NBA Playoffs: San Antonio Spurs Vs. Phoenix Suns

Besides the much-hyped potentiality of a Los Angeles-Boston matchup in the NBA Finals, the most anticipated matchup has got to be the first round series between the San Antonio Spurs and the Phoenix Suns. The defending NBA Champions, San Antonio, may have a bit of difficulty repeating.

Phoenix comes into the series having bested San Antonio 3-out-of-4 times this year, beating the Spurs by 17 just ten days ago. The addition of Shaquille O'Neal to the lineup in February solidified their inside game, giving anchor to an already good offense. He also gives an immovable column to combat San Antonio's Tim Duncan. And with the high-scoring and nearly unstoppable Amare Stoudemire, who is averaging over 25 points per game, San Antonio could be in trouble indeed.

Phoenix has won nine games in a row. They are 15-5 in their last twenty outings, beginning with a victory over San Antonio in March. They are also shooting 50% from the field, the highest shooting percentage in the league since 1996-97 when the Utah Jazz shot 50.4.

Most telling in the four games played against the Spurs -- Phoenix won both contests in San Antonio.

But the Spurs bring with them a veteran playoff team that has a tradition of post-season wins. They have won four NBA Championships in the past nine years. Tim Duncan has been there for them all.

Last year's meeting in the playoffs between these two teams saw San Antonio take the series four game to two. But, again, that was last year. That was pre-Shaq. For San Antonio to win this year, Guards Manu Genobili and Tony Parker will definitely have to step up and give Duncan a hand.

Also, the Suns may come in on an emotional high, what with their winning streak and the memory of two of their players, Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw, being banned from playing the rest of the playoff series after leading the bench-clearing charge onto the basketball court in Game 4 after San Antonio's Robert Horry hip-checked the Suns' Steve Nash into the boards. Add this to the depth of the Phoenix bench and its going to be an uphill battle for San Antonio.