For better or worse, D’Antoni loves Amaré’s enthusiasm

SAN ANTONIO - With youth there is effervescence and boundless energy. There is also inexperience and naiveté.

And while he has rolled his eyes at some of Amaré Stoudemire’s comments — from calling the Spurs a “dirty team” to letting the cat out of the bag on a Game 2 lineup change — and his overzealous play on the court at times, Suns coach Mike D’Antoni isn’t interested in reining in or muzzling his 24-year-old star center.

“I wouldn’t try to change Amaré’s personality because I love it,” D’Antoni said. “You put in another personality … see if that guy comes back from microfracture (surgery on his knee) to be first-team All-NBA.

“You just can’t pick and choose to make the guys Superman. He’s emotional. He says some things that it would be better if he didn’t. But he’s also a great guy, a good person with a great heart, and he’s always played big in big moments. I like him the way he is.”

ALL CLEAR

The Spurs didn’t practice Sunday, but Manu Ginobili had the pupil in his left eye examined and dilated after taking a finger in it from Shawn Marion during Game 3.

Ginobili scored eight straight points immediately after the incident and broke out of his postseason scoring slump with 16 of his 24 points in the second half.

“It doesn’t hurt so much unless I bring my head down or move it pretty quick,” he said. “I just felt a little pressure inside the eye, but no big deal. (The doctor) told me that in 24 hours I would be fine.”

Stoudemire singled out Ginobili as one of the Spurs’ “dirty players.” Sunday, teammate Robert Horry joked that with his black eye, Ginobili now “looks even dirtier.”

Ginobili said he expects the Suns to come at the Spurs hard in Game 4 with another chance to regain home court.

“They’re going to bring the same juice they brought in Game 2, that kind of desperation. We have to be ready to face it.

LET’S TALK

The Suns’ coaches and players had a running dialogue with referees Greg Willard, Eddie Rush and Tim Donaghy in Game 3. And Nash said part of mental toughness includes getting over questionable calls quickly.

“Sometimes you have to voice your opinion, and sometimes it’s good to be passionate and emotional,” he said. “But it can be to a detriment if you get too emotional. You have to learn to use it to your advantage.”

D’Antoni said: “You can plead, cry, whine do all those as long as it doesn’t affect your focus on the court. You can’t whine, and then be soft or out of position. You have to play basketball.”

DIFFERENT LOOKS

D’Antoni said he anticipated seeing Tony Parker guarding Nash early in Game 3, although Nash was still Bruce Bowen’s assignment much of the night.

Nash was 0-for-4 in the first half and missed his first nine shots before scoring with five minutes left in the third quarter.

“It didn’t change anything. He didn’t have a great first half, but we hung in there (scoring 53 points),” D’Antoni said. “He didn’t make a basket, but we shot 54 percent.”

Nash blamed himself for a poor game, but said the Suns remain encouraged because of all the mistakes they can pin on themselves.

“As a team, we just didn’t convert,” he said. “We missed a lot of layups, myself included. We missed a lot of free throws (nine). Shawn (Marion) fumbled away one (layup or dunk) on a breakaway.

“I give the Spurs credit, they’re a terrific team. But I know those are shots we normally make and are capable of making.”

BONUS SHOTS

Michael Finley was only 2-for-10 from the field in Game 3. But one basket was a 3-pointer that gave the Spurs a halftime lead, and the other iced the game, giving the Spurs a 107-98 lead with 1:25 left to play.

“We didn’t make the big shots in the big moments,” D’Antoni said. “Give the Spurs credit. When there is a little crack in the door, they barge right through it.”

Marion hit three of his six 3-point attempts in Game 3 and is 5-for-10 in the series. He also had four blocks and two steals in 44 minutes, while limiting Parker to a 7-for-18, 16-point night. …

Despite being outrebounded 47-39 in the game and 11-5 on the offensive glass, the Suns had more second-chance points Saturday (11-10). …

With Stoudemire in foul trouble, the Spurs played their centers (Francisco Elson and Fabricio Oberto) only 18 combined minutes in Game 3, sticking with the small lineup that gave the Suns so much trouble in the 2005 playoffs.