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Nash steamed Suns didn’t try to sign Diaw

Veteran Phoenix point guard Steve Nash may have been pushed to the brink of wanting to leave the Suns by his team’s apathetic pursuit of free-agent forward Boris Diaw.

The New York Post’s Peter Vescey reports that that his team didn’t try harder to sign Diaw, a former teammate, after he was bought out of his contract with Charlotte. Instead, Diaw ended up with the Spurs.

Nash and Diaw made a tight connection when they played together with Phoenix from 2005-08. And with the Suns battling for a playoff spot, Nash thought that Diaw was a player who could help get them there.

Nash, a two-time MVP, is an unrestricted free agent after the season. Some of the penurious ways of Phoenix owner Robert Sarver haven’t made Nash happy as the team has been dismantled from one that played for the Western Conference Finals in 2010 but failed to make the playoffs in either of the last two seasons. The Suns are 25-26 and are two games out of the final playoff berth with 15 games to play.

Vescey opines that Diaw might have viewed the Spurs as a better opportunity, as well as a strong confirmation of the Spurs’ willingness to contend for the title this season.

“In that case, there was no future in Phoenix beyond this season, but there is the real possibility of a championship to be won by San Antonio, in addition to a playoff platform for Diaw to improve his stained image,” Vescey wrote.

Spurs close out, close in on West’s top spot

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Spurs 87, Celtics 86: April 4, 2012

San Antonio Spurs center Tim Duncan (21) makes a move against Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett (5) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Wednesday, April 4, 2012. The Spurs won 87-86. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili (20) dishes the ball against Boston Celtics guard Ray Allen (20), forward Kevin Garnett (5) and forward Paul Pierce (34) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Wednesday, April 4, 2012. The Spurs won 87-86. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) (AP)

Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce (34) falls back as he is called for a foul against San Antonio Spurs center Tim Duncan (21) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Wednesday, April 4, 2012. The Spurs won 87-86. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs guard Daniel Green (4) drives against Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett (5) and center Greg Stiemsma, far left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Wednesday, April 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) (AP)

Kentucky basketball head coach John Calipari, left, chats with former Massachusetts treasurer Joe Malone prior to an NBA basketball game between the Boston Celtics and the San Antonio Spurs in Boston, Wednesday, April 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) (AP)

Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo, left, loses control of the ball against San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Wednesday, April 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) (AP)

Boston Celtics guard Ray Allen (20) looks to make a move with the ball against San Antonio Spurs guard Daniel Green (4) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Wednesday, April 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) (AP)

Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce (34) dunks against San Antonio Spurs center Tim Duncan during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Wednesday, April 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) (AP)

Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo (9) leans into a shot against San Antonio Spurs center Tim Duncan (21) as guard Tony Parker (9) watches during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Wednesday, April 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs center Tim Duncan (21) defends against a shot attempt by Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce (34) in the last seconds of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Wednesday, April 4, 2012. The Spurs won 87-86. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) (AP)

By Mike Monroe

BOSTON — The Spurs had been the most efficient offensive team in basketball.

They averaged an NBA-best 107 points per game in the month of March and, for good measure, piled up a season-high 125 points Tuesday in Cleveland to begin April.

Their coach calls the scoring explosion a necessary adjustment for a team he rates no better than above-average on defense. It also had made them the league’s hottest team of late with eight straight wins.

When the offensive magic disappeared in the second half at TD Garden against the Celtics, winners of five in a row before Wednesday’s showdown, it took some old-fashioned defensive magic to secure a ninth consecutive win — an 87-86 victory in the Spurs’ lowest scoring game in more than three months.

But a win is a win. This one, coupled with the Thunder’s close loss in Miami on Wednesday, puts the Spurs only one game out of first place in the Western Conference.

Who better to demonstrate the Spurs’ old way than Tim Duncan, whose challenge of an 18-foot jumper by Boston’s Paul Pierce forced an awkward miss that helped the Spurs ? hold on?

Trailing by a point with 7.9 seconds left, the Celtics called a pair of 20-second timeouts to set up a play for Pierce.

With a foul to give before Boston would be in the bonus, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had instructed his players to foul Pierce before he could get off a shot. Told to switch on every screen, Duncan ended up defending Pierce after he took a pass from Rajon Rondo.

“I knew we had a foul to give, but once he turned that corner and got his shoulders squared to the basket, I wasn’t going to do it,” Duncan said. “Once he turned the corner and kind of squared his shoulder, when you reach out to grab somebody these days, they’re programmed to look like they’re shooting. I didn’t want to do it at that point.”

