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There should be a V-bookie for which quarter Snaq misses his 5000th free throw.
Popovich has Spurs back in top form
San Antonio goes 16-5 after a sluggish start
by Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
It was just a year ago when the San Antonio Spurs lost to the Suns and Memphis Grizzlies to start a 5-7 rut and talk of how the Spurs were old, beat up or done. They then won 15 of 16.
Two seasons ago, San Antonio went through a similar 10-10 stretch, and criticism circled like vultures. San Antonio won 25 of its final 31 games and the NBA championship.
So nobody worried about the Spurs this season when Manu Ginobili was hurt and they were 2-5. The Spurs have gone 16-5 since then, rounding into form again and possibly following the odd-numbered year pattern after they won les in 2003, 2005 and 2007.
"They just grind their way through it, and historically, after All-Star break, they are one of the best teams," said Suns coach Terry Porter, a former Spurs player. "Ain't nothing changed."
It is explained simply by pointing to Tim Duncan, a big man who is fundamentally thorough and dedicated, and the team-first international trio of Duncan, Ginobili and Tony Parker that fits a small market socially and financially.
As the Spurs, who face the Suns on Christmas Day at US Airways Center, chase a 10th consecutive season of at least 50 wins, teams want a piece of the system, even if they can't get the Big Three or coach Gregg Popovich.
Oklahoma City's Sam Presti, Cleveland's Danny Ferry, Portland's Kevin Pritchard and Phoenix's Steve Kerr are general managers with Spurs backgrounds.
Porter, Chicago's Vinny Del Negro, Cleveland's Mike Brown and New York's Mike D'Antoni are head coaches with Spurs ties.
"Their system has proven to be the best in the business," Pritchard said. "They have such a strong culture and belief system. That means everything.
"They do a great job of communicating, from staff to Pop to (GM) R.C. (Buford), what they are about. There are processes in place. They make sure they are very thorough with everything."
The deft moves show in a low-profile free-agent acquisition such as Roger Mason, who is having a career season, or a late-first-round draft pick such as George Hill, an ideal backup point guard.
Popovich plugs well-identified parts into a precise system and imparts his pound-the-rock motto.
These Jacob Riis words are posted by a locker room door: "When nothing seems to help, I go look at a stonecutter hammering away at this rock perhaps 100 times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the 101st blow, it will split in two and I know it was not that blow that did it. But all that had gone before."
"There is a culture of work, like, 'Nobody owes us anything,' " Kerr said. "Pop sustains it because he demands it, but also because he's such a great guy. The familiarity over the years is really important."
The real reason might be fundamental, as in The Big Fundamental - Duncan.
"Without Tim, none of it works," Kerr said, "but Pop has done a great job of creating the culture. He did that in the first year, and it almost runs itself."
Last edited by duncan228; 12-24-2008 at 09:47 PM.
There should be a V-bookie for which quarter Snaq misses his 5000th free throw.
We got this.
lets open this game with a foul on shaq
I am hoping Pop does that just to bring Christmas laughter and cheer.
DO IT AGAIN, POP!!!
San Antonio (18-10) at Phoenix (16-11) Preview
Game info: 2:30 pm EST Thu Dec 25, 2008
TV: ABC
By Justin Einhorn
The San Antonio Spurs are showing the early season discussion of their demise was premature. Beating them in front of a nationally televised audience might help the Phoenix Suns ward off similar talk about their team.
One of these Western Conference foes can further rejuvenate its season as this rivalry continues on Christmas Day when the Spurs visit the Suns.
“It’s Phoenix and we have a history there. It’s a rivalry,” Spurs guard Roger Mason said. “It’s a lot of fun to be able to play on a big stage like that. I think we’re starting to play better and better, and it will be a good test for us.”
The Spurs (18-10) have won nine of 11 and own the third-best record in the West. Just over a month ago, some believed San Antonio’s days as an elite team were over due to a 2-5 start to the season and an aging roster.
