# Game 5: Phoenix Suns @ San Antonio Spurs - 11/8



## ShuHanGuanYu (Feb 3, 2005)

*Game 5: Wednesday, November 8th, 6:00 PM (PST - Arizona)*




















*Phoenix Suns* 
_*(1-3)*_









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<tr align=center>
<td>*Nash*
<td>*Barbosa*
<td>*Bell*
<td>*Marion*
<td>*Stoudemire*
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<tr align=center>
<td>Banks
<td>Diaw
<td>Rose
<td>JaJones
<td>Thomas
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@



*San Antonio Spurs* 
_*(3-1)*_









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<tr align=center>
<td>*Parker*
<td>*Ginobili*
<td>*Bowen*
<td>*Oberto*
<td>*Duncan*
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<tr align=center>
<td>Udrih
<td>Barry
<td>Finley
<td>Horry
<td>Elson
</table>










*Suns Previous Game* 

Clippers 114 - Suns 108 

The Suns were targeted for revenge by the Clippers for their home opening win in game 2 of the season, and the Suns did not answer the challenge. With the same offensive, defensive, and rebounding struggles the Suns stayed close but could not overcome L.A. when it counted. Boris Diaw was moved back into the starting lineup, but once again did not produce results. He had only 3 rebounds in 30 minutes and failed to record a single assist. Leandro remained in the starting lineup while Raja Bell tries to exit his shooting slump, but he also struggled. The Suns committed 33 fouls, which put the Clippers on the line 45 times. Steve Nash was in MVP form, recording 28 points and 13 assists. Shawn Marion tallied 25 points and 15 rebounds in the loss.

*Spurs Previous Game*

Spurs 105 - Knicks 93 

*Game Notes* 

This matchup seemingly could not come at a worse time for the Suns. They are struggling to put together a rotation that is effective enough to win basketball games, and tonight will not get any easier as they face a Spurs team who many hold as the favorite to win the 2006-07 NBA Championship. Amare Stoudemire has been moved into the starting lineup and Jalen Rose will be available off the bench in his first game with the Suns. San Antonio has won 10 of the last 11 meetings at home against the Suns. The Suns have not played since Saturday night, so hopefully that has given them some time to gain some conditining in practice and starting melding as a team.

*Injuries* 

No injuries reported for the Suns.


Vegas Odds
_MGM-Mirage_

Favorite: SAS	
Point spread: -6​

Go Suns!​


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## bootstrenf (May 24, 2006)

hate to say it, but i'm thinking that the spurs are gonna beat the suns...


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

bootstrenf said:


> hate to say it, but i'm thinking that the spurs are gonna beat the suns...



3 people voting have said this too haha.


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## ShuHanGuanYu (Feb 3, 2005)

This game's probably gonna be ugly. Spurs are rounding into form while the Suns are in search-mode. I just hope the Suns can play some defense in this game, because even a 118-116 regular season win doesn't mean a thing to me. I want to see them get early last year's defense back, the defense that got key stops in the 4th quarter of a win against San Antonio.

Well, a win would still make me happy, but trying to make a point here... :biggrin:


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

ShuHanGuanYu said:


> This game's probably gonna be ugly. Spurs are rounding into form while the Suns are in search-mode. I just hope the Suns can play some defense in this game, because even a 118-116 regular season win doesn't mean a thing to me. I want to see them get early last year's defense back, the defense that got key stops in the 4th quarter of a win against San Antonio.
> 
> Well, a win would still make me happy, but trying to make a point here... :biggrin:



Yeah, that game in January before Kurt went down. We actually made stops, and won a game against them in the 90 pt range.


Man we have a tough schedule to open the season. Mavs tomorrow night also. I just hope they win tonight (I think they're playing) so we're not the ones they beat first.


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## ShuHanGuanYu (Feb 3, 2005)

Dallas is in L.A. to face ClipperNation. Let's hope Maggette doesn't decide to suck tonight!

I agree, losing to San Antonio and then being Dallas' first W quite possibly could be rock bottom, even though they are two great teams.


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## bootstrenf (May 24, 2006)

can i change my vote? here i am, counting the suns out already, and look what they did the last two seasons...all heart...the fact that the spurs are a good team will only help the suns...the suns have played down to their competition this season, and playing a good team might turn things around...

suns 108

spurs 93

of course, you guys being a pacific div rival of the clippers, i naturally want you guys to lose, but i think they'll pull it out against the spurs...


