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 Phoenix Suns vs San Antonio Spurs - Game 3
Posted By: Suns.com Staff |
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9:58 pm
Stefan Swiat
If the Suns are going to make a comeback, they are going to have to do so with contributions from their main three role players: Barbosa, Bell and Diaw.
When two out of the three of those guys score 15 points or more, the Suns are 17-2. LB has hit for 20 points already, whereas Diaw only has six and Bell has two. One of those guys are going to have to get hot and make the defense pay for when they collapse on STAT, Shaq and Nash.
Nash, who was quiet the first half, became more aggressive in the third before going out of the game for his usual fourth-quarter rest. Look for him to attack voraciously when he re-enters the contest.
It’s do or die time Suns fans…
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9:42 pm
Stefan Swiat
The Spurs have really done an excellent job of chasing the Suns off of the 3-point line. The Suns, who are the best 3-point shooting team in the league, have only four 3-point bombs attempts at the end of the third quarter. Nash’s pet shot, which is to dribble up in transition and pull up and drain a 3-ball before the other team has time to react has been completely taken away by the Spurs, who have quite mindful of Nash on the break. The Suns, who are fifth in the league in 3-point attempts, are going to have to push the tempo and launch a few to start cracking up the Spurs. The Spurs are retreating to the lane and feel no threat right now from Suns from the outside. Right now, the Suns are doing better on the Parker on the screen-and-roll as Hill has been able to bother him with his length. Unfortunately, Duncan is hitting every 17-foot jumper that comes his way. Let’s see if the Suns can make a run here…
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8:38 pm
Daniel Banks
The Suns are finding their identity again in front of a nationwide audience. The Spurs may have done a good job of befuddling them in San Antonio but here in this second quarter they are back to do doing what they did so well down the stretch in the season. Shaq is a beast in the paint against Tim Duncan making him work for every inch he gets toward the basket and Raja, Barbosa, and Nash have only one thing on their minds: Push It. And so far they're pushing it real good. It's slow going putting on a comeback against a team with this much poise, but they're chipping away at San Antonio one hustle play at a time.
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8:29 pm
Jeramie McPeek
It was great to see Suns Chairman Jerry Colangelo in the locker room before the game. I still wish the Suns could have won a championship for him last season before he moved out of his fourth floor office at US Airways Center last summer, and transitioned to more of a consultant role for the franchise. But he says he is still as big a fan as when he was the team’s first GM and longtime owner.
“I don’t think I’ll ever, ever disassociate myself,” he told me. “You can’t give birth to something and watch it grow and mature, and not be deeply, passionately involved. So, whether I’m here or with the team or not, I’m watching and nothing has changed in terms of my emotions. They run the full gamut with how the team is doing, so the first two games were gut-wrenching to say the least.”
Although the Suns find themselves down 0-2 to the defending champion Spurs, Colangelo said he was still confident that they could come back and win this series.
“After 40 years, I’ve seen a lot of those games and circumstances just like this. Now it’s time to turn things around and make it a series, and go from there.”
8:06 pm
Josh Greene
With Grant Hill still nursing the strained groin, Leandro Barbosa got the nod for his first start of the playoffs tonight. Before the game, LB’s brother Arturo was hanging out courtside, awaiting his tickets (yes, he was on the list) and all but guaranteed a great night for his little brother. A frequent visitor at Suns practices this postseason, the elder Barbosa (who I’ve heard is a sergeant and paratrooper in the Brazilian military) is quick with a smile and handshake, which really makes me wonder if all those “horror” stories about how he motivated Leandro basketball-wise with a stick years ago were really true.
LB was held scoreless for the first time all season in Game 2. The first quarter tonight was nothing to write home about either, but the Brazilian Blur really found his groove in the second quarter, racking up a quick 10 points in the first five minutes. And he just hit a three-pointer to close the gap to six with just under eight to play in the half.
It almost makes me wish my parents used a stick to motivate me growing up. Almost.
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8:17 pm
Daniel Banks
This is the first home playoff game of the year for the suns.com crew and we have taken over a room high up in the US Airways Center with a very unique view of the game. There ain't nobody else seeing the game the way we are tonight. I can honestly say we're on top of the action and this view affords us a great look at how the teams operate as a unit - moving, sliding in unison. The Suns are collapsing on lane penetration but so far tonight it wasn't been enough to keep their guards from scoring. Meanwhile, the Spurs are trained vets who never leave their post (or else they suffer Pop's fury) ... Barbosa makes them pay by streaking down the lane for an easy layup. Nice.
