What I think the Phoenix Suns will do now

by Dan on May 15, 2007 7:38 PM MDT in Suns News Comment 28 comments

In Phoenix Suns-land, it may appear as if all is lost. But let's look at this from a different angle.

Last year, the Phoenix Suns had Amare Stoudemire for 3 games - only 1 of which was really a good game. Yet the Suns were able to get to the Western Conference finals and may have been able to win if it weren't for a Raja Bell calf injury.

Granted, last year the Suns had Boris Diaw when they didn't have Amare. However, the Suns still have Shawn Marion. They still have Kurt Thomas. They still have Leandro Barbosa. And, most importantly, they still have a Steve Nash. A ticked Steve Nash. They are a team that will be looking for vengeance. They will also have a home crowd behind them that will help keep the intensity high.

The Suns are also the better team. They came back from 12 down last night to win the game and they did it by playing great defense and exceptional offense. The Suns can definitely win Wednesday's game. I have always believed that the better team will always win a 7 game series.

Sure, this series has been affected a lot by the suspensions of Amare and Boris. But the Suns are still the better team. They are more athletic. They are more composed. They have more respect for the beauty of the game. And now they know the kind of intensity they need to play with. Game 4 was a learning experience the younger Phoenix Suns players needed. What they learned last night cannot be taught in practice or during the regular season. It can't even be taught in a series like the previous Suns/Lakers series. You can only learn when you have your backs up against the wall.

Last night, with 6 minutes left in the game, the Suns looked at themselves and said, "You know what? We're the better team. We play better defense. We definitely play better offense. We need this game." And they went and took it away from the Spurs. It was the Spurs game to lose and the Suns took it from them.

Sure, it stinks that the Suns won't have Amare and Diaw. You're darn right that I'm still fuming at the idiocy of the NBA brass for rewarding a dirty play. But championship teams are able to push through this type of thing.

Plus, just think how cool the championship video will be when looking back at this moment years later! It'll bring goosebumps to your entire body when you think what the Suns had to go through to win.

I'm done whining about the travesty that is the NBA commissioner and his cohorts. I'm ready to see the Suns show what they're really made of!

GO SUNS!!!

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Excellent point....

You can't do anything about what happened 5 minutes ago....its what you do in the next 5 mintues that matters.

Note: If the Spurs win this series and go on to win the Championship....will they really get the respect that goes with it....or will it become tarnished because the NBA handed it to them?

by USMCGUNZ on May 15, 2007 8:26 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Suns win

I agree w/ Dan. I think the Suns are perfectly capable of winning Game 5. I think they will start KT and have him man up on TD like they have been. Shawn will play the four and "guard" Elson / Omerto to the degree they need guarding. That should free up Marion to grab rebounds. Bell will stay on Finley or Manu and Barbosa and Nash can switch off on Parker and Bowen.

I think Jalen will come and play some guard to get guys rest but I would expect 40 minutes plus out of all the starters expect maybe KT.

I think Jones will come in and play some and depending on the game situation Marion will cover TD will help from weak side.

The key will be rebounding and early offense. If the Suns are on and focused like they should be they can rain 3's and score 120 points. The Spurs will score as well - Duncan could have 40+ - but the Suns playing mad and w/ the crowd they will be playing w/ fury and can win this game. I expect them too in fact.

Here's a random thought though that I had in the car this afternoon - what are the chance of the Spurs sitting Duncan for this game. Obviously, it would be a super classy move but is there any chance of them doing it? Would that be fair to their team and their fans?

by Phoenix Stan on May 15, 2007 9:21 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

srp

You can't be serious, srp! Spurs trying to play fair by sitting Duncan? No way! I am sure they are salivating at this opportunity to beat the Suns while they are short handed. I tend to think the whole thing may have been orchestrated to either injure Nash or get rid of some of the hot headed Suns (and we know who they are). Popovich actually said (about Horry)- it was just a foul. Pop is very much a part of the whole culture of Dirty Spurs. There is no way he is going to sit Duncan although the league should have made him sit.

by Vash01 on May 15, 2007 10:50 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

It was just a thought

A fleeting thought. Like unicorns and rainbows and teams acting w/ honor.

by Phoenix Stan on May 15, 2007 11:10 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

sorry dan

No more cussing, I promise!

But you know that's the first thing you thought, too.

downintx.com

by kidjay on May 15, 2007 9:22 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

A silver lining

(Coming from a pessimist this is going to sound VERY weird)

I was thinking that something good may come out of this.

There are several possibilities of what that good might be-

1.This may toughen up the Suns. If they do end up winning this series, they will be ready to handle Utah and Detroit.

2.If they win this game, their confidence will soar. If they lose the game, they will know that it was not because the Suns were weak.

3.It will bring them lots of sympathy and support from around the league (and the opposite for that dirty team).

4.It will bring the team closer. With Amare and Boris sitting, the rest of the team will be very close in game 5, like the Suns of 2006.

