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Nash, Suns face Spurs in playoff rematch

Dec 17, 2007 - 3:26 PM Phoenix (17-7) at San Antonio (18-5) 8:30 pm EST

SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) - The Phoenix Suns would like to forget the way last season ended.

Steve Nash and the Suns on Monday face the defending champion San Antonio Spurs for the first time since being eliminated in the controversial Western Conference semifinals last May.

The Spurs left the Suns battered and bruised during the six game series. Steve Nash missed a good portion of Game 1 because of a gash in his nose.

Then in Game 4 with the series tied at 2-2, Robert Horry's hip check of Nash into the scorer's table led to the one-game suspensions of Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw, who left the bench in support of their teammate.

With Phoenix shorthanded, San Antonio won the next two games to clinch the series. The Spurs then capped the run with their fourth championship in the last nine years when they swept LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Suns will undoubtedly be angry about last season's outcome, as well as the fact that they suffered a 101-98 loss to New Orleans on Saturday. Nash was held to just 12 points and seven assists in the loss.

Meanwhile, San Antonio received a boost on Saturday when Tim Duncan returned to the lineup in a 102-91 win over Denver after missing four games because of a sprained ankle.

While they are glad to have Duncan back the Spurs may still be shorthanded. San Antonio, which has lost three of four, may not have Final MVP Tony Parker for this one. Parker has missed the last two games because of a sprained ankle.

San Antonio has dominated the recent series going 7-3 vs. Phoenix in the regular season since 2004-05, and 8-3 in 11 postseason meetings.