Can the Suns match up against GSW?

by Vash01 @ Bright Side Of The Sun on Apr 29, 2007 11:49 PM MDT

The series between the Mavs and Warriors is not yet over. Even the series between the Suns & Lakers is not over. Plus there is the second round to be played.

However, if the Suns had to play against this GS Warriors team, can they match up? I was impressed with the defense of the Warriors. Can our Suns hustle against them?

The last time these two played each other, the Warriors ran all over the Suns starters. I think it was the lack of intensity on our part and that happens to the best of the teams. However, if the Suns play their own game, the Warriors have the fast break skills to match them. Can we match their defense?

In a 7-game series I still think the edge may go to the Suns but again it could be tough if the Warriors play with the kind of 'underdog freedom' they displayed against the Mavs.

What do you think?

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Highest Scoring Series Ever

Man if we played them we'd be looking at such insane scoring games i'd dare say that 120pts would be each teams average. I'd think we'd match up well because we sure as hell can run with them and we can shoot just as well (and better than they). Our ace in the hole is STAT who provides a rather uber inside presence, which as all can see is just the presence Dallas is missing right now. Yet like you said Vash we gotta get out the first and second round before we can even care about that.

"Ultimate excellence lies not in winning every battle, but in defeating your enemy without ever fighting." Sun Tzu

by Turambar on Apr 30, 2007 12:57 AM MDT reply actions

Are you serious?

I am disappointed that someone would even ask this question. Just look at the regular season. We were 3-1 against them, with our only loss in a game where Steve, Shawn, Amare, and Raja all played around 28 minutes. On top of that, we beat them 128-105 one game. This Golden State team is not that good. They just match up extremely well against Dallas.

by burke on Apr 30, 2007 8:44 AM MDT reply actions

A different team

Yes, we were 3-1 in the regular season, but what matters is how they are playing NOW. The first two games against them were before their big trade in the midseason. Baron Davis did not play in the first reg season game against us. We won one game on a last minute 3-point shot by Nash so it was pretty close. Only one game was a blow out in our favor. They blew us out in one game, so it's pretty even. With the trade personnel playing well, Baron playing healthy and hungry, and the whole team playing like they have nothing to lose, I think this is a different team. That is why the question arose. Amare is a good answer. If he can stay out of foul trouble, he can control the game.

by Vash01 @ Bright Side Of The Sun on Apr 30, 2007 8:54 AM MDT up reply actions

hello

sorry to have to tell you this..but this isn't the same team. This G.S. team is much better than everyone is giving them credit for. 2 weeks ago before they even played game 1, I said G.S. would win. I do agree with you though, I think the Suns because of Amare will beat G.S. if we play them. I think G.S. is very good, not great, but very good and just like the finals last year, this dallas team is in serious trouble. Ignore the team records and look at how everyone is playing. This Baron Davis is
playing as well as any guard in the league right now. One season stat that help explain G.S.'s playing, Baron Davis leads the entire league in steals per game, and another player on G.S. is number 4 or 5.

Dirk is a finesse player, and G.S. has rattled him
into defeat. It's going to be very funny if they hand out the mvp to Dirk on Tuesday and they lose 1-4 and are eliminated. :-)

by jasonsuns1 on Apr 30, 2007 8:56 AM MDT up reply actions

That's what I said!

I don't understand your response to my post. Were you responding to the one before that? I clearly said it's a different GSW .

by Vash01 @ Bright Side Of The Sun on Apr 30, 2007 12:06 PM MDT up reply actions

Hey Vash01

yes, it was the comment above yours, if it was to yours, it would be indented,

by jasonsuns1 on Apr 30, 2007 4:50 PM MDT up reply actions

amare

The way amare is playing, there's the answer. Real simple, Dallas doesn't have anything like him, only 2-3 teams do!

