Phoenix at San Antonio: Game 3 Recap
Tim Duncan is still in his prime
By Cub Buenning
Ten days earlier, the Phoenix Suns took Game 2 to even their Western Conference Semifinal series with the San Antonio Spurs. All sarcasm aside, this break was the longest (3 whole days between) of its kind in my playoff memory, and I was in San Antonio during the ’05 Finals for the first two games of their seven-game slugfest with the Pistons (is that reverse foreshadowing?) I’m going to spare you a few pages of my early-game musings and cut to the chase. The first half was a great up and down game with the Spurs more than happy to keep the pace to a slight jog at the very least. The halftime buzzer sounded in the AT&T Center (some two dozen GO. SPURS. GO’s later) with the home team, the proud owners of a slight two-point advantage.
3rd Quarter:
Nash is struggling to get his perimeter game going. With just over six minutes left in the quarter he is 0-fer from the field with just one point on the stat-sheet.
Tim Duncan is completely killing the Suns. Nene and Co. “handled” the 9-time First-Team All-NBA (a fact that can’t be understated) in so much that they kept him to his basic 20 and 10. With six minutes left, he already has 20 and 14, mainly on Amare Stoudemire and his buddy Kurt Thomas. Duncan’s numbers in the Phoenix series are ridiculous. Has the man played a game of pro basketball where he’s gone for like only 15 and 7?
After averaging 25.5 in the first two games, Nash hits his first hoop with five minutes left.
Manu Ginobili is employing his “Tenants of Scoring” by going hard to the hoop, complete with his trademarked flop. But no call? And then once again!? This time he takes a finger jab, free of charge.
Back to Nash. Although he is just starting to hit his shots, he is busting these fools. No one can keep him out of the lane. They are checking the MVP with Brent Barry? That won’t end well.
STAT’s extensive time on the bench (with four fouls) gives Kurt Thomas plenty of time to get acquainted with Duncan.
Manu is still not getting calls! This is an outrage! Undeterred–well maybe somewhat deterred as he takes his game outside–the Argentine catches fire from long-range. Manu has already outscored his combined output from Games 1 and 2.
Without Nash on the court, Phoenix kinda starts playing “dum.” They’re making bad decisions and just seem a tad lost.
Did I mention that Manu Ginobili is playing well? Tim Duncan’s not so bad himself.
Spurs grasp an eight-point lead (80-72) at the end of the third with the help of the two guys above. It does not look good for Phoenix. You’ve heard me a thousands times before talking about these kind of leads for San Antonio are more like 15-17 point leads. Unless Tracy McGrady is involved, forget about it.
4th Quarter:
I wasn’t going to get into these David Blaine commercials, but…. At least hook me up with that Cris Angel dude. Mindfreak doesn’t sit in a box over a river in his own waste for a month and call it ‘magic.’ He strolls into shady parks around the greater metropolitan Las Vegas-area and makes strangers levitate. A side of me digs magic, but not David Blaine. He’s no Houdini.
First possession, things become severely grimmer for those in the Valley of the Sun as Amare decides he’s got this dude #21. Whistle, easy call, 5th foul. Cue ballboy with STAT’s warm-ups.
Duncan and Manu continue to pace the Spurs. Duncan is hitting shots from angles only he would dare attempt.
In a quick trip to Bizarro-World, the Suns start missing tons of little “bunnies” around the hoop like a particular team from a mountainous state did just weeks prior against this very same San Antonio team.
I completely abide by the NBA-adage that if a team is within 15 points with 5 minutes left, then said team is still in the game. Teams can come back so quickly. However, the Spurs are above certain rules of the game.
8:51. Spurs now up by nine, 86-77. Game Over.
TD is absolutely killing them. And by “them,” I mean, Kurt Thomas.
Spurs now up 16! THIS GAME IS SO OVER!
Phoenix is super resilient, though, running off a quick six, to make the difference ten with 6:34.
After Nash hits a deep three to make the San Antonio lead just seven, Robert Horry emerges from the aforementioned Bizarro World to put the lead back to ten. Where is Michael Finley?
Twice in the game’s final minutes, the Suns cut the lead to six. Once at the 3:30 mark and again with just 1:40 left in the game. The first lead lasted one possession until Duncan ignored Kurt Thomas’ existence to get the hoop and the foul. Back to nine. Later, just 18 seconds after a Shawn Marion 3, Mr. Finley answers my previous inquiry by nailing a long-range bomb. Back to nine. I will reiterate a claim I made during the first round, “Every team needs a Michael Finley!” I believe the expression is, “true that?”
