Marcin Gortat had 21 points and 13 rebounds, and the Phoenix Suns denied San Antonio a chance for home-court advantage throughout the playoffs with a 106-103 victory over the Spurs in their regular-season finale on Wednesday night.

The Spurs, who at 61-21 finished a game behind Chicago for the best record in the NBA, lost Manu Ginobili to a hyperextended right elbow early in the game.

Had San Antonio and the Bulls finished tied and faced each other in the NBA finals, home-court advantage would have been determined by a random drawing because all other tiebreakers were equal.

Of greater concern to San Antonio could be the health of Ginobili, who went down with 9:46 left in the first quarter. The star guard slid to the floor near the San Antonio free throw line, then the Suns’ Grant Hill fell on top of him.

X-rays for a more serious injury were negative. An MRI was planned on Thursday.

With Memphis’ loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, the Spurs play the Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs.

Ginobili, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker sat out the Spurs’ 102-93 loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles on Tuesday but all three were in the starting lineup against Phoenix. Duncan had 17 points and 12 rebounds in 31 minutes. Parker scored 12 on 4 of 12 shooting in 25 minutes. Neither were on the court when the game ended.

Channing Frye and Jared Dudley scored 17 apiece for the Suns, who avoided a four-game sweep of the season series.

Phoenix failed to make the playoffs for the second time in three years after a surprise run to the Western Conference finals a year ago, which included a second-round sweep of San Antonio.

The Suns shot out to a 17-point lead in the first quarter Wednesday night and the Spurs never could catch them.

After shooting 65 percent in the first 12 minutes (17 of 26), the Suns made 20 percent (5 of 25) in the second to lead 61-53 at the break.

San Antonio cut the lead to 66-63 on Parker’s short jumper three minutes into the second half, but an 11-1 Phoenix run made it 77-64 when Dudley made a pair of free throws with 5:01 to play in the period.

Down 85-74 after three, the Spurs came back to make it a free throw shootout down the stretch. Aaron Brooks sank two from the line to put Phoenix ahead 106-103 with 3.9 seconds to go. Gary Neal threw up an airball from the corner for San Antonio just before the buzzer.

Notes: Hill became the seventh player in NBA history to average at least 13 points at age 38 or older. … Ginobili missed two games this season, only one because of injury: March 28 against Portland because of a bruised left quad. … Phoenix’s Steve Nash led the NBA in assists for the fifth time, joining John Stockton and Jason Kidd as the only players to do so. … San Antonio had the best record in the West for the sixth time in franchise history – five of them with Duncan. … The Suns won 40 games for the seventh straight season.

What are your opinions.

Marcin Gortat had 21 points and 13 rebounds, and the Phoenix Suns denied San Antonio a chance for home-court advantage throughout the playoffs with a 106-103 victory over the Spurs in their regular-season finale on Wednesday night.

The Spurs, who at 61-21 finished a game behind Chicago for the best record in the NBA, lost Manu Ginobili to a hyperextended right elbow early in the game.

Had San Antonio and the Bulls finished tied and faced each other in the NBA finals, home-court advantage would have been determined by a random drawing because all other tiebreakers were equal.

Of greater concern to San Antonio could be the health of Ginobili, who went down with 9:46 left in the first quarter. The star guard slid to the floor near the San Antonio free throw line, then the Suns’ Grant Hill fell on top of him.

X-rays for a more serious injury were negative. An MRI was planned on Thursday.

With Memphis’ loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, the Spurs play the Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs.

Ginobili, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker sat out the Spurs’ 102-93 loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles on Tuesday but all three were in the starting lineup against Phoenix. Duncan had 17 points and 12 rebounds in 31 minutes. Parker scored 12 on 4 of 12 shooting in 25 minutes. Neither were on the court when the game ended.

Channing Frye and Jared Dudley scored 17 apiece for the Suns, who avoided a four-game sweep of the season series.

