Steve Nash scored 31 for Phoenix but missed a crucial 45 seconds in the final minute. AP

Let's start with how the game finished. The Phoenix Suns didn't lose Game 1 of its conference semifinal series with the Spurs because Steve Nash wasn't allowed to return with 54.8 seconds left in the fourth quarter. The Suns were down two at that point, they had possession, and there's no guarantee that Nash (even the Nash who was white-hot from the field, and had just nailed a three-pointer the possession before) would have made a difference against a stout San Antonio defense.

This was a close game between two evenly matched teams (despite their disparate strengths)that would have gone either way even if Nash's split nose would have magically healed on the sideline. There's no point in playing the blame game when things are this close.

Of course, this is me being incredibly naïve. No person of sound mind could watch a series opener that thrilling and that well-played and not be emotional enough (regardless of your rooting interest) to have an opinion about what led to the San Antonio win. If you do want to spread the blame around, blame coach Mike D'Antoni for not calling a timeout after a Suns offensive rebound with 41 seconds left (in the team's first possession sans Nash, a Leandro Barbosa three-point miss). Blame his team's inability to stay in front of Tony Parker. And blame Amare Stoudemire (6-of-19 from the floor) for not being able to finish in the lane against a withering San Antonio defense.

There. Does that make you feel any better? It shouldn't, because the Suns played a hell of a game that just happened to finish with them a couple of baskets behind.

Parker was incredible. Though he turned the ball over six times, the Spurs' guard scored 32 points on 14-of-22 shooting, adding eight assists and three steals in 38 minutes. D'Antoni had Shawn Marion -- a versatile defender whose absence on the All-Defensive team was pretty depressing -- try to check Parker, and though Marion gave good effort, he had no chance. The move was not without precedent, however.

Stuck in a tooth-and-nail fight for the 1998 Eastern Conference championship, Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson decided to switch defensive greyhound Scottie Pippen onto Indiana Pacers point guard Mark Jackson. The decision worked, Jackson was rendered useless with his ability to post up taken away, and though the series went the full seven games, the Pippen/Jackson matchup squarely turned the conference finals in Chicago's favor. But Marion is no Scottie Pippen, and Mark Jackson (though a fine playmaker in his own right) was certainly no Tony Parker in terms of speed and quickness, though they both love that teardrop in the lane.

Don't expect D'Antoni to change the assignments. The Suns don't have an answer for Parker, and it's just something the team is going to have to live with. Phoenix doesn't stand a chance if Nash is going to have to guard Parker. The Suns are essentially forcing Parker to beat them individually -- and though he's probably up to the task, it's better than watching him score on Nash while wearing out the Phoenix floor leader at the same time.

San Antonio was my favorite going in and it's stolen the home court advantage, but this series is going seven games, and you have to like Phoenix's chances. The Suns' mistakes were obvious. Stoudemire doesn't have the agility and hops he showcased two years ago, when he dominated the Spurs in the Western Conference finals. He'll only get better as the series moves along. Even with Bruce Bowen hounding him, Barbosa won't likely continue to need 17 shots to score 18 points, as he did Sunday. And the Suns should take better advantage of the San Antonio turnovers -- the Spurs had 15 Sunday (to just seven for the Suns, an astonishing feat), and somehow still maintained a lead for most of the game. That won't keep up if San Antonio continues to lose the turnover battle by a 2-to-1 margin.

This series is going to be great. Tim Duncan had 33 points, 16 rebounds, three blocks, just one turnover in 40 minutes -- and it took me nearly 700 words to mention him. Michael Finley is playing incredibly efficient basketball in the postseason -- he scored 19 points on just 11 shots Sunday -- and Robert Horry was as clutch as always. Jacque Vaughn (four fouls in 10 minutes) might have the best defensive footwork in basketball, and he still turned out to be a too-slow liability in the face of Barbosa's onslaught.

One cannot stress it enough: This series is going to be great.