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Nash and Suns players do what the Romans do

Phoenix Suns NBA basketball team point guard Steve Nash, left, and AS Roma soccer player Francesco Totti attend a promotional event in Rome on Friday. PHOTO: REUTERS

Steve Nash, the NBA's two-time defending MVP, began Thursday with a one-on-one soccer and basketball game with Francesco Totti, the star playmaker on Italy's winning World Cup squad.

"I didn't embarrass myself on the soccer field," Nash said. "And he did fine [at hoops]."

The rest of the Phoenix Suns toured ancient ruins in Rome.

"It's a little different than Memphis or Secaucus. They're pretty impressed," coach Mike D'Antoni said, alternating between English and fluent Italian when he spoke with local reporters.

The Suns' exhibition game yesterday against Virtus Lottomatica Roma certainly is different from a usual preseason game. The Suns are in Rome as part of the NBA Europe Live Tour, which features three other NBA teams playing on the continent. The Suns will play two more games in Cologne, Germany next week.

Well-known in Italy, D'Antoni coached Benetton Treviso to two Italian league titles and is still Olimpia Milano's all-time leading scorer.

He knows Roma is eager to play one of the NBA's top teams.

"Obviously, we want to win and play well," D'Antoni said. "I know they want to win. I'm sure they'll want to play out of their minds."

D'Antoni said he plans to start Nash and Raja Bell in the backcourt, with Boris Diaw, Shawn Marion and Kurt Thomas up front. Forward Amare Stoudemire, still recovering from knee surgery that kept him out of all but three games last season, sat out practice on Thursday with ice on both of his knees.

Roma, which is led by Serbia forward Dejan Bodiroga, is one of the favorites to win the Italian league, along with Bologna and Treviso. Roma opens its Italian league season on Wednesday.

"Bodiroga for years has been the best European player," D'Antoni said. "He's definitely the best European player never to play in the NBA."
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