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The Reign of Terror Ends - Suns Smelt Spurs 96 - 79

Bsos_logo_tiny by Phoenix Stan on in Game Coverage

Tonight its official. Order has been restored. I don't mean that the Suns have finally shown that they are better then San Antonio. No, I mean that in the world of professional basketball team play reliant on different guys doing different things but all contributing on both ends of the floor has once again achieved dominance over the muck it up game that San Antonio has relied on for too long.

Tonight signaled the end. Be it the Jazz, Hornets or Lakers or our beloved Suns - the Spurs are done. They can no longer win with two or even three guys carrying all the scoring load. As great as their defense is, the game has passed them by. The best teams have too many ways to score to be held in the 80's and the Spurs have too few ways to score more then that.

Good night mittens.
Good night socks.
Good night cow that jumped over the moon.
Good night Spurs.

The Suns did it tonight with balance. Everyone stepped up big at one time or another. The Suns simply overwhelmed the Spurs and dominated the game from the 2nd quarter on. I would like to say it was a great win over a great team, but I just don't respect the Spurs enough anymore to do that. The Suns might not beat Utah or the Lakers or even the young Hornets in the playoff's but its hard to see how they lose to the Spurs.

I know, I know. Don't count them out. They are just laying low waiting to rise from the dead and eat our hearts.

Not this time. Not unless David Robinson and Sean Elliot have been resurrected from retirement. Not unless Steve Kerr, Vinnie Del Negro and Sean Marks are Manchurian Candidates Cylon sleeper agents who's programming is set to trigger a locker room massacre.

More on the actual game tomorrow.

Tonight, I go to sleep knowning that our lives are just a little bit brighter. That trees can grow and birds can sing and wars will end and oil will flow freely once more....That my children can grow up in world without Spurs basketball.

And by the way, I love it when you spend all day hating on the other team and a group of freakishly talented professional athletes that happen to wear your home town colors comes out and stands up for guys like me blogging in pajama's from their momma's basement. That's when you know there's justice in the world.

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Those folks at poundingtherock
really, really hate us :-D

by rsavaj on Apr 10, 2008 12:17 AM MDT   0 recs

They're like Lakers fans...
except a little more boring and with slightly better grammar.

by hcblankscreen on Apr 10, 2008 12:34 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

LOL!
I'm going to have to save that quote, hcblankscreen.

by NativeArizonan on Apr 10, 2008 3:08 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

We don't hate you
We just find it amusing how excited you guys get after beating us in the regular season. To put in a fork in us after some regular season losses is very premature. Manu has been playing poorly these past few games. Meet us in a 7 game series and then we see if Phx has finally turned a corner. Nice game last night.

by CMoney on Apr 10, 2008 10:31 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

sure

but I am Bayesian Updating as we speak.  

The regular season may not mean as much as we think, but it may mean more than you think.  

by ZonaFlash on Apr 10, 2008 10:46 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Yes
Amen to that. The Reign of Terror ends, FOR NOW.....It could be back at some stage.....

Defense, defense, defense. Great to see a fresh and renewed, committed Suns team on defense. Carry it over into the playoffs boys.....

Subscribe to Run N Gun Podcast here www.thesportsstuff.com

by dang on Apr 10, 2008 4:38 PM MDT to parent up   0 recs

What?
Really?

Because I've seen gloating all over that board all season long whenever something negative happened to the Suns.

I blame the short memory span on watching too much MTV.

Manu seems to be playing poorly often against the Suns as of late -- including the last two big wins (one in PHX and one in SA).

Mmmmm ... Guinness

by JSun on Apr 10, 2008 10:57 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Nice try...
Saying something negative does not constitute hate... think about it. We don't have a reason to hate the Suns... every time we've met in the playoffs, we've won. Winning championships does not breed hate.

by CMoney on Apr 10, 2008 11:15 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Negativity Implies Hate
Perhaps you, CMoney, have no hatred towards the Suns or the Suns' fans.  Further, I agree that no one can definitely know what is in another person's mind or heart.

However, ad hominem and low-brow attacks certainly give the reasonable observer the inference that hatred exists.

Winning championships does not breed hate, but slowly slipping off the map and into obscurity while falling into mediocrity can certainly engender feelings of loss, hatred and jealously.

