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Suns return to site of playoff demise in 2008 opener

Oct 29, 2008 - 10:19 AM Phoenix at San Antonio, 8:00 p.m. EDT

SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- Appropriately enough, the Phoenix Suns' new era begins at the exact spot the old one ended.

Phoenix, led by new head coach Terry Porter, travels to San Antonio to take on the Spurs in Wednesday's 2008-09 opener for both teams. It's certainly not an unfamiliar site for the Suns, whose 2007-08 season ended with a 92-87, Game Five loss to San Antonio in the first round of the playoffs.

It was an ignominious end to the season for the Suns, who brought over Shaquille O'Neal at mid-season in the hopes of competing with the playoff-proven Spurs. The team's performance went south in the postseason as the Suns fell in the opening round for the first time since Steve Nash's arrival.

With the offseason came head coach Mike D'Antoni's exit, the hiring of former Milwaukee Bucks head coach Porter and a renewed commitment to defense.

The Spurs, however, pretty much remain a constant. Yes, Gregg Popovich has added a bushy beard to the ensemble, but the pieces that have built the franchise into the most dominant of its era are mostly there -- with one notable exception. All-Star guard Manu Ginobili is out until at least mid-December while recovering from ankle surgery stemming from an injury he sustained during last year's playoff series against the Suns.

He aggravated the injury during while playing for the Argentinian national team in an Olympic semifinal game against Team USA.

But the Spurs still have Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and a host of solid role players to man the ship until Ginobili returns.

The Spurs and Suns have met in the playoffs in three of the last four years, with San Antonio coming out on top all three times.