A Dream Denied

Damn... Almost there. So close... Well for the first half anyway. Then the runaway sports coupe that is the Phoenix Suns put it into 6th gear and left the Clippers in the dust winning the decisive game 7 127-107 to advance to the Western Conference Finals... again.

The three days rest was enough to rejuvenate the engine, Steve Nash, which in turn rejuvenated the whole team. Nash went for 29 points and 11 assists, 4-5 from three point territory and looked a lot fresher and bouncier... basically MVP form. But it must have felt like old times, in the previous round, the Suns forced a similar game 7 against the Lakers and ran wild under the desert Sun. This time it was the oh-so-close Clippers who got burned.

Elton Brand introduced himself to the world in these playoffs, going for 36 points and 9 boards in game 7. He and teammates Sam Cassel, Chris Kaman, and Corey Maggette went a long way to change the outlook of LA's "other team". They have what appears to be the building blocks of a contender for years to come... provided that Clips owner Sterling can be convinced to keep the free agents on and add some pieces to improve for next year.

Next year...

Photos by AP/ Chris Carlson and Khampha Bouaphahn