Suns vs. Spurs

[wildcat2334]

The Suns played a heck of a game shorthanded and deserve a lot of credit. At the same time, it might have been a different game if the Spurs hadn't shot like sh!t in the first half despite getting a lot of open looks. It might have also been a different game if the Suns hadn't gone away from Marion in the second half because he was a beast in the first half.

 

I can't believe I'm about to say this but am pretty relieved Stoudamire will be back on the floor for Game 6. That small ball line-up the Suns had going with the addition of Diow would give the Spurs fits without Horry. With Amare out there, the Spurs can use their bigs more effectively, go back to their game plan for the series, and hopefully close this thing out.

 

 

 

a few key points fo sure- one being when TD realized he just needed to face up on Thomas- he went on a nice run once he figured it out. Marion needed the ball more- he didn't get many touches in the 2nd half- way too many crucial turnovers on both sides.

 

Spurs fan eh? man I respect the team- but that is the most unlikable group of guys since the Bad Boys

 

Bowen/Parker/Manu - cannt stand em all- as great as TD is, he is an annoying whiner that has never committed a foul or done anything wrong.

[wirehairman]

Spurs fan eh? man I respect the team- but that is the most unlikable group of guys since the Bad Boys

 

Bowen/Parker/Manu - cannt stand em all- as great as TD is, he is an annoying whiner that has never committed a foul or done anything wrong.

 

 

I've come to accept the fact that the Spurs are the Patriots of the NBA and people typically respect them but rarely like them.

 

Bowen: Say what you want. He may play "dirty" in some people's eyes, but obviously he's found a way to do it within the rules. I love his tenacity and ability to mess with opponents more mentally than physically. Nash should own him this series, but Bruce is in his head too much.

 

Parker: What don't you like about this kid? All the bonus shots of Eva? Tony is a class act and a quality point guard that hustles on every play.

 

Manu: The guy gives so much every second he is on the floor that Pop can't start him because he'd kill himsel. He looks ungainly and out of control most of the time but still manages to make shots or throw down a thunder dunk that don't look possible. He does flop but no more than some other players in the series (for example, Nash or Bell).

 

TD: The "Big Fundamental" . . . He is the epitomy of class and will go down as one of the two best power forwards to ever play the game along with Malone. It cracks me up when people call him a whiner. Yes, he throws his hands in the air and give the refs a look after almost every call. Would you rather he run over to the refs to shout obscenities in their face the length of the court like many other NBA players? Yes, he does get calls because he is a superstar. However, the league has not change any rules for him like the did for MJ (removing offensive fouls for pushing off on every drive) or Shaq (the lovely no interference circle in every key).

 

Say what you want, the Spurs are a quality team that comports themselves with class. Yes, they play gritty, old-school ball on the court, but it ends there. Their players don't get in trouble off the court and are politely asked to leave town if they do. Despite the fact that most fans would rather watch run-and-gun playground ball instead of fundamental play with a solid defensive effort, I think a lot of NBA could use their discipline and work ethic as a model.

[wildcat2334]

I know, I know da Spurs are a class act- and everyone in SA should be proud- fine. A stand up group-

 

BUT Bowen and Ginosely absolutely drive me nuts more than any 2 players in the NBA. I cannot even stand the sight of them.

 

Bowen plays within the rules? he is protected by the NBA- if he tried the stuff he pulls in a pickup game or at my gym he would get knocked out period....... He is dirty, plays dirty and is a cheap shot artist with no peer. He has sprained multiple guys ankles by sliding in under their feet on jumpers, and on and on.

 

Ginosely? please, he takes flopping to a whole new level, it is disgusting. And eveidently he has never committed a foul.

[wirehairman]

Bowen plays within the rules? he is protected by the NBA- if he tried the stuff he pulls in a pickup game or at my gym he would get knocked out period....... He is dirty, plays dirty and is a cheap shot artist with no peer. He has sprained multiple guys ankles by sliding in under their feet on jumpers, and on and on.

