Suns point guard Steve Nash first started questioning the Suns' defensive game plan after Game 2, saying that Phoenix needed to consider doing something different against San Antonio's highly efficient pick-and-roll sets. That sentiment was further affirmed with Game 3.
He said the Suns "didn't know where to turn" when the Spurs started hitting the mid-range shots on the perimeter.
"That was sort of the game plan," Nash said of Parker hitting jump shots. "But when he starts making all his shots, we probably have got to adjust."
The idea that the Spurs big three can't outscore the Suns if Phoenix clamped down on San Antonio's role players is now three games flawed and looking worse with each game.
"It's not working, is it?" Nash said. "So we should probably adjust."
It was one thing when D'Antoni (offense) and Steve Kerr (defense) were citing different roots for Phoenix's problems Thursday. It's another when the head coach begins to lose his players.
"They play playoff basketball," Suns power forward Amare Stoudemire said in admiration of the Spurs, a team about to eliminate him from the postseason for the fourth time in his career. "It's plain and simple. There's no out-of-control plays. There's no shooting the ball within the first seconds. They take their time and make sure they get a basket. They make sure they get a good shot every time down. And that's how they win the title. You got to make sure you get a good shot every time down and you got to make sure you defend well. You can't stop all teams from scoring. Teams are going to score but they make sure they play solid defense out there and they get a good shot offensively every time down and that's how you win a title.
"They've got a strategy that they uphold."
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