azdad1978
Championship!!!!
Rare heights
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
May. 21, 2005 12:00 AM
DALLAS - Phoenix looked the part of a Western Conference finalist all season because of the league's most potent starting five.
But to close out the Mavericks on their court with a riveting, 130-126 overtime win in Game 6, the Suns had to do it with Joe Johnson watching from his Phoenix couch, Amaré Stoudemire cheering from the bench after fouling out and Quentin Richardson riding a cold streak.
Steve Nash finished a series that rivals the greatest performances in Suns playoff history. He had quite the accomplice in Shawn Marion (playoff career highs of 38 points and 16 rebounds) to get the Suns their first conference finals appearance in 12 years. Nash came a rebound shy of his second straight triple-double, scoring 39 points to go with nine rebounds and 12 assists.
"I can't wait to watch this game on DVD and enjoy it, because I couldn't enjoy it live," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "It was a great series and the good news is that we passed. But the bad news is that we have a quick turnaround and San Antonio is waiting for us (for Game 1 on Sunday in Phoenix)."
In the last three games of Phoenix's 4-2, conference semifinal series triumph, Nash averaged 40.3 points (on 52 percent shooting), nine rebounds and 9.7 assists.
"It's very fun for us to continue on to new heights," Nash said.
Nash grabbed a clutch moment that was eerily reminiscent of the series-clinching shot Charles Barkley made over David Robinson in 1993 - 12 years ago to the day - in another Game 6. Nash, the only Suns league MVP besides Barkley, raced up court with Phoenix trailing 111-108 and cut to his right, sending Jason Terry - his Dallas replacement - backpedaling. Nash pulled up and hit a game-tying three-pointer with 5.7 seconds remaining, capping a wild final 16 minutes of regulation that saw Phoenix erase a 16-point deficit, then fall behind by five again with less than two minutes to go after missing seven straight shots.
Dallas made several bad decisions:
• They did not foul Nash despite having a three-point lead.
• They let him get off a three-pointer.
• They did not call a timeout to set up a final shot to win. Jerry Stackhouse missed a three after rushing up the floor.
Those mistakes pale in comparison to the big one: Dallas' decision to let Nash sign with Phoenix in the off-season.
"I've never seen him play better than this," Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki said. "I think he really wanted to show Dallas what we miss and he did that."
Nash further devastated Dallas in the overtime, devouring Terry to offset Terry's first offensive explosion of the series (36 points).
Nash scored seven points and added two assists in the overtime, using Marion in the two-man game as if they had been doing it together all season - when it was actually Nash and Stoudemire combining on more buckets than anyone in the NBA. Marion, unguardable late with long-distance shots, drives and running bankers, had an 11-point overtime as Phoenix scored on all but two possessions in the extra session. Marion also guarded Nowitzki, who was 0 for 5 in the overtime, and hit a huge three-pointer for a 119-114 lead with 2:50 to go in the overtime.
Dallas never had a shot to tie again until there was 13.5 seconds remaining with Phoenix ahead 126-123. Marion even thwarted that chance, faking as if he was going to Michael Finley before returning to Nowitzki to challenge his off-target three-pointer.
For much of the night, Phoenix did not look like a team that would be full of hugs and smiles on the floor and talking San Antonio before the night was out.
The Suns were in their biggest hole at 80-64 with four minutes to go in the third quarter when Dallas went small and kick-started Phoenix's offense.
"They just don't quit," D'Antoni said of his team's frequent rallies from beyond.
The Suns scored more points in the final 21 minutes of the game (66) than the first 32 minutes of it (64). They still trailed 105-101 with 1:40 remaining in regulation when Stoudemire fouled out.
"We always have this urgency to get back in the game," Marion said. "We can score 16 points in a couple minutes."
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0521suns0521.html
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
May. 21, 2005 12:00 AM
DALLAS - Phoenix looked the part of a Western Conference finalist all season because of the league's most potent starting five.
But to close out the Mavericks on their court with a riveting, 130-126 overtime win in Game 6, the Suns had to do it with Joe Johnson watching from his Phoenix couch, Amaré Stoudemire cheering from the bench after fouling out and Quentin Richardson riding a cold streak.
Steve Nash finished a series that rivals the greatest performances in Suns playoff history. He had quite the accomplice in Shawn Marion (playoff career highs of 38 points and 16 rebounds) to get the Suns their first conference finals appearance in 12 years. Nash came a rebound shy of his second straight triple-double, scoring 39 points to go with nine rebounds and 12 assists.
"I can't wait to watch this game on DVD and enjoy it, because I couldn't enjoy it live," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "It was a great series and the good news is that we passed. But the bad news is that we have a quick turnaround and San Antonio is waiting for us (for Game 1 on Sunday in Phoenix)."
In the last three games of Phoenix's 4-2, conference semifinal series triumph, Nash averaged 40.3 points (on 52 percent shooting), nine rebounds and 9.7 assists.
"It's very fun for us to continue on to new heights," Nash said.
Nash grabbed a clutch moment that was eerily reminiscent of the series-clinching shot Charles Barkley made over David Robinson in 1993 - 12 years ago to the day - in another Game 6. Nash, the only Suns league MVP besides Barkley, raced up court with Phoenix trailing 111-108 and cut to his right, sending Jason Terry - his Dallas replacement - backpedaling. Nash pulled up and hit a game-tying three-pointer with 5.7 seconds remaining, capping a wild final 16 minutes of regulation that saw Phoenix erase a 16-point deficit, then fall behind by five again with less than two minutes to go after missing seven straight shots.
Dallas made several bad decisions:
• They did not foul Nash despite having a three-point lead.
• They let him get off a three-pointer.
• They did not call a timeout to set up a final shot to win. Jerry Stackhouse missed a three after rushing up the floor.
Those mistakes pale in comparison to the big one: Dallas' decision to let Nash sign with Phoenix in the off-season.
"I've never seen him play better than this," Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki said. "I think he really wanted to show Dallas what we miss and he did that."
Nash further devastated Dallas in the overtime, devouring Terry to offset Terry's first offensive explosion of the series (36 points).
Nash scored seven points and added two assists in the overtime, using Marion in the two-man game as if they had been doing it together all season - when it was actually Nash and Stoudemire combining on more buckets than anyone in the NBA. Marion, unguardable late with long-distance shots, drives and running bankers, had an 11-point overtime as Phoenix scored on all but two possessions in the extra session. Marion also guarded Nowitzki, who was 0 for 5 in the overtime, and hit a huge three-pointer for a 119-114 lead with 2:50 to go in the overtime.
Dallas never had a shot to tie again until there was 13.5 seconds remaining with Phoenix ahead 126-123. Marion even thwarted that chance, faking as if he was going to Michael Finley before returning to Nowitzki to challenge his off-target three-pointer.
For much of the night, Phoenix did not look like a team that would be full of hugs and smiles on the floor and talking San Antonio before the night was out.
The Suns were in their biggest hole at 80-64 with four minutes to go in the third quarter when Dallas went small and kick-started Phoenix's offense.
"They just don't quit," D'Antoni said of his team's frequent rallies from beyond.
The Suns scored more points in the final 21 minutes of the game (66) than the first 32 minutes of it (64). They still trailed 105-101 with 1:40 remaining in regulation when Stoudemire fouled out.
"We always have this urgency to get back in the game," Marion said. "We can score 16 points in a couple minutes."
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0521suns0521.html
