Spurs v Suns Game 5

[westkoast]

westkoast

The suspension didn't cost them the game.  Saying that sounds like a cop out because they actually were beating the Spurs for almost the entire game.    Mike D'Antoni has plenty of other players he could have brought into the line up if his players were running out of gas.  They were short 2 players not 5.   Good coaches make due with what they have. 

I agree completely. Where were the other Suns' players who could have come in and given the Phoenix starters some break from playing all those minutes? D'Antoni essentially used a six man rotation, where Popovich has seven players play double digit minutes and three others combine for 13 more minutes.

What really cost them the game was lack of execution down the stretch and a couple of rushed 3s that did not go down.  If they executed a bit more and Nash didn't turn the ball over they could have won that game.  They handled the Spurs for about 44 minutes.

   

Doesn't this just go back to the first point? By the end of the game, even though the Suns were in charge most of the way, they just ran out of gas at the end.

Also, the fact Amare was not in actually helped the Suns attack the Spurs foot speed weakness even more so then they had in the previous 4 games.  While it does make a difference when you have a player the caliber of Amare in, to say that everything would be the same if he was in and they would have ended up winning is not true.  There is entirely too many other situations that could have or could not have shown up to say one way or another...in two games in this series Amare was in and they did not win.

I sort of disagree with this statement. Duncan, for one, did not seem so affected by who was on him and who he was guarding so much as he was missing shots he normally makes. And Manu was a huge factor in the outcome, game-long.

But having the Suns' players with a bit more energy at the end, it still would not have mattered. The Spurs were just a notch more aggressive at the end, where the Suns lost their edge.

Ya the first two are pretty much the same thing.  While it would have been a gamble to play guys you haven't really been using (again that is D'Antoni's fault) I hardly think putting out a shooter (Piatkowski/James Jones) for Raja, a PG (Jaleen Rose) for Nash, and a center (Sean Marks/Pat Burke) for Kurt Thomas even just for 5 minutes a piece would have done anything but benefit them in the long run.  They could easily have won that game.

Tired or not the difference at the end was the defense...both on the perimeter and Duncan's rebounding/blocks down the stretch.

[JoMal]

Obviously you are as bored with work today as I am.  But keep up with the bolds, underlines, italics and large fonts.  They enhance your arguments so exquisitely. 

BTW I AM A SUNS FAN

Not so bored; just a fast typer.

But I have to admit, you cover this up VERY well.

I AM A SUNS FAN

You forgot this:

I will keep saying it to begin every one of my post, I DO NOT CARE WHO WINS THIS SERIES, period.

 

I was setting you up on that one, Lurker, to see if you would notice, but having you post that message was even better.

 

[Lurker]

 

I was setting you up on that one, Lurker, to see if you would notice, but having you post that message was even better.

 

And this must be from a JoMal clone as it doesn't have the official JoMal authentication statement.

[msc]

Total lack of personal responsibilty.  The Suns have whined all series and aren't man enough to step up and say "we screwed up and got caught".   Instead it has to be the Spurs fault, the league's fault, Stern's fault...anybody's fault except for those who broke a rule that is clearly stated, been enforced strictly for over a decade and specifically addressed both before the season starts and before the playoffs start.

I agree 100% with this statement. 

It's also not the least bit surprising to me that a Kings fan would empathize with the Suns 

Sorry, msc, but this has to be done:

Please do not join the ranks of weak and idiotic by bringing in my status as a fan of a team that did not make the playoffs. That is a very sad and pathetic antic of those who think this arguement somehow augments their own opinions somehow. It doesn't.

No apology necessary, JoMal.  I actually agree with your quote and I certainly wasn’t clear in my little jab.  Allow me to clarify.  My comment had nothing to do with the current state of the Kings and their inability to make, or not make the playoffs.  Rather I see similar type of behavior, specifically a lack of taking personal accountability, coming from this Suns camp that I saw from the Webber led Kings team that was never quite able to get over the hump.  The common sentiment being one of general complaining and whining that the league/refs/world are out to get them and therefore the reason for their shortcomings.  To paraphrase Webber, it's the, "We got jobbed" mentality.   I’m of the opinion that championship teams don’t think that way.   They never blame anyone else but themselves and they take the fundamental approach to the extreme and ride it to success.

In reading your posts on this subject, no matter how many times you say you don't care who wins, that is hardly the tone ringing through.  They sound almost as bitter as whenever you post about how the officials and league are the ones solely responsible for your King's inability to win a championship.  Your current posts reminded me of your posts from that era, which is why it doesn't surprise me that you would empathize with a team that is echoing similar traits as your team from yesteryear. 