Talk to me about all the rings during the off-season, at HOF celebrations and while reminiscing.  It sure does not seem appropriate to be reminiscing right now, with this year's playoffs approaching.

Mmmmm ... Guinness

by JSun on Apr 10, 2008 11:41 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Let me point out...

Q1 6:50
Somebody lay a body on Tony Parker already.  Lay him out.  Clean and non-injuring type shit, but heavy shit nonetheless.  He's slicing us up.

by Chboddis on Wed Apr 09, 2008 at 09:50:04 PM EDT
[ Reply to This ]

Fuck that
Hurt him, piss on all these assholes I hate them.

by MichiganSunsFan on Wed Apr 09, 2008 at 09:52:03 PM EDT
[ Parent | Reply to This ]

Classy
Wow...

by CMoney on Wed Apr 09, 2008 at 09:53:12 PM EDT
[ Parent | Reply to This ]

Yeah
I apologize for that comment.

by MichiganSunsFan on Wed Apr 09, 2008 at 10:01:52 PM EDT
[ Parent | Reply to This ]

Fuck that
piss away.

by RealTangiblesGuy on Wed Apr 09, 2008 at 11:05:59 PM EDT
[ Parent | Reply to This ]

by CMoney on Apr 10, 2008 12:04 PM MDT to parent up   0 recs

You are correct
Much of that was improper.

However, it is a red herring in the running portion of the conversation in that we were discussing Sp*rs' fans hatred for Suns' fans.  

Additionally, you are illustrating my point that hatred can be inferred.

You may also be interested in my post requesting that we all curtail the use of obscenities.

Join me, CMoney, and together we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the blogosphere.

Mmmmm ... Guinness

by JSun on Apr 10, 2008 12:35 PM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Hey CMoney..
The "winning championships line" It's getting old. I'm glad for you guys, really. Nobody can tell if the Suns would have beaten your team last year, but the suspensions did made it easier for you guys and you can't deny that if you really know ANYTHING about basketball.

So, if I were you, I would be concerned about what's going to happen if these teams do meet in the playoffs. (Keeping in mind what happened last year and what's happening this year) But then again...maybe you are worried.

There's no other explanation on why you are hanging around here.

by PanamaSun on Apr 10, 2008 11:56 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

I can see that...
But actually winning championships never gets old. In all honesty, the only team I'm worried about is Boston. And in response to why I'm "hanging around here", I like get the other sides perspective. Call me crazy but I enjoy hearing both sides of the argument.

by CMoney on Apr 10, 2008 12:09 PM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Come on C!
You are smarter than that. I meant the winning championships "LINE" was getting old not winning championships.

I get into other team blogs also but the difference is that I don't get upset and comment about what I see or read while I'm there. I'm mature enough to understand that since I'm "hearing the other side of the argument" these are the types of stuff that you will get to read.

So do what I do, just sit back and laugh...

by PanamaSun on Apr 10, 2008 12:32 PM MDT to parent up   0 recs

I got it, the first time.
I understood exactly what you meant and that was my response. You may just sit back and laugh, I personally enjoy engaging others in conversations about basket ball. That's the whole point of this thing called blogging...

by CMoney on Apr 10, 2008 12:56 PM MDT to parent up   0 recs

You mean engaging others in
"Intelligent" and "Objective" conversations right?

by PanamaSun on Apr 10, 2008 1:10 PM MDT to parent up   0 recs

It's all good
As CMoney can attest, we're making our presence felt over at Pounding The Rock, too.  (Not that dalegg joker, though.  He, last I checked, is not "one of us.")  It's all good fun.  At the end of the day, neither the Suns nor the Spurs will have cured cancer (though I don't put it past the YUMs to surprise us), so let's keep that in perspective.

I don't apologize for wanting Tony Parker laid out though.  I don't think anyone will disagree about the deterrent effect of hard fouls in the lane, though sometimes they have the opposite effect and "wake up" great players now and again.

So, keep it coming CMoney and we'll see if we meet again in a couple weeks.

by Mike Lisboa on Apr 10, 2008 12:37 PM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Glorious!!!
The evil ones have been banished tonight.  Whether or not they can come back to haunt us in the playoffs is up to us now.  

