Suns-Spurs: A Game Of Runs

After the Phoenix Sun's Monday night 111-102 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of their Western Conference Semifinal series, it has become more and more clear that this is a series that will ultimately be decided by the team that makes the last run.

Phoenix led by 14 on two occasions, mid way through the second quarter and again early in the fourth quarter. However, both times, San Antonio went on quick runs to narrow the gap, taking the lead with a Ginobili three pointer in the third quarter and cutting the Phoenix lead to 1 with about four minutes to play.

Thats not to say the Suns didn't respond to their fair share of adversity. After going down 67-64 mid way through the third quarter, the Suns turned defensive stops into quick scores and went on a 21-8 run to end the quarter and head into the final period up 10.

Again in the fourth quarter after a letting a 94-80 lead get away with a 13-0 run by the Spurs, Phoenix went on a 9-2 run to take an 8 point lead, 103-95, capped off by a Richardson three pointer with 90 seconds to play.

The result of all this, a game that saw the Suns go up by 10 at halftime, then the Spurs up by 3 in the third quarter, the Suns up 10 by the end of the quarter, eventually up 14 in the fourth, then up only 1 with four minutes left, then up 9 with all zeroes on the clock. And thats just one game.

It is only Game 1, but it would seem that the team that is able to weather the storm most effectively in this series will be moving on to the next round.