The Suns’ Ceiling
Who’s the blame for the Suns’ issues?They can look like the greatest show on Earth. During the regular season, their better is better than most everyone’s better. But now that the Spurs are halfway through a four-part series of extracting Phoenix’s soul and safe-keeping it in a jar in their locker room for another year, the finger pointing is beginning. Truthfully, it doesn’t make sense to blame the Shaq trade. He barely guarded him in game one, and actually outplayed Duncan last night: 19 points, 14 boards for Shaq to 18 and 17 for TD21.
The San Antonio Express-News’ Buck Harvey has an idea. Let’s blame the CEO of the United Global Agility Corporation, a.k.a. Mr. Nash.
The floor general was on the court during the Suns’ third quarter collapse in which they scored 11 measly points. Though they went 2-10 from inside the paint during that period, Harvey says that the point guard bears the brunt of their offensive failure.
But there are other numbers, such as in the third quarter. Then, with the Suns in the lead, with Nash on the floor, with the two-time MVP in control, the Suns came apart and spit up another chance…
Nash came back with some plays to pull the Suns close late in the fourth quarter Tuesday. But that third quarter should hang on Nash more than on any Suns player.
Then, Phoenix came out with a seven-point lead and promptly made one of a dozen shots. Nash threw in the one, a tough fade.
But he also dribbled the basketball off one of his recycled sneakers, and he failed at running an offense and setting up scorers. One particularly awful attempt was a behind-the-back pass to Stoudemire that became a turnover.
Afterward Mike D’Antoni said, “We looked like we panicked,” and the “we” is the responsibility of the point guard. A veteran such as Nash, a great player such as Nash, is supposed to assume control in these tense playoff moments.
April 23rd, 2008 at 8:09 am
mister sun says:
well, sounds nice how he writes it, but in the end its all bull.
April 23rd, 2008 at 8:16 am
Sam I Am says:
Without NASH they would be NOTHING but athletic people running around trying to jack up shots or dunk on everyone recklessly…
Overgrown oafs dribbling out of bound….IF only Nash were like 26 man
April 23rd, 2008 at 8:38 am
Bobby stew says:
Every year when a team loses it’s first two games people panick and overexagerate. If the Suns win their 2 home games like the Spurs won their 2 home games then people will be downing the Spurs.
April 23rd, 2008 at 8:41 am
rangerjohn says:
i would agree with the article myself, while the suns would be noting without nash, he has to be to blame just as much as he is to praise. live by the sword, die by the sword.
oh and “shaq out played duncan?” DIME you do realize there are other things beside points right. and he scored 1 more point and 7 of his 19 came from HACK A SHAQ! duncan had 1 less block, 1 more turn over, 3 more rebounds, 4 more assists (shaq had zero), and 4 less fouls. shaq shot a better % yes, so at WORST they played to a draw.
get off shaqs nutsack
April 23rd, 2008 at 8:55 am
Bust Jlaze says:
While I’m extremely happy the suns are down by 2, I have to point out what Bobby Stew just said…everyone jumps on a team when they’re down by 2, and then suddenly the series is tied and you’re wondering what just happened. Like Miami vs. Dallas. Miami looked a FOOL the first 2 games and then won the whole thing. So until this joint is 3-something in San Ant’s favor, I ain’t sayin NUFFIN!
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:07 am
Brown says:
One thing people aren’t mentioning is how badly Nash is getting the business on the defensive end of the floor from Tony Parker.
A two-time MVP should be able to at least play respectable defense, but Nash looks like a child guarding TP (or most of the other elite PGs in the league for that matter). The NBA has to stop giving out MVPs to players who only play on one end of the floor. Nash may have been the Most Valuable Offensive Player in those years, but his defense is apalling. MVPs should be a force on both ends of the floor, or at least serviceable, because the ones that don’t end up getting outed for what they really are in the playoffs.
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:23 am
PALakerFan says:
Do you remember the discussion a few weeks back ranking the league’s PG’s? Tony Parker was by and large determined to be behind (in no particular order) Paul, Nash, Williams, Kidd, Davis, Billups. It’s a shame that Nash won 2 MVP’s when he clearly is only half a player. TP was driving by him at will last night and owning the paint against the weak-ass PHX bigs. Nash is fun to watch and can definitely shoot and pass, but his defense is Reddick-esque. Maybe JJ can get traded to PHX?
