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Thursday, May 18, 2006
Sayson: The Suns won’t set
By Homer Sayson
Secondovertime
CHICAGO –It was a Game 5 for the ages, easily the best game of these NBA playoffs thus far. It need two overtimes to resolve, an instant classic full of thrills and spills, an action-packed duel where the momentum swung wildly like an erratic pendulum.
There were 13 ties and 13 lead changes, 45 fouls whistled and 107 rebounds contested. Some 290 minutes were played, 43 assists passed around, 28 turnovers made and a dizzying combined total of 243 points scored.
In the end, however, these are the only numbers that mattered in yesterday’s shootout at the US Airways Center in Phoenix – Phoenix 125, Los Angeles 118.
And with that, the Suns take a 3-2 series lead over the Clippers in their best-of-seven Western Conference semis. Game 6 shifts to the Staples Center in Los Angeles tomorrow.
Nipping the Clips in the pivotal Game 5 sure was confidence-boosting for the Suns. But really, much of the drama was avoidable. And the game shouldn’t have gone to overtime, let alone two. If only the Suns held to their 76-57 cushion with 6:56 left in the third quarter.
But like most jump-shooting teams that play below average defense, the Suns lose leads as quickly as they build them. And that’s exactly what happened when Sam Cassell and Elton Brand went bonkers and nearly pulled off one of the biggest comebacks in postseason history.
But, alas, the Suns wouldn’t lose. Not even when Steve Nash appeared mortal in overtime. Not even after Tim Thomas fouled out, and not even after they were near death, down 108-111 with 3.01 ticks to go in the first overtime.
I guess you can say, this was written in the stars
HEAT RESTS. After breezing through the regular season with a 64-18 slate, flirting with 70 wins along the way, the Detroit Pistons were supposed to just cakewalk their way to the East Finals.
But LeBron James has other plans, and thanks to this spectacular play, the Pistons-Cavs series is currently deadlocked at 2-2. Before you get any ideas, the Pistons will win this series, but Detroit’s fans couldn’t be happy watching their team still playing in a series which should have been over or 3-1 at the very least.
Meanwhile, a banged-up Miami team finished off the Nets, 106-105, yesterday at the American Airlines Arena. By dispatching the Nets in five games, Miami coach Pat Riley returns to the Conference Finals for the first time in nine years.
And while Detroit is having its hands full with the pesky Cavs, the Heat are resting. A tired Shaq and a banged-up Dwyane Wade couldn’t have dreamed of a more beautiful scenario.
HALFTIME BREAK. Cooling off from my hectic schedule, which includes writng this NBA coulmn daily among other things, I went to visit with friends the other night at the residence of my lovely cousin Doris Anciano and her husband Bob Podkowa, a towering 6-foot-5 Adonis who works in the gang tac unit of the Chicago police department.
Mingling with the aroma of barbecued pork chops, NBA talk wafted in the air when I had to do my NBA segment with Leo Lastimosa in the middle of the party. Bob doesn’t particularly like the NBA, but he was amazed how big that league is in the Philippines.
One of the party guests sure was a huge NBA fanatic. It was Louie Ybañez, Alcoy’s next mayor and husband to Doris’ sister Daling. The Ybañez couple are visiting from Cebu, having the time of their lives.
Louie, who runs a furniture business is Cebu, confessed being a loyalist to this column and that many of his peers tune in to my radio gig on the morning drive to work. Wow, I’m flattered.
(homsay@hotmail.com)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (May 18, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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