For the first time in, i guess, a decade the Suns really seem to be better than the Spurs.  Whether or not our boys can step up and beat team like the Lakers or the Hornets remains to be seen, but night like tonight give us hope.  The playoffs may not be here yet, but the Suns are laying the ground work and are prepared to take on just about anything now.

LONG LIVE THE SUNS!

"Of old, the Skillful Warrior first ensured his own invulnerability;then he waited for the enemy's vulnerability." Sun Tzu

by Turambar on Apr 10, 2008 12:45 AM MDT   0 recs

awesome game, great to be there
great points...

shaq is really going to help us more than Marion ever could against many teams, the Spurs being one of them

Diaw and Barbosa showed up tonight, if we see more of that, only good can come

Nice to see the lead was built with Amare and Nash out, it was a barbosa 3 and some quick motivated baskets by shaq that quickly found the suns up by 10! Plus some great hustle by Diaw / Bell & Hill!!

A Suns fan in full Suns attire won one of those spurs t-shirts from the t-shirt gun and threw it back onto the court in classic 'spurs rejection - homerun ball toss back' style....it was fantastic!

Some negatives...
During parts of the game the suns offense seemd to just die (end of first tonight....dallas game 4th Q recently)

Amare is being so easily upset and handled by the spurs, he really was lucky to not get ejected with the way he reacts to stuff, right or wrong (and he's (Amare) often right) about the calls, you have to just keep playing. Shaq and Nash are classic examples of letting their hustle and heart do their talking, while Amare simply hasn't figured out how badly he's hurting the team with his lack of thought....in retrospect...I was upset about the poor rule and the suspension last year vs the spurs, but now I see that Amare is being manipulated by a smarter team and if Shaq and Nash
(really Shaq since it's clear Amare is too important to learn from Nash) can't wake Amare up,
we're going to be inconsistent.

One STAT should really tell the story,
Nash 5 rebounds
Amare 4 rebounds!!

5 Suns players either tied or beat Amare in rebounds tonight!! There's simply no excuse for someone with Amare's athletic ability to be having rebound results like this!!

*****

Still, a great win and with the remaining schedule for the Suns vs the remaining schedule for the Lakers, I think we could be looking at winning our pacific division again, it is very possible.

Lakers play both S.A. and N.O. still, our toughest games are done. Great season, tough loss to Dallas.

 

Nothing in this Verse can stop us!

by jasonsuns1 on Apr 10, 2008 1:55 AM MDT   0 recs

one additional thing
Marion has more energy and speed than Shaq, bigtime, but Shaq is doing so much more for us because of his heart, his opposite attitude of complaining that Marion wrote the book on, and Shaq is simply a smart player, similar to Duncan, Nash, etc where Marion and sadly (and hopefully not for ever) Amare are.
Nothing in this Verse can stop us!

by jasonsuns1 on Apr 10, 2008 1:58 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

agree
with you about smart players. I used to love Marion, but his attitude shows he was not so smart. As a player, you should be glad to be the third option in one of the best team, and playing alongside one present MVP and perhaps one future MVP, it's not an offense to be the third! Instead, he's happy (at least it seems to be so) to tank the end of the season with one of the worst team ever. Really, i don't understand.

About Amare, it's almost the same complaints. He want to be considered as the franchise player, but no way you can be the franchise player until you grab more rebound that your point guard (and Nash is not Kidd for grabbing rebound).

The team looks better now with Shaq rather than Shawn, but Amare has to stop whining and play, and bring this team a championship! thereafter, no one will ever discuss his MVP caliber!

where full french will surely happen during the playoff

by warmup on Apr 10, 2008 6:17 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Thanks, Jason!
I enjoyed your write up.  You don't know how much I wanted to go to this game.  It was impossible, but I'm glad you had such a good time.

I agree with you about Amare.  He needs to get more rebounds, and he needs to control himself better.  Still, he is getting better on the control.  It is a work in progress.  But I think he has decided in his head that he doesn't need to rebound anymore.  If he rebounded, we would control the boards every night.

