Open Game Day Thread: Suns v Warriors (w/ breaking news)

by Phoenix Stan on Apr 14, 2008 12:25 PM MDT in Game Coverage

Phoenix Suns	vs.	Golden State Warriors
52-27		48-32
7:00 PM Pacific / 10:00 PM Eastern
TV: FSNAZ HD, NBA LP
Probable starters:
Steve Nash	PG	Beard Davis
Raja Bell	SG	Monta Ellis
Grant Hill	SF	Stephen Jackson
Amare Stoudemire	PF	Al "STAT Fodder" Harrington
Shaq	C	Andris Biedrins

Forget about the game. We know the Suns can beat the Warriors now and we know that there is very little chance that we will see them again until next year.

This game is about three things:

Defense du Jour: The Suns have tried all kinds of defensive schemes over the past few weeks. The zone was employed frequently when we last faced the Warriors on March 13th and we've just recently seen some perimeter double teams against Houston. Against Dallas we saw Shaq and Amare switch the pick and roll with Dirk and Dampier.

Which D will show up tonight? I guess we will just have to wait and see because there's really no telling at this point what Coach might do.

To Rest or not to Rest: This is really the question for tonight's game. Its pretty clear that we are getting 5th or 6th seed and in that light this game really isn't all that meaningful to the Suns.

With young clubs you run the risk of getting out of rhythm but with the Suns and our...mature...stars it might make more sense. No one asked me but if they did, here's my plan for tonight:

Limited minutes for Shaq. This isn't his type of game anyway and if anyone can use the rest and not get out of synch its the Big ~~Hip Bruise~~ Cactus

Nash can get some more floor time. And by floor time I mean on his back on the sidelines resting on the floor. Let's see what DJ can do with Baron and Monta

Hill, Amare and Bell - here I might look to keep them at around 30 minutes each. Maybe less for Hill if anyone. In fact, Grant could easily not play at all and we could see Gordan starting with Tucker in off the bench.

Punking the Nugs: The question this time of the year when you are talking about resting your starters is if you are being fair to the other teams in the race. If we don't go all out tonight, we are essentially punking the Nuggets who are trying to put the Warriors in the 9th seed grave. Normally, I am kind of sympathic to this arguement. You owe it to the game - forget the Nugs - to go all out in situations like this.

But in this case given that the Nugs are in the drivers seat and can control their fate by beating the Grizzlies...let's just worry about our own interests here.

Update [2008-4-14 14:25:36 by Phoenix Stan]:

Well, here's a possible answer to what the Suns are thinking for tonight. I just got of the phone doing about a 15 minute interview with Suns rookie Alando Tucker. I asked him about tonight

According to Alando the Suns are playing to win and still feel like they can get the 3rd or 4th seed if some other teams lose. But, he said that it depends on the game situation and both he and DJ were told by the coaches to be prepared to play

I will write up the full interview later. But there you have it, live breaking news on BSoS.

0 recs | Comment 12 comments

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Comments

I think it's still possible for Phoenix

to get the fourth seed if there's a four way tie between Houston/SA/Utah/Phoenix

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-32-49/A-Four-Way-Tie-Would-be-Magnificent.html

NO could lose their last 2 and make it a 5 way tie :-D

by rsavaj on Apr 14, 2008 1:09 PM MDT 0 recs

To win or not to win, that is the question.

I'm sick of this going back and forth about whether to rest, whether to win, etc.. I say win the game! I don't like losing. The Mavs screwed up six months of hard work by trying to be cute at the end of last year. And who could forget the Colts who rested starters and came out flat against the Steelers in the playoffs. Is there any team that you remember that benefitted from this overthinking and presumptuous strategy? Unless a player is injured, play his regular game. Now I would make some concessions, like don't play Nash in the last quarter with a 20 point lead, but that is hardly the same as sitting everyone down.