Phoenix failed to make the playoffs for the second time in three years after a surprise run to the Western Conference finals a year ago, which included a second-round sweep of San Antonio.

The Suns shot out to a 17-point lead in the first quarter Wednesday night and the Spurs never could catch them.

After shooting 65 percent in the first 12 minutes (17 of 26), the Suns made 20 percent (5 of 25) in the second to lead 61-53 at the break.

San Antonio cut the lead to 66-63 on Parker’s short jumper three minutes into the second half, but an 11-1 Phoenix run made it 77-64 when Dudley made a pair of free throws with 5:01 to play in the period.

Down 85-74 after three, the Spurs came back to make it a free throw shootout down the stretch. Aaron Brooks sank two from the line to put Phoenix ahead 106-103 with 3.9 seconds to go. Gary Neal threw up an airball from the corner for San Antonio just before the buzzer.

Notes: Hill became the seventh player in NBA history to average at least 13 points at age 38 or older. … Ginobili missed two games this season, only one because of injury: March 28 against Portland because of a bruised left quad. … Phoenix’s Steve Nash led the NBA in assists for the fifth time, joining John Stockton and Jason Kidd as the only players to do so. … San Antonio had the best record in the West for the sixth time in franchise history – five of them with Duncan. … The Suns won 40 games for the seventh straight season.

There is the quick update of the day.

Marcin Gortat had 21 points and 13 rebounds, and the Phoenix Suns denied San Antonio a chance for home-court advantage throughout the playoffs with a 106-103 victory over the Spurs in their regular-season finale on Wednesday night.

The Spurs, who at 61-21 finished a game behind Chicago for the best record in the NBA, lost Manu Ginobili to a hyperextended right elbow early in the game.

Had San Antonio and the Bulls finished tied and faced each other in the NBA finals, home-court advantage would have been determined by a random drawing because all other tiebreakers were equal.

Of greater concern to San Antonio could be the health of Ginobili, who went down with 9:46 left in the first quarter. The star guard slid to the floor near the San Antonio free throw line, then the Suns’ Grant Hill fell on top of him.

X-rays for a more serious injury were negative. An MRI was planned on Thursday.

With Memphis’ loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, the Spurs play the Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs.

Ginobili, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker sat out the Spurs’ 102-93 loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles on Tuesday but all three were in the starting lineup against Phoenix. Duncan had 17 points and 12 rebounds in 31 minutes. Parker scored 12 on 4 of 12 shooting in 25 minutes. Neither were on the court when the game ended.

Channing Frye and Jared Dudley scored 17 apiece for the Suns, who avoided a four-game sweep of the season series.

Phoenix failed to make the playoffs for the second time in three years after a surprise run to the Western Conference finals a year ago, which included a second-round sweep of San Antonio.

The Suns shot out to a 17-point lead in the first quarter Wednesday night and the Spurs never could catch them.

After shooting 65 percent in the first 12 minutes (17 of 26), the Suns made 20 percent (5 of 25) in the second to lead 61-53 at the break.

San Antonio cut the lead to 66-63 on Parker’s short jumper three minutes into the second half, but an 11-1 Phoenix run made it 77-64 when Dudley made a pair of free throws with 5:01 to play in the period.

Down 85-74 after three, the Spurs came back to make it a free throw shootout down the stretch. Aaron Brooks sank two from the line to put Phoenix ahead 106-103 with 3.9 seconds to go. Gary Neal threw up an airball from the corner for San Antonio just before the buzzer.

Notes: Hill became the seventh player in NBA history to average at least 13 points at age 38 or older. … Ginobili missed two games this season, only one because of injury: March 28 against Portland because of a bruised left quad. … Phoenix’s Steve Nash led the NBA in assists for the fifth time, joining John Stockton and Jason Kidd as the only players to do so. … San Antonio had the best record in the West for the sixth time in franchise history – five of them with Duncan. … The Suns won 40 games for the seventh straight season.

