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Doesn't look like Tony is backing down from the physical play. Very good sign, very good sign. He just needs to remember to keep dishing it as well as scoring.
Phoenix looks to rally against San Antonio
By ANDREW BAGNATO, AP Sports Writer
2 hours, 18 minutes ago
San Antonio Spurs guard Manu G…
AP - Apr 22, 9:42 pm EDT 1 of 17 NBA Gallery PHOENIX (AP)—With Phoenix trailing San Antonio two games to none, Suns coach Mike D’Antoni is trying to figure out what needs to change in Game 3 of the Western Conference playoff series.
“I can’t tell you that,” D’Antoni said. “How about we just play better?”
The Suns played well enough to build double-digit leads in each of the first two games but couldn’t close the deal either time. In Game 1, San Antonio needed two late 3-pointers as it rallied for a 117-115 double-overtime victory. In Game 2, the Spurs blitzed Phoenix 27-11 in the third quarter on their way to a decisive 102-96 victory.
The losses have left the Suns in a familiar position—fighting back against San Antonio, which has eliminated them in three of the Suns’ last four postseason appearances. In the teams’ last three series, the Suns have led the Spurs only once—after Game 1 in 2003.
The Suns have overcome an 0-2 playoff deficit only once—in a best-of-five series against the Los Angeles Lakers in 1993.
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Both teams took Wednesday off and were not available to the media. Before they left San Antonio, the Suns vowed to make a stand when the series resumes on Friday night at US Airways Center.
“They just did what they were supposed to do,” center Shaquille O’Neal said after San Antonio’s Game 2 victory on Tuesday night. “They protected their home court. Now we have two at our place. On Friday we’ve got to get Game 3 and just take it from there.”
For their part, the Spurs aren’t looking ahead to the second round. They can remember blowing a 2-0 lead—and homecourt advantage—against the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2004 Western Conference semifinals.
“It’s a series all the way through,” San Antonio forward Tim Duncan said. “I don’t think anyone on our team expects to go 4-0. This Game 3 is big for them. They really pushed us when they were on the road. We respect them.”
The Suns acquired O’Neal, a four-time NBA champion, specifically to combat Duncan and the Spurs’ powerful inside game. So far, the move hasn’t paid off.
The Suns have held their own on the backboards, with San Antonio outrebounding them by only four in the first two games. But the Spurs have outscored the Suns in the paint 128-88, and Duncan has been virtually unstoppable.
He is averaging 29 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks in the first two games.
O’Neal has nearly as many fouls (9) as field goals (11), although he made 7 of 14 shots from the line in Game 2 and hit 5-of-6 when San Antonio went to the “hack-a-Shaq” ploy in the third period.
“I think he made the strategy look stupid,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.
During the regular season, O’Neal’s presence allowed All-Star forward Amare Stoudemire to roam without being double-teamed. Stoudemire has scored 33 points in each of the first two games. But he made only 2 of 11 shots from the floor after halftime in Game 2, when the Spurs took command.
“They threw out different guys at me,” Stoudemire said. “And they did a pretty good job in the second half. I still had easy looks, just didn’t quite make them. But with all that said, we still had a chance to win.”
Suns point guard Nash said the Suns “lost our composure a little bit” on Tuesday night. But he said the team remains confident as it returns to the desert.
“We’ll feel good about going into Game 3,” he said. “In the playoffs, one win can change the momentum. So we just have to come out and protect homecourt.”
When the series resumes after a two-day break, the Spurs plan to keep exploiting Phoenix’s often porous defense. Guards Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili kept getting to the rim in Game 2. Parker scored 32 points and Ginobili had 29.
“Before the series (Popovich) talked to me about attacking Nash and being aggressive and putting pressure on their defense, on their bigs, Stoudemire and Shaq,” Parker said. “I think the main thing is me being aggressive and Pop calling more plays for me.”
