What happenned to the Suns???

[msc]

I know some of you are hyped about the down fall of the Big Pretender, but these loses are not on Shaq.  The Suns had a legit shot at winning both games in SA, it was the Suns lack of execution that killed them.  The Spurs have gotten away with not playing consistently for 48 minutes, they had mental lapses that allowed the Suns to get ahead or back into a game.  Game 3 was different, the Spurs played Spurs ball for the entire game.  You cannot put this 0-3 hole on Shaq, IMO he has done a terrific job on TD in games 2 and 3, TD did not dominate the way he has in the past vs the Suns.  The problem is the Suns cannot handle TP, he is disrupting the entire game plan of the Suns.  To put this all on Shaq is retarded.

It is never one guys fault.  There are 13 guys on a team, or in the Suns case, 7 guys who all share in the responsibility. 

HOWEVER, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to come up with the Spurs gameplan.  Draw Shaq out to the perimeter by bringing Duncan out and run the pick and roll with TP.  Shaq couldn't guard the p&r when he was a Laker and he's at least 4x slower now!  TP is running right around him to penetrate and create or he's pulling up for an uncontested jumper.  While Shaq can do a good job on Duncan in the low post, he can't physically play out on the perimeter.  The Spurs realize this so they're rarely posted Duncan down low.   It's painful to watch, I almost feel sorry for him and the Suns .... almost.  That was a horrible trade at the time and those who doubted it can now see it play out. 

[JoMal]

This is not Shaq's fault at all. The Suns were not going to be able to beat the Spurs before they traded for O'Neal, and not with him now.

The Suns' problem is an inability to guard both Parker and Ginobili. Exploiting Shaq's lack of movement is going to happen with Duncan, just as it would against just about any team the Spurs play, not because they are playing the Suns. Duncan, mainly, and Parker can pretty much do that against any opponent. What the Suns are unable to contain is Parker. When Shaq ends up being the final answer between Parker and the basket, somebody on the Suns is failing his job, and it is not Shaq.

But if that were the only problem the Suns had defensively, it might be overcome. With the added problem of Ginobili, they have no answer at all. Somebody has to slow down Manu and that has not been happening. As long as both Parker and Ginobili are practically unguarded, or unguardable, what Shaq can and cannot do is hardly important. HE is not supposed to do that kind of contain work on guards.

[SPURSX3]

I didn't watch the game.  I was out enjoying my b-day...I hate getting old, does it get worse from here JazzMal??

As for the loss.  I am not seating it.  They just did what had to be done to not get swept...Hope we can finish them off here on Tuesday.

[Reality]

^^ yeah, obviously Phx played better but as for Diaw locking down on Parker, naw.  Parker just missed the same shots he's been nailing.  Tony still had 18 after 3 qtrs while the rest of the Spurs were completely sucking. 

Another on shooting night for the Big 3 and it will be a wrap.

[JoMal]

I didn't watch the game.  I was out enjoying my b-day...I hate getting old, does it get worse from here JazzMal??

As for the loss.  I am not seating it.  They just did what had to be done to not get swept...Hope we can finish them off here on Tuesday.

As I can attest, getting old is more a frame of mind, and your state of health. One thing I certainly can tell you from experience is if you have any bad habits in your fourties, best put an end to them now because in another ten years, they become what you are.

[Ted]

JUST LIKE I SAID.

JUST LIKE I SAID.

JUST LIKE I SAID.

Now that's what I call gloating. Just rammin' that crow down their throats.

[Laker Fan]

JUST LIKE I SAID.

JUST LIKE I SAID.

JUST LIKE I SAID.

Now that's what I call gloating. Just rammin' that crow down their throats.

