Where did the Suns go?

[westkoast]

Not a thread bashing thread in the sense they are not a quality team if that's what you got from the thread title....

The first half of the Lakers/Suns game got me thinking "What happend to the fast paced, open court Suns?  The team that was pretty fun to watch at times"  Is it just me or does the team seem....regular?  Does anyone else agree?  Kenny and Charles brought it up briefly at the half pretty much with the same thoughts.

[WayOutWest]

Not a thread bashing thread in the sense they are not a quality team if that's what you got from the thread title....

The first half of the Lakers/Suns game got me thinking "What happend to the fast paced, open court Suns?  The team that was pretty fun to watch at times"  Is it just me or does the team seem....regular?  Does anyone else agree?  Kenny and Charles brought it up briefly at the half pretty much with the same thoughts.

They are not a regular season team anymore, they are now built for the playoffs.  People tend to forget that they had the Spurs on the ropes in their first two games at SA but the Spurs fought back and made it a short series.  IMO the Suns will be ok come playoff time if they are all healthy.  Shaq is not a dominant force but he's enough of a factor to allow Amare some freedom on both ends of the court.  Right now they look like the 4th or 5th best team in the West, that's not such a bad place to be considering all the changes they've made.  IMO their bench and supporting cast has gotten weaker so they are not free to run all day and night durring the regular season but come playoff time when teams shorten their rotation they should do fine.

[Lurker]

I tend to agree with WOW.  The Suns have been rebuilt into a standard NBA team as far as style.  They are built to win playoff basketball now and IMO are on par with the Spurs in terms of potential.  If everyone is healthy and with the right bracket they could be in the WCF and/or the NBA finals.  One injury to Nash, Amare or Shaq and they are toast in the post season.

As far as answering the title of the thread...they are in NY now.

[westkoast]

I tend to agree with WOW.  The Suns have been rebuilt into a standard NBA team as far as style.  They are built to win playoff basketball now and IMO are on par with the Spurs in terms of potential.  If everyone is healthy and with the right bracket they could be in the WCF and/or the NBA finals.  One injury to Nash, Amare or Shaq and they are toast in the post season.

As far as answering the title of the thread...they are in NY now.

While you two are correct they are a more standard, half court team they don't look to be built for the playoffs in the Western Conference.    Unless you guys mean built to make it and get knocked out.  Unless the Mavericks or Nuggets get top seeds I don't see them making it out of the first round.  To me the whole game plan is centered around the idea that an aging Shaq will have plenty of gas in the tank and will be healthy come playoff time.  The game plan doesn't really benefit Amare or Nash IMO.

Did you guys watch the game last night?  I saw Steve Nash being shut down...by his own coach.  The style of play they've decided to go with has tied one of his hands behind his back.  This is NOT the same style they were playing last year when they pushed the Spurs in the first round.

[WayOutWest]

As far as answering the title of the thread...they are in NY now.

Dang, you're right.  I totally missed the point of this thread. 

[Reality]

Stoudamire missed a lot of chippies that would have made the game much closer then it ended up.
Most glaring one i saw was 70-62 Lakers, either Snaq or Nash hit Stoud right under the basket.  He missed the chippy, claimed he was fouled (might have been).  Either way, Lakers got the rebound and went right upcourt for (i think) an uncontested trey by Swisher.  Instead of 70-64 bam it was 73-60.  Few more plays like that where Stoudamires shots rolled off the rim, Flamers went the other way and scored and it was over.

[jemagee]

I thought Swisher got traded to the yankees not the lakers?

[westkoast]

Stoudamire missed a lot of chippies that would have made the game much closer then it ended up.
Most glaring one i saw was 70-62 Lakers, either Snaq or Nash hit Stoud right under the basket.  He missed the chippy, claimed he was fouled (might have been).  Either way, Lakers got the rebound and went right upcourt for (i think) an uncontested trey by Swisher.  Instead of 70-64 bam it was 73-60.  Few more plays like that where Stoudamires shots rolled off the rim, Flamers went the other way and scored and it was over.

Those 'chippies' use to be dunks when Nash had more freedom to operate and they were more fun to watch.

Lurker you sure the Suns went to New York?  They look more like a street basketball team then a pro team....

[Lurker]

Lurker you sure the Suns went to New York?  They look more like a street basketball team then a pro team....

Now you are talking about talent level not style.   

[westkoast]

Lurker you sure the Suns went to New York?  They look more like a street basketball team then a pro team....

Now you are talking about talent level not style.   

No way, style too.  All flash, no real substance.

[Reality]

Stoudamire missed a lot of chippies that would have made the game much closer then it ended up.
Most glaring one i saw was 70-62 Lakers, either Snaq or Nash hit Stoud right under the basket.  He missed the chippy, claimed he was fouled (might have been).  Either way, Lakers got the rebound and went right upcourt for (i think) an uncontested trey by Swisher.  Instead of 70-64 bam it was 73-60.  Few more plays like that where Stoudamires shots rolled off the rim, Flamers went the other way and scored and it was over.

Those 'chippies' use to be dunks when Nash had more freedom to operate and they were more fun to watch.

Lurker you sure the Suns went to New York?  They look more like a street basketball team then a pro team....

No, Stoudamire had room to op last night.  Shaq stayed way away from the rim to deliver a couple passes as did Nash.  Stoud just missed/might have gotten fouled but still should have made them.  I would wonder more if he knee is still whacked.  Whacked enough to throw off his shot?
I do agree that Nashs game is greatly affected by half court slow ball with Snaq.

The Knicks are leading the league in scoring and treys.
More importantly, are 6-5.  So they won't win the title.  Tell Knicks fan things suck.  When was the last time NY was 6-5 and had no in house bickering.

[westkoast]

Stoudamire missed a lot of chippies that would have made the game much closer then it ended up.
Most glaring one i saw was 70-62 Lakers, either Snaq or Nash hit Stoud right under the basket.  He missed the chippy, claimed he was fouled (might have been).  Either way, Lakers got the rebound and went right upcourt for (i think) an uncontested trey by Swisher.  Instead of 70-64 bam it was 73-60.  Few more plays like that where Stoudamires shots rolled off the rim, Flamers went the other way and scored and it was over.

Those 'chippies' use to be dunks when Nash had more freedom to operate and they were more fun to watch.

Lurker you sure the Suns went to New York?  They look more like a street basketball team then a pro team....

No, Stoudamire had room to op last night.  Shaq stayed way away from the rim to deliver a couple passes as did Nash.  Stoud just missed/might have gotten fouled but still should have made them.  I would wonder more if he knee is still whacked.  Whacked enough to throw off his shot?
I do agree that Nashs game is greatly affected by half court slow ball with Snaq.

The Knicks are leading the league in scoring and treys.
More importantly, are 6-5.  So they won't win the title.  Tell Knicks fan things suck.  When was the last time NY was 6-5 and had no in house bickering.

He did?  Cuz I watched him shoot jumpers for half the night.  No pick and roll.  Very few cuts to the rim for dunks.  You sure you watched the same game last night?  The Amare Stoudamire from 2-3 years ago would get 2/3rd of his points jumping out of the building and coming back down for huge dunks.  The biggest dunk of the night was Shaq spinning on Bynum for a wide open flush.  Amare and Nash both are not getting into the paint as much as they were because Shaq is in the middle.

I never used the word 'suck' buddy.  What I said is it's all flash and no substance.  6-5 is average.  The only quality team they have beat is the Jazz.