The Suns’ Grant Hill, who has been bothered by a groin injury and wasn’t 100 percent for Game 1, played less than 20 minutes in Game 2 and didn’t score.

The Suns shot 61 percent in the first half but couldn’t sustain it. The Spurs cut the lead each time before Phoenix could build it back up.

O’Neal didn’t get into foul trouble on Tuesday the way he did in Game 1, and it showed. He played more than 18 minutes in the first half and had four blocks and 11 points.

And Stoudemire could neither miss nor be stopped. He was 11-of-14 from the field, penetrating the paint and hitting jumpers for 25 first-half points.

But the Spurs came within striking distance by adopting the Suns’ quick game. San Antonio had 18 fast-break points, led by Parker and Ginobili, in the half to the Suns’ two.

The Suns led 61-54 at the break.

Michael Finley started the third quarter with eight points of an 11-0 Spurs run and tied the score at 61 with a mid-range jumper.

The Suns came out looking disorganized and missed eight consecutive shots. They didn’t score until 5:35 was left in the third quarter off Nash’s fade-away jumper.

The Spurs went up by 71-63 when Duncan, posted under the basket, passed to an open Ime Udoka for an easy layup.

Notes: Ginobili was presented the NBA’s sixth man award, which he won on Monday, before tipoff. Suns G Leandro Barbosa, who won the award last year, came in second. “I think he (Ginobili) should start so that way LB (Barbosa) could get it,” joked Suns coach Mike D’Antoni. “I think he’s (Ginobili) one of the best players in the league. Sixth man, first man, third man, he should be on the All-Star team.” ... Barbosa was 0-of-7 from the field and didn’t score Tuesday. ... Spurs F Robert Horry played for the first time since March 21, when he went out with a left knee contusion. He had a big block on O’Neal with about 3½ minutes left in the first half. ... Late in the third Spurs coach Gregg Popovich started the so-called “Hack-a-Shaq” — having his players intentionally foul O’Neal, a 52 percent career free-throw shooter. It backfired, though, and O’Neal went 5-of-6 from the foul line during the span. “I think he made the strategy look stupid,” Popovich said.

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