| Suns Can’t Close Out, Lose Game 2 Authored by J.T. Magee - May 27, 2006 - 12:57 am
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Dallas, led by both Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard, took control late in the fourth quarter and won 105-98. The Mavericks got to the free throw line 27 times in the second half and capitalized, forcing the Suns to make more shots with a smaller lineup than they usually go out with.
Boris Diaw had yet another classic game, this time contributing everywhere on the floor. He scored 25 points on 10-17 from the floor, grabbed ten rebounds and added six assists. one steal and a block. Tim Thomas scored 20 points before fouling out. He made 4 3-pointers, but it took ten attempts to do so. Shawn Marion scored 19 points and grabbed a game-high 19 He added two assists and three steals.
Steve Nash scored 16 points and dished out 11 assists, but scored just two points in the second half. The only two players to come off the bench for the Suns, James Jones and Eddie House, scored a combined ten points. Jones added a career-high 6 blocks for Phoenix. Diaw was the only other Sun to record a block.
Nowitzki led the Mavericks’ charge back. He scored 30 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and had six assists. 24 of those points came in the first and fourth quarters. Josh Howard scored a playoff career-high 29 points. He came back from an ankle sprain he suffered in Game 1. He added seven rebounds and two blocks.
Jason Terry shook off some poor shooting throughout most of the game to finish with 18 points, four rebounds and four assists. Jerry Stackhouse came off the bench to score 11 points, all in the second half, and seven rebounds. DeSagana Diop came off the bench after not stepping on the court to add four points, 11 rebounds and two blocks.
For Phoenix, they hung in there when Dallas was outplaying them in the first half. They couldn’t control the pace of the game but scored enough to keep them in the entire game, except for the fourth quarter.
They scored just seven points in the first half of the quarter, which was when Dallas went on their run. Dallas simply got to the free throw line, stopped the clock and scored enough points to keep it out of reach for the Suns.
If Diaw was the player of the game for the Suns, James Jones wasn’t far behind. When Jones came in for Leandro Barbosa in the second quarter, Phoenix went on their 16-4 run to close out the half. He it just one of his two attempts, but he looked more comfortable on the court, especially on defense. He became the rover while keeping his man in check. A lot of his blocks were from the weak side, including two on Marquis Daniels to close out the third quarter. Phoenix needs this type of production they have been missing all season. Jones can earn a lot of playing time with Raja Bell out until a reported Game 5. If he can hit the few shots he’s going to take, rebound on both ends of the floor and block shots, Phoenix has their X-factor.
For Dallas, it was all about the return of Howard. TNT keeps pimpin’ the stat but it’s worth saying: the Mavs are 21-0 when he scores 20+ points. The Mavs went to him in the second half and he responded by getting to the free throw line. He shot just 60%, but it was the fact he was forcing the issue for them. Dallas knew they needed the urgency to take this game and it didn’t come until Howard took over. Nowitzki and Terry followed suit in the fourth and it helped them pull out the win.
Unfortunately for Phoenix, Barbosa had another dud of a game. He set a great screen that freed up Thomas near the end of the fourth, but other than that, he was nonexistent. He went 1-4 in the first half and 2-11 in the second. Head Coach Mike D’Antoni has a lot of confidence in his abilities, but when Barbosa forces the issue and gets caught, he thinks. And at this point, thinking will get you in a lot of trouble on the floor. He has to react to situations and make sure he doesn’t force his shot. If it’s not there, don’t take it. But Barbosa is told to take it. If the suns want to use him successfully, they must put him in screen & rolls with Marion and Diaw. That way, he gets the switch he wants rather then try and force it into the lane.
For Game 2, the Suns made some surprising adjustments. They still played their style, but the lack of depth at the guard position has killed them in the playoffs and will continue to until they add a couple of bench warmers who can run and score. Even if they are selfish, they need a couple of players who can give Nash the rest he needs. Jones really came out on D and his presence will spark D’Antoni to use him more than he did.
In Game 3, Phoenix must make sure that they protect home court. They cannot let Dallas come out and predicate what they want to do. the Suns had a hard time handling Diop size on the glass, so they must find a way to expose his lack of speed. Pick & rolls can only get you so far. Having Diaw set screens on both sides of the wing will tire him out and get him out of the game quickly. Phoenix capitalized when he was off the court and they must make sure that he stays off. If they can do that in Game 3, they will be looking at a huge advantage in the series and a chance at reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since Barkley led them there back in 1993. |
