Tim Duncan scores 24 as San Antonio Spurs beat Phoenix Suns 102-91 - NBA Recap (Part 2)
Marcin Gortat led the Suns with 24 points on 11 for 20 from the floor and 15 boards while Steve Nash too had a double-double with 20 points and 10 assists. Reserves Markieff Morris and Shannon Brown finished with 14 and 10 points respectively. Jared Dudley
bundled 12 points.
Dudley opened the scoring for Suns with a driving layup and then Nash followed with a midrange jumper to make it 4-0. Spurs however responded with a 14-2 run in the ensuing passage to gain control of the proceedings.
The run allowed Spurs to finish the first frame with a 4 point lead 30-26, despite a gallant effort from the Suns from the other end.
Spurs carried the momentum into the next frame and started with a 6-0 run to boost the lead into double digits 36-26. They maintained a 10 point lead for next few minutes and to make things worse for the Suns, rattled an 11-2 run in the last few minutes
after scores were 45-35, to end the first half with complete domination.
Third frame was the exact replica of the second one as Suns never managed to bring the lead down. By the end of third, they again found themselves trailing behind 10 points 68-78.
Suns needed to fire right from the start of the deciding frame to give themselves any chance of sealing the game and they successfully did. They started the frame with a 12-8 run to get as close as 80-86, however after that, they froze again, allowing the
Spurs to boost the lead again into the double digits. Nash and Gortat again initiated one final comeback by scoring in quick succession to bring their team within a striking distance, at 89-94 with four minutes remaining in the game.
However, that was not enough as Spurs were unstoppable from the other end and within few seconds again got ahead to complete a well deserved victory.
Suns might have lost the game but the fight that they put up was pleasing to see.
“We just didn't quit," Hill said. "We fought hard. The problem was we gave them a big lead. When you're down 19 against a good team, you spend so much energy trying to get back in the game. We fought hard, we're playing hard, we're not playing to our fullest
potential. But we're certainly playing hard. There's never any quit."
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