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Slumping Spurs visit Suns in playoff rematch

Jan 31, 2008 - 2:02 PM San Antonio (28-16) at Phoenix (33-13) 10:30 pm EST

PHOENIX (Ticker) - Lately, the San Antonio Spurs have hardly resembled the team that hoisted the Larry O'Brien Trophy last season.

The Spurs aim to avoid a fourth straight loss when they visit the Phoenix Suns on Thursday in a rematch of the 2007 Western Conference semifinals.

San Antonio, which has not lost four straight since November 28 to December 3, 2003, is in the midst of a nine-game road trip.

The Spurs, who beat the Suns in six games en route to their fourth title last season, are coming off an inexcusable 88-85 loss to the Seattle SuperSonics on Tuesday. Seattle had lost 14 straight prior to Tuesday's win.

Now they run into a red-hot Phoenix team which has won three straight and seven of its last eight games. To make matters worse, Finals MVP Tony Parker will miss a second straight game because of a bone spur in his left heel. There is no timetable for his return.

Parker also missed the first meeting in San Antonio on December 17. Phoenix emerged with a 100-95 win in that contest.

That was the first meeting since last season's semifinals, which were swayed in the Spurs' favor when Robert Horry's Game Four hip check of Steve Nash ultimately led to the suspensions of Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw.

Diaw and Stoudemire were suspended for leaving the bench in Game Four. The Spurs tied the series at 2-2 with a win in that game and stole the momentum.