'07-'08 Suns: It's clobberin' time!

by Hawk42 on Apr 10, 2008 7:54 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Rebounds
I'm usually at the front of the line bagging on STAT's lack of rebounding stats, but this time I'm going to defend him a bit on the issue.  In case you think I'm just saying that, go here: http://www.hoopsvibe.com/nba/nba-articles/what-will-it-take-for-amare-stoudemire-to-be-the-mvp-ar477 11.html

He boxed-out well, and his active hands helped grab some boards for which he did not get credit.  I think he also knocked a loose rebound or two off of a Sp*r player.

This is a case where the stats weren't quite representative of the effort.

Mmmmm ... Guinness

by JSun on Apr 10, 2008 9:34 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

I was thinking the same thing
I wanted to re-watch the game to be sure...but I think the individual rebound stat for a specific game can be misleading.

There's times a guy boxes out and his team mate gets the rebound (and credit for his work). There's tips and deflections. And sometimes the ball just doesn't bounce in your direction.

I look at rebounding averages. Amare is right there with KG at just under 9/game.

Oh, and Amare only had like 31 minutes last night AND overall the Suns won the battle of the glass which is most important. Team effort.

Phx - where facials happen

by Phoenix Stan on Apr 10, 2008 9:47 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

That's a creative post
The Suns played very well. The Spurs mailed it in during crunch time. But it's very presumptuous to already put a fork in the Spurs. The real season is about to begin. And let's say it all together now, "Don't ever underestimate the heart of a champion."

P.S. Chboddis, great job with the live blogging. And you [and ZonaFlash] showed class over at PtR. [Are y'all (BSotS people) sure that none of you is a closet 'dalegg'?]

by Key on Apr 10, 2008 3:18 AM MDT   0 recs

key
couldn't agree with you more, kind of disappointed in title of this recap. Reign of terror ends....I don't think anything has been proven until we beat them in the playoffs...if we even play them.

Still, fun game to see shaq so involved. A few other comments, while being there in person, it's very clear both ginobili and parker attack the basket better and faster than anyone we have. Many times they'd get an easy layup due to their speed and strength at driving to the hoop. But, a few times our help defense actually kicked in and forced a bad shot off these drives, or got a block or turnover.

fun game, its so funny to me, we're number 6 and the lakers are/were number 3. The funny thing, with some luck we could take over the three position....to have the lakers fall to five or six....so...we'd be playing....drum roll...the lakers still haha...kills me.  

Nothing in this Verse can stop us!

by jasonsuns1 on Apr 10, 2008 8:13 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

What's the point
in being right after the fact....
Phx - where facials happen

by Phoenix Stan on Apr 10, 2008 8:31 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

whats the point in
promising someone to do the recap then doing it themselves....I stopped at a motel and spent $100 instead of driving home so I could quickly post a game recap to see you had done it. Yet in an email specifically from you, you and I had agreed before the game that I was doing the recap since I was there. It doesn't matter now, its the idea
of it, thanks for keeping your word@#$%

If an admin is going to straight out lie to me about stuff, I think I'm done. You owe me an apology srp

Nothing in this Verse can stop us!

by jasonsuns1 on Apr 10, 2008 8:51 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

I am sorry
I specifically didn't write about "the game" and kept checking for your post before I did mine at 11pm PST/1am CST.

Besides, I only wrote about the demise of the Spurs and left a TON of room (and there still is a gapping hole in our coverage) to both recap the actual game and provide your on-the-scene report.

I am sorry you felt I overstepped, but its not as if there only has to be one recap of such a great game. I hope you will still post yours.

Phx - where facials happen

by Phoenix Stan on Apr 10, 2008 9:18 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

forget about it
i have

 

Nothing in this Verse can stop us!

by jasonsuns1 on Apr 10, 2008 7:54 PM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Now that's class

Key, if you come over here after a loss - in my book you can come over here anytime and say anything you want.  