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8:14 pm
Stefan Swiat
Ummm. We are getting killed on the screen-and-roll and Coach D’Antoni even asked for suggestions from the press on how you can guard a screen-and-roll against Tim Duncan and Tony Parker.
The injury of Grant Hill is really felt here because he guarded Tony Parker during the regular season. Parker is too quick for Nash to fight over the screen on, and Shaq has never been able to hedge out and help his point guards. When he was younger, he was better, but he preferred to retreat to the lane and block shots, while athletic guards like Derek Fisher and Dwyane Wade could fight over the screen.
Unfortunately, we don’t have that option, which leads to Parker drilling jumper after jumper. Or, if Shaq or STAT do help out, they can swing it to Duncan or Thomas, who also coolly nail the mid-range jumpers. Hill provided that knack of being able to guard smaller and quicker guys because he had the length to recover in time to contest Parker’s jumpers. Now, a step slower, he just can’t get out to him.
In addition, with LB at the 2 and Raja Bell and the 3, the Suns can’t try to zone the Spurs because Bell would be the weak-side rebounder. Hill or Diaw would be great on the weak-side, but Hill in injured and D’Antoni rarely plays Boris at the small forward because he gives up a lot on the offensive end when he does that.
We’ll see how they try to solve this…
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8:13 pm
Brad G. Faye
Okay the good news after one quarter is we seem to be forcing the Spurs to take jumpers. The bad news is they're making them... all of them. But that can't remain the case forever... can it?
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8:06 pm
Daniel Banks
This has to be a good sign. In Games 1 and 2 the Suns started the game hot and built big leads only to have the Spurs come back in the third quarter to erase all their early work. So now we find ourselves trailing in the first quarter of Game 3 and Tony Parker (who has burned us in the fourth this series) is scorching hot to start the game. So are the fortunes reversed and will the Suns be the ones with the last laugh? Right now the arena is only full of boo’s for Pop’s decision to hack-a-Shaq.
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8:05 pm
Jeramie McPeek
My wife is not a Spurs fan.
Now she probably wouldn’t be too upset if the Suns didn’t advance past this round, as it would mean I would be home more at night and on weekends. But she does enjoy attending games this time of year.
This may be the last game I let her go to, though. For the second time in a row (April 1st was the first), she wore black and white clothes to a Suns-Spurs matchup. Now whether it was a sub-conscious decision or she just chose her favorite Old Navy outfit, I don’t know. But it doesn’t look good. I think she’s the only fan sitting in section 109 wearing black. I just hope she makes it through the game without getting beer poured on her.
Heck, with the Spurs currently leading by 12 points, she may be lucky to make it through the first quarter without some Bud Light shampoo.
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7:45 pm
Brad G. Faye
Wow. Popovich talked before the game about what a difference maker Kurt Thomas has been for this ballclub and you can certainly see why. There may not be a guy better in the league at setting screens and when given the jumper he just doesn't miss.... Although right now, none of the Spurs seem to be missing much of anything.
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7:30 pm
Jeramie McPeek
I don’t know if you saw it on the TV broadcast, but Grant Hill was just presented with the Joe Dumars Trophy at center court, as the 2007-08 NBA Sportsmanship Award winner.
The annual award doesn’t get nearly the attention that the MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, or Sixth Man does, of course, but it is a pretty awesome recognition if you think about it.
Grant was singled out from the more than 400 players in the Association for demonstrating “ethical behavior, fair play and integrity.” Even more impressive is the fact that he became the first player ever to win the award twice.
”It was a bit of a shock,” Hill admitted prior to the game. “It definitely feels good, especially knowing that your colleagues, fellow players in the league voted on. It’s a great honor.
“I try to go out and be professional, and play the right way, be competitive but also respect the game and have respect for my opponent.”
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7:30 pm
Brad G. Faye
With the Mavericks game now in the books, it appears home cooking has been a factor this postseason (ironically for everybody but Utah). Here's hoping the home team can go to 3-0 on the night.
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7:30 pm
Stefan Swiat
The deck is already stacked against the Suns being down 0-2, but it would be near impossible to come back from losing three straight. The two advantages that the Suns have is that they are playing at the Purple Palace and that they are the only NBA club that hasn’t lost three consecutive games all season.
