Playoff Blogdome: Spurs-Suns, Game 5

Views from around the Web after last night's pivotal Game 5 between the Spurs and Suns ...

• The Bright Side Of The Sun: "I'm proud of the way the Suns played this game. They could have just given in and they didn't. They played their hearts out and were a 3 point shot away from winning it. They got 5 more shots than the Spurs. They shot the exact same percentage - 40.3%. They only missed 1 free throw. They won the rebound game. They won the assist game. Unfortunately, they had 2 more turnovers and that was what killed them. I wonder what David Stern is thinking right now. I know he was scheduled to come to Phoenix for this game but canceled because he was afraid for his life. And he should have been."

• Taking It To The Rack: "By the end of last night's game in Phoenix, it didn't matter who was active or suspended. What mattered was that the Suns had controlled play for close to 45 minutes on their home floor...and all they had to show for it was a loss that put them on the brink of elimination as they head to San Antonio for Game 6. Who you are is irrelevant in that type of situation; this is a loss that would be a major blow to anyone. ">

• The Painted Area: "Must say, this series ain't too shabby. Game 5 played out very similar to Game 4 where one team seemed to have firm control of the game but couldn't close the deal. The one key difference between Game 4 & 5— the Spurs got to play the spoiler tonite instead. It looked like the Spurs came out very tentative in the 1st half, and seemed like they almost felt guilty that the Suns were short-handed, and they looked confused at what the Suns were doing—the Spurs only scored 33 ots in the 1st half (a season low). But after halftime, it looked like they shook off the early game rust & reticence."

• Five Tool Tool: "In a decision that seems sure to spark a national controversy, ESPN and TNT have announced a joint plan to euthanize the NBA Playoffs."