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Suns-Spurs Yahoo Preview 


> By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN, STATS Senior Writer
> 
> The last time the San Antonio Spurs played against Amare Stoudemire, two-time league MVP Tim Duncan came away impressed with the Phoenix Suns budding superstar.
> 
> ...


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## Ninjatune (May 1, 2006)

ShuHanGuanYu said:


> Dallas is in L.A. to face ClipperNation. Let's hope Maggette doesn't decide to suck tonight!
> 
> I agree, losing to San Antonio and then being Dallas' first W quite possibly could be rock bottom, even though they are two great teams.


Mavs are reeling in a bad way. We need a W. With Howard out for 2 weeks, it's not looking good, but I might be putting a gun in my mouth if we go 0-5. 

Here's to Maggette sucking tonight! :cheers:


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## Kobester888 (Jul 8, 2005)

Diaw has to be your guy's most disappointing player of the early part of the season. No assists in two games is unacceptable for a guy who was supposed to tear it up this year. Hope he does better because he is killing me in fantasy.


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## Seuss (Aug 19, 2005)

Hey Chris, the starters for Suns will be
Nash, LB, Raja, Marion, Amare. 


It says here -> http://www.nba.com/suns/news/tribune_061108.html


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Kobester888 said:


> Diaw has to be your guy's most disappointing player of the early part of the season. No assists in two games is unacceptable for a guy who was supposed to tear it up this year. Hope he does better because he is killing me in fantasy.


I agree, me too. 


Also, it seems as if the Suns are in panic mode right now.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Dr.Seuss said:


> Hey Chris, the starters for Suns will be
> Nash, LB, Raja, Marion, Amare.
> 
> 
> It says here -> http://www.nba.com/suns/news/tribune_061108.html



I changed it.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

OneBadLT123 said:


> I agree, me too.
> 
> 
> Also, it seems as if the Suns are in panic mode right now.



Panicing? After 4 games? No, they're just trying to find a line up that works.

Though, I don't agree benching Thomas and starting Barbosa. I would put it as Nash/Bell/Marion/Thomas/Amare


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## nffl (Jun 25, 2006)

Dr.Seuss said:


> Hey Chris, the starters for Suns will be
> Nash, LB, Raja, Marion, Amare.
> 
> 
> It says here -> http://www.nba.com/suns/news/tribune_061108.html


Damn. Why is Starbosa still starting? Whose gonna guard the T-Mac's in the league? Marion can't because he's got the PF. Put in KT at center and take out LB.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

somejewishdude said:


> Damn. Why is Starbosa still starting? Whose gonna guard the T-Mac's in the league? Marion can't because he's got the PF. Put in KT at center and take out LB.




Just because Barbosa starts, which I don't think lasts long, doesn't mean he will guard that position. Plus, isn't Tmac playing SF? Even so, doubt he would guard him. It's more likely we'd change up the lineup to who we're playing.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

10-10. 

Amare sure looked explosive on that dunk.

SA with an odd timeout, I thought.


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## nffl (Jun 25, 2006)

Dissonance19 said:


> Just because Barbosa starts, which I don't think lasts long, doesn't mean he will guard that position. Plus, isn't Tmac playing SF? Even so, doubt he would guard him. It's more likely we'd change up the lineup to who we're playing.


T-Mac's playing SG (Battier at SF and Howard at PF). I meant since Marion was PF, he would have to guard Howard on defense leaving T-Mac and Battier to Bell and Barbosa.I'd love to see LB guard T-Mac... :rofl: I guess you're right about altering the lineup, it's just that I want D'antoni to put KT back in the starting lineup. He's a great interior defender, and was great offensively in the preseason.



Dissonance19 said:


> Amare sure looked explosive on that dunk.


The 2 handed flying one from Nash? Because that was dunking over Adonal Foyle-like (while I was thinking of who it was... NBA Cares said, "NBA Players Adonal Foyle and blah blah blah went to..." ... I dunno I thought that it was kind of funny).


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Damn, (I think) 20 of the 25 pts we've scored have been in the paint this first qrter. They said it was 18 before that great pass from Marion so I assume it is haha.

25-21 Suns after 1.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

What an amazing pass by Barbosa.


