Suns Back into 2nd Seed

by Dan on Apr 15, 2007 5:07 PM MDT in Suns News

The Suns did their part. They won every game they had to win after losing to the Spurs a few games ago. The Spurs, on the other hand, couldn't handle playing the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday and lost the game 91-86. The Suns are officially 3 games ahead of the Spurs with only two to play. They don't have to win any more games to keep the 2nd seed.

I expect we will see a lot of the Suns players resting over the next two games. I'm sure they'll still play but the next game against the Rockets doesn't have any playoff implications for either team so the Suns may rest their starters early in the 2nd half of that game. And it really will depend on what happens over the next few days on whether the Suns will play hard against the Clippers. I would think they want the Golden State Warriors in the 8th spot as opposed to the Los Angeles Clippers so they may play a bit harder against the Clippers if that means the Warriors will get into the 8th seed to play the Mavericks.

I'm actually really nervous that the Warriors will move up to the 7th seed and move the Lakers will move down to the 8th seed. I think the Suns can beat the Warriors in the first round but I still would rather face the Lakers instead of the Warriors.

What are you thoughts about all of this?

0 recs | Comment 15 comments

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I want GSW vs. Mavs in 1st round!

I am not saying the Warriors will beat the Mavs in a 7 game series, but I would rather let the Mavs play the Warriors, who are red hot right now. I too am nervous about the Suns playing them.

It's not like it's going to be a cake walk against the Lakers, but I am just a little more comfortable against the Lakers because of what we have seen recently (it does not mean PJ will not have something up his sleeve).

I think the Houston game has meaning from the Rockets' standpoint. They have not yet clinched the home court advantage against the Jazz. So the Suns might lose that one Monday night, but I want to see them beat the Clippers and build some momentum going into the playoffs. Plus it is good to keep the starters a little warm for the playoffs. Too much rest & relaxation is not good for them.

by Vash01 on Apr 15, 2007 5:18 PM MDT 0 recs

spurs game duncan

I watched this game, and where Joey Crawford (ref) gave duncan a second Technical while he was on the bench for laughing. Very sad, go to wikipedia and enter in this refs name, find out about his temper problems and getting fired from nba and why, and then re instated. I hope something happens from this incident, it was wrong. If this ref does something like this in the playoffs, and we beat (for example) the spurs because he kicked duncan or someone out, I think I'd be pretty upset, and so would the suns players. I think enough of the suns to guess that they want to beat the other teams w/o having some b.s. like this happen. you agree??

by jasonsuns1 on Apr 15, 2007 5:43 PM MDT 0 recs

ITA

I completely agree with you Jasonsuns1. That is exactly what I was complaining about. If the Suns beat the Spurs because of a bad ref, it will not feel very good. The Suns will not get the respect they deserve for winning. What is worse, something like this could happen to a Suns player too. Would it not upset the Suns' fans? I do believe Duncan and the Spurs get away with a lot, but this is one instance where Duncan was punished for no reason at all. I hope Stern takes note of this incident and suspends this referee. We don't want him making decisions during the playoffs.

by Vash01 on Apr 15, 2007 7:37 PM MDT 0 recs

IRS problems too

Apparently those anger management classes did not produce results.

Crawford was suspended in 1998 after it was discovered that he had reported false income to IRS. However, the NBA reinstated him in 1999- I find this unconscionable. The NBA wants to have a clean image and hires (almost immediately) a person who lied to the IRS? He has refereed playoff games. Pray that he does not officiate the Suns' games. If someone - a player or a coach- irritates him, that person could be ejected from the game- no reason needed.

by Vash01 on Apr 15, 2007 7:44 PM MDT 0 recs

to vash01

Thanks for the response,

I feel that as a Suns fan, they're not seen with the respect they have earned in the past 3 seasons. I think the Suns past 3 yrs of records are
2004-5 62W - 20L
2005-6 54W - 28L
2006-7 61W - 19L (2 games left)

This is a great 3 yrs they've put together, and would've had the chance at 3 years in a row with 60+ wins if Amare was there.

I envision the Suns winning this year and next. But for them to really become a team that's highly respected, I want them to go thru the Spurs, then the Mav's, then the Pistons. What I consider to be the other 3 best teams right now. I think the playoffs begin on April 21st, next Saturday.

As to the ref thing, we'll see, but if the Suns play and shoot like we know they can, it shouldn't matter. Final word on refs (after some more thought), I see Kobe and others complaining after every call and not getting called for Technicals like Duncan was. My wife had a good point, unless it was very obvious, a second technical should be a joint call by all the refs to help prevent 1 ref from making it a revenge thing.

by jasonsuns1 on Apr 15, 2007 8:41 PM MDT 0 recs

I like the idea

Jasonsun, I like your wife's idea about all refs involved in the second T against a player. That way the personal vengeance factor can be taken away. Duncan certainly felt that way about the call made against him today (I was not even sure the first T was deserved, because TD was on the bench at that time). Another idea is that the refs should not be allowed to eject a player who is not even on the court. (I know they eject coaches, but then coaches are always on the sidelines).

However, as you indicated, if the Suns shoot the way they are capable of, and defend well- it does not have to be SA or Detroit level defense- they will have a pretty good chance of winning. I cannot help but speculate- what if there is a ref that dislikes Amare and decides to take him out of a game? That will really hurt the Suns.

by Vash01 on Apr 15, 2007 9:50 PM MDT up 0 recs

your comments

I agree with your on the bench, not be able to eject comment. About Amare, I feel he has a chance of being one of the very best of all time. I think offensively he has really improved his mid-range jump shot, and his rebounding has really improved. I think his defense will come, but it will take some time. Right now the refs tend to call a lot of fouls on him that I personally wouldn't call. It's very apparent Kobe, Dirk and others get more breaks than Amare on calls, Nash included.

