Worse yet, Duncan was a wretched 3-for-12 from the free throw line. He went 15-of-15 in Game 3 and was 33-of-36 for the series, but was so off this time that he missed the front rim in the fourth quarter, drawing gasps from the home crowd.
"Just a tough night all around -- from the field, from the line, just everything," he said.
San Antonio lost for the first time since Game 4 of the last round, ending a five-game winning streak. The Spurs lost at home for only the sixth time in 49 games, and now must wait at least two more days before clinching a trip back to the NBA Finals.
"We are sad, we are angry," said Manu Ginobili, who led the Spurs with 28 points. "But this series continues and we are in great shape. The goal is to go to the Finals, not to sweep them."
Even if Phoenix doesn't make it all the back, this performance guarantees them of having at least one good memory of the conference finals.
No, make that a great one.
Just like coach Mike D'Antoni had been telling them the last few days, all they had to do was work out a few kinks.
It started with them leading after one quarter, 26-23, something they hadn't done in nine games.
They also got their fast break going again, running for 26 of their first 87 points, many coming on defensive stops that had been so rare the first three games.
They also got 11 points from Shawn Marion, including several in transition and a 3-pointer that capped a game-changing 15-2 run that put Phoenix up by 12, its biggest lead of the series.
Still, it came down to the fourth quarter. And unlike the first two games, when the Suns blew late leads, they refused to buckle.
Stoudemire, who couldn't completely bend his right elbow on Sunday because of an injury in Game 3, was the biggest reason. While the 31 points were his lowest total yet in seven games against San Antonio, this performance showed why many believe he's a future league MVP.
"Right now, I'm just trying to do things I'm capable of doing," he said.
Stoudemire had only five rebounds, none in the first half, but he got the last one that mattered, grabbing a miss by Johnson away from Ginobili in the final seconds, preventing the Spurs from getting the ball back down by three.
Instead, Nash ended up getting fouled and made two free throws with 6.2 seconds left to seal the victory, Phoenix's first in six games this season with San Antonio that Duncan played.
Phoenix should've known its longest losing streak since dropping six straight in January might be coming to an end when Quentin Richardson made a 3-pointer for a quick 3-0 lead -- modest, yes, but it was the biggest for the Suns in a first quarter thus far and it was their first lead in almost 63 minutes after they had failed to lead in Game 2.
But the Spurs kept them from cracking things open, first with a 13-3 run led by Tony Parker, then a 12-2 spurt. San Antonio also went into halftime with its biggest lead yet, seven points, thanks mostly to Ginobili.
The Suns opened the third with a 12-4 run. Although the Spurs got back within one, Phoenix made 15 of 20 shots in the third quarter.
In the closing minutes, Bruce Bowen and Robert Horry had 3s that got them within one, the last coming with 1:03 left.
Nash had 17 points and 12 assists, more normal numbers for the MVP after having just three assists last game, the only one that wasn't decided in the closing minutes.