Two Shocking Plays Defeat the Suns: Tim Duncan Hits a Three and Manu Ginobili Drives Left
04.19.2008 - Updated on 04.19.2008
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Well, yeah, the second one … not so much. Really, though, do we blame the Suns’ scouting for this, Coach D’Antoni for not telling Raja Bell or Raja Bell for not listening? Bluntman called me after the game and said he can no longer watch the playoffs. I have nightmares of Timmeh! and he has nightmares of Manu driving left, over and over and over again.
On the other hand, I let TD take that three-pointer every single time. That is, if I let the play develop that far. Why not foul on the perimeter? Up three with a half-minute left in the game, the Suns let the play develop. They let the play develop, right after their best offensive player fouled out of the game. Foul Ginobili on the perimeter – before he gets moving into the lane for a three-point play. Even if he makes two, the Suns are up one and the shot clock is off. Let the Spurs get into a free-throw shooting contest with Steve Nash.
Even worse, that guy finds another way to beat the Suns. That is the dagger in a Suns fan’s heart.
I guess Grant Hill’s groin is still hurting him because he sure did not play much, and when he did play he sure did not play well. Oh, and now the world knows the frustration that Doris Meow wreaks upon the Suns’ fans. That game was his last two seasons in a microcosm. He played relatively well (not great) had a few great plays and then, at the end, misses a lay-up.
That all being said, “If it bleeds, we can kill it.” It was there for the taking, and I hope the Suns learn from this. This was the one the Sp*rs were supposed to win and the Suns took them the distance – just like Rocky did in the first movie.
This is going to take a knockout. When the contender goes in against the heavyweight, the contender needs to win by knockout, and probably will not get the decision. If the champ is still on his feet, he’s got a great chance of winning, because, well, he’s the champ.
Now, let’s whine about the fouls. The refs were horrible adequate. They were okay. I haven’t looked at the stats (nor read anything else about the game; I’m just not emotionally ready yet), but I think the Suns got the foul line more often and two Sp*rs actually fouled out.
I figured with Tony Parker out of the game, the Sp*rs would have trouble creating offense, but it actually looked like it was getting easier. Go figure. Ginobili should have the ball in his hands more often, I suppose.
Stoudemire got three stupid fouls – two reaches and his final offensive fouls. Dumb, dumber, dumbest. The game was called tight at the beginning and then the refs let the guys play and made some good calls. He did get a tick-tack foul at the beginning, but, again, the other ones were so dumb he deserved what he got (except for the Thomas flops, both of them, but not the last one).
It really did not change anything, but I especially liked the one where Manu ran into Kurt Thomas (after blowing past Bell) while Thomas was setting a screen and Bell was whistled.
I also saw a phantom call on TD. Amare got to the foul line and TD did the eyes-bugging-out-of-his-head thing and I was ready to vomit in disgust. However, Timmeh was correct in his complaint. Yeah, it was a wash.
The refs were a wash but the scouting department was not. Advantage: Sp*rs.
[image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bill_roehl/]
