San Antonio Spurs Captures No. 3 Spot Will Face Phoenix Suns In First Round Of Playoffs

April 17, 2008 9:55 a.m. EST

San Antonio, TX (AHN) - Defending champion San Antonio Spurs were all business Wednesday night as they routed Utah Jazz 109 - 80 locking on the No.3 seed and will play against the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

The Spurs, who have also clinched the third seed last year en route to their fourth NBA title, will face the Suns, who currently own the sixth berth. San Antonio's win and an earlier victory posted by the Houston Rockets have finalized the seeds 3-6 in the Western Conference but the remaining final berths have yet to be determined until the last day of the regular season.

"We knew that we wanted to go into the playoffs on a positive note. It didn't matter who we were playing," guard Michael Finley told the AP. "I knew we were going to come out with the aggression that we needed and that's what happened."

The Spurs dominated the Jazz from the start, shooting a high 72% percentage as they opened the first two quarters of the game erecting a 65-39 advantage at the half.

As San Antonio started to pull away leading by as many as 29 points in the third, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich started recalling his starters, first Finley, then Tim Duncan and then Tony Parker. Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan likewise pulled his stars.

It will be an interesting first round match-up between Phoenix and San Antonio. The Spurs eliminated Phoenix in six games in the second round of the playoffs last year with Shawn Marion still on the line-up. The Suns, who have won their season series with the Spurs, 3-1, including a 96-79 rout last April 9 at San Antonio, is not the same high-octane, high-scoring Suns they met last year. Shaquille O'Neal has recently joined the team following a blockbuster trade and is slowly adapting to the Suns tempo and plays.

"Shaq slows them down a little bit," Manu Ginobili told the AP. "So they gain a lot in one part, but they lose a little bit in another part. Still, Shaq is Shaq and you have to respect that."

Tony Parker led with 24 points and 12 assists while Tim Duncan added 14 points and 11 rebounds. Michael Finley and Manu Ginobli each scored 12 points.

C.J. Miles scored 12 points while Mehmet Okur added 11 points. Carlos Boozer contributed 8 points and grabbed 10 boards for the Utah Jazz who locked on No. 4 seed and will face the fifth-seeded Houston Rockets, who will get home-court advantage against the Jazz in their series, after capturing the Northwest Division.