Spurs Swept! Suns On The Rise!

Wow. I did not see that coming. I've said time and time again this season that the Suns couldn't go any further than the second round. Well, not only did they prove me wrong, but they did so in convincing fashion as they swept the Spurs en route to their first appearance in the conference finals since 2006. After having been eliminated by San Antonio four times in the playoffs since 2003, with Nash on three of those four teams, the Suns have finally overcome the Spurs.

Although they completed the sweep, they didn't leave San Antonio unscathed. Halfway through the 3rd quarter with the Suns up 64-57, Steve Nash caught an inadvertent elbow above his right eye from Tim Duncan who was pulling up for a shot. Nash returned after having six stitches, with the Spurs taking the lead at one point during his absence. The Suns recaptured the lead though, heading into the fourth up 72-71.

Upon his return, Nash's eye was swollen shut and it took on a shade of purple darker than the Suns' jerseys. It looked disgusting to say the least. Despite only being able to see through his left eye, Nash showed incredible poise as the Suns continued to outclass San Antonio. He scored 10 of his 20 points in the decisive fourth quarter, including a huge three-pointer on a fast break that gave the Suns an 80-77 lead. Nash also dished five of his nine assists in the fourth as well. The Spurs had no answer for Nash and Stoudemire's pick and roll offense, as Amare hit a few long jumpers to help seal the win.

The Spurs nearly made a game of it in the final two minutes, as they overcame a 10-point deficit. George Hill was fouled by Amare on a converted three-pointer with under 30 seconds left, and he would hit the free throw to bring the score to 103-101. But the Suns would hang on to win after two Grant Hill free throws, a missed Ginobili three-pointer, and two more free throws from Jason Richardson.

I've underestimated this Suns team throughout this entire season, and though I started to realize they were formidable at the end of the season, I still didn't grasp just how good they have become. Coach Alvin Gentry has instilled a defensive identity for this Phoenix squad that lacked in previous incarnations. Once riddled by injuries, 37-year-old Grant Hill has been revitalized by the Suns' mystical training staff and has emerged as a tremendous perimeter defender. While Ginobili has struggled shooting since he busted his nose in the Mavs series, a big part of his drop-off should be credited to Hill.

Backing up Hill, the Suns' frontcourt has surprisingly turned into a defensive outfit that can't be overlooked. Jared Dudley and Lou Amundson have provided gritty hustle and effort, while Amare seems to finally be developing into a decent defensive big man. Despite these improvements to their defense, the Suns offense is the main reason they've gotten this far.

Jared Dudley and Channing Frye have developed into extremely effective three-pointer shooters alongside sharpshooter Jason Richardson. Having these three-point threats surrounding the perimeter while Nash and Stoudemire run one of the best pick and roll combos of this decade makes for a scary offense. Factor in Goran Dragic's emergence this season as more than just a quality back-up to Nash at the point, and this Suns offense is even more frightening. And I haven't even gotten into what Nash and company can accomplish in the open court.

Now that I've realized this Suns team is one to be reckoned with, I'm left wondering how much further they can go. Will they be able to hang with the Lakers once LA finishes off Utah? If you'd asked me that a week ago, I would have probably laughed. But now? I'm beginning to think they have a shot at doing something special this year, and I'd be pretty excited to see that happen. Go ahead, call me out for jumping on the bandwagon, but who wouldn't like to see class acts like Steve Nash and Grant Hill bring Phoenix its first championship?