NBA Western Conference Finals

[Ripper 0]

Excellent point on not giving up on the Suns. Folks also need to remember that this Spurs team also had a 2 game advantage on the Lakers last year and then went on to drop 4 straight.

 

Getting back to the Spurs D, I think when you look at the whole game, they aren't locking down like they did in the regular season, however they are getting stops when they need to, which is in the 4th. The Suns can't get stops, period. The Suns lack of depth is hurting them as much as their lack of defense. In this series I think the only thing that can stop the Spurs is if they get ahead of themselves because they are up 2 going back home. I could see them getting lackadaisical and resting on their laurels with this series lead.

I am not seeing stops at all. I am seeing the missed jumpers being the difference, because both teams are just scoring at will. Look at the field goal percentages, they are shooting video game numbers. I think the fact that tim is hurt and Joe isn't playing isn't helping, but noone is playing defence in this series. Hell, 4th quarter Turnovers have been practically non existant in both games. It has simply come down to who hits the most shots. Everyone is gettin wide open looks, the spurs are just hitting more of theirs when it counts.

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

I am dying to see the Suns win this series and ultmately the title. Their style of play is good for pro basketball. I forgot about the return of Joe Johnson and I'm hoping he brings a Reed-esque inspiration to his team.

 

But if what I saw continues, it's over. It looked like more than fatigue to me.

[Guest news_gimmick]

I wouldn't call a 7 point win an ass whipping, especially when the difference was two wide open 3 pointers by Brent Barry. If Barry doesen't hit those shots, that game was still up for grabs.

The Spurs scored 40 points in the 4th quarter. That game was pretty much over when they got on in that quarter.

 

The difference was 2 Brent Barry wide open 3's? The difference in a lot of games is one player making a shot. I never understood that argument. "Well if he didn't do this then you wouldn't have won!" Well no shit. That's why they won. And you know what? He did it! So why discuss it?

 

"If Peyton Manning didn't throw those 4 TD's then the Colts would not have won this game! So don't be telling me that it wasn't close!"

 

And the fact that he was wide open is a showing of how shitty the Suns defense is. They can try to outscore San Antonio but it's not going to happen obviously when they can't hold San Antonio at all.

The point was it was still close. Those two shots were the difference, it wasn't a blowout like you were implying. And by your theory why discuss parts of a game? We can't point out important parts of a game? Right.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Dama does the same thing when it comes to OU, so don't pay the hypocrite any attention.

 

Anyways regardless of the results, the series have been exciting so far, and I am hoping the Suns gets it together and nails more of their shots *looks at Quentin Richardson* because the Spurs are letting up too much and they need to take advantage of that.

[Damaramu 0]

Dama does the same thing when it comes to OU, so don't pay the hypocrite any attention.

 

Anyways regardless of the results, the series have been exciting so far, and I am hoping the Suns gets it together and nails more of their shots *looks at Quentin Richardson* because the Spurs are letting up too much and they need to take advantage of that.

Dude what the hell is your problem? I thought we were cool. Why you gotta go starting shit?

 

Anyways I'm saying that the way people discuss "you wouldn't have won if this didn't happen!" like the teams accomplishment is suddenly lessened b/c they did that. Well that's what winning is all about. Making the big plays when needed. You say the thing about him hitting the 3's as if that fact lessened the Spurs accomplishment in winning.

Ok I was wrong about them being blow-outs. There are you happy? I'll admit I was wrong. Of course on this board it seems that everyone ignores you admitting you were wrong and still hammers at you for being wrong.

[Ripper 0]

He wasn't lessening the fact that the shots were made. Its the fact that there were only 2 shots that were pretty much the difference thus negating your "it was over in the 4th quarter" and "ass whooping" thing. Its the same as saying the Rams whooped the Titans ass for that superbowl or that the Patriots whooped all of their super bowl opponents asses. It doesn't take away from the fact they won, it takes away from the fact that the other team was competitive and was in it to till the end

[Guest news_gimmick]

Dama does the same thing when it comes to OU, so don't pay the hypocrite any attention.

