Ok, breathe deeeeeep.
If you thought that this Suns vs Spurs series was going to be any different...well YOU'RE RIGHT.
This time the Suns managed to WIN the first game, something they couldn't do in 2007 or 2008. And what a game it was. Wow.
Big props to Steve Nash who showed his hip problems are history and the Suns attacking the glass and getting it down on defense.
Oh and I think Jason Richardson is here to stay. Richard Jefferson? Not so much.
Stay tuned. More to come.
Spurs vs Suns boxscore
Game Notes
1st Qtr
- Amare iso on Dice first time down. Get used to that
- Crowd is TOTALLY JACKED. Blazers series was obviously just a warm up for Phx fans
- Grant Hill posting up on George Hill. Told ya. Draws the foul
- Suns really want to push tempo early...and they are. 7-2 Suns
- Hill on Manu. No surprise there
- Nash looks good. Getting to the rim and finishing
- Suns defense is IMPRESSIVE
- 11-4 Suns. Time out, Spurs. 8:48
- Suns rotations are fantastic right now
- Jarron Collins went 4 minutes before picking up his first foul. Not bad
- Spurs ignoring Collins when Suns have ball. Gentry agrees. Frye coming in
- Parker in for Manu. Who does he guard?
- George Hill, you can not go under that screen on Steve Nash
- 16-7, 6:37
- Great help D by Hill to challenge Tim's shot and force the miss. DEFENSE
- Wide open three for Frye. Nash's early penetration allowed that
- Suns missing some easy shots early...calm down boys
- Good ball rotation by Spurs there after Suns trapped Manu
- Spurs turning up the pressure defensively after slow start. We've seen this before
- Full court pressure by Spurs bothering Suns. Need to work on that a bit
- 21-14 Suns. 3:15
- Early offense from JRich = 4 quick points. Time out Spurs. 25-14 Suns
- Suns pressuring Duncan after he puts the ball on the floor. SMART
- Suns defense so finely tuned they even rotate to trap a driving Bonner. Then Jason realizes it's Bonner and rotates back
- OK, if Roger Mason suddenly goes off in this series we know that a an evil power is in fact at work here
- Suns rest Amare when Duncan sits. I think Amare was a bit over-hyped to start the game. He'll settle down
- That was a SWEET up and under move Parker put on Dudley. Looked like he forced him into a pull up J and Tony just pumps and steps through. Nice
- Suns 13-8 rebounding. Spurs shooting 38%. Defense and rebounding people. 31-22
2nd Qtr
- Blair has Dragic on his back three feet under the rim and he passed out. Why?
- The dual LB/Goran dribble drive attack thing is working well again
- LB goes around Blair like he's standing still and has no ACLs. (both true)
- Spurs cut lead to 35-27. Patience w/ the second unit. Give them some more time
- Great decision. Give the ball to Dudley to post up Mason. Suns taking advantage of mismatches
- Dragic w/ a couple turnovers. He'll settle in. Patience
- Amare back in to help 2nd unit. Good move
- Patience...it will come. Still up 6
- Blair vs Lou on hustle plays. That's just fun
- Nash back in. 37-33, 7:22
- Lou hits a floater which only went in b/c Steve passed to him. That's how it works
- Not the best performance from Suns bench but they made those Spurs starters (Parker/Manu) work and burn extra minutes
- It would seem that on the NBA level you can roll/slide on the floor and it's not traveling
- Suns defending the pick and roll very well
- Grant and Jason and Amare still missing easy shots. Those will come
- Dancing Grannies = HIDEOUS
- Spurs 12 FTA's, Suns 6. That's only reason this game is this close. 42-33 Suns.
- Oh Jason. That was a very nice basketball play. Thank you
- Suns digging down on Tim when he puts the ball on the deck. Force another turn over which leads to run out which leads to 2 more for JRich in transition
- 46-34 Suns. 4:04 to go
- These are LOOONG Time Outs
- Have to be really happy with the way this game is going so far
- 48-34 Suns. Nash on fire. Manu answers w/ three of his own
- Ok, you want to try and cover Amare with Tim. He will drive on you and draw a foul and finish, that's what
- JRich posts up, hits Amare slashing the lane. Foul
- JRich posts up George Hill again. Suns abusing this small line up of the Spurs
- So maybe at half time the refs will look at the box score and realize they have to even things out in the second half. That happens, this game will be over before the 4th quarter
- 53-43. Close strong.
- Amare missed an open three which would have been a great way to end the half.
