Phoenix Suns Practice Report: Zone? How About The Lakers Porous Defense
by Seth Pollack on May 24, 2010 1:54 PM MDT
in Phoenix Suns News
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The vast majority of questions today for both teams in their massive media availability was about the Suns' zone defense. (There was at least 75 media types here compared to oh ... about 4 on a regular season off day.)
Have you ever in your entire life seen so much zone played in one NBA game?
How can you beat the zone?
Will you use the zone more?
What is a zone?
You get the picture. The answers were predictable and I am not going to insult your refined basketball sensitivities by delving into such nonsense. Needless to say, the Lakers reported being surprised by the zone. Gentry said he didn't expect it to work that well. Jackson said they would look at film and adjust. I have no idea what Kobe said because I couldn't get within 20 yards of him.
And Ron Artest had no complaints, "It was a lot of zone. It was cool, though. I like zones."
The real untold story for this series so far is the Lakers defense or lack thereof.
Artest, that great NBA analyst and philosopher, summed it up best, "It's the nature of this series. Everybody is scoring the ball. It seems like there's no defense being played."
For all the talk about the Suns' crappy defense, the Lakers are giving up 116 points per 100 possessions compared to the Blazers (115.2) and Spurs (113.9). The Lakers were one of the better teams this season in defensive efficiency with the 4th best 103.7
So yeah, the Suns haven't been able to slow down Kobe and Pau, but the Lakers aren't exactly locking anyone down either and that's with Channing Frye's shot somehow Lost on a tropical island with the Smoke Monster (I haven't watch the finale yet, so no spoilers, but I really hope the Channing's three makes it off the island).
What do the Lakers think about their vaunted defense?
"We didn't do it very well last night, but I do think we have a handle and a feel for how we want to defend this team," Derek Fisher said with some measure of denial.
Fisher, by the way, had maybe a slight bump on his forehead thanks to Robin's elbow, which Fisher certainly thought was intentional. Can't argue with that. I asked Robin how his elbow felt and he just grinned. His back is perfectly fine by the way, and he said his wind and stamina are good, although Gentry said he's still only at about 70% recovered.
Fisher also reported this injury:
"I had a little red mark from Steve's nose last night. I didn't know until I left the building that his nose was actually broken. I hate that for him. I don't think it will effect his game much, but you never want to see guys injured in that way."
Nash, as I am sure you already know, was diagnosed with Nasal Alignment Malfunction Syndrome, but no one thinks a slightly crooked schnoz will slow down Steve Nash. Except maybe Phil Jackson, who somewhat hopefully pointed out how Manu Ginobili's play was affected by his run-in with Dirk's elbow.
Bynum says his knee is OK. Jackson seemed to agree after watching the tape. Everyone feels that it helps Robin to not have Bynum on the floor and playing effectively.
Back to the Lakers so-called defense. Gasol explained the problem in a bit more detail. I have to say Pau's English might be the best of any of the Lakers I've heard speak. Dude knows his grammar.
"He's a driver, preferably right, and he's an explosive player. It will probably take more than one player to take him away from his comfort zones and things like that. Especially because they run so much pick and roll that you are always keeping your body off of him. You are always trying to be aggressive with Nash, which is an important part of your success, but then the whole defense has to react to that and last night we were a little slow reacting to the penetration and to pick and rolls."
And finally, I can't leave you without mentioning this Phil Jackson remark, which you've probably already seen on TNT, NBA TV, ESPN and other numerous sources. But in case you are boycotting them ...
Asked about the high number of three-point shots his team took, Phil fired one across the bow of his team, "There's a reason some guys are open and those guys that were open and took some of those shots have to figure out why they are open."
Audio, for your listening pleasure
Amare's warrior face. Shame on all of you who doubted him.
Links ... Lots and Lots of Links
See, these guys know bad defense when they see it, too ...
Lakers 109, Suns 118: What Is This "De-Fense" You Speak Of? - Silver Screen and Roll
In building a two-oh series lead in Los Angeles, the Lakers used a volcanic offense to hide some wanky D. They'd never really stopped the Suns' attack for more than brief stretches at a time, but the volume of their own points production made that failing irrelevant. Not tonight.
The ineffectiveness of Andrew Bynum puts the Lakers in a tight spot vs. Suns - Silver Screen and Roll
The Lakers do not have what you would call a deep roster, and nowhere is the roster thinner than at the top. It seems odd to consider the Lakers as thin in the post, since they have, without question, the best combination of bigs in the league.