No team is older than the Suns (16-11). That, along with the coaching change from Mike D’Antoni to Terry Porter, didn’t appear to be a good mix and a four-game losing streak earlier this month put them only two games above .500. However, Phoenix has bounced back to go 5-2, with each loss coming on the road by five points - to the Lakers and Portland.
Phoenix has won three of four games since acquiring Jason Richardson from Charlotte for Raja Bell and Boris Diaw. He’s averaged 18.3 points in a Suns uniform, making 13-of-24 from 3-point range.
“Playing on Christmas Day is huge,” Richardson told the team’s official Web site. “First time I’m getting to getting to play on that Christmas Day stage and hopefully will get my present in the form of a Suns win.”
This will be the 11th game on Christmas for Phoenix’s Shaquille O’Neal, who has averaged 23.6 points and 13.5 rebounds on the holiday while his teams have gone 5-5.
“Been so many now I can’t even pick out any specific memories,” said the 36-year-old center. “They just all run together and all I know is that I’ve played in a lot.”
The Suns have won the last three regular season meetings with the Spurs, including a 103-98 season-opening victory, but that streak doesn’t include San Antonio’s first-round playoff win in April. It was the third time in four years the Spurs ousted the Suns from the postseason.
A big factor for San Antonio in those series was the production of Manu Ginobili, who missed the Oct. 29 game versus Phoenix while recovering from offseason ankle surgery. His status for this game is uncertain after he briefly left Tuesday’s 99-93 win over Minnesota when the ankle started to bother him.
“I’m hoping it’s just scar tissue or something like that,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “Those things are going to happen to him while he’s recovering, but we’ll find out.”
Tony Parker has keyed the Spurs’ current three-game winning streak, averaging 26.0 points on 60.4 percent shooting and 8.0 assists.
His point guard counterpart was the difference in Phoenix’s most recent victory. Steve Nash scored eight straight points in the final three minutes as the Suns beat Northwest Division-leading Denver 108-101 on Saturday for their fifth straight home win.
“That’s good mojo for us in our building and hopefully we can continue to build on it,” Porter said.
Nash is averaging 18.3 points in his last four games. However, in the last four-plus seasons, including playoff games, the Suns are 5-15 versus San Antonio when Nash scores more than 15 points, compared to 6-4 when he doesn’t.
The Spurs have lost their last two road games - to division leaders New Orleans and Orlando - as they were held under 85 points and 40 percent from the field both times.
Phoenix, though, has given up more than 100 points in 12 straight games.
Notes
Spurs:
The Spurs announced on Monday that they have signed G-F Malik Hairston, who has spent the season with the Austin Toros, the Spurs' D-League affiliate. ... The Spurs are now 2-0 against the Kings this season, with one more game in Sacramento in April. ... The Spurs bench has outscored the opponents' reserves in 19 of 27 games this season. ... Rookie G George Hill chipped in 10 points on 3-of-6 shooting off the bench.
Suns:
F Amare Stoudemire extended his streak of consecutive games of 20 or more points to 10. It's the third time in his last 52 games that he has had a double-digit, 20-point streak. ... G Jason Richardson has scored 15 or more points in each of his four games with the Suns. ... The Suns won their fifth straight home game and improved to 5-0 at home in December. ... The Suns improved to 5-2 in their last seven after season-long, four-game losing streak.
Team Stat Leaders
Points
Tony Parker SA 21.3
Amar'e Stoudemire Pho 22.4
Rebounds
Tim Duncan SA 10.4
Amar'e Stoudemire Pho 8.9
Assists
Tony Parker SA 6.6
Steve Nash Pho 8.5
Team Comparison
Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
San Antonio 18-10 3rd Southwest / 5th West 96.8 93.4 Road 7-5 Won 3 8-2
Phoenix 16-11 2nd Pacific / 8th West 103.3 102.9 Home 9-5 Won 1 5-5
Letttssssss Gooooooo!!!!!!!!
Keep an eye on Jason Richardson.
Thursday: Spurs (18-10) at Suns (16-11)
Express-News
Time: 1:30 p.m.
