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Suns without Stoudemire, Diaw for Game Five against Spurs

May 16, 2007 - 12:58 PM San Antonio at Phoenix 10:30 pm EDT Western Conference semifinal Series tied, 2-2

PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Center Amare Stoudemire sat out the Phoenix Suns' impressive playoff run last season while recovering from knee surgery. He can only watch on Wednesday and the Suns do not even have a capable replacement.

The shorthanded Suns will look to overcome suspensions to Stoudemire and backup center Boris Diaw on Wednesday when they take on the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of their Western Conference semifinal series.

At the end of Monday's Game Four, Spurs forward Robert Horry shouldered two-time MVP Steve Nash into the scorer's table as Phoenix was wrapping up a 104-98 win at San Antonio, evening the series at two games apiece.

"I was trying to skate between him and the boards, and he got me with a nice hip check," Nash said. "What can I say? It was a pretty nice hip check."

For that flagrant foul, Horry was suspended for two games.

NBA senior vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson announced the suspensions on Tuesday. Stoudemire and Diaw were suspended for leaving the team bench after the foul, which carries an automatic one-game ban.

While Horry has been one of the best postseason performers in NBA history, the suspensions will likely hurt the Suns the most.

An All-NBA First Team performer, Stoudemire will leave a huge void in the middle of Phoenix's lineup, forcing Nash to look elsewhere on side pick-and-rolls in the halfcourt set.

The Suns looked last season to Diaw, who filled in ably in the two-man game with Nash. But with both pivots suspended, coach Mike D'Antoni has to figure out a lineup that will work effectively.

Phoenix will probably go small, pushing reserves Leandro Barbosa, James Jones and even Jalen Rose to the forefront. Kurt Thomas, who has been starting as a defensive specialist opposite Tim Duncan, also will see increased minutes.

For all the emphasis on the injuries, suspensions and physical play - and the strain it has caused - Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was a man of few words.

"It's the playoffs," he said. "It's physical. End of story."