Leandro Barbosa is going to start in place of Grant Hill, who is laboring with a strained groin. Coach Mike D’Antoni considered starting Boris Diaw, but if one of his bigs got tired, he wanted to be able to sub in Boris to provide some relief.
Last game LB was 0-of-7, so let’s hope the start will get him going…
Let the game begin!
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7:20 pm
Jeramie McPeek
It’s been just about a year since I’ve been up here.
Game 3 is a little over 10 minutes from tip-off as I type my first entry in our official game-night blog way up above Section 203. And when I say “way up,” I mean way, way up. We’re in a converted balcony up in the rafters that was, in a previous life, the organ loft for the Phoenix Coyotes back when they were still tenants at US Airways Center. Talk about nose-bleed seats.
But these are our nose-bleed seats and we’re darn proud of them. We discovered our own little paradise in the spring of 2007 while searching through a long-deserted storage room up here on level 6. And although it took a makeover that would make Ty Pennington proud, we were able to successfully convert it into a private press lounge we affectionately call the “Suns.com Skybox.”
So if I make any comments about the game tonight that seem a little “off,” or give credit to the wrong player for a big bucket or hard foul, forgive me. It’s not easy typing and looking through binoculars at the same time.
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6:45 pm
Dan Hilton
I’m nervous. Is anyone else nervous?
I’m not nervous that we’ll lose. It’s just that pre-game jitters I seem to get before all playoff games the Suns participate in. In my previous job, I always had to travel during the first few rounds of the playoffs so I would watch the games in my hotel room. A couple of years ago I happened to be in Los Angeles during the Suns/Lakers series. Unfortunately, the games were taking place in Phoenix. So I would save all of my “per diem” money and eat as little as possible during the day so I could splurge on dinner when I ordered room service. It wasn’t great for my weight but it sure was fun! Ceaser salad, hamburger, french fries, rolls, some kind of dessert and lots and lots of water. For some reason watching the Suns makes me thirsty.
When I ordered room service one time, the guy who delivered it saw me in my Suns gear (Suns shorts, shirt, hat) and immediately started giving me a hard time. I reminded him I hadn’t tipped him yet and that stopped him from talking for awhile. But he did take a break for a few minutes and watched the game with me. He was bad luck for the Suns and the Lakers started going on a run so I signed the receipt and told him he better leave. I can’t remember that game very well but I do remember I ate way too much because I wasn’t paying attention to what I was eating. I was too nervous during the game!
Last year, I was on the road for the infamous game 5 of the Suns/Spurs series. I think I’ve written about this before but just to recap: It was a frustrating game. I couldn’t help but whoop and holler when the Suns did well or groan and throw rolls at the TV when the Spurs did well. When the Suns finally lost that game, I’m sure I probably made the people in the room next to me think I was crazy as I kept banging the back of my head against the wall.
I have great memories of watching the games on the road, even if it was by myself in a place far, far away from Phoenix. But I sure am glad to be at the arena tonight cheering on the Suns! GO SUNS!!
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6:50 pm
Brad G. Faye
I just left the Spurs lockerroom and definitely need to cleanse myself of their bad vibes. Just a quick rundown – Tim Duncan was watching game film of he and Shaq throughout this series, Manu Ginobili jetted to go shoot around as soon as the media entered and Gregg Popovich (as usual) didn’t appear to approve of the questions he was asked.
You would swear being around those guys they were the ones down 0-2 in the series but that’s how Popovich runs his ship and with the results they’ve had over the years, it’s hard to argue. I still like the scenario where the good guys can win doing things the right way and was thrilled to see Tony Dungy do it in the Super Bowl with Indianapolis a couple of years back (it might also have something to do with me being a Colts fan). But that’s what the Suns-Spurs rivalry reminds me of is Colts-Patriots. One is media friendly and great to be around, the other… not so much. But I can honestly say I’d rather win one championship with integrity and acting like a civilized human being than three or four by conducting myself in a manner everybody in the outside world had a problem with.
That’s just me though, people are free to make their own decisions. I’m deciding now what kind of ice cream I will be grabbing at halftime but that’s still a good amount of time away.
Comments
none - chic
I guess i have to take back my statement.
Suns cant recover. Its not lulling santonio
Its SA killing suns.
I always doubted only 2 games will not be 2-1 one is tonite and other probably tomm..kobe will go 3-0 up and spurs are ready to sweep the suns
this series has gone so friggin like 2005. Its not even funny.