- 57-47 ain't bad considering the Spurs have 11 more FTA's. Suns up 24-17 on the glass
- Spurs in the half court couldn't score
3rd Qtr
- Suns 56% shooting, Spurs 42%. 36-18 points in the paint
- Suns bench 12. Spurs 13...well that's 11 for Parker, 2 for Bonner and nothing else
- OK, goal for this quarter is that I can start the recap when the 4th starts. Totally possible
- Only 3 OReb's for SA
- Good rotations after double team on Tim leads to Parker shot...not a horrible option
- Nash turnover not so good though. Amare bully ball much better
- 61-55 Suns
- Steve Nash plays off the ball and gets an open three. Got to love that
- Bad start. Time out Gentry. That's OK. Keep it together boys
- George Hill w/ 3 fouls benched. Parker starts. Spurs scoring in early offense
- Suns getting a bit too worried about the refs/calls
- Spurs switching the pick and roll. That's a different but Nash has seen that before a few times
- Spurs picking it up here in the 2nd half. 64-63. Frye in. Collins out
- 67-64 Spurs, Manu three
- Suns energy just not the same as it was at the beginning of the game
- Spurs trapping Nash and leaving Jason open. We've seen that movie before
- 69-69, 5:35 to go. I guess we all got a little cocky
- Turning into a shoot out. Can the Spurs win a game like that?
- Stop leads to three...offense from defense
- Rebound, leads to baseline cut from JRich = dunk. LEad back to 80-73
- JRich three. PLACE ERUPTS!!!
- GO CROWD!!!
- Refs end that w/ a whistle
- Dudley fired up. Trying to get Suns to play faster
- Amare dunkage. 84-75. Remember that 10-0 run right there...
- Best crowd of the year
- So much for the home town whistle
- Manu can't score in transition. Gets the ball back and misses again
- 84-75 after 3
- 25-11 Spurs advantage in FTA's. Just pointing that out
4th Qtr
- See, now that looked like a make up call right there. Bogan's fouling Lou on the loose ball
- OOOH, Amare! Nice foot work!
- Amare looks like he is ready to take this game over. Calling for the ball. GIVE HIM THE BALL
- Roger Mason misses a three which just goes to show that evil doesn't win
- 88-75, Suns. Bench plus Amare getting it done
- Bogans hits a three. Evil lives
- Amare taking a breather so he's fresh for the finish
- Nice work there Goran after air-balling a three
- These are some crazy small line ups
- Blair and Lou the "centers". These small lineups allow the Suns to play their better defensive units but still push the ball while Nash and Jason rest and two of Spurs starters have to stay in. Wearing down w/ hustle and depth
- 93-80, Suns. 8:33. No sign of Nash coming in
- Nice rebound, Channing!
- Channing STUFFS Timmy!
- Calls in the fourth quarter goes Suns way. Spurs w/ 5. Suns 1
- Love watching Goran chase Parker around screens. He just goes right through them and keeps Tony out of the lane
- Time out Suns. Spurs close it to 94-86 with 6:17
- One more big run should put this away
- 6:17 to go. Time to see if rotation plans worked and fresher Suns can close it out.
- Tim guarding Amare btw
- Turnover Nash. Damn!
- 94-88. Need a stop
- Duncan at the line. Spurs closing w/ small line up, playing Bogans at 4. Suns w/ Amare, Frye, Hill, Nash and JRich
- Nash miss. Spurs finding Duncan in early offense right at the rim
- So far this is working for SA
- Seriously, you are going to reverse that!
- Here we go again
- 94-93
- Too much middle pick and roll, me thinks
- Suns go smaller, bring in Dudley to help w/ D
- Pop goes even smaller. Mason in for Bogans
- Crazy game...but what else could it be
- 98-93, 3:38.
- GET A STOP
- You want Parker to pull up for a J. He does. He hits
- No call on Duncan but Amare hits anyway
- 100-95. HEART POUNDING
- GREAT D!!! Closed off the lane to Parker and then force Manu into a tough shots
- Hill misses a three...would have been huge
- But suns get stop and board
- JRICH DAGGER!!!! 103-95 !!!!! 1:23 to go.
- Close it down now. NO LET UP!!
- Parker gets the lane and to the line. 103-97
- Grant Hill for two!!! 105-97!
- Manu w/ the lay up. 105-99
- Fouled Nash. 107-99 w/ 37 seconds to go
- Parker w/ the and 1. OMG!!! Get a stop!!
- 107-102
- I can't really say anything about these calls....except they suck
- 31 seconds.
- Nash misses a free throw...you know, b/c its Suns vs Spurs
- 108-102. 29 seconds. Longest minute EVER!!!