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

by Paul Coro – Apr. 13, 2011 10:41 PM
The Arizona Republic

If you like reading our blog, remember to bookmark it.

by Paul Coro – Apr. 13, 2011 10:41 PM
The Arizona Republic

Feel free to leave your comments below.

by Paul Coro – Apr. 13, 2011 10:41 PM
The Arizona Republic

There is the quick update of the day.

Associated Press

April 3, 2011: San Antonio Spurs forward DeJuan Blair, left, and Phoenix Suns forward Jared Dudley compete for a rebound.

Not much else going on in the NBA world today.

Associated Press

April 3, 2011: San Antonio Spurs forward DeJuan Blair, left, and Phoenix Suns forward Jared Dudley compete for a rebound.

Not much else going on in the NBA world today.

Apr. 2, 2011 11:22 PM
The Arizona Republic | azcentral.com

Thanks for reading! .

SAN ANTONIO (AP)—The San Antonio Spurs looked like they have all season, happy with yet another victory as the NBA’s winningest team.

The Phoenix Suns won’t look like this again. That made them happy, too.

Tim Duncan(notes) had 20 points and 15 rebounds, and the Spurs won their won their ninth in a row, 118-110 over the Suns, who played undermanned again Monday night following their blockbuster trade with Orlando over the weekend.

The Suns are expected to debut Vince Carter(notes), Martin Gortat and Mickael Pietrus(notes) on Thursday back home against Miami. In the meantime, coach Alvin Gentry used just eight players against the Spurs, a night after a draining upset at Oklahoma City.

“Grant (Hill), being the guy he is, said to me, ‘I’m really sorry. I just got tired,” Gentry said. “I mean, I felt like an idiot with him saying that.”

Gary Neal(notes) scored 22 off the bench for the Spurs, who improved the NBA’s best record to 24-3 and are one victory from their second double-digit winning streak already this season.

The Spurs are again cruising after putting together 12 consecutive victories earlier this season. It has put the surprising Spurs atop the NBA in the midst of a historic franchise start for the four-time champions.

“We feel pretty good about ourselves right now. But I think we still have a lot to build on, honestly,” Duncan said. “Our record is really good, and that’s a great situation to be in, but we got a lot of things we can clean up.”

Tony Parker(notes) scored 19 points, Richard Jefferson(notes) had 17 and Manu Ginobili(notes) had 15 as every starter for the Spurs was in double figures. DeJuan Blair(notes) had 10 points and eight rebounds.

Jared Dudley(notes) had 27 points for the Suns, whose halftime lead dissolved into a near-blowout. The Spurs outscored the Suns 40-24 in the third quarter, as Phoenix scored on just two of its first 14 possessions of the half.

In a span of just six minutes, a one-point lead evaporated into a 19-point deficit.

“They had nobody to stop Timmy,” Parker said. “He was getting easy baskets and getting baskets for everybody.”

Steve Nash(notes) added 17 points and 10 assists for the Suns. Hill, who had 30 points and 11 rebounds in 37 minutes on Sunday against the Thunder, scored 19 points in 39 minutes.

The 38-year-old entered the game averaging around 30 minutes. But he didn’t make excuses afterward.

“It wasn’t so much tired. I think I was frustrated that we weren’t getting to the free throw line,” Hill said. “I think I was trying to prove a point to the officials driving and we weren’t getting calls. I allowed that to get me frustrated and not read the situation.”

Phoenix returned to San Antonio for the first time since its stunning sweep in the West semifinals last May, but after the latest Suns shake-up, it wasn’t exactly a rematch.

Phoenix on Sunday completed a six-player trade with Orlando, sending Jason Richardson(notes), Hedo Turkoglu(notes) and Earl Clark(notes) to the Magic. Carter and Gortat arrived in Phoenix on Monday while their new team was still in Texas.

Gentry—who joked before the game that he came back to San Antonio with the same team except for “that Amare guy”—said he’s already thought about how he’ll use his newcomers.

