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San Antonio - Phoenix was an awe inspiring, artistically brilliant series.
Nash’s pinpoint passes were graceful. Tim Duncan was precise.
It was more than wins and losses.
It was basketball at its best.
Steve Nash repeatedly willed his team to greater heights.
Nash fought through a bloodied nose, a knee to the groin, and a foul that sent him flying into the scorer’s table.
Despite the adversity Nash encountered, he would not be intimidated nor would he be denied.
While some of his teammates pointed fingers, Nash never made excuses.
The man who should have been MVP picked himself up and persevered.
Nash was the best player but the Spurs were the better team.
The Spurs proved why they are champions in game 6.
Tony Parker attacked with reckless abandon. Tim Duncan dominated both offensively and defensively.
Manu Ginobili shook off a subpar series and regained the mental focus and strength that has made him one the greatest big game players the game of basketball has ever seen.
Parker scored 30 points, Duncan had 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 blocked shots, and Ginobili scored 33 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, had 6 assists, and 4 steals.
The Spurs proved once again, that defense wins championships.
Nash’s penetrations were countered by impeccable defensive rotation. Bowen was active, perimeter defenders stayed home on their assignments, and Tim Duncan patrolled the paint.
Duncan had 9 blocks in game 6, one short of the playoff record and averaged 3.55 blocks per game during the series.
This classic series that pitted offensive explosion versus defensive precision should be remembered more so for the beautiful basketball that each team displayed than the hapless decision of Stu Jackson.
The supsensions were unfortunate but aside from game 2 and the fourth quarter of game 4, the Spurs proved their superiority.
In the end, it was the collective offensive and defensive greatness of San Antonio’s “three” that defeated the heroics of Phoenix’s “one.”
