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Phoenix Suns vs San Antonio Spurs
Christmas day game
12:30 PM
abc
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=281225021
Christmas day game
12:30 PM
abc
Spurs-Suns Preview
The San Antonio Spurs are showing the early season discussion of their demise was premature. Beating them in front of a nationally televised audience might help the Phoenix Suns ward off similar talk about their team.
One of these Western Conference foes can further rejuvenate its season as this rivalry continues on Christmas Day when the Spurs visit the Suns.
"It's Phoenix and we have a history there. It's a rivalry," Spurs guard Roger Mason said. "It's a lot of fun to be able to play on a big stage like that. I think we're starting to play better and better, and it will be a good test for us."
The Spurs (18-10) have won nine of 11 and own the third-best record in the West. Just over a month ago, some believed San Antonio's days as an elite team were over due to a 2-5 start to the season and an aging roster.
No team is older than the Suns (16-11). That, along with the coaching change from Mike D'Antoni to Terry Porter, didn't appear to be a good mix and a four-game losing streak earlier this month put them only two games above .500. However, Phoenix has bounced back to go 5-2, with each loss coming on the road by five points -- to the Lakers and Portland.
Phoenix has won three of four games since acquiring Jason Richardson from Charlotte for Raja Bell and Boris Diaw. He's averaged 18.3 points in a Suns uniform, making 13-of-24 from 3-point range.
"Playing on Christmas Day is huge," Richardson told the team's official Web site. "First time I'm getting to getting to play on that Christmas Day stage and hopefully will get my present in the form of a Suns win.
"This will be the 11th game on Christmas for Phoenix's Shaquille O'Neal, who has averaged 23.6 points and 13.5 rebounds on the holiday while his teams have gone 5-5.
"Been so many now I can't even pick out any specific memories," said the 36-year-old center. "They just all run together and all I know is that I've played in a lot."
The Suns have won the last three regular season meetings with the Spurs, including a 103-98 season-opening victory, but that streak doesn't include San Antonio's first-round playoff win in April. It was the third time in four years the Spurs ousted the Suns from the postseason.
A big factor for San Antonio in those series was the production of Manu Ginobili, who missed the Oct. 29 game versus Phoenix while recovering from offseason ankle surgery. His status for this game is uncertain after he briefly left Tuesday's 99-93 win over Minnesota when the ankle started to bother him.
"I'm hoping it's just scar tissue or something like that," coach Gregg Popovich said. "Those things are going to happen to him while he's recovering, but we'll find out."
Tony Parker has keyed the Spurs' current three-game winning streak, averaging 26.0 points on 60.4 percent shooting and 8.0 assists.
His point guard counterpart was the difference in Phoenix's most recent victory. Steve Nash scored eight straight points in the final three minutes as the Suns beat Northwest Division-leading Denver 108-101 on Saturday for their fifth straight home win.
"That's good mojo for us in our building and hopefully we can continue to build on it," Porter said.
Nash is averaging 18.3 points in his last four games. However, in the last four-plus seasons, including playoff games, the Suns are 5-15 versus San Antonio when Nash scores more than 15 points, compared to 6-4 when he doesn't.
The Spurs have lost their last two road games -- to division leaders New Orleans and Orlando -- as they were held under 85 points and 40 percent from the field both times.
Phoenix, though, has given up more than 100 points in 12 straight games.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=281225021
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