Western Conference Playoff Report: April 14th
by Scott Howard on Apr 14, 2010 6:00 AM MST
in Phoenix Suns News
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PrintWell we've reached the last day of the season and the penultimate day for the playoff report and we FINALLY have slightly more clarity than we've gotten used to. Going into tonight's games this is what we know:
- The Lakers and Oklahoma City are locked into a 1/8 matchup
- Dallas needs either a win or a Utah loss to get the 2 seed.
- A Utah win gets them at least the 3, and if they also get a Dallas loss they have the 2 seed.
- If Phoenix wins they get the 3 seed and a date with the Blazers or Spurs. If they lose they get the 4 seed and a match-up with the Nuggets. Either way - WE'VE GOT HOME COURT ADVANTAGE IN THE 1ST ROUND. THIS IS HUGE. THIS IS WHY IT'S IN CAPITAL LETTERS AND BOLD.
- If Portland wins they get the 6 seed. If they lose then they only get the 6 seed if San Antonio loses.
- San Antonio needs a win and a Portland loss to get the 6 seed.
I assume you've got all that. Call me crazy but I'll take a win over Utah followed by a series with the suddenly Brandon Roy-less Blazers. Perhaps the greatest thing of all about that series is the fact that the Suns would be able to avoid the Lakers in the 2nd round. If you're pretending they don't scare you I'm going to call you a fool.
Tuesday April 13th Western Conference Results
Utah Jazz 103 Golden State Warriors 94 (Recap) -Pretty much what you could expect here. Utah was tied at half but basically cruised to the win. The really big story here is that Carlos Boozer left the game following the 1st quarter with a strained muscle in his rib cage. There is no word on his availability for tonight but we'll be sure to let you know as soon as possible. Worth noting that Deron Williams only played 29 minutes in the game.
Phoenix Suns 123 Denver Nuggets 101 (Recap) - For some reason this game made me think of this (yes I'm weird...but you knew that already). This was one of the Suns most impressive wins of the season - they led wire to wire and kicked ass in pretty much every aspect of the game. KABLOW!
Western Conference Standings
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | L10 | STREAK |
| 1. LA Lakers | 57 | 24 | .704 | - | 4-6 | WON 1 |
| 2. Dallas | 54 | 27 | .667 | 3 |
7-3 | WON 4 |
| 3. Utah |
53 | 28 | .654 | 4 | 7-3 | WON 2 |
| 4. SUNS | 53 | 28 | .654 | 4 | 8-2 | WON 2 |
| 5. Denver | 53 | 29 | .646 | 4.5 | 6-4 | LOST 1 |
| 6. Portland |
50 | 31 | .617 | 7 | 8-2 | WON 2 |
| 7. San Antonio |
50 | 31 | .617 | 7 | 7-3 | WON 2 |
| 8. Oklahoma City |
49 | 32 | .605 | 8 |
5-5 | LOST 2 |
Wednesday April 14th Western Conference Games of Significance
Spurs @ Mavericks - Dallas needs the game to take the 2 seed and San Antonio needs the game to avoid playing Dallas in the first round. I'll take the Mavs here and expect to see these two doing battle again this weekend.
Warriors @ Trail Blazers - Golden State played last night and sucks. Portland needs this game for seeding purposes and is at home - Blazers should win and clinch the 6.
Suns @ Jazz - So.....I'm not a big basketball fan. Is this game important?
Can you smell the playoffs?
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Gimme a win tonite and the #3 seed
and bring on the Spurs or Blazers! The man-up, egotistical side of me wants to see the Spazz so we can exorcise our playoff demons but my logical side wants POR w/out B-Roy!
I need a ring, DAMMIT!!
yes!
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
yes, to the San Antonio option...
but I’ll take the Blazers in round 1, then Spurs in round 2.
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
I would like to have a lot of bluster
and say “we’ll take anyone!” But the truth is quite the opposite. I think I would rather have a Royless Portland than a Denver looking for revenge. They can be dangerous when they play well. However, I am not sure that I want to risk playing Dallas/SA in the second round (assuming we get out of the first). The way that the Lakers are playing right now I think I would rather have them in the second than Dallas. Though, Dallas/SA is a big rivalry and so that one might go to 7 games. If we could get a tired Dallas or tired SA then I might like that better.
Still, the unfortunate thing is that we will likely never see the Jazz. I dont see them making it out of the second round. without Boozer maybe not out of the first.
Reading is good...
Everything depends on our guys right now
They know that they’ve got homecourt already. The question is how much do they want to go 1 more seed up. Same thing applies to the Jazz. It’ll be interesting to watch this tomorow.
But I want them to get the 3rd seed and play Portland.
I voted San Antonio
They are our destiny
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
I think
the biggest thing we’ve done last night was managing to avoid the Jazz. A few days ago it seemed inevitable that we’re getting the Jazz in 1st round without homecourt. Funny how one night changes things. But I should have known that already.
Denver and Portland are kind of favourable matchups for us. Like, as favourable as it can get among the top 8 teams in the West. I like our chances against the Spurs too… but going through another Suns-Spurs series will decrease my life expectancy by about 10 years.