Forum Blue And Gold " Lakers/Suns Game 3: Amare, Suns Finally Get In The Zone
2010 NBA Playoffs: The Phoenix Suns brought the Los Angeles Lakers back down to earth - ESPN Los Angeles
The Game 3 loss to the Suns may be just what the Lakers needed.
Robin Lopez plays unsung hero in Suns' Game 3 win - Chris Ballard - SI.com
"Truth is generally the best vindication against slander" -- Phoenix Suns locker-room whiteboard, prior to Game 3
Suns Get Gritty, Feisty in Game 3 Win -- NBA FanHouse
PHOENIX -- The eye was still black and blue, with subtle shades remaining from the Tim Duncan elbow Steve Nash had endured nearly two weeks
2010 NBA Playoffs: Los Angeles Lakers look like old selves against Utah Jazz - ESPN
After two games where the Suns' defense seemed non-existent, it was time to break out the zone.
Lakers' Lamar Odom on his bad game: 'It happens' - latimes.com
This guy is a clown
Lakers run into big problems in 118-109 Game 3 loss to Suns - latimes.com
So much for keeping up with the Celtics. The Lakers blinked before their Boston counterparts did,
The Suns’ Long Road - Off the Dribble Blog - NYTimes.com
If it is true that there is no place like home, then the Suns may have an excuse for opening the Western Conference finals with consecutive losses to the Lakers: their last home game was May 5.
Lakers’ Weakness Inside Is Exposed - Off the Dribble Blog - NYTimes.com
A 42-point explosion by Amar’e Stoudemire was much less surprising than it was timely, but a 20-point outburst by Robin Lopez was both. Against a Lakers frontline diminished by the inability of the ailing Andrew Bynum to stay on the floor
SUNS: Postgame Quotes: Suns vs Lakers Round 3, Game 3
Video: Stoudemire Talks About His Huge Game 3 Against Lakers -- NBA FanHouse
PHOENIX -- There's no question that Amar'e Stoudemire was the Hero of the Day in the Suns' Game 3 win over the Lakers. He put
Video: Steve Nash on His 'Rearranged' Nose, Stoudemire's Game -- NBA FanHouse
PHOENIX -- You may have seen Steve Nash messing with his nose near the end of the Suns' Game 3 win over the Lakers, and
NBA Dish: Amare Again Says He Hasn't Made Up His Mind About Next Season - The Baseline - The Baseline - Sporting News
Like I’ve told you guys all season, I’ll play this season out and see how it goes and then try to make a decision this summer," Stoudemire told reporters, according to The Arizona Republic. "It’s still 50-50, and it’s always going to be that way until a decision is made." ...
Behind the Box Score, where Amar'e and the Suns were zoned in - Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
Comprehensive National Basketball Association news, scores, standings, fantasy games, rumors, and more
Phoenix Suns' Amar'e Stoudemire turns into Superman in Game 3
Phoenix Suns' Amar'e Stoudemire turns into Superman in Game 3, This is what the Suns wanted from star forward.
Phoenix Suns utilize zone defense in win over Los Angeles Lakers
Phoenix Suns utilize zone defense in win over Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix was a little shaky with the zone in Saturday's workout, but it did the trick Sunday.
Phoenix Suns beat Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of Western Conference finals
Phoenix Suns beat Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of Western Conference finals, Amar'e Stoudemire scored 42 points in the Suns' 118-109 win. LA still leads series 2-1.
azcentral.com blogs - Coro's Suns dish - PaulCoro - A hair-raising performance
Coro's Suns dish: Phoenix Suns update: The Suns were going to have go big to have a chance against the Lakers. That meant more of Robin Lopez or Channing Frye. Lopez played big. Frye shrunk. The most stunning part of Lopez's 20-point game would be that it was just his... />
NBA Playoffs, Lakers Suns Game 3: The Phoenix starters came up big on a rare off-night for the heralded reserves - ProBasketballTalk - Basketball - NBC Sports
The Suns' reserves have been the heart and soul of Phoenix's extended playoff run. Goran Dragic, Leandro Barbosa, Channing Frye, Jared Dudley, and Louis Amundson have each had their moment in the spotlight, with their collective shooting, energy, savvy, and synergy making all the difference for the Suns in these playoffs. That wasn't exactly the case in Game 3.
