Even being short handed, the Suns should have won this game. There is 2 plays that were major reasons why the Suns lost. Yes, they ran out of gas towards the end of the game, but 1 call and a no call in the last 4 minutes hurt the Suns. The 2 plays in question:
1st:
Ginobili's 3pt fg try where HE GRABBED NASH's arm and pulled him to the floor, and Nash picking up the foul. It should have been an offensive foul or a no call. Either way, it would have kept 3 pts off the board for the Spurs.
2nd:
The NO CALL on Bowen smacking Nash's off arm, making Nash's body contort and miss the wide open lay-up.
That right there is a 5 pt swing for the Spurs. Had those 2 plays had different endings, the game would have as well.
I'm proud of what the Suns did. Yes, D'Antoni should have gone a player or two deeper in the rotation last night. However, for most of the game, the guys playing were on a roll and keeping the Spurs on their toes defensively and making them work for everything they got offensively. No matter how tired some of the players were last night, I saw, specifically Nash, Marion, KT, and Bell pleading with D'Antoni to leave them in the game. So, if your star players and your best defensive guys are telling you to leave them in there and they're playing well, you're gonna leave them in the game.
Even though this was a loss for the Suns, they still won. Mentally, they know that a few key plays, calls and no calls, were the difference in this game and not just the fact they didn't have Amare and Diaw. This also helps D'Antoni with his line-ups at times for tomorrows game to get better production and the win. He can play similar to tonights line-ups at times to get the Spurs in foul trouble and tiring them out.