The first two games of the Western Conference finals have been something else, haven?t they?  Who can argue with the brand of high-octane, fast-breaking basketball the San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns offered up during Games 1 and 2 at America West Arena?

 Well, folks, enjoy the fireworks while they last, because once the Spurs sweep the Suns come early next week, we won?t be seeing anymore Wild West-style shootouts until next season.  Especially not with a potential Spurs-Pistons final and the defensive snoozefests such a series will likely feature.

 Now are we getting ahead ourselves just a little bit here?  Perhaps.  But how can anyone have confidence in a Suns comeback right now when the Suns themselves appear to have already raised the white flag?

 Point guard Steve Nash, the undisputed leader and face of the franchise, could not have summed it up any better in his post-game comments following Phoenix?s 111-108 defeat in Game 2.

 ?They?ve all been there before and our guys are pretty new to this,? said Nash, who became the first player in NBA history to register at least 25 points and 10 assists in four straight playoff games following his 29-point, 15-assist performance in Game 2.  ?I think it shows not necessarily the lack of production from our guys, but the super production from their guys.  They?ve been just phenomenal in the fourth quarter.?

 ?They?re a veteran team.  They?ve been there, done that,? added Amare Stoudemire.  "They know how important every possession is, that every stop is extremely important, they capitalize on turnovers, things like that."

 Translation:  San Antonio is simply the better team in this series, period, and Nash, Stoudemire and Co. know it.  At this point, it?s all about development and gaining experience if you?re the Suns.

 ?Obviously, we really want to win the next game, but our team is a young team that, you know, is learning some lessons and improving as we go,?  Nash added.  ?I think it?s just important for us to keep trying to improve.?

 Granted, Nash also said his team will take a ?one game at a time? approach (what else can he say at this point?), but Phoenix?s ineptitude on the defensive end, particularly in crunch time, appears to have finally caught up with them.  

 In addition to scoring 116 points per game thus far in the series, San Antonio has owned the fourth quarter in both games, outscoring the Suns by a 74-53 margin on an amazing 72% shooting from the field, including a 43-point fourth quarter in Game 1.    

 Although the Spurs have been anything but their usual stingy selves defensively, allowing 111 points per game, nearly 25 points above their regular season average (88.4) and 20 points above their playoff average (94.2), they?ve made the shots and stops in the clutch.  

 ?We?re doing a real good job finishing games this series,? said Spurs All-Everything Tim Duncan.  ?That?s through having guys like Rob (Horry) and Tony (Parker) who have been through it.?

 Horry, of course, is the proud owner of five championship rings, most among active players, and always saves his best basketball for the post-season (it was his 3-pointer with 2 ? minutes remaining in Game 2 that gave the Spurs the lead for good). Parker, meanwhile, established himself in last year?s post-season as one of the top young point guards in the league, and is averaging 26.5 points in the series.   In all, San Antonio as a team boasts ten championship rings, while Phoenix has a grand total of none.  
 
 So while the Suns use Games 3 and 4 at the SBC Center in San Antonio as tune-ups for a potential championship run next season, we the fans will take the opportunity to enjoy - we hope - two more high-scoring affairs, because once the Spurs are in the Finals they?ll be back to playing air-tight defense - and lulling everyone to sleep in the process.  They?ll simply have no other choice when they square off with either Detroit or Miami for all the marbles.

 But hey, more Spurs means more Eva Longoria headshots, and that?s just fine with us.

 It?s all about keeping a positive frame of mind.

Kostas.Bolos@realgm.com