SAN ANTONIO - Suns center
Shaquille O'Neal was brought to Phoenix to relieve
Amaré Stoudemire ofextensive defensive duty vs. post-up stars such as San Antonio's
Tim Duncan. But that is not enough to keep Stoudemire out of foul trouble. Stoudemire fouled out of Saturday's Game 1 at San Antonio without fouling a player taking a shot - and by fouling Duncan once (on his dribble).
Stoudemire charged into
Bruce Bowen. He twice fouled immediately after Suns turnovers, one by him and one by
Steve Nash. And his old Suns practice-court foe,
Kurt Thomas, drew an off-ball foul and the fateful overtime charge that disqualified Stoudemire and gave the
Spurs a chance to tie again.
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The Suns would really like Stoudemire to stay on the floor. Phoenix outscored San Antonio by 11 when Stoudemire was in the game Saturday. That was the best plus-minus of any Suns player.
It was the foul trouble of Stoudemire, O'Neal and
Boris Diaw that compromised the Suns' ability to defend the paint when
Tony Parker and
Manu Ginobili penetrated.
"If it makes a big guy contending a shot one more time because of how many fouls he has, it helps us tremendously," Duncan said.
Stoudemire remained confident that the foul trouble would not repeat itself, although he finished tied for second and third in fouls per game in the
NBA the past two seasons.
"We weren't on the floor enough," Stoudemire said. "When we were on the floor we were in the foul trouble, so we couldn't be aggressive, and Tim knew that, so he was aggressive."
"(Defending the interior with foul trouble) is probably the hardest thing in basketball. Being such a competitor, you want to block that shot or defend that play. Any player is going to try to jump into you to get that contact. What we try to do is shy away from that."
Diaw picked up his first fouls trying to cover Duncan, who scored 40. O'Neal picked up three fouls on offense.
"I'm going to play my game," O'Neal said. "Play aggressive and just keep going hard to the basket . . . I always expect that (foul trouble) down here in this building."
ShaneMy time of year!