it up. Threw it up there and hoped for the best," said a clearly tired Duncan, who had 40 points and 15 rebounds.
This year's rematch of what many dubbed last year's real finals -- a tense and testy second-round series between the teams that the Spurs won in six games on their way to the le -- got off to a wild start and more than met expectations.
"It feels like a finals game," Duncan said. "It's the first game of the first series, and we're going to have to muster energy back up."
Early on, Game 1 did not look like it would turn into a thriller. The Suns controlled play for the first three quarters, leading by as many as 16 points despite early foul trouble for Shaquille O'Neal. The Suns held a six-point lead with a quarter left in regulation.
The Spurs took their first lead of the game late in the fourth quarter, but were down 93-90 with 1:10 to go after Leandro Barbosa's fast-break layup.
With 15 seconds on the clock, Michael Finley tied it at 93 for the Spurs to send it to overtime.
"We had the game won a few times and just weren't tough enough or disciplined enough to make every single play when it counted," said Steve Nash, who had 25 points and 13 assists.
Duncan made the big shot in the first overtime. With his team down 104-101, Duncan found himself all alone at the 3-point line.
After only a slight hesitation, he fired the ball and made it with 3 seconds to play. It was Duncan's first 3 of the season. He was 0-for-4 previously.
"I didn't know what was going to happen, honestly," Duncan said. "Manu turned the corner, Shaq just totally leaves me and stayed with Manu."
In the second overtime, Shaq's dunk tied it at 112 with 1:33 to play. Ginobili's layup put the Spurs ahead.
Nash missed a key 3 with less than a minute to play. After risky, cross-court inbounds pass to the Spurs' Brent Barry, he was fouled. Barry made one of two free throws.
With 15 seconds left, the Suns went to sharp shooter Nash. Nearly falling out of bounds in the corner, he hit a 3 that made it 115-all.
Then Ginobili drove the lane against Raja Bell and got to the hoop, as he often does, almost at will, and his layup fell.
"What I knew, before taking it to the rim, is that Shaq and Amare [Stoudemire] were not there," Ginobili said. "So, I knew if I had the opportunity to go get in there, get some legs into the shot, I had an opportunity to finish."
Tony Parker added 26 points for the Spurs and Ginobili had 24.
"We had a lot of opportunities to win," O'Neal said. "You can't make mistakes against a team like that especially here in this building."
But O'Neal wasn't completely contrite.
"I just wanted to play aggressive, but the floppers prevailed today. Amare and myself are going to continue to play aggressive," O'Neal said of his foul trouble. "Hopefully those guys will compete rather than just fall down."
Stoudemire, who fouled out with 12 seconds left in the first overtime, led the Suns with 33 points. O'Neal scored 11 points.
"They know we let them have one," O'Neal said. "All we need is one in this building."
Phoenix acquired O'Neal in a blockbuster midseason trade for a series such as this one to give the run-and-gun Suns a defensive boost.
O'Neal played just under four minutes in the first quarter after picking up two quick fouls. He was on the court for just 24 seconds in the second quarter before picking up his third foul and sitting out the rest of the half.
O'Neal missed two shots right off, the first when his dunk off an alley-oop pass missed. He didn't score in the first half.
Even though Phoenix got O'Neal to help their half-court game, the Suns, who still like to play quick, had only nine fast-break points in the game.
The Spurs, on the other hand, were able to punish the Suns with their strong suit. They had a 72-46 advantage in the paint.
"They're just not going to fold up their tent and go home," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "They're going to make runs. This is their homecourt. You're going to have to beat them."
Crap, when someone 350 pounds runs into you, you fall down. Period.
I sure hope the Spurs don't listen to Shaq and stop flopping...then the flop scale would be eschewed in the Suns' favor.
If someone that weighs 350 punds I won't just stand there I will get out of the way. Then again I weigh 150lbs.
Its gonna be sweet to eliminate this big mouthed bas .
No one cares about Shaqs approval anymore.
Shaq the "Big Ate-Yo-Taco" can say whatever he wants in his monotone mumble voice. He knows that this is probably his last shot to get another ring.
At least Nash was man enough to admit what really happened.
No surprise here. Steve Nash is a very classy guy...and Shaq is very conceited. He thinks he's better than anyone else...How did the Suns "let" the Spurs have one? Um, let's see, a bunch of CLUTCH plays by TD/Manu/Finley is what got the Spurs a win...
That's why the Suns lose ballgames. Spurs man up and take the charge.
Didn't the Big Ass flop in this game? I sure as remember him taking a charge, as if anyone could knock his big ass down.
talk about floppers I loved how during the last game we had with them Manu ran into Shaq and Shaq just fell over on the floor. Talk about someone who barely weighs 200 pounds and is light as a feather can make someone like Shaq fall to the ground.
Shaq is no different than Phil Jackson, acts like an ass for the sake of it.
Respek to nash. Humble in defeat. I still wanna beat his ass, though.
I clearly remember SnaqAttaq trying to draw a charge or two by flopping, so I don't know what he's complaining about. Stand outside of the restricted circle and make your free throws dummy.
Just what I was thinking
I'm hoping we won't see either team rewarded for flopping next game. Stop calling so many fouls and just let them play it out.
Making excuses to the media like a little a girl. Shaq has officially become a Phoenix Sun.
Respek to nash. Humble in defeat. I still wanna beat his ass, though.
I am sure he wants to beat the Spurs just as badly.
Yes please I think the NBA should start assessing fouls on flops.
Shaq proving to be as smart as ever.
way to discredit your opponent. as if they didn't "compete"
it's so funny, how a lot of key plays by the SUns were on flops by Nash, Bell, etc.
Regardless, my biggest worry is that Amare and Shaq should be really well rested Tuesday as they didn't play as much. Meanwhile, Duncan, Ginobili, Parker and company played A LOT of minutes and Duncan especially was breathing quite hard during the psotgame quotes. Hopefully Spurs didn't burn all their energy in the first game to get the W.
I think Nash hit it on the head though why the Suns lost. They don't have the discipline and still aren't tough enough in close games. Shaq makes them a little tougher, but Shaq isn't the Shaq he was even two years ago.
I always knew he didn't have any class, despite his rings. The flopping comment is for the referees for next game but what was hilarious was this one:
"They know we let them have one,"
I don't think it happened that way.
him.
Eight of the last 9 rings belong to Duncan and Shaq. This game was an opportunity for one of them to shine. Duncan grabbed that opportunity and played his heart out. Shaq did nothing but get in foul trouble and now he's going to shoot his mouth off. It's disrespectful, but I expect no less from Shaq.
Prove it on the court, where it matters.
"Dear" Shaq: Manu was 0-6 on threes, . Just wait until Tuesday.
By "compete" he means to let him bull them around like he wants so we can see some dunks.
This is why Shaq will always be a classless jerk to me. Just about the time I am able to halfway stifle my projectile vomit when I see him, he goes and runs his mouth and I go right back to despising him.
He, of anyone on the court, should never complain about the officiating. For his entire career, he has gotten away with 3/4 of the offensive fouls that should be called on him.
Why does Shaq think so many teams get bruisers on their rosters? Just for the sole purpose of hammering him every time he gets the ball down low. Oh, wait a minute. I used the words "think" and "Shaq" in the same sentence.
If he'd use half of his brain cells, he would have figured out that if he'd work on free throws over the summer (and not on crappy movies and pain relief product commercials), he'd be unstoppable.
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