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No. 4 San Antonio vs. No. 5 Phoenix
Phoenix wins series, 3-1
| REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS (Series tied 2-2) |
| Date |
Final Score |
| 11/7 at PHO |
Phoenix 77, San Antonio 74 |
| 12/21 at SA |
San Antonio 91, Phoenix 90 (OT) |
| 1/7 at PHO |
San Antonio 102, Phoenix 83 |
| 2/21 at SA |
Phoenix 98, San Antonio 89 |
| HEAD COACHES |
| |
Gregg Popovich, San Antonio
Fourth year with Spurs, fourth year overall
Playoff record: 19-6
Best Finish: Won NBA title with San Antonio last season, beating Knicks in five games.
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Scott Skiles, Phoenix
First year with Suns, first year overall
Playoff record: 0-0
First year: After Danny Ainge quit as Suns coach, Skiles, an assistant,
took over on Dec. 14.
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| STARTING FIVE |
| San Antonio Spurs |
| Avery Johnson, G |
Assist are way down this season |
| Mario Elie, G |
When healthy, he hasn't been hitting |
| Sean Elliott, F |
Reports swirling that he'll retire after this season |
| Tim Duncan, F |
Suns don't have anybody who can guard him |
| David Robinson, C |
Playing his best ball of last couple
years |
| Phoenix Suns |
| Randy Livingston, G |
Kevin Johnson could take over as starter if he falters |
| Penny Hardaway, G |
Since Kidd went down, Penny has stepped up |
| Shawn Marion, F |
Deserves to be on all-rookie team |
| Cliff Robinson, F |
Leads the team in scoring; not afraid to take the big shot |
| Luc Longley, C |
Biggest disappointment for Suns |
| THE BENCH |
| San Antonio Spurs |
| Samaki Walker, F |
Played well in late-season absence of Duncan |
| Terry Porter, G |
Best perimeter threat the Spurs have |
| Antonio Daniels, G |
Backs up Johnson at point |
| Jerome Kersey, F |
Veteran knows all the good tricks |
| Phoenix Suns |
| Rodney Rogers, F |
The NBA's best Sixth Man can hit from outside, grind inside |
| Jason Kidd, G |
Could be difference if he returns late in the series |
| Kevin Johnson, G |
Skiles has turned to KJ in fourth quarters
|
| Oliver Miller, C |
A big option against Spurs' Twin Towers |
| Rex Chapman, G |
If he's activated, he excels in late-game dramatics |
| HOW THEY GOT THERE |
| San Antonio Spurs |
|
San Antonio hasn't played like a defending champ all
season. The absence of Sean Elliott was blamed the first four months of the
season for the malaise, but now that he's back the Spurs have continued to
stumble as the swingman has tried to get his strength back in the midst of
becoming the first professional athlete trying to return from a kidney
transplant. There's no hiding the fact that the backcourt isn't stepping up
like it did last year, and without the perimeter production from Johnson,
35, and Elie, 36, the Spurs are extremely vulnerable.
|
| Phoenix Suns |
|
It came as a bit of a surprise that Danny Ainge called it
quits six weeks into the season, even though the Suns were playing good ball (13-7). Ainge wanted to spend more time with his family, freeing the upwardly mobile Skiles to call the shots ... and he's done a good job doing it.
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| SERIES OUTLOOK |
| Huge questions revolve around the injured stars. If Tim Duncan can't go
with the torn lateral meniscus in his left knee, it'll be more of an
obstacle for the defending champs than Jason Kidd being out for the Suns.
Popovich was playing it safe with Duncan over the last week of the season,
holding him out of practices and games, and the coach isn't sure if the
superstar forward will be ready for the playoffs. Count on him playing, but
his mobility might be limited. Meanwhile, the word out of Phoenix is that
Kidd, out the last month with an ankle injury, could be back for a fourth
or fifth game in the first round. Without Duncan to worry about, Phoenix
would be able to collapse on just the lone tower, David Robinson, and force
the Spurs' weak perimeter players, Elie and Johnson, to beat them.
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| PREDICTION |
If Duncan plays, Spurs win. Spurs in 5.
Prediction by Simon Fishler, Sportsline.com NBA Editor
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