[Laker Fan]

Excuse me boys and girls, but the Suns running out of gas was the Suns fault, NOT the Spurs, the Suns failing to execute down the stretch was the Suns fault, NOT the Spurs, the Suns playing a 6 man rotation when they were only shorthanded 2 players was the Suns fault, NOT the Spurs, the Suns being unable to hold onto a 16 point lead and clear control of the game due to that short rotation is the Suns fault, NOT the Spurs, the Suns being unable to keep 2 knuckleheads off the floor during an altercation is the Suns fault, NOT the Spurs.

THE SUNS BEING THE BIGGEST CRYING WHINEY GIRLY MEN SISSY BABIES SINCE THE SACRAMENTO QUEENS IS THE SUNS FAULT, NOT THE SPURS.

Blows my mind how everyone say it's the playoffs let 'em play and than cry like girls when it gets a little rough out there, this Spurs team are a bunch of marshmellow soft pansies compared to the Bad Boy Pistons of the late 80's early 90's and everyone is acting like they are thug central of the NBA, Jerry Sloan's Jazz are twice as physical as they are and the Warriors took their beating like MEN.

Personally, I think the Suns should have been short handed 3 players, not 2, Raja Bell had at least one game coming for his part in the brawl that wasn't and I am flabbergasted that flop artist dirty playing little punk got away with just a technical and not a supension.

[msc]

Great post Laker Fan! 

I was thinking the same thing re: the Jazz.  That is why I'm looking forward to the potential for a Jazz/Spurs match up.  If it happens, I think we'll see a great series between two very hard-nosed, physical teams going at each other.  And I will bet dollars to donuts that we won't have to listen to the incessant whining between games in the media.  Both coaches are tough, no-nonsense guys who always shoulder the blame and don't point fingers.  Pop and Sloan are two of my fav coaches of all time and a big reason for that is how they deal with the media.  On a side note, watching Pop in the press conferences after the games is almost more entertaining to me than the games themselves.  I know this isn't news, but I forgot how much I enjoyed watching him deadpan rip in to these moronic, repetitive questions the media throws at him.   

Re: Raja Bell, it's laughable to me to hear all of this talk about how Bowen, Horry and the Spurs in general are a dirty team while this guy is on the same floor.  Un-be-leivable!

[JoMal]

 

I was setting you up on that one, Lurker, to see if you would notice, but having you post that message was even better.

 

And this must be from a JoMal clone as it doesn't have the official JoMal authentication statement.

    

Feel better?

[JoMal]

No apology necessary, JoMal.  I actually agree with your quote and I certainly wasn’t clear in my little jab.  Allow me to clarify.  My comment had nothing to do with the current state of the Kings and their inability to make, or not make the playoffs.  Rather I see similar type of behavior, specifically a lack of taking personal accountability, coming from this Suns camp that I saw from the Webber led Kings team that was never quite able to get over the hump.  The common sentiment being one of general complaining and whining that the league/refs/world are out to get them and therefore the reason for their shortcomings.  To paraphrase Webber, it's the, "We got jobbed" mentality.   I’m of the opinion that championship teams don’t think that way.   They never blame anyone else but themselves and they take the fundamental approach to the extreme and ride it to success.

In reading your posts on this subject, no matter how many times you say you don't care who wins, that is hardly the tone ringing through.  They sound almost as bitter as whenever you post about how the officials and league are the ones solely responsible for your King's inability to win a championship.  Your current posts reminded me of your posts from that era, which is why it doesn't surprise me that you would empathize with a team that is echoing similar traits as your team from yesteryear. 

Yes........

The thing is, msc, the reason the Spurs should move to the next round is precisely the same reason everyone is jumping on them and calling them the dirty team in this series.

But let's face it, this wins championships, more often then not.

And regardless of how I may be sounding regarding who I favor coming out of this series, I still expect that team will be the Spurs.

What I would prefer the posters on this board to do is respect the fact that I also think the League's rules and policies might taint that outcome (in the view of the media and neutral fans) to the detriment of a very solid San Antonio team and the League itself by shorthanding the Suns due, in the most obvious case, to the actions by Robert Horry.

I believe the outcome would be the same, since the Spurs should beat the Suns anyway, but because of this, the Spurs may suffer consequences that will sour the next series and possibly the championship series as well.

It certainly is not making the Suns come through it all looking all that innocent either, or rather, not without them looking like provokers of the "look at me getting pummelled" TV image.

And to make sure we all understand each other, the Kings WERE robbed back in 2002.

[JoMal]

THE SUNS BEING THE BIGGEST CRYING WHINEY GIRLY MEN SISSY BABIES SINCE THE SACRAMENTO QUEENS IS THE SUNS FAULT, NOT THE SPURS.

Thanks for stepping on the court and entering the fray, Laker Fan.

Now.....your suspended for the next two games.
 

[Skandery]

Thanks for stepping on the court and entering the fray, Laker Fan.

Now.....your suspended for the next two games.

I was calmly reading the posts and eating Planters Fancy Cashews along with some Blueberry juice,...

