# Game Thread: Wednesday March 9, Phoenix vs. San Antonio



## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

<CENTER>* at







*


*Phoenix Suns (46-14) @ San Antonio Spurs (46-13)* 









*Wednesday, March 9th, 7:00pm*


Phoenix Suns

*Probable Starting Lineup:*




































PG: Steve Nash
SG: Quentin Richardson
SF: Joe Johnson
PF: Shawn Marion
C: Amare Stoudemire

*Key Reserves:*





























Jim Jackson
Leandro Barbosa 
Steven Hunter 
Walter McCarty 



San Antonio Spurs

*Probable Starting Lineup*




































PG: Tony Parker
SG: Manu Ginobli
SF: Bruce Bowen
PF: Tim Duncan
C: Rasho Nesterovic

*Key Reserves:*






















Brent Barry
Nazr Mohammed
Beno Udrih



*Previous Meetings*:
Spurs 115 Suns 94
Spurs 128 Suns 123 OT


*Prediction*

The last game, Marion and Stoudemire had huge games. Marion had 37 points and 15 boards, and hit the game tying shot to force OT. Amare had 35 points and 7 boards. If they can play like this and San Antonio doesn't have Duncan, I think we can pull this game out. It is going to be a fast paced game, and hopefully our bench steps up again. Q shot pretty bad the previous meeting, and hopefully he can get hot early in this one. Joe almost had a triple double with 21 points, 8 assists, and 7 boards. Nash had 16 points, and 13 assists. I predict

Suns- 120
Spurs- 113
</CENTER>


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## ChristopherJ (Aug 10, 2004)

This should be another close game for the Suns. Last time we should have won but gave it away in the 4th Q. This should give us the extra motivation to go out there and take this one. Especially based on the assumption that Duncan will sit this one out.

Prediction:

*Suns 118*
*Spurs 112*


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## 1 Penny (Jul 11, 2003)

If Duncan plays, its gonna be close. 

But as last game has shown, Spurs are willing to change their pace accordingly, in favour of Suns. I think if Duncan doesnt play, Suns will win by 12.

118 Suns
106 Spurs


If Duncan plays, it'll be a lot closer, but I think Suns are gonna take this one.

109 Suns
105 Spurs


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## LuckyAC (Aug 12, 2004)

Well, I am a Suns hater, but they'll win this one pretty easily, assuming Duncan is out.


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## azirishmusic (Feb 25, 2004)

I like the Suns chances if Duncan doesn't play, but the Spurs are a pretty good team even without him. The key will be how the refs call the game, because if the game is called tightly and the Spurs can't play their style of defense, there is no way the Spurs can just outscore the Suns.

But if the Spurs are allowed to foul, it could be very close.


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## DwyaneWade4MVP (Apr 1, 2004)

I'm really looking forward to this one, the last time we were without Nash...hopefully this time the spurs without duncan


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## DaBobZ (Sep 22, 2003)

DwyaneWade4MVP said:


> I'm really looking forward to this one, the last time we were without Nash...hopefully this time the spurs without duncan


Nash played last game @PHX and he actually outplayed Parker big time.
But Hudrich played well from the bench and Ginobili got on fire, Amare had a huge game as well.
It was one of the best games so far in the nba IMO too bad you didn't notice Steeve played in this one


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## G-Force (Jan 4, 2005)

It's looking like Timmy will likely be playing after all. Well, it's not impossible to win in San Antonio. Just very difficult.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

DaBobZ said:


> Nash played last game @PHX and he actually outplayed Parker big time.
> But Hudrich played well from the bench and Ginobili got on fire, Amare had a huge game as well.
> It was one of the best games so far in the nba IMO too bad you didn't notice Steeve played in this one



He did play but it's not like they got the best Nash that game. He had just come back pretty much, from injury. We'll how different things are, even though he did play well in the last game. And we forced them to play our style.


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## The Future7 (Feb 24, 2005)

This could be a big win for the Suns. We beat the best team in the NBA and we can take first place in the standings. If Duncan is playing it will be very difficult. But I think we will get the win. 106-99 Suns.


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## azirishmusic (Feb 25, 2004)

The Future7 said:


> This could be a big win for the Suns. We beat the best team in the NBA and we can take first place in the standings. If Duncan is playing it will be very difficult. But I think we will get the win. 106-99 Suns.


It will be interesting to see how well Duncan handles the Suns pace on his gimpy ankle.

The Suns took the Spurs into overtime last game in a match where the Suns backup guys had a TOTAL of 22 minutes. The Suns still shot 54% against the Spurs defense i(ncluding 15 of 19 by Amare) with Nash not at full speed and a bad game by Q. 

This should be an interesting game.


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

azirishmusic said:


> It will be interesting to see how well Duncan handles the Suns pace on his gimpy ankle.
> 
> The Suns took the Spurs into overtime last game in a match where the Suns backup guys had a TOTAL of 22 minutes. The Suns still shot 54% against the Spurs defense i(ncluding 15 of 19 by Amare) with Nash not at full speed and a bad game by Q.
> 
> This should be an interesting game.


Ay, nice 22 minutes. Gee I hope that our bench continues their recent play and steps it up this game. :yes:

OT: You want the headshot gallery pictures or NBA ones?


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## underhill_101 (Feb 22, 2005)

this game should be a great one between the 2 western conference heavy weights. my prediction:

suns 110
spurs 106

amare 26/11/3
duncan 24/13/4


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## Tooeasy (Nov 4, 2003)

spurs-117
suns-109


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## CrookedJ (May 8, 2003)

Random observation - all the Suns starters have numbers consisting of only 1,2 and 3.

