Fatigue doesn't worry Suns
Doug Haller
The Arizona Republic
May. 18, 2007 01:32 PM
SAN ANTONIO -- The Suns face great obstacles going into tonight's Game 6 against the Spurs.
Coach Mike D'Antoni doesn't think fatigue is one of them.
Raja Bell played all but 80 seconds in Game 5 because of suspensions to Amaré Stoudemire and Boris Diaw. Steve Nash and Shawn Marion nearly played 46 minutes. Kurt Thomas played a season-high 36:09.
"I understand the fatigue thing, and I understand talking about it," D'Antoni said. (But) it has very little to do with anything. They're going to be ready to go. As a human being, you don't use all resources anyway. You're never so tired you can't play."
Added Marion: "Fatigue is not an issue right now. That's out the window."
D'Antoni pointed out that Spurs forward Tim Duncan played 40 minutes in Game 5.
"That's a big guy running up and down the floor," he said.
Bruce Bowen also played a series-high 40 and Tony Parker logged 39 minutes. Manu Ginobili's 38 minutes were the most he's played since November 15.
"They got their problems in the same way," D'Antoni said.
One thing the coaching staff will have to figure out is what to do if Stoudemire gets into early foul trouble. In Game 3, Stoudemire picked up his second with 4:41 left in the first quarter, and D'Antoni brought him to the bench.
But there's more at stake tonight. Trailing the best-of-seven series 3-2, the Suns can't hold out a foul-troubled Stoudemire, or anyone else, for long.
"It's a gut feeling," D'Antoni said of the decision. "We want him on the court, but we showed the other night we get points without him. We might not want to risk it, because we're OK anyway, and we might need him down the stretch a lot more than we do in the second quarter. It's one of those things I start to sweat when that happens. I got to make a quick decision -- don't like to do that. Hopefully he stays out of foul trouble."
Marion said his back is still sore, but "I'll be all right," he said.
Doug Haller
The Arizona Republic
May. 18, 2007 01:32 PM
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SAN ANTONIO -- The Suns face great obstacles going into tonight's Game 6 against the Spurs.
Coach Mike D'Antoni doesn't think fatigue is one of them.
Raja Bell played all but 80 seconds in Game 5 because of suspensions to Amaré Stoudemire and Boris Diaw. Steve Nash and Shawn Marion nearly played 46 minutes. Kurt Thomas played a season-high 36:09.
"I understand the fatigue thing, and I understand talking about it," D'Antoni said. (But) it has very little to do with anything. They're going to be ready to go. As a human being, you don't use all resources anyway. You're never so tired you can't play."
Added Marion: "Fatigue is not an issue right now. That's out the window."
D'Antoni pointed out that Spurs forward Tim Duncan played 40 minutes in Game 5.
"That's a big guy running up and down the floor," he said.
Bruce Bowen also played a series-high 40 and Tony Parker logged 39 minutes. Manu Ginobili's 38 minutes were the most he's played since November 15.
"They got their problems in the same way," D'Antoni said.
One thing the coaching staff will have to figure out is what to do if Stoudemire gets into early foul trouble. In Game 3, Stoudemire picked up his second with 4:41 left in the first quarter, and D'Antoni brought him to the bench.
But there's more at stake tonight. Trailing the best-of-seven series 3-2, the Suns can't hold out a foul-troubled Stoudemire, or anyone else, for long.
"It's a gut feeling," D'Antoni said of the decision. "We want him on the court, but we showed the other night we get points without him. We might not want to risk it, because we're OK anyway, and we might need him down the stretch a lot more than we do in the second quarter. It's one of those things I start to sweat when that happens. I got to make a quick decision -- don't like to do that. Hopefully he stays out of foul trouble."
Marion said his back is still sore, but "I'll be all right," he said.
