The original story, your post and my reply got moved and SBN can’t find it. I was able to back up the story but not the posts. Very sorry, man.

My response was something like:

Yeah, interesting that our bench didn’t show up.

Our Suns starters (positive +/) outplayed the Spurs starters (negative +/), but the Spurs bench, despite scoring only 3 points in the first half, were approximately +15, +/- cleaned our bench out who were approximately 15 +/.

One positive is that Pop showed some desperation in attempting Hack-a-Shaq. He also ran a TON of high PNRs… Suns’ll figure out how to deal with that.

I say sit Grant out the first half of the next game. Use him for defense in the second half. Start Diaw or LB so those guys can have great games. I think those guys need to have a great start when the defense is not as tight so that they have enough confidence later in the game.

I hope this is not a trend – I lost two posts this morning. I’m not going to do them again.

but I thought his poor second half was due to the defense keying on him without worry about the other disappearing guys.

If those other guys don’t disappear, then Amare doesn’t have to play 1 on 5…

I am worried about this team. They have the talent, but I think they lack the heart. It pains me to type this, but last night’s 3rd quarter confirmed it for me. When the chips are down you hardly ever see this team “get up” in the middle of a game. There were several times you could just see the body language was almost scared. I don’t know if they lack an emotional leader or what, but it is killing me. Last night’s game took a lot out of me. I don’t want to talk to anyone. And yet I can’t help reading about it online. To clarify, I don’t agree that they need to physically impose their will. I want to see our bench players bounding over to the team at a time out, encouraging the players on the court. I want to see Amare and Nash get in their own teammates face and tell them that, “WE ARE NOT LOSING THIS GAME!” Instead, I see LB and Hill sitting on the bench with a look on their face that seems to say, “Don’t put me in coach.” I don’t know, maybe its the post-game hangover. I just miss the fire. Hopefully, they can rekindle it at home.

On the bright side: It was great seeing Diaw take control for a while (I think it was the 2nd quarter). Keep it up, Boris! Nobody on their second batch can hold you. Keep being aggressive!

For the first time in the Steve Nash era, I feel we conceded a playoff game. Popovich outran us in the 3rd quarter. I remember thinking, why is Nash walking the ball up? even with Shaq, we can outrun these guys. 7 seconds or less is oficially dead. It has been dying, but it is now gone. Finis. RIP.

I did not see us try anything different that whole quarter. We made it very easy on the Spurs. Nash comes down, gets a screen, the PNR is not there, he dribbles around and passes it to a confused teammate who takes an off-balance shot. I have seen this before. It was in the first round last year, Dallas-GS. The Mavs were just as nonplussed. D’Antoni says, “Nash will figure it out”. Well, Steve can’t figure it out if the players don’t move without the ball! I saw Steve, over and over getting mobbed by Spurs, and where are the other Suns? Camped at their designated spots, not moving a muscle. Is it D’A that told them not to move? Sheesh.

Amare was in a funk. He must have fumbled four or five passes. The expression on his face said it all. He was confused and perplexed. D’A would have been better off playing DJ then Barbosa. Then he might have gotten some defense.

We probably will win the two in Phoenix, but what a blown opportunity! How many times can we not show up for 48 minutes against the Spurs?

Do you think it is possible that Pop had the Spurs lay low in the last two regular season games so he could surprise us in the playoffs? It seems to have worked. The Suns are so easy to psyche out. I bet Pop has fun with it:

Pop and Duncan at a bar in March

Pop: I’ve got a plan for those pesky Suns. We’ve got two regular season games left with them, so I think we can pull it off. They are better than we are, but I think I have come up with a way to catch them with their pants down.
Duncan: Let me have it coach. I need help. I don’t think I can keep up anymore.
Pop: Leave that to me. You just play. Miss a few free throws and easy layups here and there, and argue every call. give the refs the perplexed deer-in-the-headlights look. Throw the ball to Bowen instead of Manu.
Duncan: Man, coach, that’t brilliant. They will start to think they are stopping us, that’ll give them a big head.
Pop: for good measure, if anyone gets hot, I’ll yank them. I’ll have the floppers flop more than usual, and when Tony gets hit, I’ll have him stay down so they think he is injured.
Duncan: I can’t wait. And I’ll let Stoudemire blow past me a few times so he starts to think we can’t stop him.
Pop: That scouting report on the fragile psyche of the Suns players we got from KT will come in handy in the playoffs. but for now, lets make believe we can’t figure them out.
Duncan: Great. Hey coach, how does Horry wear that 5th championship ring? can it be sized for the thumb?