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Spurs defeat Suns 111-108, take 2-0 series lead
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-05-25 13:26
The Spurs should be happy to know that no team that has lost Games 1 and 2 at
home this deep into the playoffs has won the series.
San Antonio Spurs'
Tim Duncan, left, puts his arm around teammate Tony Parker, of France,
during game two of the Western Conference Finals, Tuesday, May 24, 2005,
in Phoenix. The Spurs won the game 111-108. [AP]
| The only way Tim Duncan's aching ankles are going to
feel better is with rest, and the only way he'll get it is if the San Antonio
Spurs sweep the Western Conference finals.
Thanks to Duncan, they're halfway there.
And they're heading back to San Antonio, where the Phoenix Suns -- this
season's best road team -- will have to deal with a 2-0 series deficit against
the NBA's toughest team at home.
Duncan scored 25 of his 30 points in the second half and Manu Ginobili and
Robert Horry made key baskets in the last 2:33, giving the Spurs a 111-108
victory over the Suns on Tuesday night.
Steve Nash and the Suns took it to the buzzer, though, getting a chance to
force overtime when Ginobili missed one of two free throws with 4.2 seconds
left. Nash took the inbounds pass and raced up the court, getting a step past
Tony Parker but being picked up by defensive ace Bruce Bowen just before
shooting a 3-pointer on the run.
It was on line but short, hitting the front rim to seal Phoenix's first
consecutive losses since April 8-9. Suns coach Mike D'Antoni grimaced and Nash
walked off blank-faced and spent from playing 46 minutes, comforted in the arms
of teammate Jake Voskuhl.
"I just tried to stay in front of him," Parker said.
The Suns are in an unenviable position: No NBA team has lost Games 1 and 2 of
a best-of-seven series at home this deep into the playoffs and still advanced.
Four teams have rallied from 0-2 in the conference finals or NBA Finals, but all
were headed home for Games 3 and 4.
The Spurs are thrilled to be going home, too, as they're 43-4 in San Antonio.
The only solace for the Suns is that they won the most road games in the NBA
this season and they might have third-leading scorer Joe Johnson back for the
next game, on Saturday night.
"You never know, especially with these guys," Ginobili said. "The way they
shoot, they don't care where they play."
Ginobili scored 26 points and Parker had 24 and five assists. Nazr Mohammed
had 11, and Horry scored 10, with three 3-pointers.
Amare Stoudemire had 37 points and eight rebounds for Phoenix, and Nash had
29 points and 15 assists. He became the first player in playoff history to have
four straight 25-10 games, breaking a tie with Oscar Robertson and Michael
Jordan.
The Spurs are thrilled to be going home as they're 43-4 in San Antonio.
Although Quentin Richardson had 18 points and three 3-pointers, matching his
total for the last four games, and Shawn Marion got a little bit back on track
by scoring 11 points, the Suns were driven by Nash and Stoudemire. They powered
runs of 13-0, 11-0 and 10-0, each taking Phoenix from behind to ahead, helping
them carry a 5-point lead into the fourth quarter.
But Duncan and the Spurs turned it on at the end, just as they did when they
wiped out a 6-point deficit after three quarters in the opener.
Duncan opened it with a hook, then two free throws. There was a putback of
Parker's miss, a dunk and a long jumper, giving him 10 of the Spurs' first 12
points in the quarter.
He looked nothing like the guy who was 1-of-7 in the first half, with just
five points and three fouls, one of them coming with 1.2 seconds left in the
second quarter. He also showed no signs of problems with the sprained left ankle
that caused him to be listed as probable for the opener, then he soaked his foot
in a whirlpool at halftime of Game 1.
Duncan hit two more free throws with 3:49 left to put San Antonio up 100-99.
Nash answered by making the first 3-pointer he tried, sinking it with 2:56 left
to give Phoenix the lead.
It hardly lasted. After a timeout, Horry buried a 3 and the Spurs never
trailed again. Ginobili stretched the lead by driving past Shawn Marion for a
layup, then following with a jumper that made it 107-102.
Still, Nash came back by feeding Stoudemire for a layup. Duncan answered,
then Marion scored on a pass from Nash with 32.3 seconds left to keep Phoenix
within three.
Horry made one of two free throws with 10.7 seconds remaining, giving Phoenix
hope. Nash missed, but Stoudemire was there for the putback with 5.1 left. San
Antonio's lead was down to two.
Marion fouled Ginobili on an inbounds pass. When his first free throw clanged
off the front rim, the crowd cheered, thrilled to know they'd have one last
chance.
But that's all it was. A chance.
The Suns last lost two straight home games on March 11 and 18. They hadn't
dropped consecutive games in Phoenix since Jan. 19-21, the second coming against
the Spurs. ... San Antonio had two technical foul shots and missed both,
Ginobili in the second quarter and Barry with 4:22 left. ... San Antonio was
again without reserve F Glenn Robinson because of a death in his
family.
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 | | | Spurs rally past Suns 111-108 | | |  | | | China beat S.Korea in Asian Baseball Championship | | |  | | | WBO boxing match in Chicago | | |
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