Suns-Spurs: Phoenix On Brink of Elimination

The job for the Phoenix Suns is simple.  Stop one of the Spurs' big three from being a factor, force them into being jump-shooters, take away the layups and easy fast break points, and wear them down with a consistent offensive attack.

They know what they have to do, but they are unable to execute it.  For the Suns, that is the demoralizing part.

They have had double-digit leads but can't hold them.  They were seconds away from winning Game One but couldn't seal the deal.

They know San Antonio wants to get to the basket, but they can't dig deeply enough to limit the amount of damage.

In Game Three, the Spurs took a page out of the Suns' book and jumped out to a big lead, thanks to Tony Parker.  He went to work early and often, and the Suns' strategy was evident as they backed off and challenged the Spurs to hit jumpers.

There was only one problem with that.  They were uncontested mid-range jump shots.

San Antonio is not a great outside shooting team to say the least, but any team will look good shooting the ball if they are at relatively close range and are not contested.

The Spurs controlled the game and led from wire to wire, blowing out the Suns in Game Three.  The Suns have had control of games, only to let them slip away.

Phoenix has to face the fact that they have no answer for San Antonio in any aspect of the game.  The Spurs have been tougher physically and mentally.  They have been better offensively, even though Phoenix is the team known for putting up tons of points. 

San Antonio has been better defensively, which we figured, but the ineptitude with which the Suns have played with on that side of the ball is hard to figure. This leads to my next point.

Phoenix is not as well-coached as San Antonio is.  Gregg Popovich has pushed all the right buttons, called the right plays to the right people at crucial times, and the players trust him.

The Suns seem confused on defense and aside from Game One, they fell apart when the Spurs turned up the heat.  This series for all intents and purposes is over, and Phoenix knows it.

Their time has past and they are not serious contenders any more, with or without Shaq.  Many thought this would be time for the Suns' revenge.

Instead, the only thing that's been proven is that the gap between these two teams is wider than the Atlantic Ocean.