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## Free Arsenal (Nov 8, 2004)

Even if the suns are one dimensional, they're playing with a ton of heart.

I'm rooting for Phoenix in beating SA, being up 6 currently, hope they try to extend the lead. Hopefully you beat the Mavs too, and hopefully the Mavs lose to us tonight. :angel:


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

somejewishdude said:


> T-Mac's playing SG (Battier at SF and Howard at PF). I meant since Marion was PF, he would have to guard Howard on defense leaving T-Mac and Battier to Bell and Barbosa.I'd love to see LB guard T-Mac... :rofl: I guess you're right about altering the lineup, it's just that I want D'antoni to put KT back in the starting lineup. He's a great interior defender, and was great offensively in the preseason.


Ah, ok. But yeah, I think we'd adjust the lineup for them though haha. It would be funny to see that match up. I want KT out there with Amare as well. Or even just out there.





somejewishdude said:


> The 2 handed flying one from Nash? Because that was dunking over Adonal Foyle-like (while I was thinking of who it was... NBA Cares said, "NBA Players Adonal Foyle and blah blah blah went to..." ... I dunno I thought that it was kind of funny).



yep, thats the one. LOL yeah, that is funny.


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## nffl (Jun 25, 2006)

43-37 Suns

Sick powerful dunk by STAT with Duncan in his sights.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

somejewishdude said:


> 43-37 Suns
> 
> Sick powerful dunk by STAT with Duncan in his sights.



**** yeah! That was sick.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Floppo the clown is at it again.


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## Seuss (Aug 19, 2005)

Got to be happy with the play of Amare 
and how were only down 1 at halftime.


Here's to Amare's doubters! :cheers:


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Free Arsenal said:


> Even if the suns are one dimensional, they're playing with a ton of heart.
> 
> I'm rooting for Phoenix in beating SA, being up 6 currently, hope they try to extend the lead. Hopefully you beat the Mavs too, and hopefully the Mavs lose to us tonight. :angel:



We're not the best defensive team, but we're not as bad as people think. It's lil above avg or avg when we're at our best, it just doesnt seem as easy when we aren't playing that way. So far this season, it has been horrible in the games we've lost.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

damn, we've come out smoking in the 2nd half. 9-0 run.

Suns up 58-50. Spurs timeout


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## Free Arsenal (Nov 8, 2004)

Lol, I almost never see Phoenix with a 24 sec violation.


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## nffl (Jun 25, 2006)

Free Arsenal said:


> Lol, I almost never see Phoenix with a 24 sec violation.


And another one...


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## nffl (Jun 25, 2006)

Hopefully D'antoni saw something in KT tonight. The way he has been playing tonight D'antoni has to start him next game. He helped limit Timmy D and was a beast with his 12-15 footer tonight.


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## Free Arsenal (Nov 8, 2004)

Damn it, come on phoenix... hang on and beat the spurs!


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## nffl (Jun 25, 2006)

YES! That Raja 3 looked just like the Clippers-Suns 3...


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## Free Arsenal (Nov 8, 2004)

Miss one free throw, and get ready for a suns 3 come on!


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## Free Arsenal (Nov 8, 2004)

HE MISSED 2, HE MISSED 2!!!! :banana: 

Come on, if phoenix loses this game, it's no damn excuse, best offensive team? SCORE AND SCORE NOW!


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## Free Arsenal (Nov 8, 2004)

WHAT THE HELL is up with BELL... missing the 2nd free throw? :curse:


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## nffl (Jun 25, 2006)

OT!!! Man this is a good game...


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## Free Arsenal (Nov 8, 2004)

somejewishdude said:


> YES! That Raja 3 looked just like the Clippers-Suns 3...


Don't remind me...  

Anyway, here we go into overtime, hope the suns can pull it off, I got to watch the Clips and Mavs now.


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## Seuss (Aug 19, 2005)

The Suns have to be considered one of the best
team interms of magic. It is amazing what they do with those
leads. Blowing them by not shooting well, by turning the ball over
and missing free-throws. Man, I'd pay to see their magic act.


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## BootyKing (Apr 7, 2005)

Ahhh OT's are not Phoenix thing


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Mother****er. Once he missed that FT, I knew it was OT, and I knew we'd lose.

I'm not one to say **** about refs, but seriously, how did they miss Bowen hitting Barbosa's arm before we needed that miracle 3 again?


