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Suns-Spurs Preview
By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN
Posted Jan 14 2012 3:44PM
The San Antonio Spurs continue to dominate at home, and their next visiting foe could come into town short-handed.
The Spurs will try to improve to 9-0 at home Sunday night when they meet the Phoenix Suns, who could be without Steve Nash and Grant Hill.
San Antonio (8-4) is off to its best start at home since beginning 13-0 in 2006-07. The Spurs cruised to a 99-83 victory Friday over Portland by outscoring the Trail Blazers by 16 in the fourth quarter.
"I thought we earned it," coach Gregg Popovich said. "We competed well. We had a lot of guys that competed defensively and rebounding wise in the second half and it generated a lot for us."
The Spurs continue to play without star guard Manu Ginobili but still should be favored against Phoenix (4-7), which is beginning a five-game trip and is unsure when Nash and Hill will return. The aging stars sat out Friday's 110-103 loss to New Jersey.
According to Suns coach Alvin Gentry, the 37-year-old Nash has a "charley horse" type injury - technically a right quad contusion - and the 39-year-old Hill has a right quad tendon strain.
Those injuries occurred in Phoenix's 101-90 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday. Nash also is bothered by a sore back, a condition that has bothered him throughout his career.
The Suns dropped their third straight Friday as Ronnie Price filled in for Nash with 18 points and eight assists.
"It's kind of like Peyton Manning for the Colts," said forward Jared Dudley about playing without Nash. "This offense is predicated on him and everything. Ronnie filled in nicely. He played extremely well. But obviously there's only one Nash and obviously you need G-Hill out there."
Price and the Suns guards had trouble with Deron Williams, who had 35 points and 14 assists one night after Cavaliers rookie Kyrie Irving had 26 and six against Phoenix.
That could be good news for Spurs top scorer Tony Parker, who scored 12 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter Friday. Parker is averaging 17.8 points on 47.0 percent shooting at home compared to marks of 12.3 points on 38.5 percent on the road.
"They did a pretty good job on me the first three quarters," Parker said. "I was just trying to wait for my time."
Rookie Kawhi Leonard scored 11 points for the second straight game in his second consecutive start since replacing Gary Neal in the lineup.
Another young player, Tiago Splitter, is starting to become more effective. Splitter made all five shots for a season-high 14 points Friday, and has made 16 of his last 21 field-goal attempts.
"He has been doing this for years in Europe and everywhere," Popovich said. "He is a blue collared guy who just does the basics really, really well. He is a great compe or."
San Antonio went 3-1 against Phoenix last season. The Spurs can knot the all-time series at 72 wins apiece with a victory.
