Steve Nash has a hurt hip. Tim Duncan has ailing knees. There are many things that could be written in an attempt to elaborate the potential outcome of this second round Western Conference playoff series between the San Antonio Spurs and the Phoenix Suns, but no other factors will have a larger impact.

Steve Nash and Tim Duncan share similarities in that their teams will ride their performances and perform accordingly. It’s the same old song and dance, however, the dancing part is getting harder these days as these savvy veteran’s bodies continue aging and deteriorating.

How's that hip doing Nash?

Suns First Round Synapsis

Nash did manage to gimp around the court as the Suns eliminated the Blazers. He was the inspirational leader leading a team without a center, possessing only one strong defender in Grant Hill, defeating a Portland team playing without its best player.

Realistically, can anyone argue that Brandon Roy was nowhere near his regular self?  Additionally, how would argue the Blazers roster was so depleted by injuries that it didn’t resemble Swiss cheese?

Spurs First Round Synapsis

Tim Duncan was hindered by knee problems allowing Dallas’ plethora of bigs like Erick Dampier and Brendan Haywood to slow him down and somewhat contain him, yet the Spurs managed to ride the hot hands of George Hill and Manu Ginobili to eliminate the Mavericks.

The Mavericks had all their players active, and even though Dirk Nowitski and company played well, they were not good enough to beat the Spurs.

Major First Round Performance Difference between Spurs and Suns:

Even when the Spurs best player is not 100%, the Spurs can still manage to overcome a top notch team like the Dallas Mavericks.

Do you think the Suns would have been able to defeat the Mavericks? I truly doubt it.

That being said, here are a few crucial questions I asked myself in deliberating the outcome of the series, eventually convincing myself that the Spurs will devour the Suns.

How do the Suns contain or stop Tim Duncan?

Duncan and the Spurs face off against a Suns team lacking any dominant, defensive-minded big men that will occupy space in the middle or put any significant pressure on Duncan. Expect Duncan to cause severe damage in this series.

How will Nash deal with his hip injury and continue to remain effective?

Nash is one of the best point guards in the game, hands down, but will Nash and his sore hip have anything left in the tank to finish games after chasing George Hill and Tony Parker around for 40 minutes?

Running on a bump hip is one thing, but having to crouch down into a defensive stance while moving full speed laterally while also trying to stay in front of lightning quick players like Hill and Parker is an entirely different story.

Having to defend either player will take a huge toll on Nash’s injured hip, possibly leading to extended time on the bench due to soreness or because of foul trouble by being caught out of defensive position.

George Hill has been on fire lately, and as soon as Parker is inserted off the bench, the Spurs are tossing another certified NBA starter against the Suns second unit if Nash cannot log big minutes.

How do the Suns stop the Spurs from having their way inside, and then outside?

Duncan is one of the best passing big men to ever play the game, and will surely make the Suns pay when they collapse on him with nimble passes to wide open Manu Ginobili, George Hill, or Matt Bonner. Yeah, I said it, Matt Bonner.

Good work fellas.... It's Bonner time!

Western Conference Round 2 Playoff Outcome Summary:

I will honestly be very surprised if the Suns can make this series last longer than 5 games. That being said, who would have counted on the Suns posting a 54-28 record this year, based on how they played the year before. If Nash can shake off his injury he can make the impact to maybe help the Suns win a second game, but that is about it.

Look for the Spurs to shine like Ginobili’s ever-expanding bald spot as they make their way into the Western Conference Finals.

Antonio McDyess is officially a member of the San Antonio Spurs, strengthening Protect the Paint’s prediction that the Spurs are the team to beat for 2010.

McDyess (and draft choice DeJuan Blair) joins Tim Duncan and Matt Bonner to give San Antonio an incredibly strong, versatile frontcourt. Duncan does everything. He might not rap or be covered in tattoos. He’s never assaulted anyone, so his street-cred is lacking, but he’ll go down as one of the best basketball players ever.

McDyess' shooting touch can now help a contender. (credit:picapp.com)

Bonner started last season, but most likely will come off the bench for the new Spurs. His 44 percent from beyond the arc brings defenders out of the paint freeing up space for Duncan. Blair—the 37th pick in last month’s draft out of Pittsburgh—is a rebounding machine. This is a man who can protect the paint.

Which brings us to McDyess. The number two overall back from the 1995 Draft averaged 9.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game last year in 62 games with Detroit, starting out as a reserve and eventually gaining a starting position because of his steady play. He might not have the same psycho look in his eye Kurt Thomas (traded to Milwaukee) did, but immediately makes the Spurs a much better rebounding team and more physical.

Jefferson will be slashing teams apart at will. (Credit: picapp.com)

Throw in the acquisition of Richard Jefferson—excellent defender, gets out on the break, in his prime—and the Spurs add the athleticism they lacked last season.

Tony Parker and a healthy Manu Ginobili, along with Duncan, McDyess, and Michael Finley gives the team five players who at some point have been All-Stars. The Spurs head into the season with their deepest roster ever, and this is a franchise that has won four NBA titles.

PROJECTED ROTATION

STARTERS/RESERVES

Tony Parker/George Hill
Roger Mason/Manu Ginobili
Richard Jefferson/Michael Finley
Tim Duncan/DeJuan Blair
Antonio McDyess/Matt Bonner

The five reserves are better than the majority of the starting five for the rest of the league.

McDyess—who will be 35 when the season begins—might not be in his prime, but even though the Lakers added Ron Artest and the Mavs traded for Shawn Marion, it will be incredibly difficult for these two teams or anyone to get past the Spurs in 2009-10.

The combo of Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker has won three titles already, and, provided the injury bug doesn’t bite, should make for at least one more.