...now I'm cleaning my shirt of purple stains and choking...thanks JoMaL. 


This was hysterical!!

[Laker Fan]

THE SUNS BEING THE BIGGEST CRYING WHINEY GIRLY MEN SISSY BABIES SINCE THE SACRAMENTO QUEENS IS THE SUNS FAULT, NOT THE SPURS.

Thanks for stepping on the court and entering the fray, Laker Fan.

Now.....your suspended for the next two games.
 

Only if your "we wuz robbed in 2002" gets you supended for proving you truly belong alongside the girly men crybaby Queens, then I, like that maginficant agent provocateur, Robert horry, have accomplished my mission

[msc]

No apology necessary, JoMal.  I actually agree with your quote and I certainly wasn’t clear in my little jab.  Allow me to clarify.  My comment had nothing to do with the current state of the Kings and their inability to make, or not make the playoffs.  Rather I see similar type of behavior, specifically a lack of taking personal accountability, coming from this Suns camp that I saw from the Webber led Kings team that was never quite able to get over the hump.  The common sentiment being one of general complaining and whining that the league/refs/world are out to get them and therefore the reason for their shortcomings.  To paraphrase Webber, it's the, "We got jobbed" mentality.   I’m of the opinion that championship teams don’t think that way.   They never blame anyone else but themselves and they take the fundamental approach to the extreme and ride it to success.

In reading your posts on this subject, no matter how many times you say you don't care who wins, that is hardly the tone ringing through.  They sound almost as bitter as whenever you post about how the officials and league are the ones solely responsible for your King's inability to win a championship.  Your current posts reminded me of your posts from that era, which is why it doesn't surprise me that you would empathize with a team that is echoing similar traits as your team from yesteryear. 

Yes........

The thing is, msc, the reason the Spurs should move to the next round is precisely the same reason everyone is jumping on them and calling them the dirty team in this series.

But let's face it, this wins championships, more often then not.

And regardless of how I may be sounding regarding who I favor coming out of this series, I still expect that team will be the Spurs.

What I would prefer the posters on this board to do is respect the fact that I also think the League's rules and policies might taint that outcome (in the view of the media and neutral fans) to the detriment of a very solid San Antonio team and the League itself by shorthanding the Suns due, in the most obvious case, to the actions by Robert Horry.

I believe the outcome would be the same, since the Spurs should beat the Suns anyway, but because of this, the Spurs may suffer consequences that will sour the next series and possibly the championship series as well.

It certainly is not making the Suns come through it all looking all that innocent either, or rather, not without them looking like provokers of the "look at me getting pummelled" TV image.

And to make sure we all understand each other, the Kings WERE robbed back in 2002.

Very well put, JoMal, I agree with everything you said ... except for the last sentence of course!  

I still think, and always thought, that the Spurs will come out on top, regardless of the suspensions. I also feel as I stated earlier that when they do advance we will see a very tough, physical series against the Jazz, but it will be free of "drama".  I believe this because the teams reflect the personality of their coaches.  Sloan and Pop are tough men who take responsibilty for their actions while D'Antoni really proven to be a crybaby.  Unfortunately fot the Suns, they seem to have also taken on the personality of their coach.

[Wolverine]

I think it was obvious to anyone who saw last night's game that the Suns simply ran out of gas at the end.  Not using it as an excuse, mind you, because I, for one, am still trying to figure out why D'Antoni inserted LB into the starting lineup in the first place.  Bad move.  As a Suns fan, I want LB energized and on the floor at the end rather than at the beginning.  James Jones should have started at the three, which would have allowed Barbosa to come off the bench and play just a few more minutes than normal, but be ready for crunch time.  Wasn't happy with that.

But we were screwed anyway ...

[JoMal]

Thanks for stepping on the court and entering the fray, Laker Fan.

Now.....your suspended for the next two games.

I was calmly reading the posts and eating Planters Fancy Cashews along with some Blueberry juice,...

...now I'm cleaning my shirt of purple stains and choking...thanks JoMaL. 


This was hysterical!!

Serves you right for not sharing.

[JoMal]

THE SUNS BEING THE BIGGEST CRYING WHINEY GIRLY MEN SISSY BABIES SINCE THE SACRAMENTO QUEENS IS THE SUNS FAULT, NOT THE SPURS.

Thanks for stepping on the court and entering the fray, Laker Fan.

Now.....your suspended for the next two games.
 

Only if your "we wuz robbed in 2002" gets you supended for proving you truly belong alongside the girly men crybaby Queens, then I, like that maginficant agent provocateur, Robert horry, have accomplished my mission

By hiding behind Zippy(*)'s skirts? Or maybe your "Enforcer" ((   ) Rick Fox? Please, calling anyone else girly men crybabies when you have Zippy Jackson and Vanessa Fox as your models of toughness is so sad.




(*) Phil Jackson = Zippy (Zen master/Hippy)