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#8 Suns-Spurs
A rivalry in every sense of the word. The Spurs and the Suns were absolute opposites of each other. The Spurs with their boring methodical defensive style of play against the run and gun 7 seconds or less Suns.
The two teams met 6 times in the playoffs in 11 seasons from 1999-00 to 2009-10, but it only really became a rivalry in 2004 when Steve Nash returned to Phoenix. Engineering some of the highest scoring offenses in league history, the Suns managed to blow past everyone, but the Spurs. They lost to the Spurs in 05, 07 and 08 but 2007 really sticks out. In the 2007 playoff series, four games involved either an ejection, a fight or lacerations.
In what has since been described by many as the real NBA Finals of that year, they faced off in the Conference Semi-Finals. With the Suns in position to level the series at 2-2, Robert Horry hip-checked Nash to the scorers' table, which led to Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw leaving the bench, only to get suspended for Game 5. The undermanned Suns lost Game 5 and eventually 6 to bow out in controversial fashion.
The Suns finally got some revenge by sweeping the Spurs in the 2010 playoffs, which marked the only time Nash ever managed to get past the Spurs. The bad blood from 2007 has somewhat died down since helped by the fact that the Suns haven't made it to the playoffs since 2010.