Phoenix Suns' Dan Majerle would be interested if Chicago Bulls call - ESPN Chicago
"Of course," he said to ESPNChicago.com before Game 3 of the Western Conference finals on Sunday night. "Yeah, I'm willing to listen to anybody."
2010 NBA Playoffs: Phoenix Suns' Robin Lopez happy on the fringe - ESPN Los Angeles
He doesn't need anything linking him with Diamond, a much-maligned actor who has become a punchline. But Lopez embraces the Screech comparisons, the loveable nerd played by Diamond in the hit 1990s TV show "Saved by the Bell." Lopez's Twitter-feed bio even says he's the "Screech Powers of the NBA." "He's a clever guy," Lopez joked. "Everybody from my era loves Screech."
Behind the Box Score, where Amar'e and the Suns were zoned in - Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
Comprehensive National Basketball Association news, scores, standings, fantasy games, rumors, and more
Phoenix Suns' Amar'e Stoudemire turns into Superman in Game 3
Phoenix Suns' Amar'e Stoudemire turns into Superman in Game 3, This is what the Suns wanted from star forward.
Phoenix Suns utilize zone defense in win over Los Angeles Lakers
Phoenix Suns utilize zone defense in win over Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix was a little shaky with the zone in Saturday's workout, but it did the trick Sunday.
Phoenix Suns beat Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of Western Conference finals
Phoenix Suns beat Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of Western Conference finals, Amar'e Stoudemire scored 42 points in the Suns' 118-109 win. LA still leads series 2-1.
azcentral.com blogs - Coro's Suns dish - PaulCoro - A hair-raising performance
Coro's Suns dish: Phoenix Suns update: The Suns were going to have go big to have a chance against the Lakers. That meant more of Robin Lopez or Channing Frye. Lopez played big. Frye shrunk. The most stunning part of Lopez's 20-point game would be that it was just his... />
NBA Playoffs, Lakers Suns Game 3: The Phoenix starters came up big on a rare off-night for the heralded reserves - ProBasketballTalk - Basketball - NBC Sports
The Suns' reserves have been the heart and soul of Phoenix's extended playoff run. Goran Dragic, Leandro Barbosa, Channing Frye, Jared Dudley, and Louis Amundson have each had their moment in the spotlight, with their collective shooting, energy, savvy, and synergy making all the difference for the Suns in these playoffs. That wasn't exactly the case in Game 3.
Phoenix Suns' Dan Majerle would be interested if Chicago Bulls call - ESPN Chicago
"Of course," he said to ESPNChicago.com before Game 3 of the Western Conference finals on Sunday night. "Yeah, I'm willing to listen to anybody."
2010 NBA Playoffs: Phoenix Suns' Robin Lopez happy on the fringe - ESPN Los Angeles
He doesn't need anything linking him with Diamond, a much-maligned actor who has become a punchline. But Lopez embraces the Screech comparisons, the loveable nerd played by Diamond in the hit 1990s TV show "Saved by the Bell." Lopez's Twitter-feed bio even says he's the "Screech Powers of the NBA." "He's a clever guy," Lopez joked. "Everybody from my era loves Screech."
Even More Links
Introducing the Steve Nash Injury Index - Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
A look at the lousy quarter that gave the Suns new life - Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
Robin Lopez's Game 3 Offensive Outburst Is No Aberration - Eric Freeman - The Baseline - Sporting News
The transition to the NBA was not always easy for Lopez, yet the flashes have been there. Seth Pollack of Bright Side of the Sun has told me about the moment he became a Robin Lopez fan, a spin move he made during his first summer league that only a few post players in the league can consistently make.
Robin might have been drafted to supply defensive toughness for the Suns, but his offensive skill is a real and exciting part of his game. I don't mean to suggest that Lopez will become a 20-10 player or ever approach the scoring averages of his brother. But you should not be surprised by regular offensive outbursts like the one he produced last night, because that's just who he is. The Suns have a heck of a developing big man on their roster, and it's best that people recognize it soon.
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It's a little bit of both.
That, and the Lakers failing to get any penetration on the zone.
by fanoftheunderdogs on May 24, 2010 2:03 PM MDT reply actions
could that be because the suns played good zone defense?
by Michael A. Xidis on May 24, 2010 9:07 PM MDT up reply actions
What's up with "the fropez" getting national coverage today?
truehoop and SI are acting like this is a novel thing. These guys need to read our game threads from last preseason man
Steve Nash, the league's MVP, is a longhaired Canadian who spoke out against the war in Iraq and reads The Communist Manifesto. Quentin Richardson declared after a game-winning shot that it "was like Hamlet. It was a suspense thriller, and I killed them at the end." Amare Stoudemire, when asked to comment on a 22-point third quarter against the Kings, said, "I've got a tendency to jump over some guys' heads and throw it down."
