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I tend to forget who everyone's preference is for sports writer, but I thought this was good. He pretty much echoed everything Timvp said in his wrap-up.
Suns take care of business vs. Spurs
Charley Rosen
Special to FOXSports.com, Updated 7 hours ago
Game time: Suns 100, Spurs 95
In the NBA's latest media-hyped rivalry, this was absolutely a must-win for Phoenix. And for just about any team other than the Spurs, playing without their 20 ppg All-Star point guard Tony Parker would have made this a throwaway game. Going into the contest, the Suns were faced with five crucial questions:
1. How would Parker's absence affect the outcome?
- Jacque Vaughn shot well — 7-for-10 for 14 points — hitting open jumpers plus a couple of driving floaters. But he never put enough pressure on the Suns' defense. He didn't earn a single free throw — and he made a host of mistakes. These included a couple of forced shots, a charging foul, and even a moving screen.
- Brent Barry was 2-for-6 with five assists, but his subpar defense was the target of the Suns' offense.
- Overall, Parker's unavailability was a huge factor — and one reason why the Suns had 27 free throws to the Spurs' 15.
2. How would Phoenix deal with the Spurs' physicality?
- The banging was extremely limited.
- Just some minor arm-wrestling between Boris Diaw and Fabricio Oberto; a solid screen set on Bruce Bowen from Brian Skinner; and Robert Horry was knocked down by a screen set by Shawn Marion.
- But there was absolutely no discernable bad blood between the teams.
- In fact, after one second-quarter play wherein a questionable foul was nailed on Marion for inducing Horry to flop, the two were actually smiling and joking about the injustice of the call.
- Even Bowen's late-game defense against Steve Nash was much more gentle than we'll see in the playoffs.
3. Could the Suns control tempo?
- Almost.
- Literally half of the Suns' 36 field goals were produced by their half-court offense, but their shooting percentage in these situations was less than 40 percent.
- The Spurs managed 13 offensive rebounds (to the Suns' six) and thereby generated eight extra shots as well as slowing the pace.
- But if the Suns couldn't establish either their running game or their early offense, when the game came down to the finish line, Nash's creative ball-handling and passing were the deciding factors.
- The Spurs had their biggest spurts when they went small — teaming Tim Duncan with Manu Ginobili, Vaughn, Barry, Bowen and Mike Finley — and were temporarily able to match Phoenix's quick-hitting offense.
- In essence, Nash enabled the Suns to compete on virtual even terms with the Spurs in San Antonio's own station-to-station game.
4. Could the Suns control Tim Duncan?
- Nope. TD was 15-for-25 and had 17 rebounds to go with his 36 points.
- For most of the game, he totally destroyed Amare Stoudemire — spinning, jump hooking, laying in put-backs and securing great position in the pivot.
- Skinner, however, did a yeoman's job at defending Duncan — fronting him and thereby denying TD the ball, fighting for position on every possession and even blocking one of Duncan's shots.
- In the waning minutes of the game, however, Stoudemire made two critical plays: Poking an entry pass away from Duncan, a play that led to a fast-break hoop by Grant Hill, and capturing an offensive rebound and converting the two subsequent free throws.
- Stoudemire's numbers weren't as spectacular as Duncan's — 6-for-9, six rebounds, 17 points — but he came up big at both ends when the game was on the line.
5. Could the Suns contain Manu Ginobili?
- Yes and no. They were unable to keep Ginobili out of the middle, but the Spurs' electric wingman missed four layups and had one blocked. For the game, Ginobili was 6-for-19 for 18 points — but he made a runner that was nearly the winning score.
- Without Parker on the floor, the Suns could concentrate on ganging up on Ginobili's lane penetrations — and they did a good job here.
Not having to deal with Parker undoubtedly took some of the sweetness out of the Suns' revenge. Still, winning in San Antonio is tough no matter which of the home team's players are MIA.
All in all, the Suns came up with several big plays in the clutch and simply did what they had to do. That in itself is one sign of an outstanding ball club.
I tend to forget who everyone's preference is for sports writer, but I thought this was good. He pretty much echoed everything Timvp said in his wrap-up.
