Suns quickly setting in Phoenix. Spurs dominate game 3
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Tony Parker scored a career-high 41 points and added 12 assists leading the Spurs past the Suns 115-99 and a 3-0 lead in the first round playoffs series.
But it’s much more then that. The Spurs completely dominated the Suns, never trailed in the game and were by far the best basketball team on the court. It was not even close. Phoenix trailed 33-19 after one and 61-47 at the half.
Suns are now on the verge of being swept and a first round playoffs exit.
No team in the history of the NBA has ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit. Unless the Suns pull a dramatic Red Sox-like come back, their season could be over very, very soon.
“We didn’t play well, and I’ll take the blame for that, but you’ve got to give them a lot of credit. They played great.” Said D’Antoni after the game, possibly the best game of the year according to Coach Popovich.
Manu Ginobili scored 20 off the bench and Tim Duncan added 23 points and 10 rebounds for a Spurs team that shot 56.1 percent from the field.
Spurs are shooting 49 percent from the field in the playoffs (SA shot 45 percent during the regular season). The Suns are doing the opposite, 48 percent in the playoffs 50 percent during the year.
The Suns couldn’t keep the Spurs pick-and-roll in check all night long as the play led to easy open shots for Manu and Parker or easier shots for Duncan and Thomas.
Suns have on average attempted more then 21 three-point shots a game during the season. They had only 9 per game in the Playoffs, including 6 in game 3.
It’s not about making shots, it’s the fact the Suns are unable to even take those shots.
Steve Nash (7 points, 9 assists, only 3 baskets in the game) the second-best 3-point shooter in the League did not attempt a single 3-pointer in the game.
Stoudemire led the Suns with 28 useless points and 11 boards while Shaq, once again victim of the Hack-a-Shaq tactic, had 19 points and 6 rebound while shooting 9-for-17 from the free-throw line.
Barbosa scored 20 points starting in place of injured Grant Hill, who played almost 20 minutes off the bench.
One simple Google search will confirm there a couple of Fire Mike D’Antoni web sites waiting for an update.
Phoenix now has its first 3-game losing streak of the year, and it couldn’t have come at a worse time.
Game 4 is set for Sunday (12:30) in Phoenix.
It’s the first of four match points for the Spurs and the Suns are only one inevitable loss away from a long, long summer.
Yours truly, (clueless) Steve Fan
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Posted by Steve Fan
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