Yeah that was pretty bothersome to me too
They’re way behind the times.
by Justin Burning on May 24, 2010 2:38 PM MDT up reply actions
No doubt...
Followed by “He looks like Sideshow Bob” in the comments section.
I guess there isn’t much you can say about the Magic other then they make me embarrassed to be a fan of the NBA.
by oLLiE Boombayay on May 24, 2010 3:22 PM MDT up reply actions
Eh this is just a repeat of the Goran Dragic coverage after Game 3 of the Spurs series.
The media’s pretty much written the Suns off all season. Only when something “surprising” happens will they cover it. They started calling Goran “the Dragon” after Game 3 and reading about Suns fans calling him that and now they say Robin looks like Sideshow Bob. It just keeps adding to the underdog image the Suns have been left with, which works in their favor.
In Nash I Trust! Steve Nash DOES play defense, foo!
If we can score that well with JUST our starters and only hitting 5 threes
Just think of what it will be like when the threes are dropping and the bench is playing well.
The court will open up so much and the Lakers won’t be able to focus on everybody.
More Robin
You know what this team needs…more cowbell Robin! I really hope Channing can find himself by tomorrow night, but we just can’t bank on it at this point. Having Robin on the floor, along with Amare, creates problems for the Laker D. We saw that last night, as Robin finally played quality minutes with the starters. This was even more successfull when Bynum was sent to the bench, and suddenly it was the Lakers who looked small with Gasol and Odom trying to guard Robin and Amare.
Say it loud and proud, brother man!
The key has got to remain making Bynum ineffeictive…There is no way Gasol and Odom can stop both STAT and th ’Pez.(On the other hand, we got problems stopping them too…). Making Gasol & Odom work hard on defense has got to take a toll on their offensive production. That is why Frye, unless he gets his head out of his butt, should spend some more time on the pine….
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
Robin was able to
neutralize the attack of the Lakers front court on defense. That’s what he gives more than anything. Channing is just too small, so even if he does find his shot, he’ll need to have his minutes limited anyway. The Lakers are just too big when Pau and Bynum are in.
Channing would be alright if both Bynum & Pau were benched at the same time, but If one of them is on the floor, I think either Amare, or Lopez, or both need to be out there. Sure Robin’s 20 points were awesome, but I’ve thought since the end result in game 1 that Robin needed more time to guard the Laker’s length. I’m glad Gentry finally figured that out!
One more win and we get a tied series with all the momentum in the Suns direction going into game 5! Suns in 6 is STILL my prediction! Let’s get it done!
Kobe Bryant is the Goran Dragic of America
gasol
“I have to say Pau’s English might be the best of any of the Lakers I’ve heard speak. Dude knows his grammar.”
this I noticed as well and was stunned, as I met so many spaniards they speak so TURRIBLY!!!
My ancestors are extremely offended by this comment!
Lol. Jk! But all the spaniards I meet have spoken perfectly. I sometimes can’t even hear an accent. That goes for Argentines too, because their Spanish is very similar.
"Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming!!!"
by Aztiramtempe on May 24, 2010 3:32 PM MDT up reply actions
really?
I was in madrid last year, boy, they speak terrible english even in restaurants and shops… I don’t know if you are referring to latinos from america, but trust me spaniards from spain speak terrible and with such strong accent…
No real Spaniards there's a whole group that attends ASU.
But maybe it’s just them…. Or maybe I just can’t understand the
when they speak Spanish to me, so like their English better..
"Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming!!!"
by Aztiramtempe on May 24, 2010 7:09 PM MDT up reply actions
Well.. I will learn how to spell check one day..
I mean to say, that their English sounds better to me bcause I have a hard time with their Spanish.
"Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming!!!"
by Aztiramtempe on May 24, 2010 7:11 PM MDT up reply actions
They suck at English
I was in Madrid and Barcelona for a month and I can back that up.
"Basketball doesn't build character. It reveals it"
I've been teaching English in Spain...