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## nffl (Jun 25, 2006)

Raja with another corner 3 and forces an offensive foul! Hope he's okay...

edot: I kind of wish he didn't draw the foul. Oberto traveled anyways...


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## nffl (Jun 25, 2006)

Damn. Will we ever win OT games? At least it wasn't in 3OT's... we always lose those...


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## THE MATRIX 31 (Jul 22, 2005)

what a tough loss man.


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## Seuss (Aug 19, 2005)

I've said this many times before, you cannot win a
close game with the pick-n-roll as your only play.

I'll say it again, YOU CANNOT WIN A CLOSE GAME
WITH THE ****ING PICK-N-ROLL as your only play! 

God dammit, Suns could have used Amare out there. Too
bad he had to be on the other end of those phatom calls that
Duncan got. I wish Nash had gotten a few phatom calls.


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## nffl (Jun 25, 2006)

Dr.Seuss said:


> God dammit, Suns could have used Amare out there. Too
> bad he had to be on the other end of those phatom calls that
> Duncan got. I wish Nash had gotten a few phatom calls.


Or Starbosa getting some real calls. Bowen had his arm, damnit!


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## Sedd (Sep 1, 2003)

What a tough loss. I want to scream.


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## THE MATRIX 31 (Jul 22, 2005)

Dr.Seuss said:


> I've said this many times before, you cannot win a
> close game with the pick-n-roll as your only play.
> 
> I'll say it again, YOU CANNOT WIN A CLOSE GAME
> ...


the suns did not lose the game because of the pick and roll. the **** worked great all night, and the suns played very well. the reason they lost is because they blew a 9 point lead, meaning their defense down the stretch lost them the game.... up to 4 min. left in the game, the suns played very well.


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## THE MATRIX 31 (Jul 22, 2005)

to add to some of the defensive woes, even though the suns had a pretty good defensive game, was that oberto went 11/11 on 10 layups. all right under the basket! i couldnt believe how he was so open for lay-ups all game like that. either the suns just didnt care, or it was great execution from the spurs, which is probably the case since they are ran under greg popovich.


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## Seuss (Aug 19, 2005)

THE MATRIX 31 said:


> the suns did not lose the game because of the pick and roll. the **** worked great all night, and the suns played very well. the reason they lost is because they blew a 9 point lead, meaning their defense down the stretch lost them the game.... up to 4 min. left in the game, the suns played very well.


In that strench where the Spurs were scoring, the Suns had
careless turnovers from the pick-n-roll. It wasn't there defense, it was
their offense. Duncan was making tough shots, not wideopen shots.

The Suns failed to get a real play going. Nash would do the pick-n-roll
and they would switch. So he would dribble around trying to make a play
and then eventually somebody would throw a bad pass.


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## Preacher (May 8, 2006)

The defense played well; it was the offense that stagnated down the stretch. They didn't have any flow offensively, Nash would just dribble around for most of the shot clock then somebody would put up a jumper. Hard to be really dissapointed with losing a game to San Antonio on their court in overtime, we played well; despite the fact that we really havn't jelled yet.


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## THE MATRIX 31 (Jul 22, 2005)

Dr.Seuss said:


> In that strench where the Spurs were scoring, the Suns had
> careless turnovers from the pick-n-roll. It wasn't there defense, it was
> their offense. Duncan was making tough shots, not wideopen shots.
> 
> ...



yea i agree to a point. defense is about making stops though. they did not do that down the stretch. if they made stops, we would have won, plain and simple. and i would hardly call our defense good when oberto had 7, 8 layups under the basket. thats not good defense. for the majority, they played BETTER defense, but nobody should even get 2 lay ups under the basket, more or less 8. they were spoon feeding him under there. the dudes a scrub and was 11/11. we did have sum careless turnovers which is a good point, but a few key 1's were mistakes from the officiating. it was a terrible officiated game. so i dont think im wrong when i say we could have stepped it up on the defensive end. 

all in all, we cannot expect to win giving up leads like this. weather it be from stagnated offense, to bad defense, sumthins gotta give.


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## Zuca (Dec 4, 2003)

I've watched this game... And just two basic points...

1) Suns need BADLY a true C... Oberto owned the Suns!

2) The referees acted like crap! Lots of bad calls, and definitely hurted Suns winning chances!


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