by jasonsuns1 on Apr 30, 2007 8:46 AM MDT reply actions

Diop

Actually Diop had a lot of success last night against GSW. He is the Mavs' big man and he was creating havoc. He sat down with 5 fouls and GSW regained the lead. I don't know why Avery did not bring him back with 2 minutes left and the Warriors leading by 6. With Dirk's 3 point shooting and Diop in the waning moment they may have had a better chance of pulling off the win last night.

by Vash01 @ Bright Side Of The Sun on Apr 30, 2007 8:56 AM MDT up reply actions

Closer then you think

I was thinking about this last night watching the GSW - MAV game. How would the Sun's have matched up in the 1st round or how might they match up in the WCF? I for one, btw, was hoping for a 1st round match up w/ GSW just b/c I am SO TIRED of the Lakers. Now, I am glad we got the Fakers.

Here's my thoughts:

I am glad that if we have to play them it will be later. I don't think w/ their short bench (sound familiar?) they can keep up this intensity level all the way through the WCF's. That's assuming that Baron Davis doesn't break down like my old BMW used to. I don't see them getting through Utah/Houston w/ all their pieces in place. And while I think Dallas is toast, I think they are going to get a game or two more and beat the crap out of them in the process.
The Sun's would have to match them in energy and tempo. I think last year's Suns team actually was a better match up w/ GSW then this year's. This year the Sun's are a bit slower and more willing to play typical grind out playoff games like SA, Det and Dal.
That said, the Sun's should be able to beat GSW but I don't think Amare is the answer. With their driving style he is likely to be in frequent fowl trouble like Diop has been (who is a very good athletic interior defender). It would come down to the Sun's perimeter players. James Jones. Barbosa. Bell. Marion. and even Banks at times to slow Davis down.
The biggest worry is Nash on defense. GSW's gaurds are so much bigger and they and both shoot and drive and we KNOW Nelie will attack Nash all night. They are going to have to be ready to help him and play off different guys like Harrington or Ellis depending on who is hot.

by Seth Pollack on Apr 30, 2007 9:09 AM MDT reply actions

reply

Yikes, number 2 saying last years team was a better matchup, not a fan of Amare are you!

Dallas is losing for multiple reasons, but a major one is Dirk is not an attacker and doesn't have the power or skill to make G.S. pay for being smaller. Did you see Amare's stats yesterday, 23 rebounds and 27 points I think. And we weren't even pushed. Dallas doesn't have anyone even close, yes Diop is doing some defense, but nothing like Amare.

On point 3, help defense is the key, one on one, your right about Amare running into foul trouble, but as a help defender, he is fantastic. If we're the attackers and get going early, Amare's chances of getting into foul trouble greatly decrease. Plus he's playing at another level, some players, like Nash and Marion play their hardest all season, Amare is playing his hardest now.

On number 4, the G.S. trap and speed is awesome, your right, we could be in a lot of trouble, this would be the first team that might shoot as well as us at the 3pt line,

by jasonsuns1 on Apr 30, 2007 9:41 AM MDT up reply actions

Huge Amare Fan!

I am a big fan of Amare. I am amazed at this determination and maturity this year and I think he's the difference against most other teams. He's the diff against all other teams in fact.

I just think that against GSW it would come down to stopping their drives before they get to him and not counting on his weak side defense (where he does pick up fouls as well).

Obviously, he would need to play well and he should. My point is that against this smaller, faster GSW team the mid-sized guys stopping them in transition and preventing their isolation breakdowns is more of a difference.

All that assumes GSW in WCF can even play at the same level they are playing at now - which I SERIOSLY doubt.

This series really opens things up b/c we KNOW the Sun's will kill Houston or Utah and GSW would be fun but a much easier road to the finals then Dallas.

Even if Dallas should manage a come back we should learn a lot by watching how they play Dirk - fronting him and denying him the ball w/ smaller faster guys - and how they have used speed to drive hard to the basket and we have a blueprint for beating that team.