I'm adopting you... as a closet SUNS fan.

by ZonaFlash on Apr 10, 2008 9:55 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Well actually
the Suns always have been one of my favorite teams, but I've been a die-hard Spurs fan since the ABA days [I grew up in SA].

by Key on Apr 10, 2008 11:24 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Good one
But Shaq's last championship came on the cheap. No comp in the East, and if one play had gone different in Spurs-Mavs, the Spurs would have gone on to smoke the heat in the Finals.

by Key on Apr 10, 2008 11:28 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

If one play
had gone differently in the Suns Spurs series the Suns would have gone on to smoke the Cavs...
Phx - where hyperbole happens

by Phoenix Stan on Apr 10, 2008 11:31 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

One play, eh?
And that play would be?

by Key on Apr 10, 2008 12:44 PM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Was it worth it?
I just can't shake the feeling of deja vu here.  I along wih several others on this board suffered in silence in the 1980s to early 90s when the Suns seemed to get their heart torn out by the Lakers every year.  I think they eliminated us four or five times in the decade.  We worked so hard to develop a eam that could stay with them.

The DJ-Luke/Truck teams couldn't do it.  The Larry Nance/Walter Davis led teams couldn't get over the hump.  We even tore our team up and remade them with KJ, Chambers, and Majerle.  Then it happened.  We finally beat the Magic/Divac team in 1991, only to find that the other teams had caught up.  While we focused on beating countering LA's Showtime with a Showtime team of our own (Those fortunate enough to be fans of the pre-Barkley Suns were indeed treated to an awesome offensive team led by KJ, Majerle, Hornacek, and Chambers, with Eddie Johnson and point-a-minute Ced Ceballos off the bench).  That team, too was forced to sell its soul (Hornacek) to get an outspoken fat boy to help us bang the final nail in the coffin of the hated enemy.

Concentrating on the Lakers took so much energy, that we lost track of what the Blazers were doing.  I believe a similar thing is happening here.  We have focused so much on vanquishing the Spurs demons that we have overlooked the Utah's and New Orleans's of the league.  Have we finally accomplished our goal, only to find we have been fighting windmills?

'07-'08 Suns: It's clobberin' time!

by Hawk42 on Apr 10, 2008 5:58 AM MDT   0 recs

good points....
I see this and agree with you, but not everyone is doing this (but many of us are). I personally have been saying for a month now, as long as we don't play N.O. in the first round, I'm happy. Even the mavs are waking up a little bit, 2 weeks ago I would've written the mavs team off as a first round defeat, but not anymore. I think they're waking up a little...I still remember the mavs team that won so many games just a season ago, that team could wake up. Not afraid of them in a 7 game series, my point is simply this, the playoffs are going to be simply fantastic!!
Nothing in this Verse can stop us!

by jasonsuns1 on Apr 10, 2008 8:19 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Damn Hawk...
now you got me thinking... but I don't think that's the case. I feel we can beat Utah and LA. Now the Hornets are a different deal. But the Suns will make adjustments.

by PanamaSun on Apr 10, 2008 8:21 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

PanamaSun
I agree with you, Utah and the Lakers are very, very good, but I think we can beat them also. It's all about N.O. for me. But, our games against them were all pre shaq (at least before it started to really work). Making it hard to judge really how we'll do.
Nothing in this Verse can stop us!

by jasonsuns1 on Apr 10, 2008 8:24 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Sweating Bullets
At the beginning of the season, I admitted that I often woke up on the middle of the night sweating and screaming, "Timmeh!"

Last night, I woke up screaming, "Duckworth!"

I think you're right.

Mmmmm ... Guinness

by JSun on Apr 10, 2008 9:40 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

ow!

I remember those years when the Trailblazers were in our way.  They knocked us out two years in a row.  We couldn't crack them.

by ZonaFlash on Apr 10, 2008 9:57 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Veiled Threat?
Here's something from an article on mysantonio.com:

"It definitely wasn't a basketball play on his part, and I reacted" Stoudemire said. "And I definitely didn't appreciate it. I let him know about it."

Asked if he would be Bowen's friend on the MySpace Web site, Stoudemire responded negatively at first, then changed his mind.

"I probably would," he said. "But just to get his address. Then I might go visit him at his home."

Mmmmm ... Guinness

by JSun on Apr 10, 2008 9:35 AM MDT   0 recs

LOL
Who would have guessed that Amare could be this funny...
Walk on, walk on With hope in your heart And you'll never walk alone You'll never walk alone

by Nobs on Apr 10, 2008 10:30 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Amare is an jr MVP

He shouldn't be getting into scraps with over-the-hill bit role players.  