Speaking of PG’s, holy shit is Chris Paul incredible!!! Words cannot describe how good he is. Uncoverable is one for sure. Tyson Chandler should be thanking God Scott Skiles ran him out of town. I can’t wait for the Spurs-Hornets series. Paul is clearly #1, but Parker is in the top 3 right now. I doubt SA lets West shoot 10 open jumpers a game, or gives up 5 alley oop dunks a game.
If Dallas gets swept, Avery’s a goner.
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:29 am
djKianoosh says:
Nash can’t hang with TP and overall the Spurs guards are getting by their man and into the paint at will. Doug Collins pointed it out, they are pick-and-roll-ing the Suns to death and they just can’t stop it.
If I’m the Suns, I’d put Barbosa on Parker to be able to stay with him and Diaw on Manu to use his length to keep Manu out of the paint. Bell will have to guard the 2nd/3rd option shooters. Amare has to play strong D and I’m not worried about Shaq. He’s straight. I know Nash makes them go, but when he’s in the game he’s hurting their D cause he can’t hang with Parker. He’ll have to guard Finley or Barry or another perimeter shooter, not a slasher/driver.
The Suns did play a little zone that worked for a minute. Maybe they can go to that, as long as Shaq and Amare eat up the boards.
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:31 am
BALLZ says:
I love Dime, but when yall just say dumb sh*t, it’s gotta be told. NO way in hell you can say wit a straight face that Shaq outplayed Duncan last night, and that’s coming straight from a professed Duncan hater. And pinning the Suns failure on NASH and is beyond stupid. Is Nash a great defender? No. But under normal circumstances (i.e. Hill being healthy) Nash isn’t guarding TP. Not to mention TP gets 70% (pulled that one out the arse) of his buckets in high screen rolls, where Shaq & Amare are completely attrocious in stopping dribble penetration. My biggest fault with Nash is when the Suns are struggling to score, he needs to go into “there’s no effing way we’re losing this game mode” and just get buckets, instead of perpetually feeding Amare “first half” Stoudemire and the ambiguously gay duo of Barbosa and Diaw. Minutes and bad back be damned, D’antoni may wanna just play Nash all 48, cuz Leandro is killing them.
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:35 am
alex says:
If Dallas gets swept, Avery’s a goner. - amen to that. clearly, Dallas is the better team ‘on paper’.
Nash is only as effective as the run-and-gun style Phoenix employed the past 3 years. Now that they’ve abandoned it, we can all see that he’s not as good in a half-court offense. All they run is high screen rolls and the spurs are wise to his passes to Amare. They’d rather have Nash shoot, which he does very well, but is relunctant to do so.
Doug Collins last night: “no team should able to gain advantage by fouling, the rules have to be changed”. I agree on the 1st part of his statement, but the rules DON’T have to be changed just because someone paid 20+ million can’t shoot freebies.
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:42 am
rangerjohn says:
post #8
are you saying barbosa plays before nash?
you got barbosa guarding parker, diaw on manu (both of thse happened with no effect) bell on the other outside player (finley/bowen/udoka/barry) then you got shaq and amare, where does nash fit in? that would make 5 players but then you have nash guarding who ever is left, WELL HELL YEAH THE SUNS CAN WIN IF THEY GET AWAY WITH THAT, that makes them playing 6 on 5.
barbosa can stay speed for speed with parker but his defense is as bad or worse then nash, diaw is longer but he cant hang with manu and will pick up more fouls then shaq, bell is a defensive player (a good defender) so why would you put him on guys that are not doing anything anyway? (and the suns picked him up to guard manu and kobe, that puts manu in good company again)
i keep reading quotes from the suns, there are a lot of “i think” and ” i hope” and “if we can” sure sounds different then the “WE CAN” “i believe” and so on
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:44 am
rangerjohn says:
“Doug Collins last night: “no team should able to gain advantage by fouling, the rules have to be changed”. I agree on the 1st part of his statement, but the rules DON’T have to be changed just because someone paid 20+ million can’t shoot freebies.”
i remember hearing that last night too, my responce, IF YOU CAN MAKE FREETHROWS THERE WOULD BE NO NEED TO CHANGE THE RULES. it is not the leagues fault some players shoot 50% while others shoot 80%. you never see guys just go out with the strategy of “lets go foul steve nash and make him beat us at the line” in the middle of the 3rd, because he can hit his shots.