 

Anyways regardless of the results, the series have been exciting so far, and I am hoping the Suns gets it together and nails more of their shots *looks at Quentin Richardson* because the Spurs are letting up too much and they need to take advantage of that.

Dude what the hell is your problem? I thought we were cool. Why you gotta go starting shit?

 

Anyways I'm saying that the way people discuss "you wouldn't have won if this didn't happen!" like the teams accomplishment is suddenly lessened b/c they did that. Well that's what winning is all about. Making the big plays when needed. You say the thing about him hitting the 3's as if that fact lessened the Spurs accomplishment in winning.

Ok I was wrong about them being blow-outs. There are you happy? I'll admit I was wrong. Of course on this board it seems that everyone ignores you admitting you were wrong and still hammers at you for being wrong.

Wow, someones melting down LOL. At least you admitted being wrong, in your own way. The Spurs will win the series so start hitting some decaf.

 

And Ripper said exactly what I was trying to say, I wasn't taking credit from the Spurs win, I was disagreeing with your interpretation of it. Simple as that.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

I have no problems with you. I just don't like it when people call others out for it when they do the EXACT same thing themselves.

 

And yes Mayer and Ripper said what I was going to say. It matters that Barry hit those 3s because if he didn't, take those 3s away and the result would be closer. Same with Peyton's 4 TDs, if he didn't throw them, they sure as hell wouldn't win. Those players are important to the team's success, and when people say that, it doesn't lessen the team's impact, but rather maximizes the individual's importance. That's why its mentioned, I think. Really its the Suns' fault for allowing those shots to be hit.

[Damaramu 0]

Yeah well I still haven't seen enough from Phoenix to think they can win this series. They're getting beat on their home floor. What if the Spurs go home and suddenly lock down on D? Then what chance to the Suns have?

 

Dammit I want that Pistons/Spurs final.

[razazteca 0]

The only hope for the Suns to win the next game is if the Spurs all of sudden forget how to make FTs......or if the refs call double tech fouls on Robert Horry's flops.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Or if they fouled the Spurs everytime Manu flopped.

[Ripper 0]

The only hope for the Suns to win the next game is if the Spurs all of sudden forget how to make FTs......or if the refs call double tech fouls on Robert Horry's flops.

Or if they hit 2-3 MORE SHOTS.

[razazteca 0]

^ Steve Nash wishes he was Reggie Miller! Nobody can score 9 points in 10 seconds the way Reggie could.

[godthedog 0]

i think reggie miller wishes he was steve nash right now as well.

 

i thought the suns were going to get dismantled, and they've really impressed me by at least being able to keep up so well with the spurs. they're far more evenly matched than i thought they were, and in any one game they still have a fighting chance. but san antonio has proven that they have that extra little bit of edge that makes them, frankly, a better team. in the fourth quarter of game 1, there was a pretty clear point at which the suns collectively already thought they'd lost, and they started getting sloppy & falling asleep at the wheel, making some stupid mistakes that san antonio was able to handily capitalize on. horry's 3-pointer in game 2 turned the tide, phoenix got discouraged and san antonio didn't let them get back into their rhythm. i see phoenix stealing away one game, possibly two, before the series ends.

[Guest Vitamin X]

And that'd be a damn shame if we saw that, as it's doubtful whether they'd be able to repeat the kind of offense they ran this year with as much success next year. These guys are like the NBA's version of the `98 Minnesota Vikings...

[godthedog 0]

why's it doubtful? they just lack the mental toughness that comes with experience. same thing happened with the spurs when they kept getting eliminated by the lakers in the playoffs. nash can't run rampant like a chicken with its head cut off forever, and it's doubtful that he'll have another year of being THIS good, but i don't see him significantly slowing down anytime soon. and in the meantime, the rest of them will get better (esp. amare).