Thanks Ted, I take that as compliment, and yesterday's Phoenix win didn't change a thing, the Suns, and Shaq, have been exposed, say it's not his fault till you turn purple, but both WOW and Minnie Me did everything but say we skip the playoffs and have the parade in Phoenix when this deal went down. I SAID this was the worst move you could imagine, this guy will KILL what little pathetic defense they did play. The Suns brought him in to specifically counter the Spurs and LA and all they did was make SA stronger against them so spare me the "it's not his fault" garbage! He is doing NOTHING out there against anyone, at what point do you say he stopped Duncan? When Duncan ONLY dropped 40 on them in game 1? When he ONLY got 18 points and 17 boards in game 2? When he ONLY got 23-10 in game 3? I guess he sure stopped him dead in his tracks in game 4 because he ONLY managed 14-10 in 28 minutes of a blowout loss, yeah, THAT was worth 40 million bucks! Duncan has done what he always does, contibute steady, solid numbers, OWN the paint and open up the outside game for speed demons like Parker and whirling dervishes like Ginobili. Problem is WITH SHAQ IN THE MIDDLE Parker is scoring more points in the paint than he normally does, And there is no Marion in there to even try to slow him down.

I said it before and I wil say it again, the only problem I have the Spurs proving me right is that now the Lakers don't get their sweet revenge for the last 2 years of 1st round exits at the hands of these pretenders.

[WayOutWest]

Thanks Ted, I take that as compliment, and yesterday's Phoenix win didn't change a thing, the Suns, and Shaq, have been exposed, say it's not his fault till you turn purple, but both WOW and Minnie Me did everything but say we skip the playoffs and have the parade in Phoenix when this deal went down.

Holly krispey kreme donughts Batman! 

I would love to see Kobe face Shaq in the playoffs.  No chance for it in the finals so the Lakers vs Suns would be awesome.  IMO Shaq does not fit in with the Suns except when they face a team like the Lakers/Spurs/Jazz.  Teams that want to slow down the Suns and play half court b-ball will find a monster to deal with in the paint.  While Shaq cannot go a full half, let alone an entire game, at the old Diesel level, he can still cause problems in the half court when the pace in the playoffs slows down. 

IMO this is exactly what Phx needs BUT NOT at the cost of losing Marion.  IMO losing Marion would be too much of a hit for the Suns since you are now relying on two injury prone players in Shaq and Hill to fill in.  A healthy line up of Nash/Bell/Hill/Amare/Shaq would be as good as anybody in the league.  The problem is they are either all old or injury prone, so IMO they have ONE good year in them.  IMO with Nash getting up there in age you take your shot NOW, you have already missed three shots, granted they were cheated last year, but the window for the Nash lead Suns is almost closed, there is maybe one or two more years left in Nash and I doubt he holds up next year.

Nice try Reality, twisting in your panties will not change what I posted.  Why do so many people around here debate like a girlfriend?  When your prediction goes wrong about the Lakers sweeping the Celtics in the finals this year and win 4 more titles in a row with Gasol, I will be here to let you know. 

[SPURSX3]

Take a number, WOW.  L.A. will have to wait for a year or so before they get back to the finals again.  Spurs in 6 over the cetls.

[JoMal]

JUST LIKE I SAID.

JUST LIKE I SAID.

JUST LIKE I SAID.

Now that's what I call gloating. Just rammin' that crow down their throats.

More like somebody needs to take a chill pill. The only thing missing is the drool on his keyboard to make this a more rabid reality.

[Reality]

Naw.  A much better reality will be to see how this one comes out:

LFD

Sometimes I hate being right, sorry Derek, Minnie Me, but your boys are toast first round.

http://forums.phillyarena.net/index.php?topic=4405.msg39354#msg39354

[WayOutWest]

Naw.  A much better reality will be to see how this one comes out:

LFD

Sometimes I hate being right, sorry Derek, Minnie Me, but your boys are toast first round.

http://forums.phillyarena.net/index.php?topic=4405.msg39354#msg39354

You should stay out of threads or risk being OWNED again.

[Reality]

You self-proclaimed-made-up OWNEDs are of the Lurker brand identified Seasame Street Posters gang ilk.

[Reality]

Only 3 of 10 took Spurs, two of those said 7 games.