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:49 am
Andrew Katz says:
@9 -
I see your argument that TD filled the stat sheet in other ways that Shaq didn’t, but it’s not ridiculous to say that Shaq got the best of Duncan last night. Timmy was 8-20 from the field and only got to the line 6 times, while Shaq was more efficient. Plus, Shaq had 4 swats to Duncan’s 3…
- AK
April 23rd, 2008 at 10:05 am
nbaroundtable says:
I thought Nash was really weak in the third quarter too. He didn’t get his team into their offense and he didn’t get his teammates involved. That was why they had no fluidity to their play in the second half.
Nash hasn’t been as dominant since Shaq came. His numbers are fine but he’s less effective. When he’s dribbling the ball at the top of the key and penetrating there’s less movement from his teammates. There’s no Shawn Marion cutting to the rim. There’s one less shooter on the floor because of Shaq’s presence. Shaq and Amare take up more space, they’re simply bigger, which is less space for Nash to exploit. Less space, less cutters, less shooters. Suddenly Nash’s lengthly dribble drives aren’t so effective.
April 23rd, 2008 at 10:12 am
hahns says:
PHX definitely did look like they were panicing…their pick and rolls were sloppy and leading to nowhere..nash dribbled off his leg..turned the ball over a couple times. BUT nash was the ONLY one who could get ANYTHING going offensivly, making some sick shots. I dont put this loss on nash alone, although he did contribute to it by not calming the team down the way a chauncy billups would.
the to blame would be boris diaw….what happend to him, wasnt he the most improved player? hes gota be tied with curry for the most regressed player. he couldnt take advantage of smaller defenders on him…and, incredibly, had a traveling violation on a slow post up move on the block…with tony parker guarding him i think. he looks more lost than Jared Jeffries does, and thats saying a lot.
April 23rd, 2008 at 10:29 am
PALakerFan says:
I think it’s hilarious that the Gasol heist forced Kerr and Cuban into “me too” trades for Shaq and Kidd. Both GM’s killed their team’s futures for the slim chance at this year’s title, all because they couldn’t stand the fact that the Lakers got away with one. A 24 year old, lighting quick PG for a 34 old future HOFer who can’t shoot a lick? Good idea! A 29 year old All Star 20-10 do-it-all forward for a 35 year old, fat, lazy, I’m-playin-for-a-check future HOFer? Yeah baby!
Thank you Steve Kerr and Mark Cuban for your “me too” trades that have effectively crippled your franchises and ended your long, successful runs as contenders.
3 titles for the Lakers in the next 5 years.
April 23rd, 2008 at 10:47 am
Bron42 had springs before slamball says:
I said it before and I’ll say it again, the suns will NEVER win a ring with nash at point guard because he can’t guard a pile of dirty clothes. When marion was there you could at least hide it for alil by puttin nash on a bum but now that hes gone nash actually had to guard someone (in this case manu or parker, whichever guy bell isn’t covering.) and routinely gets lit up. And you can’t even blame shaq for this because he has done what he was supposed to. Limit ducan, lead the outlits and block some shots. No one expected him to come in and average 40. But nash is supposed to be the amazing floor general yet always gets busted up in the playoffs by quicker guards. Between him and boris diaw reverting back to hawks boris diaw the suns might as well just start plannin for next year.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:11 am
Claw says:
Spurs did what they were supposed to do, win at home. If the Suns come back and win the next two at home and get some confidence this thing is back to being wide open.
Love BALLZ quote, “ambiguously gay duo of Barbosa and Diaw”. Diaw got the ball 4 times in the post and amassed 3 TOs and a blocked shot, how many times must he suck until they try something else? Amare needs to step up, if he wants to be a MVP he better start playing like one, maybe get double digit boards for once.
I’m a Suns fan and no way Shaq got the better of TD, Shaq wasn’t even in foul trouble and allowed Parker and Manu to go to the rim at will - 4 fast break points for the Suns-really? 20 something for the Spurs, can’t have that.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:12 am
GEE..Pimpiiiiiiiiiiiin! (Money Mike) says:
The Spurs were who we thought they were!
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:13 am
GEE..Pimpiiiiiiiiiiiin! (Money Mike) says:
Bron how did or is the Slamball going?