[Guest Redhawk]

With that crappy bench they have, I don't see the Suns being able to keep their pace up for two straight seasons. The starters are playing 40 minutes a night now.

[razazteca 0]

38 points in the 1st quarter by the Spurs! Damn the Suns have no answer for the quickness that is Parker and GINOBILI! Poor Steve Nash can't carry the Suns to a victory...Joe Johnson's return to the starting lineup does look impressive with his 3 pointers.

[Damaramu 0]

Is the series over now? Can we declare the Suns dead yet?

[Guest Brian]

Not officially anymore. Red Sox have lent a new precedence to down 3-0.

 

Still, they have no chance.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Yeah, Suns are all based on offense and are very thin. The Spurs are pretty much the most complete team in the playoffs. They have enough offense to beat Phoenix at their own game on the road, have one of the league's best defense, and a great bench. San Antonio winning isn't as much a shocker as much as it is that they'll probably sweep Phoenix. I expected, or at least hoped, this series would be more competitive.

 

The Suns coach is claiming that they're going to try to come back. At least the encouraging part is that the next 4 games are split between being on the road and at home, if they can even try and take it that far. Maybe Phoenix steals the next game or two before being shut down completely? I don't know. It's just a bit hard to believe they're going to get swept.

[Damaramu 0]

Do you guys think this invalidates Nash as MVP? I think that's what Screamin A' was trying to say earlier.

[Matt Young 0]

No. The MVP is based on regular season accomplishments, period. Some of the best players in the league don't make the playoffs. If Kevin Garnett had a season like he did last year, would you begrudge him the award since he missed the playoffs? What if the Heat didn't make it this year, or the Spurs? Or what if Shaq or Duncan bombed in the playoffs? That wouldn't take away from their individual regular season achievements.

 

VX- I believe that Phoenix can win a game or two. Then again, I had hoped/expected that they would win game 2 or 3, and that the series would go 6 or 7 games anyway. But as good as the Spurs are at home, most teams win 1 or 2 games after falling behind 3-0 when they get this deep into the playoffs.

[Cuban Linx 0]

It's a silly argument to begin with, but I don't think Nash and the Suns losing to probably the most complete team in the NBA invalidates him any more than Miami winning without Shaq playing at all would invalidate his MVP chances too. It's not like Phoenix are down 3-0 to the Hornets or something.

[Guest Vitamin X]

LOL @ the thought of the Hornets in the Western Conference playoffs

[Matt Young 0]

LOL... When the Hornets relocated to the Western Conference, everyone was saying they'd be out of the playoffs. I knew it'd be tougher to make it in the West, but I don't think anyone expected an Eastern Conference playoff team to drop to the second worst record in the league, behind even Charlotte's new expansion team, the Bobcats.

[Damaramu 0]

Hey I don't think that it invalidates him as MVP.

But Screaming A was saying that it just adds more to the argument that Shaq deserves the MVP. He used the usual Steven A logic of "I want gay man sex with Shaq" and just went off on some rant like everyone at ESPN does about Shaq.

[Fökai 0]

LOL... When the Hornets relocated to the Western Conference, everyone was saying they'd be out of the playoffs.  I knew it'd be tougher to make it in the West, but I don't think anyone expected an Eastern Conference playoff team to drop to the second worst record in the league, behind even Charlotte's new expansion team, the Bobcats.

Based on last year's roster, only P.J. Brown survived the season unscathed. Magloire (82 games played last year, 23 this year) was out for nearly four months, and three of their starters from last season were gone before they could contribute this year (Davis, Wesley, Lynch, Armstrong to a smaller extent). It was a complete turn-over with Dickau, Nailon, Claxton and Smith - three unproven players and a rookie - taking those spots.

 

It's a product of bad management over bad play.

[The Electrifyer 0]

Hey... PJ Brown actually got a vote for MVP too.

[razazteca 0]

I wonder who Woody Paige voted for?