GAME OVER. 108-101. Spurs up 2-1. The Spurs obviously hate those pesky high-scoring games in the 100s.
Immediately following the final horn, Tim Duncan (sparing you the mechanical nickname) gave some… well, programmed responses to Michelle Tafoya’s questions (which included the “chippy” term Sam mentioned earlier this AM—a hockey term in my experience.)
“We always respond well after losses.”
“We wanted to protect home court.”
32 and 18 on the night. He’s not underrated, just under-valued.
Game 4 is tonight by the Alamo. Back tomorrow.
75 Responses to “Phoenix at San Antonio: Game 3 Recap”
May.14 at 11:33 am
Froggiestyle says:
oh no suns pistons again last
May.14 at 11:34 am
Froggiestyle says:
whoops - meant spurs pistons… not again
May.14 at 11:39 am
Sesa says:
Finally, Game 3 recap.
No Bruce Bowen story?
aww, that’s a shame.
May.14 at 11:45 am
Cub Buenning says:
You mean his attempted castration on #13? Sorry
May.14 at 11:50 am
Sesa says:
That Bowen guy is under scrutiny right now for all of his exposed action on youtube, but I do believe the knee to the crotch was unintentional. If it was intentional, he’d act innocent and ask “Who…, Me?”
You get the drift.
I really don’t believe that the L didn’t do anything about it. They could warn the guy at the very least.
May.14 at 11:52 am
Max Airington says:
Bowen is dirty and all the Suns are notorious floppers. Especially Nash & Raja. Tough call.
May.14 at 11:56 am
Sesa says:
Do you guys consider flopping to be dirty plays? I know that some people are.
May.14 at 11:58 am
Max Airington says:
All floppers should get the Flip Murray/Kirk Hinrich treatment.
May.14 at 11:59 am
Sam Rubenstein says:
There is lots of flopping going on in this series. Oberto had a good one when Amare was just getting ready to set up under the basket and the ball was nowhere near the play.
Bowen might be dirty, but that was pretty awesome when he hit the wide open three in front of the Suns bench with the whole Phoenix team yelling in his ear.
May.14 at 12:00 pm
Cheryl says:
the players were probably told to expose Bowen’s “tactics” by over-reacting to contact. maybe the knee landed, but it looked accidental to me. And I’m not necessarily a Spurs fan, I just love good basketball and this series is just that.
May.14 at 12:05 pm
Sesa says:
This is really a good series just like you said. I just hate that someone will taint it with dirty plays.
May.14 at 12:07 pm
Reggie Evans says:
33 points, 19 rebounds. You took away one from each stat. Oh and just to take a shot at Lang’s Kobe hatin’ we need to say “0 assists?”.
May.14 at 12:13 pm
Cub Buenning says:
I don’t see the extra physicality as “taint” in any way. Not sure y’alls’ ages, but this is no different than many of the series back in the 80s. Yes, some players are a bit “dirtier” than others, but it just shows a little emotion and urgency, two things the regular season sometimes lacks. Bruce Bowen is dirty. Can’t wait for game 4 tonight.
May.14 at 12:19 pm
Sesa says:
I’m sorry if the word “taint” is inappropriate. I only used the word taint because I hold the Spurs organization in high regard. They are a staple of how a good team should be. If you must know, the whole “Sticking the foot” thing started only 2 or maybe 3 seasons ago. I wonder what’s going on David Robinson’s mind right now.
May.14 at 12:22 pm
Max Airington says:
Too much talk about dirty taints in here for me…
May.14 at 12:31 pm
2G40 says:
Duncan is killing anyone Phoenix throws at him…which isn’t much. Every aspiring big man should watch TD operate because he’s given lessons. He’s stepping up BIG TIME, and know’s that Diaw, Thomas and Amare (who’s like a pogo stick on nitro…one head fake and he’s off in space) can’t stop him.
May.14 at 12:36 pm
Sesa says:
I do like the fact that TD finally attempt more dunk rather than just a wide open layup in front of the rim. Those dunk attempt were the one which causes foul trouble for Amare in particular.
May.14 at 1:06 pm
FLUD says:
Right now David Robinson is thinkin’…”Hard my ass!! Uwe Blab was tougher than these guys”
May.14 at 1:08 pm
Chipflinger says:
That Bowen guy is under scrutiny right now for all of his exposed action on youtube, but I do believe the knee to the crotch was unintentional. If it was intentional, he’d act innocent and ask “Who…, Me?”
You get the drift.
: Yep just like that Duncan “wide eyes”, I can’t believe you made that call look
May.14 at 1:25 pm
Michael says:
For all the talk of Kobe, Lebron, Wade, and Nash. Tim Duncan is quite possibly still the best player in the league.