Go Suns, I put some down on em with the new sportsbookie dealy.


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## ChristopherJ (Aug 10, 2004)

*Phoenix Fired Up*



> Between them, there are five All-Stars, three Olympians and league leaders in assists, blocks, three-pointers and minutes. What Wednesday’s match-up between the Suns and Spurs really comes down to, though, are the top two teams in the NBA going at it in their third and final regular season match-up.
> 
> Down 0-2 in the season series, Phoenix looks to rebound against the Southwest Division leaders in a 7 p.m. start at America West Arena that may or may not feature Spurs’ forward Tim Duncan. The All-Star tweaked an ankle recently and is expected to be a game-time decision.
> 
> ...


http://www.nba.com/suns/news/report_050308.html 


*Game Preview *

Hopefuly Phoenix comes out flying. I'd expect everyone to have a good game tonight.


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## SirChaz (Feb 4, 2005)

What's up Suns fans?

Should be a great game tonight. Hopefully the Suns continue to play well. 

Amare should have a big game. The Spurs don't double him and he will have Massenberg and Horry on him at times. He will just need a couple other guys to step up and join him. 

Suns just need to rebound and play thier game and they will pull it out.

GO SUNS!!


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## G-Force (Jan 4, 2005)

I made a bet as well.


By the way, this game is in Phoenix, not San Antonio. I revised the initial post to show that.


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## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

No Manu or Duncan for tonights game.


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

Phoenix doesn't seem to want to take advantage of the discombobulated spurs. Rasho and Stoudemire with 5 fouls


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## ChristopherJ (Aug 10, 2004)

Suns take it 107-101. Even though Richardson left the game with a mild concussion, that was a little to close without Duncan or Ginobli, but a win is a win.

Amare dominated going 17-22, for 44 points.
Nash has a solid 15 assists.

Overall good to get the W, and tie the Spurs for first in the West.

Box Score


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

KidCanada said:


> Suns take it 107-101. Even though Richardson left the game with a mild concussion, that was a little to close without Duncan or Ginobli, but a win is a win.
> 
> Amare dominated going 17-22, for 44 points.
> Nash has a solid 15 assists.
> ...


I wouldn't be too happy about this game if I were you. The Spurs still have the number one seed if you go through the tie breaker and hardly winning against a team without thier best two players is not a good sign at all.


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

Phoenix better pick it up or they're going no where in the playoffs


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## G-Force (Jan 4, 2005)

Hey, a win beats the heck out of a loss, whether its by 6 points or 16 points. Right now, I'm not too worried about the playoffs. The next game or two is more important right now.

G-Force


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## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

Too much Amare tonight. The Spurs did a great job defending the pick-and-roll for awhile there but the Suns executed perfectly when it counted at the end. Plus, the Suns answered nearly every big play the Spurs made. That's one of the main reasons why it ended up how it did because the Suns just didn't allow the Spurs to get over the hump.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

ezealen said:


> Phoenix better pick it up or they're going no where in the playoffs


I guess, someone forgot about the Spurs _losing_ to the Grizzlies when Grizzles didn't have Pau Gasol or Stromile Swift. You prolly weren't saying that then about your team? Besides, Suns started off hot with 36 pts in first qrter and kinda sleepwalked abit. There were also abundance of calls being made. I didn't see them because I listened to it on radio so I'm not gonna say anything about them being bad. But I wonder how many of calls were actually good calls? Anyone care to fill me in? Unbias of course.


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## azirishmusic (Feb 25, 2004)

ezealen said:


> I wouldn't be too happy about this game if I were you. The Spurs still have the number one seed if you go through the tie breaker and hardly winning against a team without thier best two players is not a good sign at all.


Not having Q should count for something?

Seriously, the Spurs win because of their defense and they couldn't stop the Suns in the last two games they've played. This game was close because the Suns got impatient on offense and made too many ill advised passes.

One major problem the Suns had was that the Spurs were allowed to be a lot more physical in their defense than the Suns were. Obviously, if the refs are going to remain star struck, the Suns won't look very good.


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## 7 (Sep 14, 2004)

ezealen said:


> I wouldn't be too happy about this game if I were you. The Spurs still have the number one seed if you go through the tie breaker and hardly winning against a team without thier best two players is not a good sign at all.



I'm happy because I thought we might lose. Before I knew that Duncan and Ginobili weren't going to play I thought for sure we would win; we had been playing great and we were at home. But when I found out that they weren't going to play I thought it sounded like a perfect "let down" game. All too often teams lose their motivation when the other teams best guys are out and the other team comes out trying to prove a point. Look at how the Suns lost to Memphis earlier in the year with a bunch of there best guys out, it happens. Even if we would have won by one point it would have been a good win.


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## DwyaneWade4MVP (Apr 1, 2004)

Nice win! Nash with an amazing double - double: 11 pts and 15 asts!
But what about Q, what was up with him, only 6 minutes, is his injury bad?


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## SirChaz (Feb 4, 2005)

DwyaneWade4MVP said:


> Nice win! Nash with an amazing double - double: 11 pts and 15 asts!
> But what about Q, what was up with him, only 6 minutes, is his injury bad?



Q has a mild concussion. He should be OK.


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## The Future7 (Feb 24, 2005)

It was a great game. I was proud of Amare dominating while Duncan was gone. The score was a little to close though considering Duncan and Manu was out.


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