 

 

I'll remember to stay away from your gym. I play noon ball three to four times a week and can't count the times I've turned an ankle coming down on a guy after a jumper of layup. I don't think any one of them was an intentional effort to hurt me but were a result of aggressive defense/rebounding.

 

Ginosely? please, he takes flopping to a whole new level, it is disgusting. And eveidently he has never committed a foul.

 

 

Many of the international players flop as much or more than Manu. If he's never committed a foul, why did he continually raise his hand last night after getting whistled without ever saying a word?

 

I'm not trying to start an argument. Bowen and Manu are the type of guys you love if they're on your team and hate if they're not, similar to Harrison or Porter in the NFL.

Edited May 17, 2007 by wirehairman

[detlef]

 

 

TD: He is the epitomy of class ... It cracks me up when people call him a whiner. Yes, he throws his hands in the air and give the refs a look after almost every call. Would you rather he run over to the refs to shout obscenities in their face the length of the court like many other NBA players?

 

Saying that his antics are better than, say, the likes of Sheed Wallace is a long way from "the epitomy of class". Nearly everyone in the league gives the look from time to time when a call doesn't go their way but nearly every single freaking time? Sorry, you can't be the posterman for class if you whine like a veronica (I've given in and just type veronica now rather than being censored).

[theprofessor]

as The Suns coaching staff, and team all went after Horry. So this is the reason Stern did what he did, and he did the right thing, even if I would rather see both teams at full strength.

 

 

 

Hey Private ......... Send me the video where the Suns coaching staff AND team went AFTER Robery Horry. I'd be interested in seeing that. I can't imagine how I missed that during the multiple replays I watched.

[Sgt. Ryan]

Hey Private ......... Send me the video where the Suns coaching staff AND team went AFTER Robery Horry. I'd be interested in seeing that. I can't imagine how I missed that during the multiple replays I watched.

 

 

 

Right here ass wipe

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-0qe7PGCQvI&mode=related&search=

Edited May 18, 2007 by Sgt. Ryan

[Shorttynaz]

Right here ass wipe

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-0qe7PGCQvI&mode=related&search=

 

I just watched this video again and saw it for about the 100th time. I dont see anyone from the Suns coaching staff going after Cheap shot Rob. I saw Alvin Gentry (assistant coach) run to Nash on the floor, and I saw Raja Bell step up right away to Cheap shot, but that's it. Didnt see any coaches run up to him.

Anyway, It's all in the past. Close game right now. Spurs by two at half.. Hope for a great finish.

[Gopher]

The rule made sense at the time, when the league was trying to avoid any baseball-like "bench-clearing brawls" from taking place a few years back. This is a situation where the rule had to be followed to the letter of the law, but the eventual outcome was not what was originally intended. In other words, when the rule was put in place, it's pretty obvious that the NBA didn't think about the fact that a team could, to an extent, try to "lure" an opposing team's players on to the court by delivering a hard foul. In that way, I find it similar to the "tuck" rule and how it affected the Patriot-Raider playoff game a few years ago with Brady. The rule made sense initially, but in a way, a loophole or flaw was found in the wording of the rule.

 

I'm not so sure that's what San Antonio or Horry was trying to do.... I think Horry was just frustrated, as were all of the Spurs, that they had let that game slip away. If that WAS their intent (and Horry had been sent to go after Nash in an effort to get a reaction from the Suns' bench), it could be viewed as a pretty strategic move, given the result. I think the Spurs would most definitely give up Horry for two games if they knew it meant having a chance to steal game 5 from the Suns with no Amare or Boris. Horry is known for his big shots in playoff games, but there is no doubt that he is not even close to the player that he once was. Once again, though, my guess is that it was a spur-of-the-moment reaction by Horry, not a pre-calculated move.

 

It didn't look to me like the Suns' coaches went after Horry at all. The first coach to leave the bench went straight to Nash, the rest simply attempted to restrain Amare and keep Diaw from leaving as well.