TV: ABC
Radio: WOAI-AM 1200, KCOR-AM 1350
STARTING LINEUPS
POS - SPURS - SUNS
PG - 9 Tony Parker (6-2, 8th yr) - 13 Steve Nash (6-3, 13th yr)
New Wolves slayer: Parker averaging 36 points vs. Minnesota.
SG - 8 Roger Mason Jr. (6-5, 5th yr) - 23 Jason Richardson (6-6, 8th yr)
McCants better on road than at home, for some reason.
SF - 4 Michael Finley (6-7, 14th yr) - 33 Grant Hill (6-8, 14th yr)
Finley’s average up slightly since flipping from guard to forward spot.
PF - 21 Tim Duncan (6-11, 12th yr) - 1 Amare Stoudemire (6-10, 7th yr)
It’s likely to be Duncan vs. Jefferson in crunch time.
C - 15 Matt Bonner (6-10, 5th yr) - 32 Shaquille O'Neal (7-1, 17th yr)
Jefferson coming off season-high 34 points Saturday at Houston.
SPURS RESERVES
12 Bruce Bowen, F, 6-7, 13th yr
20 Manu Ginobili, G, 6-6, 7th yr
3 George Hill, G, 6-2, 1st yr
40 Kurt Thomas, C/F, 6-9, 14th yr
35 Anthony Tolliver, C, 6-8, 1st yr
5 Ime Udoka, G/F, 6-5, 5th yr
11 Jacque Vaughn, G, 6-1, 12th yr
SUNS RESERVES
17 Louis Amundson, F, 6-9, 3rd yr
10 Leandro Barbosa, G, 6-3, 6th yr
22 Matt Barnes, F, 6-7, 6th yr
2 Goran Dragic, G, 6-3, 1st yr
3 Jared Dudley, F, 6-7, 2nd yr
15 Robin Lopez, C, 7-0, 1st yr
29 Alando Tucker, F, 6-6, 2nd yr
COACHES
Spurs: Gregg Popovich
Suns: Terry Porter
INJURIES
Spurs: Fabricio Oberto (sore left foot) is doubtful; Ginobili (sore left ankle) is probable.
Suns: None.
PROJECTED INACTIVE PLAYERS
Spurs: Ian Mahinmi, Oberto, Malik Hairston.
Suns: Dee Brown.
NOTABLE
Spurs have played on Christmas Day two previous times in the past 10 seasons, the last time was in 2005, when they lost to the Pistons, 85-70. ... The last time the Spurs won a Christmas Day game was in Phoenix in 1995, when they were led by Sean Elliott with 28 points. ... Suns on Wednesday signed point guard Dee Brown to get their roster up to the league-mandated 13 players. Brown played last season in Turkey. He was a second-round draft pick of the Utah Jazz in 2007 and played 49 regular season games, plus eight playoff games, with Utah.
- Mike Monroe
Suns-Spurs game still packs punch
Jerry Brown, Tribune
It’s no longer the biggest rivalry in the league. In fact, some folks will be eating Christmas dinner when the Spurs and Suns meet up in a holiday matinee at US Airways Center – so they can settle in to watch the anic and much-hyped Celtics-Lakers battle later in Los Angeles.
But while both teams already sport double-digit losses and are a lap behind the Lakers in the West, Phoenix-San Antonio still packs a lot of cache locally and still stands as the mountain the Suns have never climbed during their half-decade run as a contender.
Many of the Phoenix makeovers since the 2004-05 Suns rolled up 62 wins but ran out of gas at the Alamo have been made with the Spurs in mind: From Quentin Richardson for Kurt Thomas for size, to Shawn Marion for Shaquille O’Neal for more size, nothing has matched Gregg Popovich and his big three of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker when the postseason arrives. And whether it was Joe Johnson’s eye injury in 2005 or Robert Horry hip-check in 2007 or Duncan’s 3-pointer last year, the fans and the Suns who remain have the memories burned into their brains.