Btw, how many of those idiots are wishing they could change their MVP vote from Dirk to Steve?

by Seth Pollack on Apr 30, 2007 10:06 AM MDT up reply actions

Spurs and Nuggests first

of course - we have to get through the next round before even thinking about the WCF's. And, I for one don't know who I want to play in round 2.

Obviously, a long knock down drag out series is in our favor regardless of who wins and it looks like they are in for that.

I just find myself wondering if we aren't better off playing the slow and old Spurs instead of a Denver team that looks pretty darn good right about now... I haven't decided yet btw but I will be watching tonight's game and rooting for a Denver win!

by Seth Pollack on Apr 30, 2007 10:20 AM MDT up reply actions

you said it

The way Dirk has folded vs the way Nash has risen, yep. I was for Nash during the season for mvp. I agree, G.S. really knows how to play Dirk and we could learn a lot from watching

by jasonsuns1 on Apr 30, 2007 4:53 PM MDT up reply actions

haha

The Warriors never blew us out. (unless you count a 5 point loss where 4 out of your 5 starters played less than 30 minutes a blowout). Please don't lie to make your case.

by burke on Apr 30, 2007 9:40 AM MDT reply actions

your right,

were your trying to reply to Vash01?

by jasonsuns1 on Apr 30, 2007 9:44 AM MDT up reply actions

5 point loss

That 5 point loss was more like a 15 point loss. They were blowing us away and Dantoni benched the starters. Our bench brought us closer but not enough to win. The final score was deceptive. GSW clearly dominated us in that game.

by Vash01 @ Bright Side Of The Sun on Apr 30, 2007 12:09 PM MDT up reply actions

on loss to G.S.

That's true

by jasonsuns1 on Apr 30, 2007 4:54 PM MDT up reply actions

On the loss

D'antoni benched the starters because we were playing Denver and Dallas in the following two games. I think it shows that GSW are not a good team when they only beat us by 5 points in a game where our starters did not play more than the 26,29,26, and 25 minutes put in by Steve, Raja, Shawn, and Amare. Winnin by only 5 points to a team with only one starter on the floor for most of the game is not blowing a team out.

by burke on Apr 30, 2007 8:32 PM MDT reply actions

Starters were awful

The starters in that game were collectively awful for the Suns. Dantoni was not trying to save anything for any other game. He does not approach things that way. As a desperation attempt he handed the game over to the bench and those guys played so well that there was a brief debate toward the end- whether to put the starters in. The verdict was No; let the bench play because they brought the Suns to within a reasonable margin. They could not close out the game, hence the 5 point loss. In fact that game may have cost Nash the MVP award. It was bad enough to lose to Detroit and Denver after the 3/14 Dallas game, but losses to Sacramento and GSW did them in. When we don't play well, we get beat. It's as simple as that. No excuses.

GSW does not get the respect they deserve, even after beating top teams. They did have a horrible game against SA, but every team has had at least one horrible game out of 82. I think they may have match up problems against SA. Houston may not be piece of cake, but they have had difficulty with speedy teams. I like their chances against Houston.

by Vash01 @ Bright Side Of The Sun on May 1, 2007 12:20 AM MDT up reply actions

Very true...

I agree with the Burkinator. The Warriors are just that one team that matches up extremely well with the Mavs. The Mavs inability to handle the matchups make the Warriors look better than they really are. In addition to the fact that the Mavs don't have a leader on the floor, much less an MVP.

We've basically dealt with King Kobe so I'm sure we can deal with Baron Davis if they get that far.... I'm not so sure the Warriors can handle the Rockets though.

by Trvs on Apr 30, 2007 8:52 PM MDT reply actions

burke

Hey, I noticed you deleted your All-Defense team diary. I hope it wasn't because of the comment I made. I was just making note that I agree with you that Marion got snubbed. (By pointing to the long rant I already wrote instead of typing it again). :)

by TexSUN on Apr 30, 2007 9:04 PM MDT reply actions