 

My take on the final outcome of the series: I don't know what would have happened had the Suns been at full-strength for game 5, but it's impossible to say that they definitely would have won the series. No matter what their regular-season records were, the Spurs were the favorites in this series. I picked them to make the finals when the season ended, and I did so based on their experience. People always talk about experience when it comes to the NBA playoffs (or post-season in any sport in general). In this series, I think experience was the only difference. The Suns are probably more talented, IMO. But the lack of experience hurt them. Not the lack of experience to know how to get a defensive stop of make a big basket when it counted. It was the lack of experience to know not to leave the bench if an altercation occurred. How many times in the last few years have the Spurs been involved in a PHYSICAL playoff series in which physical altercations occurred. Several. This was the first series I can remember where a Suns team, known for being offensive-minded and somewhat soft, got involved in a truly physical battle in the playoffs. Their lack of experience hurt them when it counted the most, and I hope they learn from this next year and for years to come, because they are a fun team to watch.

[Bill Swerski]

I'm sort of a quasi-Spurs fan who disagrees with the suspensions given to the Suns earlier in the week. However, I just didn't see the Suns beating the Spurs in this series. This matchup reminded me of the '03-'04 Patriots/Colts games: The Colts may have had the most dominant offense in the league, but the Patriots were the much more fundamentally-sound team and they were able to step up their game in critical situations. The Spurs almost held Nash scoreless for the first 3 1/2 quarters and Duncan was one block away form a triple-double last night. THAT'S a championship team.

Edited May 19, 2007 by Bill Swerski

[Shorttynaz]

For obvious reasons, my NBA season is over. Dont think I'll watch much more including the Finals. Who would I like to see in the Finals?? I would DEFINITELY watch a Cavs - Jazz Finals, but I think just about everyone knows that it's going to be a Detroit - Spurs Finals, and you couldn't ask for a more boring end to the season.

 

Anyway, congrats to the Spurs and fans, and good luck.. Gonna need it in playing Detroit in the Finals. I personally think that's the team that's gotten hot this playoff's and they're the team to beat. BORRING!!!

Edited May 20, 2007 by Shorttynaz

[KevinL]

I'm amazed that I've read through this whole thread and nobody brought up the example of the Knicks / Heat brawl from a few years back that got several players suspended for the playoffs.

 

1) Wasn't that the precedent here that forced the NBA to suspend any player who left the bench?

 

2) Didn't people say at that time that it might become a "strategy", and of course it didn't?

 

3) Am I really that old that I remember it and y'all don't?

[Gopher]

I'm amazed that I've read through this whole thread and nobody brought up the example of the Knicks / Heat brawl from a few years back that got several players suspended for the playoffs.

 

1) Wasn't that the precedent here that forced the NBA to suspend any player who left the bench?

 

2) Didn't people say at that time that it might become a "strategy", and of course it didn't?

 

3) Am I really that old that I remember it and y'all don't?

 

That's what I was referring to when I said this 4 posts ago, although I didn't specifically say Knicks/Heat:

 

"The rule made sense at the time, when the league was trying to avoid any baseball-like "bench-clearing brawls" from taking place a few years back. This is a situation where the rule had to be followed to the letter of the law, but the eventual outcome was not what was originally intended. In other words, when the rule was put in place, it's pretty obvious that the NBA didn't think about the fact that a team could, to an extent, try to "lure" an opposing team's players on to the court by delivering a hard foul."

 

No, you're not the only one who remembers that. And, I'm not that old!

[Shorttynaz]

3) Am I really that old that I remember it and y'all don't?

 

You said it. I was thinking it but wasn't going to say anything.

[Doc Holliday]

I'm amazed that I've read through this whole thread and nobody brought up the example of the Knicks / Heat brawl from a few years back that got several players suspended for the playoffs.

 

1) Wasn't that the precedent here that forced the NBA to suspend any player who left the bench?

 

2) Didn't people say at that time that it might become a "strategy", and of course it didn't?

 

3) Am I really that old that I remember it and y'all don't?

 

 

 

I am amazed no one has brought up Jeff Van Gundy's leg grapple.funniest thing I ever seen in the NBA.

 

Yeah..I'm old.