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Phoenix Suns to be tested physically
by Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
The season is still a week from being done, but it did not sound like it at Suns practice Tuesday.
Coach Alvin Gentry stopped the scrimmaging to remind his Suns team that everyone thinks it is a finesse team, that every game will be physical and that it needs to stop letting players get easily to their spots on the floor.
There are five games to go but the physical play starts Wednesday night, with much on the line. The Suns are bound to get into a grinding game with visiting San Antonio, but the implications of the remaining games will test how much tougher Phoenix has become and how physical they can remain without injured center Robin Lopez.
"We have more depth and more physical players," Suns guard Steve Nash said. "We're a little more physical even without him. I think our team still has to have that mentality that we've got to go out and earn everything we get and prove every night that we're a good team. When we play with that type of desire and hunger, we always overachieve and play well."
The Suns are currently in a three-way tie for third. To a man, the Suns identify these games as being like playoffs, knowing home-court advantage for one or two postseason rounds is on the line.
"The officials are going to call it a certain way," Gentry said. "We have to adjust to them. They're not going to adjust to us. If it's going to be a physical game, we have to anticipate it and play that way.
"We're better equipped to play that way anyway."
The last Suns playoff team in 2008 did not have defense-oriented players like Jared Dudley, Louis Amundson and Jarron Collins or a better defensive point guard like Goran Dragic, although it did have Raja Bell.
Lopez's bulging disk will be re-evaluated in a few days to see if he can add an interior presence.
"We don't anticipate him coming back," Gentry said. "If he does, that'll be a great thing. We're trying to move ahead and prepare as if he's not going to be there."
For Wednesday night, that means no Lopez to single-cover Tim Duncan, as he did in the last meeting.
"Robin would have been a great help for us with his big body and being able to lean up on Tim," power forward Amar'e Stoudemire said. "(Duncan) has a height and size advantage, but I have a speed and quickness advantage over him. It's like a game of chess. I think me and Tim will probably cancel each other out, but it's up to the rest of the guys to bring the effort and intensity."
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Wednesday: Spurs at Suns
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: US Airways Center, Phoenix
TV: FSAZ, ESPN | Radio: KTAR-AM (620)
Spurs update: San Antonio rallied its season during a tough part of its schedule with Manu Ginobili at his best. In the past two weeks, the Spurs beat Cleveland and Orlando at home and won at Boston and at the Los Angeles Lakers. The victories over the Magic and Lakers and a win against Houston came successively by at least 12 points. Guard Tony Parker returned to play Tuesday in Sacramento after missing 16 games with a broken finger. It was well-timed with George Hill out due to an ankle sprain.
