Playing with his right eye nearly swollen shut, Phoenix's Steve Nash helped lead the Suns to a 107-101 series-clinching win over San Antonio on Sunday and booked a spot in the Western Conference final. Nash took an inadvertent elbow to the eye in the third quarter and required stitches. The Suns had suffered season-ending defeats to the Spurs in their last four post-season meetings. Phoenix will face either Los Angeles or Utah, who play Game 4 tomorrow, in the final.
The Boston Celtics refused to clear the way for a Cleveland Cavaliers coronation, answering the challenge with a 97-87 victory on Sunday to draw even in their Eastern Conference semi-final series. Rajon Rondo recorded a sensational triple-double to lead Boston with 29 points, 18 rebounds and 13 assists as the Celtics regrouped from a thrashing. Game 5 is tonight in Cleveland.
* Agencies