Dantoni nash should quit talking after this and stat should think abt his mentality.
I mean no friggin maturity at all.
"We still we can do this thing"
DO IT...DONT SAY IT
47 IN 2 QTRS
WE USED TO SEE 47 IN A QUARTER
Ron - Arizona
SUNS are toast... They are 'marshmellows' when it comes to defense. Suns will never win with 7 - 8 players and a lot more toughness. Suns have no bench, no depth. It is time for a major change in direction and it starts with replacing D'Antonio. What a disappointing year.
A Former Suns Fan - the northland
Too much heartbreak, too much heartbreak!! That's what I see as an observer and that's what this team does to it's fan base. Only the Boston Red Sox can come back from a 3-1 deficit. But that's baseball. The 1995 Houston Rockets came back from a 3-1 deficit only to defeat who.....The Phoenix Suns!! Yeah, that's the facts man. This team has no desire nor the discipline to execute at what they should do best when it counts....WIN!! Period!! It's too bad this team has let it's fans down year after year and time after time. The Suns DO NOT have the heart of a champion or even their eyes on the prize!! You think they can come back and beat the Spurs in this series? Be realistic!! They may win on Sunday, but as far at this series goes they are through.
Hey Phoenix. Stop wasting your time with stupid slogans and wishful thinking. You guys will never win a championship!!! PERIOD!!
MIke N - Richmond B.C Canada
I sum up the situation as follow:
1. The Trade has proven to be a mistake.
2. Should have tinkered with getting Kurt Thomas back and keeping Shawn Marion.
3. The coach blew the first game and got out coached in the series.
4. At the end of the day the Spurs are better, and there are other better teams in the west.
5. The steve nash era in phoenix is over.
6. But it was a fun last four years and I thank them for making basketball enjoyable the last four years.
Dor - Phoenix
I feel so sad for the Suns tonight, how can they ever get up to play for the 4th game???... But reality checks, the agony will be over soon!!!! Until then folks... I know in the future, the Suns will finally get to win the championship....
SK - Earth
You just love taking out people's dreams do you?! For fours years, I've been watching you guys but I always end up with sad expressions. I've waited and wishing my 4 years just hoping you guys could win a championship. Championship???!!! You couldn't even get over the humps. Every opportunity you get, you waste them all the time. Yes, I know you guys earn a lot of money either you win or you lose and you still get paid. But breaking your fans' hopes and happiness, you won't be able to replace them or exchange it with your "money". You guys are being too nice and generous to other teams but never to your fans, kids, who are always wishing you guys to win a championship, and maybe to yourself. To tell you the truth, is either you do something or do nothing, don't make it hard on US. This is your last chance so something must better change or it's over. Because Nash, Shaq, Hill and the Phoenix Suns roster won't be the same for the next seasons.
Wish you all the luck and I'm sorry!
Leo - Argentina
Im fan of the Spurs, of course... but after reading all the comments the suns fans made the last 2 games I just can say that you sunnies, are true fans, only you believed in this team... See ya next year!
kf - peoria
Had to be one of the most pathetic games I've ever seen the suns play. They are letting the spurs just run all over them. If they don't get tough and start pumping and pushing the spurs like they do us they will continue to make every shot. That is the absolute worst defensive play I've seen!!!! From the looks of the players on the floor and the sounds of the coach after the game they have already given up. No intesity, no emotion, no fire the end. If you've all given up then why shouldn't your fans.
Willy L. - Los Angeles, CA
I really think you guys need to figure out how to get out of this swamp. Making O'neal playing majority of the time is not going to work. Even though people say that everyone who goes to Suns somehow got their injuries cured and improved their field goal %, but O'neal's free throw % is still low. and keep fouling and mismatching on Shaq not only destroies Suns' offense side but also defense side.
I think Shaq should play for the quality but not quantity. Staying on the court too long is not going to work. It's clear that if he keeps playing like this he will still be the target for Spurs. And improving his free throw is like the super major thing for right now.
Truly Suns fan - gilbert
From last couple of years, it shows Suns will not win the finals because the lack of defense and bench. It's the coach mindset, no one wants to change it. Doesn't matter you treat Marion or not. The result is set.
A Former Suns Fan - the northland
GO D-Backs!! Now they have the hearts of Champions!!!