Don't play Bowen's game, Amare, it's beneath you!

by ZonaFlash on Apr 10, 2008 10:32 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

MVP is about being the better player
Not about being the better man. If it was this way, Kobe "The Rapist" Bryant would be getting no love.

People should stop with this 'don't-bother-with-him' thing everytime Bowen does a dirty play. It's not because he's an asshole that people shouldn't react. Maybe he would have stopped it already.

Walk on, walk on With hope in your heart And you'll never walk alone You'll never walk alone

by Nobs on Apr 10, 2008 10:48 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah

But if Amare overreacts in a game, it may cost us.  Luckily it didn't this time, but next time, you don't know.

by ZonaFlash on Apr 10, 2008 10:51 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah, you're right
But I just hate Bowen too much.
Walk on, walk on With hope in your heart And you'll never walk alone You'll never walk alone

by Nobs on Apr 10, 2008 10:59 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

GREAT GAME
All around amazing game played by all Suns who took the floor.  Took it to the Spurs and sent their fans home to a bad nights sleep.  

Let's keep focusing on one another, get tight and bring the heat every night all the way thru to the Finals.

-E.

by JohnnyyGo on Apr 10, 2008 11:00 AM MDT   0 recs

Shocker of the game.

My assessment of the game was

[1] We had great bench play.
[2] They didn't [read: Manu didn't].

Going forward, however, this is not enough to congratulate ourselves on since we know [1] nor [2] are reliably going to stay the same.

We can hope [1] persists and we can hope that Manu shot his wad in the regular season - that he peakedd too early.

However, the thing that I am most happy about is that I believe the Spurs made a strategic error in playing Bowen on Nash the entire game.

This allowed Nash to adjusted and accommodate to Bowen's defense.  And I think Nash handled the Bowen defense really well (few if any TOs).

So if Bowen can't effectively guard Nash, what can the Spurs do now?

by ZonaFlash on Apr 10, 2008 11:08 AM MDT   0 recs

Nash's D
Just a side note on this thought:

Nash get's crap all the time for not being able to defend quick PG's like Parker or Ellis.

Where's the dis for Parker for not guarding Nash?

Phx - where facials happen

by Phoenix Stan on Apr 10, 2008 11:16 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Stay tuned...
You'll see how Pop adjusts.

by Key on Apr 10, 2008 11:20 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Key and my Spurs friends
Seriously now. Bias aside. Just basketball here.

The Spurs are a great defensive team. But in the past they were also able to score the ball in different ways. Do you really think that 3 guys carrying the load is enough anymore?

Its too easy for average defensive teams to load up on those guys when the role players can't step up and help share the load.

And I don't just mean the Suns. Looks at Utah? They can kill you inside, shoot from outside, penetrate, rebound, run and execute in the half court as always.

How do the Spurs beat that? Last time I check those banners can't score buckets and the other contenders (other then the Horents) have solid experience now.

Phx - where hyperbole happens

by Phoenix Stan on Apr 10, 2008 11:26 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

3 guys can't do it all
I will be the first to say that if our role players don't step up we won't repeat. Thank god Manu is slumping before the playoffs, instead of during. In the past 3 games, we haven't broken 80 pts...not the norm. Good shooting comes and goes, but what is constant is defense. And as of right now, Spurs D is looking sharp.

by CMoney on Apr 10, 2008 12:21 PM MDT to parent up   0 recs

CMoney,

Do you think Manu may have peaked?  I'm concerned that he might have just worked to hard having that massive regular season.

He may be slumping or he may have peaked.

How do you tell the difference and what do you see?

by ZonaFlash on Apr 10, 2008 12:30 PM MDT to parent up   0 recs

He's slumping
I know everyone says we're "dinosaurs" but Manu is only 30 years old (compared to Nash who's 34) and thankfully he rested his legs this past summer. Case in point....few years ago Dallas said Nash was peaking at 30 and he couldn't last because of the beating his body takes when driving the lane... 2 MVPs later, the rest is history. I'm confident that Manu will find his shooting stroke again.