….for 5 years now, and it is pretty well known that Spain is the culo of the EU with regards to bilingualism. That being said, Pau’s English is fantastic. I think he is the only famous Spaniard that I can think of to reach near native fluency (taking into consideration the “smaller” details, like accent). With regards to Argentine Spanish… it is not similar to Castillian Spanish AT ALL… That is like saying the standard American accent is similar to the British (RP). Really, not at all similar.
Ginobili still has a really strong accent and sounds nothing like Pau when he speaks.
I’ve also been very impressed with Dirk, but pretty much all Germans dominate English.
I did not word that rigth.
To me, it seems that people that speak castellano compare to the Spanish I speak, have less of an accent.. That’s what I meant.. I deal with people from all over the world everyday. Soo maybe it also depends on how educated the person is. But you are correct there’s a big difference between the Spanish in south America, the Spanish in Mexico & what Spaniards speak..
"Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming!!!"
by Aztiramtempe on May 24, 2010 7:05 PM MDT up reply actions
Nash said that the Suns weren't going to get any taller...
Well, the Lakers aren’t likely to get any quicker. If Amar’e is that aggressive, and that quick, who can stop him? Three guys at a time couldn’t do it.
The Suns need to get Channing a couple of those wide open layup/dunks that Robin had last night. That will get his outside shot going – I think he goes 9-11 Tuesday from three. That will soften their lane defense, then Goran and Barbosa can get in there and pump up the paint points.
Lakers blogs are full of Finals talk – they are looking past the Suns. I’m looking at game 4, and I’m looking at you, Frye – shoot the freaking ball!
The Suns may not get any taller...
but it looks like the Lakers may be getting shorter if Bynum is held out of the next game.
our odds are getting better
from www.whowins.com
HISTORICAL VICTORY PROBABILITIES: Leading 2-games-1 @ HHV:
Ignoring win order; considering site order: The team leading 2-games-1 with Games 1-2 at home and Game 3 on the road (Los Angeles) has the following best-of-7 playoff series and games record through the 2010 NHL and NBA Quarterfinals:
Game 4 record, NBA only, all rounds: 93-102 (.477)
that means we have a 53.3% chance of winning game four historically.
HISTORICAL VICTORY PROBABILITIES: Leading 2-games-1:
Ignoring win order; ignoring site order: The team leading 2-games-1 irrespective of site (Los Angeles) has the following best-of-7 playoff series and games record through the 2010 NHL and NBA Quarterfinals:
series record, NBA only, Semis round: 64-17 (.790)
That means, historically we have a 21% chance of winning the series, still not good, but getting better! go suns!
by Ceek on May 24, 2010 2:40 PM MDT reply actions 1 recs
That made my head hurt...
All I know is that we got a chance, so let’s do this!!!!
GO SUNS!!!!
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
Just to be precise
These numbers are what has happened in the past, your chances may have nothing to do with how those past teams ended up doing, but it’s as good a gauge as any (some would say better – but as those stock warnings say, “Past performance is not a guarantee of future returns”)!
But still, I do like that site, it’s pretty neat.
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
yea
for sure it’s not set in stone, pretty big sample sizes though, and in your teams case, historically they win the series about 79% of the time in their current situation, so I hope for that you’re correct :)
This should give you some hope that history isn't always the best indicator ...
from the whowins site:
Pre-series assessment: In the 2009-10 regular season, Orlando finished nine games ahead of Boston. From 1947 through the 2010 NBA Quarterfinals, when NBA teams led their best-of-7 playoff series opponents by nine regular-season games, they have posted a 17-1 (.944) best-of-7 series record in those series against those opponents, with an active eight-series winning streak. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1116 is the 78th best-of-7 playoff series for Boston, and the 16th for Orlando. In best-of-7 playoff series, Boston has a 58-19 series record, a 19-8 Semifinals-round series record, and a 54-23 Game 1 record, while Orlando has a 9-6 series record, a 2-1 Semifinals-round record, and a 9-6 Game 1 record. Series 1116 is the second best-of-7 meeting between Boston and Orlando; Orlando won the first. Orlando enters series 1116 with eight consecutive playoff game victories.
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gil Meriken on May 24, 2010 6:49 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
if we're talking about history not being a facctor,
then the orlando boston series is by no means over.
Random comment for this thread
But I’ve just observed that Nash has only taken 6 3-point attempts the entire series. He’s such a good shooter, why aren’t we running more plays where he gets to take some more? Especially with Frye struggling.
It seems because he’s constantly running the P&R that he can’t get the open looks but I’d like to see Gentry run some plays so that Nash can hit a few threes.