“San Antonio has been the standard-bearer for most of our time as a contender,” said guard Steve Nash, the recipient of Horry’s love tap and one of only three Suns remaining from that series two summers ago. “I think (the rivalry) is still thick because of the fans and the media and stuff. But lot of guys in our locker room weren’t here for that stuff, and a lot of guys in their locker room weren’t either. So (the temperature) is probably somewhere in the middle.”
Suns fans who have wanted their team to emulate their nemesis finally have their wish. While injuries to Ginobili and Parker ensured the Spurs of its annual listless jog out of the gate, Phoenix hasn’t been the same team since going into San Antonio and winning 103-98 – an effort that hasn’t been seen much in the 26 games that followed.
Phoenix committed 10 turnovers – still a season low. Nash (13 points, 13 assists) and O’Neal (15 points, 13 rebounds) had double-doubles and Amaré Stoudemire (23 points, eight rebounds) had a big game. Phoenix kept the Spurs off the offensive glass (seven rebounds), put up 13 fastbreak points and closed out the game with a series of vintage, Nash-Stoudemire, pick-and-roll possessions.
Cut. Print. Bottle that formula.
“We were solid,” Nash said. “In some ways it felt eerily like a continuation of the playoff series from the year before. Even through we didn’t win the series we were playing at a relatively high level. And given the familiarity with that team, it felt like there was a lot of carry-over. If you watched that game, you wouldn’t have seen a lot of change in us.”
But the Suns have been turned inside-out since then. The offense tailed. The defense imploded. A rare four-game losing streak led to a major trade for Jason Richardson, and only now is the team feeling as if it’s back on solid ground – with a five-game winning streak at home and some decent wins to hang on the mantle.
“We’ve tried a lot of different things and had our ups and downs, but hopefully it’s not for nothing,” said Nash, who said he has regained his sense of enjoyment as the team has begun to gel. “It will add the experience if where we wind up going has something to do with where we’ve been.”
The latest twist to the series has centered on Popovich and his “Hack-a-Shaq” strategy. He even fouled O’Neal on the opening possession of the game in San Antonio as a non-shooting joke – but still went back to the ploy he used in the playoffs.
But O’Neal, who hit 5 of 8 free throws in the first meeting, comes into the game on a roll from the charity stripe, hitting 35 of 53 foul shots (66 percent) over the last six games he’s played.
“You never know what people are going to try to do, but I’ve been playing pretty well and feeling pretty good at the line,” Shaq said. “I went back to my high school style. I was shooting 60 or 70 percent then, but (coaches) wanted me to take it to 80 or 90 and I got messed up. So I’m going back to old school and practicing on my own every night.”
SPURS AT SUNS
When: 12:30 p.m. Thursday
Where: US Airways Center
Radio: KTAR (620 AM)
TV: Channel 15
Records: Spurs 18-10; Suns 16-11
History: Phoenix leads the overall series 68-64 and has won three straight regular season games over the Spurs for the first time since 2000. The Suns won the only meeting this year, a 103-98 win in San Antonio that marked the first season-opening loss of Gregg Popovich’s 11-year career with the Spurs.
Spurs notes: Those Spurs are at it again. Since stumbling out of the gate 2-5 without Ginobili, the Spurs have things pointed in the right direction with 16 wins in the last 21 games and are comfortably amid the West playoff chase. Since the Suns last played Saturday, the Spurs recorded a pair of easy home wins against Sacramento and Minnesota.
Suns notes: In the midst of a strange soft spot in the schedule, the Suns play for the first time since Dec. 20 and will only play four times during 17 days. Since beating the Spurs on opening night, the Suns have lost seven straight national television games (to, in order, the Hornets, Rockets, Lakers, Heat, Mavericks, Lakers and Blazers). The Suns will play for the 17th time on Christmas Day – they are 11-5 overall and 11-3 at home.
Ginobili (sore left ankle) is probable.
Welcome to Arizona! Forget the holiday cheers and kick the snot out of them Suns early.
that smile was quickly gone when spurs lost
DO IT AGAIN, POP!!!