5.It will make Amare MAD! He did not miss a single game the entire season and now he is forced to miss a game. Watch out Spurs in game 6!

6.It will bring out the competitiveness in Nash even more.

7.It will make Boris furious. Remember he needs to be smacked to play well? May be the Boris from last year will make his appearance.

8.If the Suns lose this game, they will still have a chance to win the series by winning games 6 & 7. They have beaten the Spurs in SA, after the Spurs played great and the Suns played poorly most of the game. So it can be done.

9.If the Suns lose this series and therefore miss out on the 'prize', nobody is likely to blame them. They will come out hungrier next year.

10.If the Suns win the championship, or just this series, imagine what a wonderful story it will make? Hollywood, are you watching?

So do not despair my dear fellow Suns fans. This is a can't lose situation for the Suns. They are the winners regardless of the outcome of tomorrow's game.

by Vash01 on May 15, 2007 10:59 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

All great points

I really liked #9 -If the Suns lose this series and therefore miss out on the 'prize', nobody is likely to blame them. They will come out hungrier next year.

I was worried about this a bit in the 3rd Qtr of game 4. If the Suns did't get past the Spurs all we would hear about is how the team isn't tough enough or the system doesn't work in the playoff's or this guy is this and that guy isn't that.

Now at least no matter what - the Suns fans at least can blame Stern, Horry and the NBA and not the team.

Of course, I think they will win anyway and your #10 will come true.

But Vash, you keep right on saying they won't win since that seems to work too :)

by Phoenix Stan on May 15, 2007 11:15 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

WTF

I wake up to this!!! To this news that they were actually suspended! I'm speechless. I don't get it, how people who actually deserved to be suspended in this playoffs weren't, and how Boris and Amare were!? Why? Because they didn't throw an elbow? Would Stern look the other way if they punched somebody? I mean, look at Baron, look at Bowen...i'll be up at 4am for game 5 to watch PHO kicks their fucking asses!!

by Whaat on May 15, 2007 11:03 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Online Petition

Great article!

Not that it will get the suspensions reversed, but an online petition has been created to send a message to the NBA that vocalizes our concerns about what has transpired today.

David Stern and the NBA ignored multiple warning signs that the Spurs' physical play was getting to dangerous proportions in the Suns-Spurs series. We want him to know that the NBA must be held responsible for allowing Robert Horry to think he could actually get away with an agressive body check on Steve Nash.

Go to tooSTERN.com to add your name to the petition. The site is still coming up, so if you can't access the site, you can go to www.nuclearfruit.com/stern.

Thanks guys! GO SUNS!

by pazafuera on May 15, 2007 11:07 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

thanks..

(to our web guy running this site)Dan..
any way we can put this on the front?

thx

and pazafuera thanks

by jasonsuns1 on May 15, 2007 11:58 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good petition

Shame on Stern!

Sign the petition if you have not already done so.

by Vash01 on May 16, 2007 2:27 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Support the Suns if you have Myspace!!

Here's a really cool Suns Myspace Layout of Steve Nash to support our MVP and the Suns throughout the playoff, check it out:

http://lementnine.com/myspace/layouts/nashspace.txt

Place that code in your about me an you'll have Nash as your wallpaper!

ASUSunsFan

by ASUSunsFan on May 15, 2007 11:18 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Here's an idea...

What if the Suns were to start Marcus Banks with the same instructions they gave Marion in Game 2: "Forget about shooting or doing anything on offense, just stop Tony Parker". That would leave Marion free to help out on Tim Duncan, and also allow him to be in a better position to pick up the slack on rebounds. And even though Banks can't shoot his way out of a paper bag, he doesn't need to--he can just concentrate on playing defense, which is why we signed the guy to begin with. Banks is probably the absolute last person on the Suns bench that the Spurs would be expecting to start. And if he were to do a good enough job on Parker, it might even raise his trade value and make it easier for the Suns to get rid of him in the summer if they still want to do that. I like that idea better than starting LB. We need LB off the bench more than ever with Boris out.

by TexSUN on May 16, 2007 1:00 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Don't start LB!

It will be the biggest mistake to start LB. As TexSun pointed out, Banks could concentrate on defense and forget about scoring- that is when he tends to turn the ball over. Jones is sporadic at best, but plays decent defense. I think either of these could start in Amare's place. I think Dantoni will start Jones. I don't know if he is brave enough to take a risk with Banks.

The absence of Diaw and Amare gives one advantage to the Suns. They can add some unpredictability to their game. Of course they lose the scoring and explosive power of Amare but against the Spurs even a little surprise may generate some points.

by Vash01 on May 16, 2007 1:09 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

LB starting and Banks

I had originally thought they would start LB w/ Bell and Nash but the more I think about this, the more I agree that he should come off the bench.

Coach D's MO has been to not play match-ups but to play he best guys. I think that James Jones will start and LB will give them punch off the bench which they still need.

