| Suns Win Game 3, Get Scare from Nash Authored by J.T. Magee - April 30, 2005 - 2:13 pm
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Despite the scare, Phoenix went up on the Memphis Grizzlies three games to none, winning 110-90. Amare, this time the player of the game, scored 30 points, had nine rebounds and three blocks to lead the Suns. Two of them came down very hard on Memphis center Stromile Swift. Joe Johnson scored 20 points, swingman Jim Jackson came off the bench to score 17, including 5 three-pointers, and Shawn Marion had his third double-double of the series with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Memphis took some of their confidence into the game, shooting over 60% in the first quarter, but shot only 38% from the field after that. Phoenix led from that point on, never looking back. Center Lorenzen Wright led five players in double figures, but scored only 14 points. Power forward Pau Gasol scored 13 points, but the biggest surprise was that he was out-rebounded by Jackson. Shooting guard Mike Miller also had 13 points, but shot 5-12 from the field.
The Suns did what they have done all year and needed to do: run and win on the road. But one thing that they did better in Game 3 than they did in either of the first two games was rebound. They were only out-rebounded by one, but they made their shots and forced Memphis into some really bad shots. They won the game on their defense. They won the game by setting a franchise record with fewest turnovers in a
game: 5, half as many as Memphis. And thanks to Amare, they are looking for a sweep on Sunday.
The Suns also showed that they are more than a run-and-gun offense. They went inside to Amare quite often, and quite often did he produce. He shot 11-19 from the field and 8-12 from the line. He had a third of his rebounds come off the offensive glass. Yes, only three, but the way that Phoenix was scoring, he didn’t need much else. Only some very exciting dunks, including a dunk on the ‘Stro Show.’ To be honest, it was more of a throwdown, as in he actually threw it down into the basket. That’s how high up he was. Even if he was too far away to dunk it with the authority he usually does, poster-izing Swift was one the best plays of the series.
They showed that anyone on their team could pass the ball. Reserve center Steven Hunter made a pass to Stoudamire when both were underneath the basket. Joe Johnson ran the point efficiently while Nash was recovering on the bench from the hit that sent him to the floor. Marion even had some good passes. Nash, well, Nash was Nash. While he didn’t get his season average in assists, he made passes that got others involved. He passed up an open shot for Jim Jackson, who made his three-point shot. He was able to drive and dish to a player that was able to get either himself a good shot or was able to get another teammate into the mix. He helped do what Phoenix has been doing to everyone in the league: beating them, this time the Grizzlies, in their house.
They played aggressive. They played tenacious. They played like the #1 seed in the West. On Sunday, if they do the same thing, then they’ll be looking at some extra preparation for their next opponent. And some rest for Nash.
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