I can't think of anything to add other than " Screw the Suns."
Suns by 50 points!
It's hard to get pumped for this game knowing the Spurs ty 12 noon performance history but damn tomorrow hurry up!!!
Suns-Spurs rivalry remains hot
Playoff defeats burn Suns players, fans still
by Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
The Suns have been bestowed the supposed honor of playing on Christmas. The San Antonio Spurs visit today for a 12:30 p.m. game that all NBA fans will watch . . . if they're tuning into ABC early for the Lakers-Celtics 3 p.m. tilt.
So why does it feel like the Grinch is coming to Whoville? It's those vilified Spurs. Steve Nash, Amaré Stoudemire and Leandro Barbosa are the only Suns left from a 61-win team that was ousted by San Antonio in a suspension-marred 2007 playoff series.
But the Spurs still raise the ire of the Suns and their fans, no matter how long they've been a part of the rivalry.
Stoudemire has played in four postseasons. Each was ended by the Spurs.
Since, Nash has orchestrated the most victorious four-year run in Suns' history, but three playoff exits have come at the hands of the Spurs.
Grant Hill came to Phoenix last year seeking to play in his first winning playoff series, but he, too, was denied by the Spurs.
The Suns have won the past three regular-season games against the Spurs, including this season's opener. The bad news is they spent the past eight weeks circling the airport, trying to play a game as well as they did in the Manu Ginobili-less opener.
"As much change as we've gone through, I didn't feel like there was that much change in that game," Nash said of the 103-98 win on Oct. 29. "If you watched that game and you watched last year's playoffs, I don't think you'd see a ton of change. Since then, we've tried a lot of different things and had our ups and downs. Hopefully, it's not for nothing. Hopefully, that will really add to the experience and understanding of where this team can go."
The Suns massaged the roster in past years with toppling the Spurs in mind, but now they have a mountain of West teams to climb to regain elite status.
"It's still one of the most intense rivalries," Hill said. "There's a lot of history and bad blood. If you go by the track record, it's always a good game. I think this game has meaning. Both teams want to go into January feeling good about themselves."
As much as the Suns need to contain Tony Parker and Ginobili in transition, check the Spurs' 3-point shooters and have Shaquille O'Neal control Tim Duncan, they are still busy finding themselves. That opening-night team had a remarkable carryover, punishing the Spurs with pick-and-roll execution despite hardly using it in a preseason focused on half-court sets and new defensive schemes. The Suns are the NBA's worst turnover team, but they committed only 10 that night for what remains a season low.
Since then, the team's core was jarred by trading Raja Bell and Boris Diaw, the top scorers of the final two Suns-Spurs playoff games. The defense remains vulnerable, yielding more than 100 points in 12 consecutive games - the longest such Suns' streak since 1995.
It has been offset in the current 5-2 stretch by a return of up-tempo offense. Coach Terry Porter put the ball back in Nash's hands more, and the Bell/Diaw trade gave him a new wing weapon in Jason Richardson, who has made 13 of 24 3-pointers as a Sun.
"It benefits our team to beat people down the floor and get early shots," Nash said. "At the same time, we have that balance now where we can go into Shaquille and find a rhythm in the half-court. I think our team is good offensively at all three (ways), but obviously we're going to score at a high percentage if we get down the floor quickly and create an opening. I think we're extremely difficult to defend that way."
Unless Boston is going for a NBA record-tying 33rd consecutive win when Phoenix visits there Jan. 19, this might be the Suns' biggest stage for a while. They have lost their past seven nationally televised games since opening night. But it's business as usual for O'Neal, who will play in his 11th Christmas game.
"It just shows they still figure whatever team I'm on is still one of the marquee teams when you talk about marketing and all that," O'Neal said. "It's going to be a highly watched event. People get to see my pretty face. My kids understand to wake up early, have some fun and Daddy's got to get to work."
Spurs at Suns
When: 12:30 p.m.