For a few stretches against San Antonio, the short-handed Suns didn’t look desperate for their new trio just yet. Phoenix took a 54-53 halftime lead after finishing the second quarter on a 21-7 burst, holding the Spurs to just three field goals in the final seven minutes.

Josh Childress(notes) scored 15 points and Robin Lopez(notes) had 14 for the Suns. Channing Frye(notes) had just three points for the Suns on 1-of-10 shooting.

“We should be optimistic,” Nash said. “We got a lot of guys coming in that give us size, depth and scoring, and defense. We should be a better team.”

Notes: Spurs G George Hill(notes) is expected to miss several more games while recovering from a sore right big toe. Hill, the top scorer for the Spurs off the bench, is wearing a boot on the foot. …The Suns have already used seven different starting lineups after using eight all of last season.

That’s all the news for today.

Leave your comments on the news below.

Phoenix Suns update:

Suns (13-13) at Spurs (23-3)

C: Robin Lopez … Tim Duncan

PF: Channing Frye … DeJuan Blair

SF: Grant Hill … Richard Jefferson

SG: Jared Dudley … Manu Ginobili

PG: Steve Nash … Tony Parker

Key Spurs subs: Antonio McDyess, Matt Bonner, Chris Quinn, Gary Neal, Ime Udoka, Tiago Splitter.

Key Spurs injury: George Hill is out with a toe sprain. James Anderson is out with a foot fracture.

Onto the orange slices:

* This is probably where you would like to hear that Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat and Mickael Pietrus are on their way to San Antonio to help out their new Suns team tonight. Instead, they are in Phoenix for physicals and the Suns are calling it “unlikely” that they will travel to San Antonio for tonight’s game.

Meanwhile, Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Earl Clark joined Orlando on Sunday and will play tonight at Atlanta. Orlando had to cancel its shootaround this morning because the new Suns acquisitions had not finished their physicals yet.

So the Suns will go with 11 again tonight after they circled the wagons brilliantly Sunday night for a win at Oklahoma City. The Suns are 2-4 in the second games of back-to-back sets this season, losing both times they have played in such a situation on the road (by 10 at Memphis and by 16 at Orlando).

“I think guys are going to come out and play anytime that happens,” Grant Hill said of the Suns’ focus and effort after the trade. “Sometimes when you’re on the other side and you see that a team’s not at full strength, there’s a little bit of a letdown.”

That won’t happen with San Antonio now, especially given the Suns’ last trip to the Alamo was to polish off a playoff sweep with The Dragon’s fourth quarter to remember in Game 3.

“We would be cautious anyway,” Spurs forward Matt Bonner said at today’s Spurs shootaround. “Regardless of the fact they’re a little shorthanded, they still have a really good team, really good players and they always give us a hard time.”

Not so much for Parker, though. Coming off a 37-point game against Memphis, Parker has averaged 24.8 points against the Suns in Phoenix’s last nine regular-season visits.

“We’re not going to forget that,” Parker said of Dragic’s 23-point fourth quarter. “He played unbelievable. Hopefully, he’s not going to do it again. We know what he’s capable of and we’ll be ready for him.”

* Parker is shooting 52 percent from the field. Jefferson is at 50 percent. Duncan is at 49.8 percent. The Spurs’ 106.1 scoring average is the franchise’s best since the 1990-91 season. San Antonio also leads the NBA in 3-point shooting at 41.1 percent with Bonner at 52 percent and Jefferson at 46 percent.

* The Spurs are on an eight-game winning streak but not with the ease that Oklahoma City was winning during its five-game win streak that the Suns ended Sunday. The Spurs needed two game-winning shots by Ginobili against Milwaukee and Denver and then went to overtime to beat Memphis.

* The Suns are 7-5 with Robin Lopez this season and 6-8 without him. He went nine of 10 from the field, shooting as well as he ever has from the perimeter with four jump shots. One came during critical fourth-quarter time on a beautiful drop pass from Dragic, who has great chemistry with Lopez on and off the court.

