Phoenix vs. San Antonio: Let's Measure

Unless something changes drastically -- like Steve Nash being kidnapped or Tim Duncan suddenly retiring before Greg Oden takes his title as the most expressionless basketball player alive -- Phoenix and San Antonio are going to meet in the secound round of the playoffs. This game tonight matters. Consider it a prologue ... Game 0.5 of their impending playoff battle.

For starters, home court advantage in the series could hinge on this game (though it likely won't). San Antonio's three games back of Phoenix, and they can cut it two and earn the tiebreaker tonight. Making up two more games on the Suns in the 7 games remaining isn't impossible, but it's not likely ... especially if Phoenix knows that they actually need the Ws.

But it's about more than that. It's a measuring stick, and in a lot of ways, Phoenix still needs to prove that they can put on the big boy pants. For all their success and their much-deserved accolades, they still haven't proven that their gun-threes-and-ask-questions-later strategy can win a championship. Tim Duncan and the Spurs, however, have proven everything that they possibly can prove, and despite their #3-spot in the standings, a lot of people, John Hollinger and his PER-ty numbers among them, still feel like they're the biggest mountain to climb.

Said Tim Duncan:

"It's good to have them coming into our house here and be able to measure up a little bit."

They get out the rulers tonight at 9:30 on TNT, and we'll see who's packing what.