Where: US Airways Center.
TV/radio: Channel 15/KTAR-AM (620).
Spurs update: San Antonio (16-10) is the Suns' first Christmas visitor since 1996. While the Suns lead the NBA in turnovers and are fourth worst at yielding second-chance points, the Spurs are the second best in each category.
Matt Bonner and Roger Mason are tied for third in the NBA in 3-point shooting at 47.5 percent; the Suns' Jason Richardson (48.2) tops the list. Tim Duncan (20.3 ppg, 0.4 rpg) and Tony Parker (21.3 ppg, 6.6 apg) are going strong as Manu Ginobili (14.3 ppg) regains form after September ankle surgery.
Open Gameday Thread - Suns vs Spurs
by Phoenix Stan
Probable starters:
PG Steve Nash, Tony Parquer
SG Jasun Richardsun, Roger Mason
SF Grant Hill, Michael Finely
PF Am'are Sto'ude'mir'e, Red Rocket
C The Big Tweet, Timmy Duncan
Ed Note: This special version of a holiday favorite is brought to you by Bright Side contributing author Mike Lisboa who's poetic beauty was bound only by the limits of buggy technology.
The following is posted on his behalf...
With apologies to Henry Livingston, Jr or Clement Clarke Moore, here's a very seasonal preview of the Suns's Christmas Day tilt with the Spurs. Enjoy.
Twas the night before Christmas, and throughout Planet Orange,..
Everyone was excited, even poor Goran.
The gameplans were made by Coach Porter with care
And Steve Kerr signed a point guard with ‘rows in his hair.
The true fans were nestled all snug in their beds
While visions of Spur-trouncing danced in their heads.
And Boris with his Dirty and Raja with his ‘tude
Had been shipped off to Charlotte for a long winter brood.
And in their place arrived with such chatter,
J-Rich and Jared (who has yet to matter).
But that new guy Jason can shoot, dunk and slash
Who cares about defense? Certainly not Nash.
But the Spurs were coming, almost at full strength,
They would miss poor Oberto and all of his length.
When Timmy and Tony and Manu appear
The Suns better kick it, and into high gear.
With a slow start, the Spurs looked so old and so sick
But we've seen it before, this same possum trick.
But the Suns know it too, they've seen that old game
And Coach Porter, he lectured and called them by name:
"Now, Stevey! Now, Robin! Now, Shaquille and J-Rich!
LB, Matt and Grant! Sweet Lou, and Dragic!
You won't learn my system, not a bit, not all!
So bombs away! Bombs away! Bombs away all!"
In Terry's slow vision, the Suns, they had struggled
D'Antoni's boys had gone from magic to muggled.
At last he relented and loosened the reins
And poof! - disappeared those growing pains.
And then up in Portland, the Suns found the fun
The passing and shooting, that old run and gun.
Though Brandon went off and the Suns they were downed,
You couldn't help but think, "Have they turned it around?"
There is much work to be done, they haven't quite gelled;
And those questions on defense? They're still not disspelled.
So the Spurs come to town to give them a test
With apologies to the Lakers, they own the West.
So old Shaq must be aggressive, bodying Tim
And ensuring his foul shots don't clank off the rim.
Grant Hill somehow must contain Manu Ginobili
And Steve Nash must take charges, however ignobly.
J-Rich needs to find his man on rotation
And LB needs to play without consternation:
That little Brazilian, I've never understood
Why sometimes he looks scared, just petrified like wood.
Matt Barnes and his tats are a poor man's Shawn Marion
But I like his style as long as his 3s he's a-buryin'.
Fropez and Sweet Lou better clear those darn boards
Cuz these Spurs rebound, and collect them in hoards.
I hope Dee Brown's ready, poor Goran is not:
Send him to Iowa to work on his shot.
And fro-hawked Amare should play with some fire;
His hot and cold act is sure growing tired.
So tune in on Thursday, it's gonna be a blast,
And hopefully the Suns will be left standing at last,
For a yuletide Suns win would allow me to yell:
"Happy Christmas to all! (May the Spurs rot in .)"
with that beard, i wonder if pop is going to dress up as santa for the game......