May.14 at 1:26 pm
2G40 says:
Bottom line is; the ref’s aren’t going to take key players out of a series by calling “ticky-tac” fouls. It’s step up time…either you got it, or you don’t. Right now TD and the spur’s have it!
May.14 at 1:58 pm
Sparker says:
has it occurred to anyone that d’antoni may be giving duncan those numbers by playing him man-to-man? or that this is the focal point of his defensive strategy: let duncan run wild but cut off everything else? if this is what he’s doing, it worked in game 2; it didn’t in game 3 (as manu basically woke up). let’s see what he tries next.
May.14 at 1:59 pm
Reggie Evans says:
I repeat: 33 points, 19 rebounds. You took away one from each stat…No only is he underrated, his stats are underreported —— Oh and just to take a shot at Lang’s Kobe hatin’ we need to say “0 assists?”.
May.14 at 2:00 pm
Sparker says:
mind you, td still makes my all-playoff team so far, with baron, tayshaun, boozer and a player to be named later
May.14 at 2:27 pm
Darksaber says:
Bruce Bowen = the antichrist. Period.
May.14 at 2:30 pm
Darksaber says:
So Jesus (Shuttlesworth) was right after all, Bruce is pure evil. HE - SWUNG - HIS - KNEE. No way that was unintentional, no bloody way. This game is 48 hours old, and that scene is still making my blood curdle. What the ?**”! Really, i’ll make space by swinging my legs into my (lame) defender’s groin? Really? I do not advocate a suspension, just justice. Kurt Thomas, remember who you are, bodyslam that rascal, soon.
May.14 at 2:32 pm
sl balla says:
i dont like duncan, but i wont lie hes doin his thing fa real…but has anyone eva seen him use his left hand??, jus wonderin
May.14 at 2:33 pm
Darksaber says:
Extra physicality is one thing, trying to maim the focal point of the suns gameplan is just plain wrong, and i’m not even a Suns fan (miss KJ and thunder Dan though). Hope someone takes his eye out of his socket, Kill Bill vol.2 style.
May.14 at 2:41 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Hey, if you body up someone 30 feet from the basket you deserve whatever you get. What was Bowen supposed to do, just say ‘oh well, I can’t move without bumping Mr. MVP, I guess I’d better just jack up a three.’ Nash earned that hit—and most likely made it look a lot worse than it was.
May.14 at 2:53 pm
Darksaber says:
Russ, utmost respect to you slammers but that was just wrong. “deserve whatever you get”, truly? You mean that? Care to feel Bowen’s knee in your nether regions anytime soon? Bet you’d fake the pain too. Bruce Bowen was going to swing the ball back towards TP at the top of the key in that play anyway, then he acts all “i’m taking it in” and bang, it’s the mother of all knee grazes. He is a goon, out to hurt, and after all his episodes, it’s time for someone to HAMMER that punk. Where’s Laimbeer/Macdonald/Cage/Rodman/Vernon Max/ hell even Isiah when you need them.
May.14 at 2:58 pm
Co Co says:
The Suns seem to be unrattling as Reggie Miller would say. I think this series will be over in 5
May.14 at 2:59 pm
Ben Couch says:
Cub - That point about Duncan being undervalued, not under-rated was gold. Perfectly said. Cuz dude always gets brought up in the “best player” discussion and we all know he’s won three championships, it’s just that he’s boring so we direct the convo to the more “interesting” players.
May.14 at 3:00 pm
Darksaber says:
jeez i’m so angry i even renamed Xavier Mcdaniel.
May.14 at 3:02 pm
fabio says:
i am sure that in a fantasy draft over 50% of all nba coaches given the 1st pick would pick TD. he is the only franchise player around with lebron coming up. props to tim, mechanical or not.
May.14 at 3:29 pm
Cheryl says:
Charles Oakley, anyone? Or how about Dennis Rodman, Karl Malone, Bill L(m)aimbeer, etc. These were “enforcers”. Bruce is cut from the same cloth. You guys bellyachin’ about Bowen’s knee are soft. And I’m a girl!!!
May.14 at 3:31 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Not to mention Bowen can do whatever he wants because no one on the Suns seems willing to do anything but whine. I hope they all get kicked in the nuts—and I picked them to win it all.
May.14 at 3:47 pm
c-note says:
Who do you think is more important to the Suns, Barbosa or Bell?
May.14 at 3:49 pm
allenp says:
If Bowen is dirty, than what the hell is Raja? He blatently clothslined Kobe last year out of frustration and I seem to remember the Suns trying to argue that he didn’t need a suspension.