Grant Hill is totally the next MJ!!
OKC
Matches up very well with the Lakers. Not predicting a monumental upset, but I could see Kobe getting caught up in trying to outscore Durant and “forgetting” (as he often does) to get the ball down low to the bigs. Nothing in this series would surprise me.
Please do your part to end the tyranny of the word "hater"
I don't care what's favorable
I want the Spurs. I want blood. Despite Scott Howard declaring the official tour over… there will be revenge.
There would be no greater feeling than to make it to the NBA Finals having beat both the Spurs and the Lakers so I say bring them on.
They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
yes!
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
The tour never ends.
Revenge is always to be had.
But for me I’ll take Portland in the first round and then root for SA to upset the Mavs. Would be better to get revenge in the 2nd round. Ha.
http://seasonsofdiscontent.com/
by Scott Howard on Apr 14, 2010 9:36 AM MST up reply actions
I am a coward
I fear the Spurs…they are getting good at the right time. Healthy. And they just know how to play well in the post season.
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Apr 14, 2010 10:12 AM MST up reply actions
This is why I don't want them in the 1st round
I’ll take them in the 2nd. You know with the home court and all.
http://seasonsofdiscontent.com/
by Scott Howard on Apr 14, 2010 10:19 AM MST up reply actions
what Eutychus says (no blood, though)
Don’t fear them, get mad. I say what Eutychus says, if less aggressively. I’m tired of thinking about the Robert Horry hit, but I would cheerfully get off the floor where the Spurs shoved me last time, and leap at them again.
by 8472species on Apr 14, 2010 10:54 AM MST up reply actions
Worth noting
If we get the Spurs it will be the first time in the Nash era that D’Antoni won’t be coaching. Not to blast the guy, but he was incredibly stubborn and refused to adjust his gameplan. A big reason we never took the Spurs past game 6.
Pops v D’Antoni was the biggest mismatch the Spurs had on us.
Please do your part to end the tyranny of the word "hater"
by RMason on Apr 14, 2010 11:27 AM MST up reply actions 6 recs
Rec
didn’t think of that – but too true. Just like how last night A.G. adjusted to the back court PG pressure from the Nuggets last night – not sure D’Antoni would have done something like that
They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
Gentry honestly is a better coach. He’s not brilliant, but he’s not flawed.
by 8472species on Apr 14, 2010 12:16 PM MST up reply actions
I like that -
if there is anyone I’m concerned about it’s the Mavs
They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
Without Roy - I'd prefer Portland
As I’ve said before none of these series will be “easy”. But I’d just as well avoid the Spurs and Mavs right now, and a Nuggets team driven to win for Karl could be dangerous.
Denver will get mad
Of course the Suns would win a playoff series against Denver, but it could be difficult. Because how many times can the Suns beat up on the hapless Nuggets before the Nuggets get irritated and decide to stop being pansies?
by 8472species on Apr 14, 2010 10:50 AM MST reply actions
What's the worst that can happen?
Kenyon Martin putting his hands on Amar’e Stoudemire?
by NashMV3 on Apr 14, 2010 11:21 AM MST up reply actions 1 recs
Point taken. I would never expect a sweep, though. No repeat of the 2005 Memphis series.
by 8472species on Apr 14, 2010 11:25 AM MST up reply actions
But Amare didn't have keys to the garage?
They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
It doesn't work that way
if it did, the Suns would have beaten SA by now.
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
Should I be upset with this?
This is the opening line of the Suns Home-Court article posted by Bob Baum on yahoo/AP
The overachieving Phoenix Suns have home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
I dont think we’re overachievers at all. I feel we play smart and hard (at just the right times, but still not enough). This is what happens when teams have fun playing together. Its not always about what plays you have. What good are your plays if you have poor communication!?
I’ve said it before, I want the Spurs…and I dont really care when. But really, I’ll take anyone. I dont care who we have to go through to get to the finals, just get me to the finals.
by KnowGood on Apr 14, 2010 11:01 AM MST reply actions 1 recs
Yeah, but I would find it hard to mind being called an overachiever, ever.
by 8472species on Apr 14, 2010 11:06 AM MST up reply actions
Bob is a unique character
I will say no more
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Apr 14, 2010 11:24 AM MST up reply actions
Blazers fans want Phx
Fine…I hope the Suns hear that and feel disrespected.
by 8472species on Apr 14, 2010 12:18 PM MST up reply actions
probably same way they do when they read our poll result...
so we have two teams that feel disrespected… should be helluva series :-)
I think this is by default
Because they are scared shitless of Utah.
Please do your part to end the tyranny of the word "hater"
I love it
let them all keep dissing the Suns. makes it more fun when we beat them, cuz then we get to hear their far-reaching excuses…
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
reading the comments
over there and Dave they don’t seem that confident about beating anyone…I think they would just prefer us b/c we are nice and friendly. Or b/c of the weather. Probably the weather.
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Apr 14, 2010 3:07 PM MST up reply actions
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