Instead, Duncan stretched his 6-foot-11 frame and made Pierce shoot a high-arching shot that was badly off line.

“I stood in front of him and challenged his shot,” Duncan said. “If you go back and look at the history, at least what I’ve seen, that’s the shot he wants.”

Duncan’s defense preserved a lead the Spurs had attained after two late possessions they extended with hustle plays. Duncan snared an offensive rebound and found Gary Neal for a 3-pointer with a minute left. Manu Ginobili later grabbed the ball after it was knocked away from Duncan and found Matt Bonner for a 16-footer that turned out to be the difference-maker.

The game-winning shot wasn’t close to something the Spurs had planned. A lob pass from Ginobili to Duncan on a pick-and-roll had been batted away by Boston’s Kevin Garnett. It landed right back in the hands of Ginobili, who zipped it straight to Bonner, wide open on the left wing. Bonner’s mid-range shot swished with 46.5 seconds left.

“Just Manu being Manu,” Duncan said. “He scrambled, made a great play, looked for me. They’d been getting hands on the ball all night, and it kind of bounced back to him. I guess just keeping his head up he got the ball back and made a quick pass.”

Bonner had missed his previous four shots in the second half, but he knew it was only a matter of time until one fell.

“The laws of probability,” he said. “I think I missed my previous 93 shots. At least that’s what it felt like in my head. So I knew that one was going in.”

Bonner wasn’t the only Spurs player unable to shoot with typical precision after intermission. The Spurs made only 4 of 20 shots in the third quarter and scored only nine points, a season low for any quarter. Their 28 second-half points were also a season-low.

“We were fortunate at the end,” Popovich said. “Manu got a great offensive rebound. We got a couple extra possessions at the very end, and lots of times, that’s a team’s demise.”

mikemonroe@express-news.net
Twitter: @Monroe_SA

Jefferson’s late hoop leads Utah’s rally, paces Thursday’s S&Ds

Al Jefferson wasn’t sure Devin Harris’ shot would be close to the basket.

Harris joked after the game that it actually was a pass.

Fortunately for Utah, Jefferson was in the right place at the right time Thursday night. Jefferson rammed home a rebound basket for the game-winning shot with 0.9 seconds left to lead the Jazz to a 103-102 victory at Sacramento.

“It was just great to get the win, man,” Jefferson told the Salt Lake City Deseret News. “We’ll get it any way we have to.”

The final hoop capped a big night for Jefferson that included 26 points, seven rebounds and four blocks.

“I honestly thought it was a short shot,” Jefferson told the Associated Press. “I was at the basket by myself and that was the only way he could get it to me. It was a perfect pass.”

Utah rallied after squandering a 14-point second-half lead, scoring on four of its last five shots after going almost 9 minutes without a basket.

“The greatest thing about it is that we hung in there. We didn’t hang our heads. We continued to fight,” Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin told the Deseret News. “What a big finish.”

STUDS

Utah C Al Jefferson: Hit the game-winning basket with 0.9 seconds left, part of a strong effort that included 26 points, seven rebounds and four blocks in the Jazz’s triumph at Sacramento.

New Orleans’ defense: The Hornets limited the Los Angeles Clippers to 11 points and 17.4 percent shooting in the fourth quarter and forced them to miss their last 19 3-point attempts in their victory over the Clippers.

Boston F Paul Pierce: Went for 25 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two blocks and was plus-10 in the Celtics’ victory at Milwaukee.

Sacramento C DeMarcus Cousins: Notched 22 points, 18 rebounds, three assists, two steals and was plus-6 in the Kings’ loss to Utah.

Houston G Goran Dragic: Produced 17 points, nine assists, three rebounds and three steals and was a game-best plus-27 in the Rockets’ victory over Golden State.

DUDS

Los Angeles Clippers G Randy Foye: Clanked through a miserable 1-for-14 shooting night and was a team-worst minus-7 in the Clippers’ loss at New Orleans.

Houston F Chase Budinger: Missed all seven shots in the Rockets’ victory at Golden State.

Sacramento G Isaiah Thomas: Went 4 for 10 from the field with four turnovers and was a team-worst minus-18 in the Kings’ loss to Utah.

Milwaukee C Drew Gooden: Struggled in a 2-for-12 shooting performance with two turnovers and was minus-4 in the Bucks’ loss to Boston.

Washington G Roger Mason: Missed all five shots with a turnover and was minus-6 in the Wizards’ loss to Indiana.