Roger - Curacao, Netherlands Antilles
I agree with the posts so far. I don't see the Suns win the series which is very sad. I just don't understand what happened to the Suns in yesterday's game 3. There was absolutely no motivation, no determination and a lack of everything. Over the past three years I watched the Suns games during the regular season as well as the play-offs and they keep surprising me every time. They play well during the regular season but when it comes down to winning crucial games at the end, the Suns still disappoint. I really hope they will at least win game 4 but I can only hope they will be a much better team next year. Sadly I don't see them winning this series, even though I thaught this year would be their year but the outlook looks very dark, unfortunately.
Brad - Prescott Valley
Don't be fooled, we would be down 0-3 with Marion as well. These Spurs are just too good at carrying out their game plan in the playoffs. I doubt we will be swept though.
Go get'em Suns!
Philip - prescott valley
If you want to admit it or not, you cant win without a solid dose of defense in your game plan. I didnt want to believe it 4 years ago when the suns were the best scorers in the league but still didnt win a championship. every year we play like this i am more convinced of that simple truth. By the way, where was the emotion last night. I didnt even play in the game and I was ready to ball like a little girl. When they pan the cameras to the bench the suns were smilin, kickin back havin a ball. Where was there desire and emotion. Dont they realize how hungry this state is for a championship. The suns have a great support group here in Arizona. I hope they can realize that on Sunday and show us that they appreciate their fans enough to show some HEART!!!
Tony D. - Baltimore Md
Why are we not trying someone like strawberry to try to slow down Parker.He played for Maryland and was a good defender if nothing is working why not go to the bench and see if it will work your losing anyway so give the kid a shot.
joe - san antonio,TX
TONY PARKER is showing his MVP skills
MASON - N.PHX
the suns have alot of work ahead in the next 5yrs.
the west is going to get even better. there are alot of young teams out here and the suns are not one of them. i really have to wonder what the team was thinking getting rid of some good young talent. the suns need to get some good bench players that the coach will use. the hornets,jazz,portland and the lakers are going to be the top teams in the west and the suns are going to be the team not making the playoffs. it will be some tuff times ahead if the suns dont make some trades and drafts.but i will always watch and cheer for the suns. i think they change the way basketball is played today. i hate to see this fun style go away but defense and good coaching wins in the playoffs.
Suns Fan - CA
I'm with the majority of you that the last game was such a disappointment. I mean, at least in the first 2 games, the Suns had a lead and just fell apart in the end. But in last night's game, they just.. gave up from the start. The lack of defense is what hurt them the most. The Suns HAVE to understand that they can't be a championship team without a solid defense to back it up. Tony Parker freaking murdered them, and they had no response. It just really felt like the Suns just gave up and didn't want to try anymore. I thought this was the year. I thought with Shaq, they would be able to get over the hump and win a championship.. But I guess this trade was a failure after all. I wonder what next years' team will be like. Definetly not Nash-STAT-Shaq-Hill-Bell-Diaw-Barbosa altogether. So what next? When will we ever get a championship?
I miss Marion and Thomas. I hate that now, it's not "we have to win a championship", it's "we have to win at least one game and not be the first team to get sent home". I hate having the feeling that the Spurs are laughing at how pathetic the Suns have gotten now. Maybe next year..
Ann - Phoenix
So sad...
Let's hope that not all is lost tomorrow.
Pierce J. - Gilbert
Here was the formula Nash + Stat+ Skinner + Hill+ Marion = Equals Championship. I Love Shaq and admire him as a player that has alot of heart. I think Skinner should have had more playing time, he block shots he was up and down the court and had a defensive presense.
Lonnie Horn - Montana
I used to watch the suns when I was growing up in Phoenix back when John Mccloed was head coach. The starters for the other team sometimes would not risk getting hurt so they wouldn't even play. The suns were not a great team, but they were our team. Coach McCloed used to jog by my school and I stopped and got his autograph with my Dad one day. They can win and I hope they do sunday. It is very frustrating to watch this series when I thought this was the year for the suns to rise, but it is good to still have my favorite team playing in the play offs. The Spurs are stinkin tough and thats all there is to it. Whatever happens I am still going to be a suns fan!!!!!!!!!
Ronnie - Philippines
The law of averages would soon catch up with the Spurs. Hopefully, this happens in Game 4. The Suns must be ready to take advantage, mentally, and court-energy wise. A window of opportunity is still open.
Patrick - Makati, Philippines
Win or lose my heart still belongs to the phoenix suns!
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