Anyway, Bowen cleared space and Nash needed to move his nuts. If you crowd people in the league you are going to get hit somewhere. He’s lucky it wasn’t an elbow to the nose to start him bleeding again.
May.14 at 3:53 pm
Sparker says:
i think raja’s giving back. so’s amare. i love how after one game, everyone tries to use that one game as the sole basis for determining the outcome of the series. the spurs had the previous loss and home court on their side. even so, it was by no means sewn up until the final minutes (and took nash chucking bricks until the 4th and having amare basically on the bench to get that). everyone is always underestimating how much heart phoenix has; as if being fun to watch somehow makes you soft. i say they even the series tonight
May.14 at 3:58 pm
Sparker says:
and allen p, when i read your post, i remembered this old club song which went something like “girls, move them butts” but substituted your advice to nash. weird image, but cool effect
May.14 at 3:59 pm
J-Bird says:
I’ll start by saying that im a suns fan, but I agree with Russ. The Suns havent done anything but whine, hey if the Spurs can play tough/dirty then the Suns implement the same style of play. The real question is, are they even capable of doing that?
May.14 at 4:00 pm
whooo! says:
sparker, if d’antoni is “giving” duncan 30+, what was san antonio doing 2 yrs ago w/ amare? same goes both ways if you’re calling it strategy. can’t shout amare killed duncan one year, n then say its different when duncan does it. and i don’t think any strategy says allow a man to kill you on the boards like he does. duncan really is a complete machine! his stats are so consistent since his rookie year, and the time he wasn’t 1st team all-nba, he was injured the whole season (and STILL made 2nd team). he’s been injury free, consistent, never in trouble, accolades galor, mvps, rings, leadership… this is why the ONLY thing ppl can take away from him are the silly notions like “he’s boring… he complains…” it’s cuz there’s no legit claim against him that ppl have to resort to those terms.
May.14 at 4:00 pm
J-Bird says:
“the suns SHOULD implement..”
May.14 at 4:16 pm
Sparker says:
no, whooo, you’re right. i think that’s what pop was doing with amare (probably to take away the three); what avery johnson did when nash averaged 30 against the mavs two years ago (i think it was); and what any smart coach would try if he thought it would work in the playoffs. i never wrote that i thought td wasn’t great, though; or even implied it, as i think any player who could be “used” in this way has to be the type who his teammates couldn’t help but feed if they had the opportunity. i’m not trying to take anything away from him, i’m just trying to look at this in the context of what the coaches may (or may not) be doing
May.14 at 5:18 pm
Tariq says:
Hey, I brought up that whole Criss Angel thing a few days ago…
May.14 at 6:14 pm
Cub Buenning says:
sorry Tariq musta missed that. Kudos for doing so though….. Three and a half hours until tip! Suns have to win tonight. Sorry for not engaging in the Bowen debate, I guess i’d just prefer to keep it to the actual hoops/Xs and Os. Bruce Bowen is dirty, though.
May.14 at 6:42 pm
Shelbie says:
who cares Phx is still one of the best
May.14 at 7:12 pm
J-Bird says:
Jon Barry and Reggie Miller must go!
May.14 at 7:22 pm
Reggie Evans says:
Russ is talking about nuts.
May.14 at 7:32 pm
Drew says:
To quote a wise man: Tim D. is top ten all time. Accept it.
May.14 at 8:10 pm
BBaller says:
Players “flopping”,faking impact too draw the charge this is turning the game into something that has happened in European Football. That kind of cheating has ruined that sport and made competitions like the World Cup a disgrace, please to all basketball players please stop it now and don’t destroy one of the best, if not greatest sport in the world.It’s just a thought ,but with the introduction of international players to the nba the ‘flopping’ seems to of increased,just like in the EPL.Just don’t want to see or hear about this anymore.Spurs4Life,TD or (Dirk) for MVP?
May.14 at 8:52 pm
Tha Truth outta Minnesota says:
Its the damn playoffs, the suns need to stop crying! Man up and play ball. We all know Bowen did it on purpose, but he was clearing space, dont b**ch bout it. And Duncan, he is the best power forward of all time! C’mon he has been the most dominate player in the league since he came in the league, him and shaq have been. Dont hate on Duncan, he is easily top 10 of all time, EASILY!!
May.14 at 9:09 pm
DarK says:
Tha Truth is true to his name. Stop the whining!