I remember laughing my head off at the pitiful Mavs last year, who let GS in the playoffs with their questionable strategy, and then were waylaid by those same Warriors. Of course if we had developed our bench a little more this year, we could do what Detroit is doing. They are winning games with Amir Johnson, Rodney Stuckey, and Jason Maxiel, whilst resting the vets for the playoff run.

But the Pistons trio of Billups, Wallace, and Hamilton, is mentally tough. Our players have not shown the same mental toughness that is necessary to earn the rest. We cannot count on them to pick it right back up and play at top form the minute the ball goes up for the first playoff game. This last week of up and down play shows that to be true. A mentally tough team would have gone out and TOOK the top seed away from the ones holding it. We assumed the Hornets would coast , and when they faltered, we were off playing around and missed the bus!(Sorry, guys!)

'07-'08 Suns: It's clobberin' time!

by Hawk42 on Apr 14, 2008 1:23 PM MDT 0 recs

Yup

I gotta agree with that.

by RealTangiblesGuy on Apr 14, 2008 2:27 PM MDT up 0 recs

I got to agree

with that too...

It could have been a very good king of "upsetting" if Suns had stolen the first place by been tough when SA, NO and LA (loss against Memphis and Charlotte) slowed down a bit...
One month after people (I have to admit I was sometimes one of them) wondered if the suns will even make the playoff!

where full french will surely happen during the playoff

by warmup on Apr 14, 2008 4:18 PM MDT up 0 recs

Ditto. word. yup. third to that.

That's right on, Hawk.

by ZonaFlash on Apr 14, 2008 5:32 PM MDT up 0 recs

I have to agree also

Right on target Hawk.

If anyone finds a link for this game, please let me know.

Thanks!

by PanamaSun on Apr 14, 2008 6:29 PM MDT up 0 recs

D"A wants to win also

I love it when he agrees with me

'07-'08 Suns: It's clobberin' time!

by Hawk42 on Apr 14, 2008 8:13 PM MDT 0 recs

there ends the warriors

I was torn what I wanted to happen (playoff wise either one would have been good) but If baron hadn't played so bad and sat out the second half (what was wrong with him 2/13 or something like that in the first half) they could have done it.

Shaq:"The kobster, he's an assassin" Answer for who should be mvp.

by ldeep on Apr 14, 2008 11:50 PM MDT 0 recs

Baron Davis

'Round these parts we call that "Kobe Disease." Common symptoms are douchebaggery, chucking, ball-hogging, and poor game-time decisions mixed in with the occasional scowl.

by RealTangiblesGuy on Apr 15, 2008 1:11 AM MDT up 0 recs

just saying

that a good game from him and things could have gone another way. and besides if kobe was playing that bad we would have kept him on for defense. and come on I don't even think kobe has that bad have a case of the "kobe disease" anymore, he rarely ball hogs hes always passing around now, I don't think he ever chucks, hes been making great game time decisions (I'm not sure where you even got that one, this year passes it to the open man, gets out of double teams, etc) and the occasional scowl is putting it lightly (to many technical fouls thats the only thing that bugs me)

Shaq:"The kobster, he's an assassin" Answer for who should be mvp.

by ldeep on Apr 15, 2008 9:46 AM MDT up 0 recs

Relax!

I was just poking fun at the Kobe of old. Everyone says he has been passing more this season. I haven't watched much Lakers basketball this season so the only thing I can do is take everyone's word for it. I do miss the Kobe of old from time to time, though. Maybe he'll make a guest appearance at a critical time in the playoffs. We can only hope that he will.

by RealTangiblesGuy on Apr 15, 2008 11:47 AM MDT up 0 recs

don't get me wrong

I wasn't angry or something, I was just defending my teams main player (and baron davis who I liked) in a good way. Besides I'm aware of the Kobe disease and I'm glad that its pretty much gone.

Shaq:"The kobster, he's an assassin" Answer for who should be mvp.

by ldeep on Apr 15, 2008 12:53 PM MDT up 0 recs