National Basketball Association

San Antonio Spurs Suns in Season Series Starter

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 3:34 p.m. ET

Fansided, Adam Maynes/FanSided via Valley of the Suns

Thoughts from the Valley of the Suns

	1	2	3	4	T
Suns	20	23	28	21	92
Spurs	23	28	23	33	107

Adam Maynes – Site Editor

Until early in the fourth quarter the Suns fought tough keeping hope alive that they might catch the Spurs with tired legs on the second game of a back-to-back.

Unfortunately that didn’t happen as the Spurs flirted with Suns for 3/4 of the game finally putting the pedal to the metal with a 33-21 fourth quarter making the final score of 107-92 look far from the competitiveness of the actual game.

With five turnovers in eight minutes and 8-19 in the 4th quarter, the Suns basically played themselves out of any hope of keeping it close as the minutes ticked off the clock. Granted they missed eleven shots, but they only recorded assists on four in the quarter, although with 11 heading into the final 12 minutes, that was slightly above the average of the first three quarters.

Devin Booker led the Suns in scoring with 17 points and although his shooting was better than it had been in recent nights, finished 6-19, 31.6% from the floor and 2 of 6 from beyond the arc. The games that Book breaks out and takes control offensively are a lot of fun, and although Eric Bledsoe had been that key scoring figure the past three nights, I was hopeful that Booker would be that central offensive focus tonight.

After three consecutive 30+ scoring games, Bledsoe scored only 14 points. It was tough for both he and Booker to score on the Spurs defense, which was to be somewhat expected as San Antonio is one of the stingiest defenses in the league.

Overall the two starting guards had very similar lines, as they both recorded a game-high five assists and grabbed four rebounds. Booker had four turnovers vs Bledsoe’s two, although Booker countered with two steals to Bledsoe’s one.

Marquese Chriss received extended time tonight playing 30:52 minutes. While a lot of that was due to Tyson Chandler’s unfortunate foul trouble, this was the second game in a row that Chriss has played over 30 minutes, the game against the Knicks being the first time he had done so all season. Chriss responded with 10 points, but only two rebounds and one block.

Tyson received his fourth foul with 6:12 left in the third, and 33 seconds later picked up his fifth immediately substituted out for Chriss. Chandler was thus unable to make the defensive impact the rest of the game that may have helped to sway the game in the Suns’ favor. His eight rebounds were far below his over 12 that he averages generally.

The Spurs had their way on the boards out-rebounding the Suns 50-35.

Finally, Jared Dudley is the best shooter the Suns have had since Steve Nash. Once again tonight he shot the lights out making 4-5 from the field and 2-3 from beyond the arc. His four rebounds were tied for second on the team, and his two blocks led all defenders.

For the Spurs, Kawhi Leonard led all scorers with 18 points, and recorded a double-double with 10 boards. The Spurs were not their normal assisting selves as he led the team with four, and the team finished with 19.

Pau Gasol and LaMarcus Alrdidge finished with 32 points and 16 rebounds.

It sucks, but this isn’t much of a rivalry anymore.

It used to be one of the best in the NBA, but now, it’s like the Yankees, Red Sox rivalry of the 90’s. The Yankees (in this case the Spurs) always came out on top, spoiling all definition of the term rivalry.

For 32 years the Suns held the lead in the head-to-head matchup from 1980 to 2012. The Spurs have now won 17 of 20 since 2012, and currently lead the series 88-75…Some rivalry…

From all of us at Valley of the Suns – Rest in Peace, Craig Sager. You were one of a kind, a lot of fun, and forever an icon of the sport.