I was thinking about that too
the way to do that is put the ball in Grant’s hands or play Steve off the ball w/ Dragic but of course the Suns offense is best when Nash is playing well w/ the ball in his hands
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on May 24, 2010 2:58 PM MDT up reply actions
Either way
I am strangely really optimistic about Game 4. In my eyes the Suns more or less played the same from an offensive standpoint (same poor bench, same cold shooting), but won because Amare had a beast of a game at the expense of Odom and Bynum, while Artest finally ran out of luck with his shooting.
Our big shooting night is still to come, Frye can’t keep missing. Mix this in with hopefully Nash getting some open 3’s to shoot, plus maintaining the defensive effort, and we could end up with the 2-2.
Then again, Phil Jackson could make all the right adjustments. But even if he does, I still think the Suns will finally have a big shooting night. It’s long overdue.
by Toon Army Sun on May 24, 2010 3:18 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
This happened once in game three.
Sometime in the 4th quarterwe ran a play where the ball ended up in Grant’s hands at the top of the key. Nash had squirted under the basket where his man had either beened screened or just lost him. He was wide open in the corner for a deep 2. With Nash’s fg% this, and other plays like it, would be a very high percentage play, especially if we get some good 3pt shots.
by Suns Fan For Life on May 25, 2010 9:25 AM MDT up reply actions
Lakers might break the zone
I’m worried. I hope the Suns can use man-to-man effectively in case the Lakers adapt to the zone defense.
I don't think that the zone will be option A in game 4.
It worked for three quarters, but I think everyone knows it will fold eventually. I’m just glad that we now have a coach that does things like “gameplan” and comes up with “strategies” and “adjustments” and stuff.
Alvin will have something new in game 4.
"Let's go to the Finals, coach."
- Goran Dragic
I'm thinking the same...
Even though the zone was very effective last night, and I’m sure we will use it somewhat in the next game, I doubt if we rely as heavily on it as we did last night. For one, the Lakers won’t be caught off guard by it the way they were last night. I’m sure they are game planning for it right now as we speak, and figuring out more effective ways to break it.
However, if we try it out tomorrow night and we begin having the same success, I wouldn’t be shocked if we go right back to it. Sometimes teams simply have trouble with certain match-ups and looks…and this may be the case for the zone defense for the Lakers.
Cuz the D was still getting torched
Bryant had a nearly perfect first quarter and the team gave up over 30 points again in the first. Had to try something else different because what they were doing clearly wasn’t working.
manu, jrich
Ive always admired Ginobili’s play even as a Suns fan. I thought if the Suns have that kind of a player, they’d be more successful.
We now have that in JRich.
Thanks to JRich for starting to bring in that firepower and stability with the Suns. Which is just about the same stuff that Manu brings to the Spurs.
Two things.. Like always not basketball related.
1. Was Pau wearing shoulder pAds in the post game interview? Or his shoulders just that way?
2. Is Steve going to have to wear a ginobilli patch?
"Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming!!!"
I just glad it wasn't busted open like against the Spurs in 2007
As far as Gasol’s shoulders, he ain’t the most burly of guys, so anyting is possible.
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
See, Kobe can be funny without wearing all white
The “Kobe is a Human Being Tour”
http://lakers.freedomblogging.com/2010/05/24/kobe-bryants-may-24-interview-2/36439/
Q. On Robin Lopez.
KOBE BRYANT: He’s a twin, isn’t he? His brother can play. (Laughter). Gotta do something. Offense. I mean, he can shoot the ball. He’s not a guy that can go out there and you can ignore.
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
Thanks
always good to have Kobe’s PR people here to make sure we know how great of a guy he is. Much appreciated :)
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on May 24, 2010 3:44 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
Cmon Seth, get us a copy of the x-ray of Nash's broken nose.
You can do eeet!
Slumdog Millionaire without the million.
oh they're being harsh on you Gil
thanks for the quote.
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.
Who's Kobe Brynt???
"I did not write this" by Not me
by 2NASHTY on May 24, 2010 5:11 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
is he that guy who kept trying to go around the world in hot air baloon
"I did not write this" by Not me
Game 4
i said it to keep Lopez in the game and surround him with shooters well the first part work. i thik we need to do more of the same use the ZONE now and then and finally to put a wrinkle in is to yank all the starters with the 2 min mark in the first quarter except steve then bring in Dragic Dudley Frye and Lou to play with nash to hoepfully get their confidence up and get some points then sub in Barbosa for nash when the 2nd quater starts.