* Suns coach Alvin Gentry appears to be in that mode he hit in January when he decides to make whatever substitutions are necessary to give the Suns the best chance. That is why Josh Childress was on the floor at the end of Sunday’s game, despite having not played the previous two games. Childress was solid all game, even hitting a jump shot that has been tough for him with the finger splint. He might have to wear the splint another week but he already made his pitch to get some time with 10 points, five rebounds and three steals in 28 minutes. Kevin Durant did not catch fire on his jumper until the end when it looked like he could carry a comeback but Childress took a charge and picked his dribble to stem the tide.

“I’m looking forward to trying to get back into the rotation,” Childress said. “I’m just playing hard and confident. My teammates were excited for me.”

* Phoenix Phactoid Pharaoh Vince Kozar’s phun phact of the day: Grant Hill’s 30-point game Sunday was the first one by a 38-year-old in the NBA since Michael Jordan did it in 2003.

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The short-handed Phoenix Suns managed to pull out one surprising road win over a division leader Sunday night, and it’s doubtful the reinforcements from their blockbuster trade will arrive in time to play Monday.

They could use all the help they can get against the league’s hottest club.

The NBA-leading San Antonio Spurs seek their ninth straight win and 22nd in 24 games when they host the Suns in a series recently defined by Phoenix’s close losses.

The Suns (13-13) made a move Saturday designed to keep them competitive this season while providing some long-term salary relief, but they certainly figured to miss the departed trio of Hedo Turkoglu(notes), Jason Richardson(notes) and Earl Clark’s(notes) on Sunday in Oklahoma City.

New acquisitions Vince Carter(notes), Mickael Pietrus(notes) and Marcin Gortat(notes) weren’t available after the previous day’s blockbuster trade with Orlando, but Phoenix’s remaining roster made sure it wouldn’t matter. Steve Nash(notes) returned with 20 points and 10 assists after suffering a neck stinger in his previous game, while Grant Hill(notes) had 30 points and 11 rebounds in a 113-110 win over the Northwest Division-leading Thunder.

“I think guys are going to come out and play, obviously, anytime that happens,” said Hill, who’s scored more than 20 points in seven of his last 15 games after doing so once in his first 11. “Sometimes when you’re on the other side and you see that a team’s not at full strength, there’s a little bit of a letdown.”

The Suns likely won’t be able to sneak up on the Spurs (23-3) the same way, and it again appears unlikely they’ll have any of their three additions. Carter, Pietrus and Gortat are set to take their physicals in Phoenix on Monday afternoon, likely delaying their debuts until Thursday against Miami.

That’s good news for San Antonio, which has won five of seven in the series – four of which have been decided by five points or fewer. Richard Jefferson(notes) had 28 points and Tim Duncan(notes) added 25 with 17 rebounds in a 112-110 win at Phoenix on Nov. 3.

San Antonio extended its current winning streak to eight with Saturday’s 112-106 overtime win against Memphis. The past three victories have come by a total of nine points, but Tony Parker(notes) – who had 37 against the Grizzlies – doesn’t mind having to sweat it out.

“As long as we’re winning I’m okay with it,” he said.

Parker played 41 minutes Saturday and might be heavily worked again Monday. Backup point guard George Hill(notes) will likely miss a second straight game with a sprained right big toe.

Parker hasn’t looked fatigued very often when Phoenix visits. He’s averaging 24.8 points in his last nine regular-season home games against the Suns, and is looking forward to facing Nash and a Suns team that allows 109.9 points per game – tied for the most in the league.

“Everyone knows I love to play against Nash,” Parker said. “He’s one of the best point guards in the NBA and it’s been like that for a long time. I’ve always had some success against them and hopefully that continues.”

Nash has averaged 15.2 points and 11.0 assists in his last five visits to San Antonio – three of which were Phoenix victories.

Tim Duncan has averaged 25.8 points in those games, but the Spurs are 0-3 this season when he scores 23 or more.

Not much else going on in the NBA world today.

Follow this link:
Suns Sweep Spurs to Advance to West Finals