Statement Games

We learned the Spurs can turn it on any time they want to. They stiff-armed the Mavericks in San Antonio, and then trampled the Suns in Phoenix. All Star Tim Duncan is still relatively lame, meaning he struggles with his foot problems. All Duncan has to do, however, is keep them close. Manu Ginobli, and reserve Robert Horry have both made careers out of making big plays at the end of close games, as the Mavericks painfully re-discovered.

We learned that Dallas is still Dallas. A better defense than last year is still not enough to win a half-court grind-out with San Antonio. A more balanced offense is still not enough to survive a full-court, full speed shoot-out with Phoenix.

We learned that Steve Nash IS the Phoenix Suns. With five minutes left, the Mavs up 97-100, and the ABC announcers were droning on about how the Suns couldn't win close games, Nash set up Boris Diaw for back-to-back layups, assisted guard Leandro Barbosa for a lay-up and then drilled a three point shot himself to put the Suns suddenly and permanently up by seven.

Nash had rolled his ankle before San Antonio arrived in Phoenix, and sat that game out. The Spurs trampled the Suns by twenty points. So that's something we can still wonder about - all the way into the Western Conference Finals.