I feel Amare has the determination and skill to be close to the Ben Wallace range in defense, he just needs to learn more. Which is saying a lot since Wallace has won 4 of the last 5 defensive player of the year awards.

I think the 14 Technicals on Amare have helped him, have you noticed how polite and quite he's been since. I think it's been over a month since any more T's on him. Some of the ghost fouls that have been called on Amare recently really baffle me. All anyone has to do is watch the video once or twice and see what a mystery some of these calls have been. I hope the Suns are paying close attention to what happened to TD. So they can at least know that b.s. ejections are occurring an to be aware of it.

I heard Barbosa got 6th man of the year award, don't know if it was official, but it sounds like a done deal. Looks like Marion will be number 2 or 3 for defensive player of the year award. Too bad,
I agree Wallace is a great defender, but look at his size vs Marion, and it really shows you how fantastic Marion is.

Thanks for comments, Tuesday...It'll be nice talking with serious, smart suns fans during the playoffs!

by jasonsuns1 on Apr 15, 2007 10:11 PM MDT up 0 recs

Hmm..

I don't see how anything can be official on any of the awards yet. The ballots aren't even due in until after the last game of the season as far as I know. Where did you hear that the 6th man had been definitely decided?

by TexSUN on Apr 15, 2007 10:34 PM MDT up 0 recs

awards

I was watching the spurs - mavs game and they went thru just 2 awards, 6th man of the yr and one other. The way they presented it made it look official, but I was thinking the same as you, that it wouldn't be for another week or so. Now after looking around, it's obvious it hasn't been declared yet, sorry about that. I wish I had tape of it, I could put it up on youtube and send you a link, but it's obvious now that the awards aren't out yet. Sorry about the mistake.... will be more careful on that sort of thing...

by jasonsuns1 on Apr 16, 2007 12:20 AM MDT up 0 recs

dan on warriors

Sure agree with you, Nelson (previous Dallas coach now Golden State Warriors coach) has done a great job against Dallas this year.

Dallas 104 - G.S. 107
Dallas 100 - G.S. 117

Let's hope G.S. meet the Mavs in round one. As for us and Lakers or Denver, or Clippers. I think any of these 3 is much less a threat than Dallas, Spurs, or Detroit, so I don't put much thought into it. I don't think it's a given we'll beat the first round opponent, but I really like our chances. Denver is on a roll, Lakers and Clippers have 1 foot in the grave.

by jasonsuns1 on Apr 15, 2007 8:50 PM MDT 0 recs

Oh yes

Can we believe how lucky we are? This time last year it looked pretty marginal - Black Jesus out, KT out, no Jalen, no GREAT Barbosa. Now, everyone is healthy, the team is clicking as if on cue, and the Spurs fall to #3.

This is as good as it gets. Enjoy it. Cry if you have to, but feel the power emanating from the Suns right now.

NEXT STEP TO THE 2007 NBA FINALS

SHAWN "YER DAM RIGHT IM GONNA OPEN A CAN OF WHUPASS IN THE PLAYOFFS AND SHOW THEM NATIONAL MEDIA ASSWIPES WHO'S THE REAL DEAL" AND HIS PHX SUNS

VS.

THE BEIJING BUNYAN AND HIS COMMUNIST RED ROCKETS

2O HOURS

by The Humongous on Apr 15, 2007 10:28 PM MDT 0 recs

well said

I agree, the timing of our health, etc, I think this is really going great for us (Suns). I have really had a great year listening to them, I'm very excited about the coming playoffs, don't think I've ever been this excited about a playoffs before!

by jasonsuns1 on Apr 16, 2007 12:24 AM MDT up 0 recs

GSW will win just one game

The Mavs will make sure that they beat GSW in Oakland, just to give themselves the confidence. It could also eliminate the possibility of the Mavs having to beat GSW 4 times after that. I expect a playoff caliber effort by both teams, with the Mavs beating GSW. The Warriors could make it to the playoffs if they beat Portland next day (in Portland) and if the Suns beat the Clippers.

I don't see the Warriors winning both games and moving into the 7th place. They will be a handful for the Suns if that happens.

by Vash01 on Apr 16, 2007 10:43 AM MDT 0 recs

I'm not so sure about that...

Dallas may be thinking like I am--That there's a very good chance that LAL will lose their season closer in SAC. And even if that's not true, if GSW is as tough a matchup for the Mavs as we all think they are, who's to say they won't win it anyway just by their own efforts, no matter how well the Mavs play? And they'll be playing at home to boot. They're going to go ALL OUT to secure their first playoff spot in a zillion years in front of their home fans. I say GSW will win tomorrow, and also at Portland (who is part of the great Tank-off). The only way we get LAL in the first round is if the Lakers win on Wednesday--unless, of course, the Warriors decide they like their chances against the Mavericks (who they will have beaten 3 times if they win tomorrow) better than the Suns (who they have lost to three times). How weird would that be? A team tanking to avoid the having to play the Suns in the first round. :)

by TexSUN on Apr 16, 2007 11:59 AM MDT up 0 recs

Clippers

The Clippers will play a do or die game. I hope the Suns can beat them. If they don't, the Mavs could get a free pass out of the first round. The Clips cannot win a game against the Mavs. GSW will win at least one, may be even two games. In my fantasy world though, GSW will eliminate the Mavs in the first round. I know it's not going to happen....still a FSW-Mavs series will be exciting. I hope the Suns can bounce back and get back on the winning track on Tues. Dantoni said before the Spurs-Mavs goal on Sun.- our goal is to win 62 games. I hope they achieve that.

by Vash01 on Apr 16, 2007 11:12 PM MDT 0 recs