Oh i just watched lost and im kinda confused lol
Gotta see if the Zone can work again.
Lifelong Arizona Cardinals/Chicago Bears fan [I have always lived in Arizona, dad is from Chicago].
I can't stand fair-weather/bandwagon fans, stick with your team, throughout the good and the bad. And don't switch to whichever team wins the Super Bowl each year.
don't worry about them
of course they’re going to blame the loss on anything but the players. That’s a godo thing. Kobe and Pau and Fisher all had good games, and they still lost. Nice.
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.
We expect no less from their blog...
With the quality of fans they have, how much better cvan they get…
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
To be fair
There are homers on both sides. Statistically, considering the sheer volume of Laker fans, they’re bound to have more homers. Still, you see complaining about officiating on any blog. The free throw discrepancy was large, but anybody who actually watched the game and made an effort to remain somewhat objective knows the FT discrepancy was warranted. Suns attacked the basket, Lakers lobbed up jumpers and long-balls for full quarters at a time. Did they even go to the basket in the 4th?
There are some that try to criticize the officiating on BSOTS...
The difference is the veteran posters quickly make short work of it and remind the offender that “to the aggressor, goes the spoils…” Referees generally reward teams that play aggressive and they will seemingly get the majority of the calls. The reason the home teams usually seem to get the edge is because, teams historically play more conservative on the road thus the home teams gets the whistle their way more often.
While, there are occasional flubs and crap calls, it generally evens out in the long run.
Blaming the officiating is an excuse and generally not a reason for a loss.
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
well said, Lime.
thanks
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 don't know about LA
but around PHX laker fans are obnoxious. i like to watch the games at sports bars and so far all three games there have been 2 or 3 laker tables. laker hits a jumper…they yell and fist pump like it was the game winner…a Sun misses a free throw….they yell and fist pump like it was the game winner….kobe subs out….they yell and fist pump like it was the game winner…guess what they do when he subs back in… kobe gives a petulant look to a ref…they yell and fist pump like it was the game winner. just my friendly biased observation.
"I did not write this" by Not me
I wonder what what they would do...
If the camera caught Phil picking his nose on the bench…
Probably yell and fist pump like it was a game winner…
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
by Daryl Ray on May 24, 2010 5:36 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
speaking of eBay
I have the Goran and Jared sweat stained eye patch (from the video) in my laptop bag….wondering if that has any value?
Maybe we need an eye patch contest?
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on May 24, 2010 5:39 PM MDT up reply actions
Whoever guesses the approximate time Kobe starts whining about a call next game...
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
You won...
You must have had experience at this…Enjoy the eye patch, cheater…
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
May I point out that he rarely complains about refs AFTER the game, when it is done?
Thank you for the outlet.
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
they sell to lakers fans
and when the pakage comes in the mail…..wait for it….
they yell and fist pump like it was the game winner.
"I did not write this" by Not me
Lakers Fan = Jersey Shore
it all makes so much more sense now
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on May 24, 2010 5:53 PM MDT up reply actions
Then why do you like going to sports bars to watch? I’ve thought about going to one I saw near my house.
If your near tempe
try pranksters on broadway…seriosly cool fans there.
"I did not write this" by Not me
You won't get any disagreement from me there
But I’m pretty sure the SS&R admin have removed the fanposts that were made solely to bitch about officiating. Further, there were LA fans in each of those threads that didn’t buy into blaming the loss on a FT discrepancy conspiracy. For every few homers, there are cool guys like Gil that pop in and remain somewhat objective. I can’t stand the Lakers, but I hardly think every Laker fan is a mindless homer drone because of a few fan posts.
yea I've been on SSR plenty
the regulars have pretty adamant about squashing that talk
"I did not write this" by Not me
Yeah im a Lakerfan
the officiating had ZERO i repeat ZERO IMPACT ON THE GAME. Unlike Celtic fans who were crying like 5 year old girls after game 1 in the cleveland series
by RA37thriller on May 24, 2010 6:17 PM MDT up reply actions
Difference on Zone Last Night
Hi all!
Been awhile since I’ve contributed to a thread, so excuse me if I sound out of context.
I remember Pollack and others here pointing out how the 2-3 zone was not working well in Games 1 & 2. However as we have all seen, it worked enormously well against LA last night. What was different? Better execution? Or were there slight adjustments my fan’s eye did not catch?