I normally dislike Rosen, but this was a pretty balanced read.
No mention of the Spurs crying after EVERY SINGLE WHISTLE!!!
Do Spurs fans also notice this or are they completely clueless?
Ive never seen a team passionately whine as much as the Spurs do.
Quit crying!
something good from rosen about the spurs for a change. probably because the spurs lost.
D'Antoni and the Spurs whine about equal amounts. It makes for an entertaining game.
[IGNORE]da_suns_fan[/IGNORE]
i really wish there was a channel where we could listen in on the coaches full time. well, maybe except during a crucial time out. that would be fun.
Amare definitely barks at the refs....Nash and Bell lose their cool sometimes too.
But the Spurs collectively bug out their eyes and act as if they're going to start crying after every call. Bowen...Duncan...Finley...Ginobili....Horry...
I can't decide who's worse: Duncan or Bowen?
Then, during free throws, they'll triple team a ref and explain to them how they're not doing their job.
Ive never seen anything like it.
Are they trained to do this? Is this part of their training camp?
That's what I like !! Leading by example.
Test.
Is "The Spurs whine too much" the new "The Spurs don't bring in TV ratings" mantra for d_s_f?
yes we start training camp a week early to learn this...really.Are they trained to do this? Is this part of their training camp?
just like you guys start a week early to try and figure out how you are going to finally get past us in the playoffs...both efforts are pretty fruitless.
A sunfan whining about whining?
At least none of you are denying it.
Of course, how could you?
They whine after EVERY whistle.
Bowen has to be the worst. Its so funny though. Im just hoping he'll eventually break down and actually start crying. That would be priceless.
I don't think he bad mouths the Spurs, usually.
D'antoni > All when it comes to whining
it looks like he's about to cry whenever he doesnt get the call
Oh, so it's better to "bark" at the refs like Amare? What if we think that's disgusting? To get an angry look on your face because you disagree with something... as if getting mad at the ref will solve anything?
And about the talking to the refs during freethrows and other moments of down-time. You know how teachers say there are no stupid questions, and how in school it was the underachievers or kids who didn't care that wouldn't ask questions and show interest? The Spurs are doing everything allowed to know how the game is being called and what they need to do to make sure they get the call next time.
Is there anything positive the Spurs can do for you friend? Is there ANYthing good about them?
He's had some nice things to say about the Spurs in general but he's got some sort of vendetta against David Robinson. He never misses an opportunity to argue that he's overrated or soft for a variety of reasons that this board then spends an afternoon picking apart.
It was funny how Duncan almost convinced the refs that Manu should get two shots and the ball after Hill pushed him on the moving screen...
That said, Bowen has the wimpiest face in the world whenever he gets a fould called on him - kind of like when he hacked Amare after he got the offensive board... he should have been happy that they actually called it on the floor (the right call) and made Amare hit 2 at the line.
Yeah, he is usually very positive towards Pop and Duncan. He once wrote that if he could take any duo in the NBA, it would be Duncan and Parker. He is often criticised by other (non spurs) fans that he kisses spurs ass.
But the way he talks about DRob, you would think David ran over his pet dog or something...
he was accused of being a spurs lover. but his attacks on david robinson puts me off.
Phoenix Suns defense:
They won a hotly contested game with the world champs, and they became the first team to beat the Spurs in San Antonio this season. I'm sure you sense there's a "but" coming, and that "but" is the Suns' crummy defense. Amare Stoudemire basically shrunk away in fear as Tim Duncan ate his lunch (season-high 36 points, 15-25 shooting, season-high 17 rebounds). But even more disturbing was the fact that Jacque Vaughn looked positively Tony Parker-esque (14 points, 7-10 shoting, 4 assists). You cannot trust teams that make Jacque Vaughn look good. Also troubling is that, not only did the Suns get killed on the boards (again), Steve Nash actually led them in rebounding with 8. That should really never happen. Think the Suns miss Kurt Thomas? Think they aren't secretly wishing Steve Kerr had pulled the trigger on that Stoudemire-for-Garnett trade?
- Basketbawful
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