It was a month ago — and they feel so even more today — that the playoffs were stolen from them.

It was the infamous suspensions of Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw for coming off the bench when Robert Horry delivered his cheap shot on the Suns' best player, Steve Nash. The NBA declared the rule inviolate for getting off the bench, though there was no fight. And it came as the Suns had overcome that personal mountain of theirs, winning in San Antonio to even the series at 2-2 with two of the next three games in Phoenix. Heck, the Suns thought they would have won Game 1 if Nash had not collided with Parker and Nash's bleeding wouldn't stop and he had to sit out much of the last minute with the Suns charging back.

No team will come into next season more serious, more determined, more committed to righting their perceived wrong. It drives players and teams like it drove Ginobili in these playoffs after last season's disappointment.

Phoenix also aims to dispel the notion that their kind of play, open and fast, cannot win in the NBA. They believed it was about to win against the Spurs, who were better than anyone.

And another season removed from his knee surgery, Amare Stoudemire could be too much to handle with Nash growing more desperate and determined for that trip to the Finals his buddies Nowitzki and Michael Finley have now experienced, Finley with that elusive championship ring finally

"They got the MVP trophies," said Finley. "They are two of my best friends. They congratulated me for the Finals."

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It is hard to pick against the Spurs since they are the ultimate chameleon of basketball. Play fast, like the Suns. We can do that. Play slow like the Cavs. We can beat you. It truly is marvelous basketball to watch, efficient and relentless in its subtlety.

And they have Tim Duncan, the bridge to the last era of the NBA with changing players around him from 1999 and through this championship. At just 31, he would seem to have several good runs left and a real shot to surpass the six championships of the Bulls and Jordan.

Just not next year. Though don't completely hold me to that quite yet.

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