Hasta la victoria siempre- Ernesto "Che" Guevara
much better execution
plus I incorrectly blamed the zone when in fact the issue was more about overuse of the post fronting
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on May 24, 2010 6:08 PM MDT up reply actions
well didn't the zone include Lopez and Amare last night
whereas in earlier games the “bigs” were Grant/Dudley/Frye with Amare. Nice when the center of your zone is really a center.
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.
Main differences:
Live active hand and interrupting the passing lanes. The lakers did those in both games 1 and 2. Bout’ time the suns put some energy in this series. GO SUNS!!!
"... & you can win if you dare."
- S. Shelly
Real difference
I think the real difference was attitude not execution. Overall everyone and especially Amare more intent and intense on the defensive end. If you are lazy or disinterested while in a zone you will look horrible. Even 1 guy can through the whole thing off. However, game three was an example of everyone being engaged and moving and understanding how to use zone. And it worked. So, without attitude in their will not be good execution. That is the difference.
by Suns Fan For Life on May 25, 2010 9:49 AM MDT up reply actions
Two things
come to mind. Much better exocution and Lakers could’t throw it in the ocean!
Happy Days are here again! Wildcat's have #1 recruiting class again!
Not sure about the shootinig.
They shot 48 percent. This was not only better than the Suns in the game, but better than their season average. You can’t expect 58% shooting. Not realistic. Also, it was our defense that put the ball in places where the Lakers shoot a lower percentage. They still shot better than their average. If anything their percentage could come down even more and even things out from the first 2 games.
by Suns Fan For Life on May 25, 2010 9:54 AM MDT up reply actions
FYI
the general consensus of Laker fans are not blaming the refs. I say 75% realize we lost because we jacked up too many 3’s and didnt get stops
Earl Clark
I don’t suppose Earl Clark’s size could make him of any use against the Lakers? Perhaps if a Suns player has foul trouble?
I honestly don't think Alvin going to put him on the floor this series...
Unless something goes terribly awry like Hill or Dudz going down with an injury..
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
BTW, I ain't trying to curse us...
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
Who is Arash Markazi?
So if I understand him correctly, getting beat by Phoenix was a good thing. That way the lakers are better prepared for Boston? I love to read intelligent writing from the ‘experts’.
"Life's battles don't always go to the stronger or faster man. Sooner or later the man who wins is the man who thinks he can." - Vince Lombardi
They are way smarter than us...
I have just come to accept it…
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
hes an LA sports writer
of course he’s looking at silver lining on the loss
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.
Not sure if it's been mentioned
but this article from Dan Bickley mentions the Fropez chat we had a ways back
You'd better stop that, it's not being decided by that. It's being decided by two Phoenix Suns who knew about the rule, forgot about it, couldn't control themselves, and didn't have coaches that could control them. And don't you forget it.
David Stern on the Dan Patrick Show 5-16-2007
ha
he asked me about that today….wasn’t sure why :)
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on May 24, 2010 9:12 PM MDT up reply actions
Come back city!
Great win Suns!
Purple and Gold is ugly during basketball season ;) lol
"Baseball is the only major sport that appears backward in a mirror" ~George Carlin
by thewild_viking_twins on May 24, 2010 8:41 PM MDT reply actions
Its over
Lakers will win this thing in 5 games. Suns got lucky with their gimmickry zone defense,Lakers settled with too many threes, foul troubles for the lakers helped also with the suns winning. Be happy suns fans they got this far nobody ever predicted they would come this far. Suns are like benjamin linus , in the finale he was left outside while others move on to bigger things. Its the Lakers and Celtics again, lets not get too kool aidish about the suns moving forward theyre just not in the same class as LA or Boston
by john dorian on May 25, 2010 1:52 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs
hey gee thanks for the validation and the pat on the head
you’d better hope that works and the Suns just decide to go away with a smile on their faces.
Cuz if the Suns actually decide to put on the uniforms tonight, and PLAY THE GAME, the Lakers are in big-ass trouble.
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.
Remember dking97, Seth said to always be nice to our guests..
Even though they are dumb-ass trolls, we can’t call them that …
It’s not always easy, but it’s the right thing to be kind…
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
I just rec'd your post.
But only because it’s so homerish and ridiculous, I want to be able to locate it quickly when the Suns end up winning the series, so I can laugh at you. Lucky for us though, you’ll be far from here, crying in your little corner wondering what happened to your great and mighty team.
It must be that time of day, the time to focus on sports.
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