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_yl...v=ap&type=lgns
Doesn't look like Tony is backing down from the physical play. Very good sign, very good sign. He just needs to remember to keep dishing it as well as scoring.
Suns point guard Nash said the Suns “lost our composure a little bit” on Tuesday night. But he said the team remains confident as it returns to the desert.
As if returning home makes any difference for Phoenix
The Spurs are 5-1 at Phoenix in 2005/2007 playoffs combined. The Suns' arena is like San Antonio's home away from home. I expect them to take a game there.
I like that mindset. When Parker forces the action, the Spurs become much harder to beat.
Coming into this series, one thing that really worried me was Shaq being able to keep Parker out of the paint. So far, he doesn't seem to be able to do that all by himself. At some point, I expect the Suns will start packing the paint to cut off Parker and Ginobili's penetration. Then it will be up to the shooters to knock down the open shots.
and that selfishness is what separates Tony and Manu
“Before the series (Popovich) talked to me about attacking Nash and being aggressive and putting pressure on their defense, on their bigs, Stoudemire and Shaq,” Parker said. “I think the main thing is me being aggressive and Pop calling more plays for me.”
I do not know but Tony stating this just seems stupid and selfish...What.. he wants to shoot the ball 40 times instead of 25 ...
Of course they hope to, it's to bad they won't though
They asked him why he's scoring more and he said because Pop asked him to attack more and is calling more plays for him. How is that selfish?
You're taking it out of context. I think Tony is refering to Pop having more dictation throughout the game. With Pop calling the plays, it shoulders some of the responsibility away from Tony. He doesn't have to focus so much on decision making as much as he does executing.
Well, did they ask him what is the key for the series or something of this kind?They asked him why he's scoring more and he said because Pop asked him to attack more and is calling more plays for him. How is that selfish?
and he said the main thing on the key is for me to be agrressive and pop calling more plays for me....
When are you going to hear a star point guard stating this?
Who knows. Proboully just another B/S thing again.They asked him why he's scoring more and he said because Pop asked him to attack more and is calling more plays for him. How is that selfish?
I'm so sick of hearing of stuff like this, that is just wrong to say and is stupid overall.
I like that the Spurs understand that this is a series and that things can change quickly. I hope that they will take game 3 and really put the Suns on the ropes. It will be a great game, as I know the Suns will be ready to play and the fans will be in full force.
May be I am
I do see where you are coming from...I did see Pop calling plays
No, he said Pop talked to him about being more aggressive and putting pressure on their bigs.
Umm.. no, that's not what they asked him.
They asked him something about how/why he was scoring so well and he said because Pop asked him to keep attacking and is running more plays for him. Do you guys just make up stuff? Where did you hear him say anything about being the key to the series?
It isn't.They asked him why he's scoring more and he said because Pop asked him to attack more and is calling more plays for him. How is that selfish?
Well, the question was what made [him] aggressive and tony said that Pop calling more plays for him. And after that he deviated and said that the main thing is him being aggressive and pop calling more plays for him.
With the last sentence he was not answering the reporter's question and I don't know if he was answering to himself what the key for the series is ....which would be correct, though
it's a bad sign that Parker has to have plays called for him to takeover games
Manu and Timmy takeover when the Spurs need be
Parker is one of my fav. players and he's shown a lot this series, but he needs to show it on the road and get a W on Friday
“I think the main thing is me being aggressive and Pop calling more plays for me.”
He's saying the "main thing" of why he's scoring more is because pop asked him to be more aggressive and is calling plays for him.
You can't be this dumb.
So I'll just leave it at that.
It doesn't really bother me. Phoenix was throwing some different looks at us defensively. Specifically the zone defense.
I know the Suns will be daring Parker to hit the J in Gm3, no way they let Manu and Parker have lyup drills again
time for Parker to prove he can play big on the road
Well, since we have digested enough..
Spurs Suck, No One Lieks Them At All, Just Give Up U Conservative Racists Texans.
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