I also want to point out the ages of our big 3. Tony 25, Manu 30, Tim 31. Tim has never played the pounding style of bball like Shaq, so I expect his body to hold up longer. Our role players are what make us look so old...Horry, Finley, Bowen, Barry... Role players can be replaced.

by CMoney on Apr 10, 2008 12:50 PM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Manu's an old 30
It's not the years, it's the mileage.  He takes a pounding when he drives (like our dearly departed Kevin Johnson).

However, it is true that the bigger problem seems to be the age of the supporting cast.

Timmeh is not slowing down, he was already moving slowly.  I don't know if avoiding the "pounding style" of Shaq is the key here; it's simply that he's always been a smooth operator, and, as we all know, men tend to become more graceful and sophisticated with age.

Mmmmm ... Guinness

by JSun on Apr 10, 2008 1:01 PM MDT to parent up   0 recs

I just don't see it
I watch spurs games religiously and I don't see Manu "losing a step". He still is explosive and he is having a career year.

This season: 46% FG, 40% 3pt, 86% FT 19.6 avg pts per game

Career: 43% FG, 38% 3pt, 82% FT, 14.7 avg pts per game

And Manu is 6'6, 205 lbs of lean muscle. He has the frame to withstand a beating. Lord knows Nash takes a beating and he 6'3 175lbs.

by CMoney on Apr 10, 2008 1:50 PM MDT to parent up   0 recs

I assume Mano
is going to play well...I still think though that the big three without anyone else isn't going to get it done.

Manu coming off the bench becomes the only option and teams - especially in the playoffs - can load up to stop him.

There's too much firepower in the West's best to keep up with "only" the big three.

Phx - where hyperbole happens

by Phoenix Stan on Apr 10, 2008 2:06 PM MDT to parent up   0 recs

I meant
seasonal peaking, not career peaking. You also peak through a season. You want to play your best at the end, not in the middle. This is what I was saying about Manu.

by ZonaFlash on Apr 11, 2008 12:29 AM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Ditto this
The lack of scoring help is a concern. I think that the Spurs are really missing Brent Barry - not even so much what he brings as an individual, but the overall team synergy in terms of the flow in the rotation is so much better when he's available. It's too bad that his injury is lingering - it would have been good if he could have had a few regular season games under his belt before the playoffs. The dynamic may not be as big as Andrew Bynum coming back, but he's still a very important cog.

How about you guys - do it concern you that your rotation might not be long enough if/when Shaq and Amare get in foul trouble?

by Key on Apr 10, 2008 1:10 PM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Agree
Having Barry out there as another shooter is huge. We need those points and he's always good for at least one breakthrough game.

by CMoney on Apr 10, 2008 2:29 PM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Rotation Problems?
Did you watch the game last night?

Wasn't it a 13-6 Suns' advantage with Shaq and Amare on the bench?

Yeah, we used to be concerned, but then Mike D started taking our advice and giving The Principal some burn.  Also, Kerr was brilliant in trying to fool everyone into thinking the Suns wanted Damon Stoudamire, Brent Barry, et al., when he was really gunning for Moodicek.

Mmmmm ... Guinness

by JSun on Apr 10, 2008 3:50 PM MDT to parent up   0 recs

GINOBLI INJURED
Turns out Manu was playing with a pulled groin last night. That explains the 3-12 8 pt night.

http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/courtside/archives/2008/04/mike_monroe_gro.html

by CMoney on Apr 10, 2008 4:59 PM MDT to parent up   0 recs

Ah, the sweet taste of victory!
My 7-year old son came down the stairs last night about 8:45, took a look at the TV, and said, "The Suns are burning brighter and brighter and hotter and hotter and setting fire to the wooden Spurs, who will burn up and crumble into ashes and then blow away in the wind."  I had to stifle a tear of pride and joy...

And as far as Bowen, it was classic Spurs low-class tactics last night, as the game started to slip away there was Bruce, tripping and body-checking Nash, then the special sauce to Amare's ribs on the pick.  

Here's hoping the Spurs can rally back to down the Lakers, and the Suns can win-out!

by SoCalSun on Apr 10, 2008 11:14 AM MDT   0 recs

Full French
I'll stop making fun of Boris for things like this:

http://www.thedirty.com/?p=20355

So long as he keeps running over the Maginot Line.

Mmmmm ... Guinness

by JSun on