I expect a win here... and definitely looking forward to some hack a shaq action!
Suns are by far worse at the 12:30 games dude, however that might change because usually Diaw's hangover from Saturday played a role in their sorry play on Sunday.
Richardson providing a much-needed wakeup call to Suns
By Art Garcia, NBA.com
PHOENIX -- Stirred from a slumber by a ringing phone, Jason Richardson answered to hear the voice of Charlotte Bobcats general manager Rod Higgins. The reason for the wakeup call was almost too good to believe. In fact, Richardson didn't believe it at first.
"I thought it was a prank," Richardson said recently. "I was halfway asleep. When the GM called me, I thought I was dreaming. He told me, 'Wake up, you're going to Phoenix.' I had a big smile on my face when it finally sunk in."
Christmas came early for Richardson, who finds himself back in the Pacific Division on a traditionally high-scoring playoff contender. Richardson and the Suns are part of the NBA's Christmas Day showcase, playing host to perennial postseason nemesis San Antonio at US Airways Arena in Phoenix.
In a way, J-Rich feels as if he's back with Golden State, where he has spent the majority of his more than seven years in the league. Not the current Warriors who, according to coach Don Nelson, shouldn't even concern themselves with making another playoff run.
But these Suns remind Richarson of the Golden State years with Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson, when the three of them helped the Warriors knock off 67-win Dallas in the first round of the 2007 playoffs for the biggest upset in NBA playoff history.
"I see this a lot like Golden State, a team that can score a lot of points, but if we need to, we can be a halfcourt team," Richardson said. "I look at this as a great opportunity for me to showcase my game. People know how good a player I am."
The Suns gave up fan favorites Raja Bell and Boris Diaw to pry the 6-foot-6, two-time slam dunk champ from Charlotte on Dec. 10. The addition of Richardson to the Suns signaled to many a return to the freewheeling days of former Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni.
"It was unexpected," Suns center Shaquille O'Neal said. "Raja and Boris will be missed. They've done a lot for this organization. But J-Rich has always been a surprising-type player. Now he gets to be on a team that can really do something. Once we start gelling and meshing together, we could become a dangerous team. But it all depends on us."
Five years removed from his last slam-dunk crown and about to turn 29 years old, Richardson remains an athletically gifted shooting guard who can play above the rim when necessary. The former Michigan State star also has become a deadly 3-point threat in recent years.
His full arsenal was on display almost as soon as he donned a Suns jersey. Richardson stepped off the plane and into the starting lineup with a pair of 20-point efforts in his first two games. "He jumped right in and showed why he's a good scorer in this league," Steve Nash said.
J-Rich is quick to point out his impact also can be felt at the other end of the court. That's been critical to a team that's tried to become more defensive-minded.
"It can go both ways. I think I'm an underrated defender," Richardson said. "A lot of people don't really take notice of my defense because I score so much. I can defend -- I'm not a lockdown defender, don't get me wrong -- [but] I can defend guys."
Still, Richardson is more about shooting than defending, which makes Phoenix more offensively loaded now than it has been all season long, with Amar'e Stoudemire, Shaq, Nash, Grant Hill and Leandro Barbosa.
The newest Sun may have wondered what was going on when he was awakened a couple of weeks ago. But he sure appreciates that call now.
"Playing with the caliber of guys on this team and the direction the franchise is going, trying to win a championship," Richardson said, "has definitely been a rebirth for me."
Spurs Team Report
18-10, 3rd Southwest
Gregg Popovich watched his team get off to a sloppy start Monday against Sacramento and decided to take a path not many coaches are secure enough to take.
He stopped coaching.
“I did nothing to earn my money,” Popovich said. “They coached. They communicated. They changed defenses, called plays. I just subs uted players.”
Left to their own devices, the players didn’t do a bad job. The Spurs overcome the sluggish start to have the win well in hand by the time the fourth quarter started.
San Antonio won easily, 101-85, and rested its starters in the final period, which was important going into the second half of a back-to-back Tuesday against Minnesota.
“It’s going to be a tough stretch,” Manu Ginobili said, alluding to a run of five games in seven days that ends with a Christmas date at Phoenix. “It’s really good that we played a good game and that we could be able to rest most of the guys in the fourth quarter.”
Spurs 99, Timberwolves 93: Tony Parker scored 36 as San Antonio will head into a Christmas Day showdown at Phoenix on a three-game winning streak after Tuesday’s home win over Minnesota.
The Spurs (18-10) withstood a furious fourth-quarter rally from Minnesota, which has dropped 13 in a row and all eight games coached by Kevin McHale. Parker shot 13 of 17 from the floor and added eight assists.
Tim Duncan had another double-double for San Antonio with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Michael Finley and Roger Mason had 13 and 12 points, respectively. Al Jefferson scored 28 for the Wolves and Randy Foye had 26.
Notes, Quotes
• Tony Parker planned to appeal a technical foul called against him in Monday’s win over Sacramento. The point guard picked up the ‘T’ from referee Zach Zarba for protesting a jump ball call late in the third quarter.
Parker contends he didn’t use foul language or say anything beyond, “Come on.” He added that Zarba acknowledged the tech had been a mistake.
“I didn’t say anything and he apologized to me,” Parker said. “We’re allowed a reaction. They tell you that in training camp, that you’re allowed a reaction. I didn’t even curse at him.”
Parker is confident the league will rescind the tech and the accompanying $1,000 fine. The tech was only the second called on the Spurs all season.
• San Antonio finished just the 11th set of home back-to-back games in franchise history Tuesday against Minnesota. The Spurs faced Sacramento the night before.
San Antonio hadn’t played back-to-back home games since the 1999-2000 season when they beat Chicago and Denver in late November. San Antonio played three sets of home back-to-backs during the lockout shortened season of 1999, finishing with a 5-1 record.
The 1987-88 Spurs had a triple-header from Jan. 13-15 and dropped all three. Overall the Spurs are 16-7 in home back-to-backs.
Quote To Note: “Of course I will appeal. A thousand dollars? Come on, man, at least let me curse if you’re going to take $1,000.”—Tony Parker, on a technical called against him Monday in which he claims to have hardly complained.
Roster Report
Rotation:
Starters—Point guard Tony Parker, Shooting guard Roger Mason, Small forward Michael Finley, Power forward Tim Duncan, Center Matt Bonner.
Bench—Forward Kurt Thomas, Guard Manu Ginobili, Forward Ime Udoka, Forward Bruce Bowen, Center Anthony Tolliver, Guard Jacque Vaughn, Guard George Hill.
Player Notes:
• G/F Malik Hairston earned a call-up from the D-League club in Austin because the Spurs didn’t want to lose him. The swingman was originally acquired by San Antonio on draft night, but waived in late October.
Even though he signed with Austin, he was a free agent. After averaging 19.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists with the Toros, other NBA were taking notice.
“Malik was doing well enough that I think other people were starting to get interested,” Gregg Popovich said. “We wanted to make sure we didn’t lose him.”
• G Roger Mason said the Spurs can’t afford to get complacent. Realizing how close teams are bunched up in the Western Conference, San Antonio can’t afford to look past teams like Sacramento and Minnesota.
“You have to stay diligent in this league,” Mason said. “You don’t ever want to lose focus no matter who you are playing. That’s the difference between a good team and a great team.”
• C Anthony Tolliver missed all five of his shots in his first game back with the Spurs after being recalled from the D-League. He did considerable better in the second outing with seven points and six rebounds off the bench Monday against Sacramento.
“Anthony did a good job,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “He rebounds well and competes on every play. He’s very conscientious. He did a good job.”
Medical Watch:
• C Fabricio Oberto (foot injury) is expected to be out until late December.
• C Ian Mahinmi (sprained ankle) is inactive.
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