Actually, I want to point something else out -- when a team has a player like TD on it -- you come prepared to play a defense intent upon stopping TD. When he is gone, it does two things: 1) it causes you to let down your guard a bit; and 2) it causes you to become unprepared about what the team is going to do.
I think it's important to remember what Phoenix has done three times now to SA -- and that speaks volumes, IMO. I still think that SA is the better team but it would be a HUGE mistake for SA to take them lightly. Steve Nash makes a HUGE difference for this team -- and he brings them ready to play. There isn't a player on SA that can stop him either -- the question is can they slow him down.
Phoenix and Seattle are BOTH being dismissed because they are a "jumpshooting" team -- and people aren't recognizing either teams full game!
Randy, I dont take seattle lightly at all, they match up against us better and with fortson in the middle they are actually a tough match up for us.
Joe/Skander, I DONT think this game was anymore important to the Spurs IMO, for starters Phoenix has been running all out to try to catch up with us after they ran Nash into the IL - the running game and the minutes that phoenix plays it's starters is the difference between the Spurs and the Suns, they are running Nash ragged and injury may very well catch up to him again before the playoffs - for right now, Nash really is the MVP because without him the Suns are not very good - which is exactly why we took the lead in the standing against them. I know they are good, they wouldnt have the record they have if they were not. I just think that not havgin the TWO top players on the court last night should not be ignored.
as for the Spurs Scrubs, well, you kow to be honest considering they did nto have Manu's scoring and all around freakyness on the court as well as Tim, losing by 6 is a hell of an accomplishment considering the scoring output the Suns are used to. I dont see the fact that our scrubs lost by 6 as a concern - I expected to lose by MORE LOL. so to lose by 6 was very surprising to me, and I think it was a very good effort by my squad. Now yes phoenix has confidence and swagger, that showed in Amare staring down our bench in the fourth - again, no Tim Duncan playing that night. come playoff time, With Tim and Manu in the game, expect more steals, more points and better shooting percentage by the Spurs. Tim i the game changes the Suns offense and defense. think about it, the suns did NOT have to collapse on Tim or Manu last night, they only had Tony to really worry about, so the inside outside threat was NOT there last night, defensively, the suns showed have had a better game plan on defense last night to be honest, the fact that they didnt and our team was able to keep up last night shows more positives for the Spurs than it does the suns last night. they could have really shut us down and just tony score and beaten us by A LOT more IMO. So good showing by my squad I think. I think the way the Suns play they really should have unloaded on us last night - they did in the first half - but they dropped the ball and we caught up quick.
Had Tim and Manu been in the game, I think we would have beaten them nicely last night - but you know, woulda coulda shoulda it doesnt matter, they still got the "w" but we still got the tie breaker so the pressure really is still on the suns to get more wins in order to have home court. I am not saying it wont happen, it is very possible, especially if Tim's injury keeps coming up. As long as we play our game we should be alright, and rolling into the playoffs will just get our machine in tune more. Defense wins titles, and there is no way the Suns can get us on that. B)
dont mistake this for cockyness guys, if we meet seattle, i will be sweating like you wouldnt believe, that is about the only team in the west that scares me right now.
