Suns and Phoenix media expecting a basketball bloodbath

[ScolaFan]

Compiled from Wire Reports
Friday, April 18, 2008

The Arizona Republic's Paul Coro says the Spurs-Suns series will be physical:
By the time this basketball bloodbath, er, first-round playoff series, ends, Phoenix and San Antonio might have played each other as many as 20 times since November 2006.

Familiarity breeds contempt . . . and wounds. The wounds are physical and emotional, particularly when the Suns have taken a literal and figurative beating from the Spurs until this season.

"It's going to be knockdown, drag-out," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We're going to have to beat them and beat them solid."

Suns guard Steve Nash is the target of much of the physical play. Spurs guard Bruce Bowen, a top backcourt defender, tries to wear down Nash. Bowen applies in-your-face, and even in-your-groin, defense to Nash. He tenaciously grates on guards' nerves with tactics Amaré Stoudemire called "dirty" last season.

D'Antoni was asked about the way Bowen defended Nash after Game 3 last year. D'Antoni wadded up a summary sheet and said, "If that's the way everyone wants it, we'll play that way, too," before exiting.

TO READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE CLICK HERE