Suns over the Spurs on the back end of a back to back. Suns for real?

[WayOutWest]

Suns came in and played the Spurs tough, Amare was a beast.  I watched the game on and off in the 2nd and 3rd quarter and Amare looked amazing and Nash was solid. 

Does anyone want to change their tune on the Suns trade of Marion for Shaq?

What are the Suns doing different now that they are playing winning basketball?  Was it just a matter of gelling with Shaq?

[Reality]

Pop coached an excellent game for the Suns.  With Amare and Shaq out with foul trouble, his going to small balls is just what the Suns needed.  Also taking the ball out of Tony Parkers hands after his 1st qtr and parts of 2nd coma.  Man those drives were awesome.  Glad geritol Pop restricted him.

[Reality]

Suns rebounding stats are way up after Shaq.  They say they now fast break more effectively that a "clean" rebound has been taken.

[westkoast]

Suns rebounding stats are way up after Shaq.  They say they now fast break more effectively that a "clean" rebound has been taken.

Really?  Cuz Shaq's throws a number of bad passes to start the break.  He currently has a crazy turn over rate.  He takes about 8 shots a game but has 3 turn overs per night?!?!

[Reality]

Yep.  the announcer said last night the Suns told him they no longer have to "group rebound" with their smaller guys.  Instead Shaq can solo a number of boards per game and the runners can scoot out on the break. 

The Suns rebounds as a team vs opponents was quite impressive before and after Shaq.
Something like -3.5 is now +5.0

[Reality]

Also memo to Pop.  Fabs cannot guard Shaq one on one in the low or even medium post.

[Randy]

Also memo to Pop.  Fabs cannot guard Shaq one on one in the low or even medium post.

Now there's a breakthrough statement -- do you really think that Pop doesn't know this?  Would you rather that TD come over to help and leave Amare wide open?  IMO, you have to make Shaq beat you and then work hard to keep him off the boards.  Fabs and Shaq played almost the same number of minutes -- Fabs had 4 boards and Shaq had 9.  Fabs has to work harder on the boards.  TD got his 10 boards and shot well -- but Fabs HAS to make Shaq work harder on both ends of the court.  I like Pop's strategy in guarding Shaq -- IMO, you WANT Shaq to go at Fabs one-on-one -- it takes the Suns out of their offensive flow and Shaq becomes the focus on the offense.  I think that's what you WANT to do.  What you don't want to do is start collapsing on Shaq (who is a very good passer) and allow him to pass out of the double team to open Suns shooters or give Amare room (like he had last night) to dunk the ball. 

This is EXACTLY why the Spurs have been dominant for so many years.  TD demands a double team and it gives the Spurs shooters and scorers tons of room to work.  If you can play the Spurs man to man, you can get a hand in the face of shooters.  Fabs has looked good for the Spurs because their opponents have to leave him to double on TD and it leaves him wide open for easy baskets and/or rebounds.  If you can play TD one-on-one (like the Suns did last night) and make him work, that's the way to beat the Spurs. 

The Suns will be a tough match-up for the Spurs but I don't think the Suns can beat the Jazz.  Of course, the Jazz are a tough match-up for the Spurs too because of the same reason I don't think the Suns can beat the Jazz.  The Jazz negate the presence of Shaq in the post because Shaq wants to hang in the post -- that's not where you will find Okur.

[Reality]

Also memo to Pop.  Fabs cannot guard Shaq one on one in the low or even medium post.

Now there's a breakthrough statement -- do you really think that Pop doesn't know this?  Would you rather that TD come over to help and leave Amare wide open? 

I'd rather that Kurt Thomas guard Shaq.
As to Poppycocks knowing it or not, who knows?

[WayOutWest]

As to Poppycocks knowing it or not, who knows?

 

[Reality]

As to Poppycocks knowing it or not, who knows?

 

What are you  ing at?  Did you see how badly Shaq worked Fabs last night?  Plus on O, Fabs went back to his fraidy cat scared to shoot bricklayer on O.  Talk about a night off for both Shaq and Amare vs Fabs. 

[Laker Fan]

Popovich's biggest mistake was taking the ball out Parkers hands, he was eating the Suns alive on dribble drives, only Barbosa has the speed to keep up with Parker and he wasn't guarding him, he drove to the basket at will. Manu was having a terrible night and Parker singlehandedly kept the Spurs in the game for the first half, he humiliated Nash in the first quarter. Going small was the nail in the coffin for SA, why Popovich didn't take advantage of the size mismatch is beyond me. 2 bad losses against playoff teams this late in the season, (Utah smoked their behinds) this close to when they should be honing and finetuning their game might be a cause for concern for the Spurs, what say you, Lurker, X3?