I agree on Banks. I don't think Coach D has any confidence in him and there may even be something about him that put him in the dog house beyond his play.

I don't disagree that it wouldn't be a bad idea to put Banks on Parker for some points in the game but I doubt it will happen. I also think that w/ Parker - there is no single person that can guard him. Marion is long so he can bother his jump shot but needs help keeping him out of the lane. Banks would still need help and would not be able to bother his shot. But who knows - anything could happen tonight.

My guess is that Coach D will be judging players attitude as much as anything. Guys like Banks, Rose and Burke that really show him a desire to play and really take it to them may have a chance.

by Phoenix Stan on May 16, 2007 9:41 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

GSW "comeback" lineup?

Does anybody remember who was on the floor during the near-comeback at GSW late in the season? If I remember right, Mike D'Antoni took all of his starters out of the game and went with a lineup entirely of bench players, several of whom hadn't played in a while and really just went all out to make the game close (I can't remember if Diaw was involved or not). Anyway, I'm wondering what that lineup might be able to do. Not to start, of course, but just inserted into the game at some point to really hustle and play as hard as they can. One thing I'd rather not see is for Mike D'Antoni to run the remaining five of the "seven starters" into the ground if the situation appears futile. I don't mean give up, but winning the series is what's important, and if it looks like it's just not happening, maybe he could run with that GSW "comeback" lineup and see if they can't pull off something unexpected, while saving the starters for Game 6.

by TexSUN on May 16, 2007 9:48 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah

good point, but I think Diaw was the main playmaker

downintx.com

by kidjay on May 16, 2007 10:26 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pat Burke

I think Burke will have to come out and go IRA on the Spurs with his bombs.

After he hits some threes, Hack-A-Duncan will go into effect via Marks, Pike and Burke. They can really bruise up his forearms if they try to.

The Spurs are very beatable. Pass some kool-aid and let's think about how sweet this will be when we can boo Stern as he gives us the trophy.

Really, though, everyone is counting the Suns out because the "fitness club" may now have to play. I hope they take it as a personal affront and kick some tail.

by JSun on May 16, 2007 2:12 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Words for the day

Not trying to get all religious here, but a friend of mine included this in an e-mail on a totally unrelated subject, and I thought the coincidence was too good to pass up:

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. 1 Cor 4:8

by TexSUN on May 16, 2007 8:19 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Stu Jackson on the Radio

I listened to Stu on both 910 and 620 this morning. He said that the rule is a "bright-line" rule and is one of "strict liability," meaning that if you leave the bench during an altercation, you're suspended.

Well, okay, but let's look at "altercation" and "immediate vicinity" again. When he was asked for a definition of each term, he gave HIS definition. Therefore, by giving HIS definition, players and coaches are left to use their ESP as to what he means by these words. In order to create a "bright-line" or "strict liability" rule, these terms should be clearly defined.

In his defense, he gave a pretty good definition (IMO) of "altercation." Notwithstanding my grievance regarding the inherent vagueness and subjective nature of the use of HIS, unwritten definitions, the defintion did make sense. See, Stu, you can exercise judgment!

I can't remember the specifics of that definition right now, but it sure made a lot of sense. Per this definition, the Duncan-on-the-court incident in the second period would not warrant discipline.

However, let's get picky on defintions, Stu, if it's such an easy rule to read. When asked what "immediate vicinity" meant, he said, "Well, 20 to 25 feet is not the 'immediate vicinity.'" He then went on to say that one foot away from the bench would be the "immediate vicinity." This means that "immediate vicinity" is somewhere between 1 and 25 feet from your seat on the bench. That is anything but a clear rule.

From here on out, an essential part of every team's staff needs to be a Stu Jackson mind-reader so they know how far off the bench the players can be.

by JSun on May 16, 2007 10:59 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Stu

I was listening to that interview on my car radio and I was getting so upset that I had to turn the radio off. I don't buy that "rule must be followed" argument. We are humans, not robots. We are a higher form of intelligence and need to act like it.

by Vash01 on May 16, 2007 11:35 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

even our court system..

has many faults, but the judges listen and make new exceptions as reasons and motives, intent, etc are seen. This Stu Jackson is not a bright guy, can anyone find out how he got this job, because I doubt it was on results or leadership!

by jasonsuns1 on May 16, 2007 1:10 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

May be

...he knew Stern or Popovich or one of the big guys?

He obviously carries the brain of a robot, not of a human.

by Vash01 on May 16, 2007 1:21 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lawyers versus People

I do think this is a case of lawyer's gone amuk. Clearly they took a legalistic approach to a game and I don't agree they should do that.

But - I don't think they can change in mid-stream. This is how the league has been run for some time and owner should change that but its not going to happen between a Monday incident and a Wednesday game....not going to happen

Anyway - sucks as it does, I am not surprised

by Phoenix Stan on May 16, 2007 5:26 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs