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That's what you get for posterizing Manu 2 seasons ago, JRich
Karma is a
Spurs break Suns' hearts again
116 commentsby Paul Coro - Dec. 25, 2008 06:45 PM
The Arizona Republic
Game photos | Box score
Being plucked from a bad franchise and put into a successful one two weeks ago was like a Christmas present for Jason Richardson.
The new Sun wants so badly to help. Too badly.
His decision to help on defense Thursday against San Antonio's Tony Parker made the NBA's third-ranked 3-point shooter, Roger Mason, look as alone in the corner as a Christmas tree once the presents are gone. Mason, subbed in for that play, made good on the 3-point shot to beat the buzzer and the Suns, 91-90, at US Airways Center.
"You leave a guy who can shoot the ball that well, that open with the game on the line? Game over," Richardson said. "That hurts. You don't want to let your teammates down like that, especially in a big game."
The game was lost on that play but decided on many others.
The Suns led for all but 41 seconds until the final five minutes. The Spurs spotted them an 11-0 lead but Phoenix made 40 percent of its shots after the first 7:15. In the final two minutes, San Antonio's Tim Duncan avoided a sixth foul to stop three Amaré Stoudemire tries for go-ahead shots. The Suns closed with a season-worst quarter, scoring 14 in the fourth with 5-of-17 shooting.
"Merry Christmas," Suns guard Steve Nash said, feigning holiday cheer for the Spurs. "Got us again."
The Suns fell into an 88-84 hole on seven consecutive points from Parker but recovered with a Richardson 3-pointer and a Parker technical. As Parker missed three shots, Phoenix nearly had a game-ending 6-0 run.
After a time out because Nash got trapped with 7.7 seconds to go, the Suns ran the play that beat Orlando two weeks ago. Nash set a back screen for Hill. Just as Orlando overplayed Nash, Parker did not help on Hill and Stoudemire found him for a layup and a 90-88 lead with 4.3 seconds to go.
Suns coach Terry Porter put Hill on Parker for the final play. Parker headed left toward the corner where Mason sat. Thinking time was about to expire, Richardson left Mason open for Parker's pass and a game-winning shot.
"I thought we had it," Hill said. "I was thinking, 'Stay down and stay in front of him (Parker).' Once he went left, I kind of stayed with him. I was thinking to myself, 'I got the game-winning shot and the game-winning stop. I'm the man.' Then I realize I'm not the man."
The Suns ended their worst streak of surrendering 100-point games in 12 years but the Spurs shook off a 39-point first half. They made 51.2 percent of their second-half shots and made only six turnovers in the game.
"It hurts when you play as well as we did and don't come up with a win," said Porter, who said he would "take the bullet" for not reminding Richardson in the time out to not leave Mason. "If we play like that, we'll be fine. These are games that come back to bite you in April."
Report
Key player
Tim Duncan finished with 25 points and 17 rebounds. He also finished with five fouls, defending Amaré Stoudemire on three late misses without getting disqualified.
Key moment
Jason Richardson left Roger Mason and jumped at Tony Parker, making it impossible to recover on Mason's game-winning 3-pointer.
Key number
2: Points scored by the Suns bench in 48 ulative minutes. Leandro Barbosa and Matt Barnes were 1 of 10 combined.
View from press row
Before Jason Richardson left Roger Mason for an open game-winning shot to help defend Tony Parker on what would have been a game-tying shot, Richardson looked out of sorts on the final play. Steve Nash was guarding Mason after Terry Porter switched Grant Hill to Parker before the inbound. As Parker took the pass, Richardson's man, Manu Ginobili, set a baseline screen for Mason. Nash got around it easily, but Richardson anticipated a switch, leaving Nash to scramble after Ginobili, who ran as free to the weak side as Mason wound up being on the strong side.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns...25suns-CR.html
That's what you get for posterizing Manu 2 seasons ago, JRich
Karma is a
I did not remember this incident. More info please...
Funny, maybe I saw things differently but I thought JRich wasn't guarding Mason that closely to begin with. He was was maybe 5 or 6 feet away from mason when parker began his drive.. he shouldn't feel too bad though.. Rasheed Wallace made an even bigger mistake leaving Horry in the playoffs a couple of years ago.
HAHA.....this game was great. I think I might enjoy watching the Spurs beat the Suns more than the Mavs.
Not an incident
jason dunked on Manu; Manu fell and Jason stared him down.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2DHNLPtW7Q
Why the are you posting a Paul Coro article? The guy knows NOTHING.
I was contemplating that today and, man its a tough call
mason was heartless on that shot, he basically blocked a suns wingasm from happening in front of our faces.
This is why we won. Nash had 6 turnovers. Our whole team had 6 together.
Thanks!
I'd be glad to post yours instead of Coro's next time...
suns was born to be a failure. It's their destiny to fail time after time.
However sharp a kinfe is, it can never cut a piece of wood that can be easily cut into pieces by an axe, even a stained axe. Our team is a little bit stained but still more useful than suns, who are valuable only on a feast like all-star weekend. when the tough playoffs comes, they are gonna be crippled.
If Mace misses that shot, all the Spurs writers would be blaming Parker for not switching the screen to pick up the inbounder with 7 seconds left in a tie game.
On another note, in the spirit of over-analysis...was it a nice try by the spotlight guy to distract on the last play? As the ball was passed from Parker to Mason, you can see the spotlight shine on the corner basleline fans following the pass from Parker as Roger is releasing his shot. You don't normally see spots near the home team's end on key plays.
Last edited by Solid D; 12-26-2008 at 10:06 AM.
I noticed that yesterday: Nash was guarding Mason, and Richardson was guarding Manu. When Manu set the mini-screen, both Nash and Richardson stayed with Mason for a split second while Manu ran free to the 3-point line. He was wide open for a bit until Nash recovered, but for some reason Parker went the other way.Before Jason Richardson left Roger Mason for an open game-winning shot to help defend Tony Parker on what would have been a game-tying shot, Richardson looked out of sorts on the final play. Steve Nash was guarding Mason after Terry Porter switched Grant Hill to Parker before the inbound. As Parker took the pass, Richardson's man, Manu Ginobili, set a baseline screen for Mason. Nash got around it easily, but Richardson anticipated a switch, leaving Nash to scramble after Ginobili, who ran as free to the weak side as Mason wound up being on the strong side.So Richardson never actually covered Mason, at any point: he was standing in no man's land. Basically, it wasn't a good switch between Nash and Richardson, and Parker took advantage of it.
You know what if the Suns play the Spurs that well come April,May or June I like thier chances. Is safe to say these 2 teams are pretty well evenly matched. Each team has won on the other's home floor this season. I am not really that upset about losing to the Spurs this time around..
2 points by the Suns bench?
Ouch.
That's some nice retoolin' there, Steve.
You beat a spurs team w/o manu, and then only by 5. If you want to hang your hat on that, then you'll be seeing more of yesterday.
A win is a win. I won't cry about Manu not playing that game. Did anyone take pity when the Mavs beat an Amareless Suns in the 2006 WCF? Not the Suns fault Manu was hurt. Besides even with a full squad the Spurs won by a single point.
Your boys ain't clutch. Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, and close is all the Suns will ever be.
In the close, tense games, it all comes down to what's between your ears and between your legs, and with Amare on the floor, I don't like your chances.
By then a busy race for playoff positioning and a busy playoff schedule will have taken it's toll on Shaq, meanwhile Manu and the role players just get better!!
Hey now, the Suns are playing better defense these days, but they continue to have brain farts (and no bench). If they can fix that, they'll do well in the playoffs.
Except if they play the Spurs, of course.
Another classic Dungs meltdown...couldn't ask for a better Christmas gift.
I love how TP had taken it strong to the hole at least 4 times in the 2nd half and blatant fouls were not called on the Dungs, then as luck would have it, on that last play, TP gets bumped by Hill (no call again) and instead of TP going to the line with only a shot at a tie, he kicks to Mason for the 3 ball...KARMA SUX !!
Indeed!"Merry Christmas," Suns guard Steve Nash said, feigning holiday cheer for the Spurs. "Got us again."
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