May.14 at 9:14 pm
Sesa says:
Guyz, I’ve simulated Game 4 with my NBA 2k7. The results were 101-94 Suns win. With Bruce Bowen scoring 18 points, he hits 6 3 pointer. Duncan gets his usual 21 and 12. while the Suns led by Steve Nash with 23 and 11 assist. The Suns shot 7-17 from 3pt range, partly because Raja Bel 0-5 from downtown. Now Lets see the real game.
May.15 at 12:49 am
1hush D says:
Wow! Big shot Bob going “Bowen” on Phoenix.
May.15 at 12:55 am
Sparker says:
dude, i just checked in after watching the game… and sesa’s post is spooky. he got the right team, was within one of the spread, duncan had 21 and 11, nash had 24 and the suns were 5 of 14 from 3. kinda breaks down with bowen and raja… but whoa
May.15 at 12:55 am
Homie says:
Sager at the end of the game to Nash: “Well you know, big shot bob took what some might think as a big cheap shot…” Nash, not really laughing: “Ha. Good one.” The comment about his ‘guns’ was priceless too…
May.15 at 12:56 am
1hush D says:
Yeah, Nash and the Suns should stop crying. It is just a shoulder check to his f*!king head. Horry’s shoulder only threw Nash 3 or 4 feet onto his back. Stop whining. And Bowen just kneed Nash in the balls the other night. I mean, come on, a guy has to be able to play through that right? Taking out the opponents scrotum is just good defense. I am with “in the Dark” and “truthless”.
May.15 at 12:57 am
Sparker says:
i’d say bob’s rep just took a big shot
May.15 at 1:00 am
1hush D says:
Big SOB looks like he should take up Hockey.
May.15 at 1:01 am
Darksaber says:
Damn SESA, nice crystal ball you got there
May.15 at 1:08 am
1hush D says:
the San Antonio Sours.
May.15 at 1:09 am
rj says:
horry with a b*tch move..Nash after the game lol
May.15 at 1:10 am
rj says:
Guess the attentions off of Bowens punk ass and on Horry’s punk ass
May.15 at 1:10 am
1hush D says:
when the L suspends Amare and Diaw for Game 5, I’m going to go “Bowen” on the Sternbot. I already have an idle dumpdavidstern.com ready to go.
May.15 at 1:16 am
1hush D says:
Somebody needs to explain to Shaq that “acting” intelligent does not make one intelligent. That guy is an idiot. Then again, Charles and Kenny and Shaq and Ernie were just laughing at a photo of Sager with bound prisoners praying at Gitmo. They are all idiots. And now we get a Navy ad in the new SLAM issue contrasted with SLAM’s bullshit “shoot baskets not people” ad. Am I the only one witnessing this idiocracy? SLAM, you suck! Drop the military ads you idiots! Shaq, retire you idiot! Stern, eat shit!
May.15 at 1:44 am
J-Bird says:
Hell yeah! The Suns manned up and Horry b*tched out.
May.15 at 2:56 am
15AM says:
nba playoffs in germany: getting up at 3:30am to watch the suns - but this win today made my day already. now i just have to figure out how to survive work and practice till 10:30pm. one thing i’d like to comment on, though: it is pretty bad to see all the heckling from fans going on. you boo, okay. you scream “dirty” or “overrated”, funny. but for people in the front rows to go right at the players with some of the stuff you hear over the mics is really horrible. i have never seen that in german basketball and that is good. how can you blame players for overreacting when certain “fans” do so constantly, behaving like they are in the collosseum in rome around ceasar’s time enjoying gladiators fighting one another. it almost seems they pay front row money to enjoy some heckling. i would really appreciate it if the league would do something about this (instead of rolling out new balls or cracking down on commentary about refs).
May.15 at 3:57 am
RasheanMathis says:
Nash is probably the toughest superstar this league has seen. The beating he is taking this series is almost comical and still going for 20+ and 10+. You see performances like this in NFL/NHL playoffs, not necessarily the NBA.
May.15 at 4:52 am
Sesa says:
It’s not a crystall ball. It’s called NBA 2k7 on Playstation 2. Imagine a videogame that could simulate a real time game. This is why NBA 2k7 is so damn good!
May.15 at 7:33 am
Kimble says:
Please no Detroit - San Antonio… PLEASE
May.15 at 8:30 am
K22C says:
@1hush D- You complain a lot.
May.15 at 10:08 am
1hush D says:
I have good fodder K22C. Wait until they suspend Diaw and Amare.
May.15 at 10:24 am
Sesa says:
I thought K22C was in Spurs bandwagon?
May.16 at 1:29 am
jme says:
Tim Duncan whines. Manu Ginobli whines. Bobby Horry whines. Brent Barry whines. Tony Parker whines. You want some cheese with that, Russ?