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:13 am
alex says:
It isn’t little steve’s fault that they lost to the spurs. They have completely abandoned their run and gun game which effectively limits the talents of the players they got who fit that style in the 1st place. Nash, Bell, Amare, Barbosa, Hill can run and space the floor and hit open 3’s. That’s the formula for the Suns’ success and when they got rid of Marion, they should’ve gotten someone like Tyson Chandler.
They should just forget Shaq on offense and run like they used to.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:17 am
Elliot Rosado says:
Steve Nash Is a great “Regular Season” player. The type of style that Phoenix plays anyone can run the point. John Stockton same thing. Pick & rolled himself to no title. Let’s stop giving these M.V.P.’s to these fly by night players. Top two point guards in the league right now. Chris Paul & Deron Williams. Hands down.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:18 am
Kobeef says:
@ Alex
Dallas is not better than NO on paper. New Orleans has 2 of the true “specialists” in the league with Peja’s shooting and Chandler’s rebounding. They combine those all NBA specialists with two of the league’s premier do-it-players in CP and West and you have one of the most complete teams in the NBA from a skill perspective.
The only other team that is as complete is Philly which I would consider New Orleans-lite. Just like NO they have a rebounding/blocking specialist in the ‘Beast, a true point guard who can run a team and score in Miller and a do-it all wing in Iggy. If Philly had a shooter they would be a twin team to NO…..Korver would be handy right now…
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:21 am
K Dizzle says:
Nash this, nash that. I’ll keep this real and spread the blame. Nash shot 10-15 and had 10 assists so he couldn’t have messed everything up, and yeah, Parker went off, but he had that look in his eyes and was goin past 2-3 guys, in the half court, for floaters and layups.
How come not one post is givin Amare the business? Don’t believe the hype.
Dude went 11-13 for 25 in the first half, hittin everything. Then the second half goes 2 for 12 for 8 points. Where’s the blame on him? Nash can’t finish plays for him. Grant Hill and Barbosa combined for….0 points and barbosa had 3 assists for the duo.
So that’s cool that a San An paper (think about it, people) will put it all on Nash, but the stats tell the story. It was a three on three game and TD, TP , and Manu outscored nash, Shaq and Amare.
I was slightly embarrassed for the spurs goin haq-a-shaq up 6 points in the 3rd with Pop squirmin everytime the camera showed him cuz that was damn near gutless and everybody watchin was feelin it cuz Doug Collins actually spent 3 minutes preachin on it. Props to Shaq for steppin up and hittin 5-6 and even the 7-14 for the game, cuz even Tim went 2-6
Lakers, Sixers tonight.
Peace
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:23 am
pimpdaddy says:
ballz, i just have one question…how long have you had a mancrush on nashypoo?
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:36 am
Duke says:
The blame lies on Shawn Marion for his “I Want More Money. GIMME! GIMME!” attitude.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:52 am
djKianoosh says:
k dizzle, you got a point. looking at the stats, Nash looks like he did fine, except for the turnovers, and amare straight disappeared in the 3rd.
as for my earlier post about who should guard who, i’m no suns fan, i’m just saying, they gotta try something else. raja isn’t being effective. something’s up there. I thought Diaw was a better defender than Nash, but I don’t follow the suns as much so I’ll take ya’lls word for it if he can’t defend.
Maybe the most overlooked problem the Suns have is that Grant Hill isn’t giving them anything, and he’s the guy that made Marion expendable. Without him 100%, I don’t think they can win. They mentioned it briefly last night. Barbosa, Diaw, Hill, and Bell have to join the party.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:53 am
alex says:
wow, john stockton and steve nash are fly by night players. I guess everybody is entitled to their stupid-a$$ opinions.
Kobeef: I said Dallas is better than NO on paper because individually, the have more talented players and a deeper bench. But NO is a case where the sum is greater than the parts combined. They have a great synergy where their talents are maximized because of CP3. Dallas is the other way around, they have better players, but the system doesn’t fit the talents.
Dallas and Phoenix made terrible mistakes by making trades to adjust to other teams strategy. Lakers added Gasol and made the triangle better. Spurs added Kurt Thomas to beef up their already good defense. The point is that teams get their core players with a strategy in mind, and if veer away from that plan, then their talents are not maximized.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:55 am
alex says:
djkianoosh: Barbosa, Diaw, Hill, and Bell have to join the party. True, and so Nash has to get the party RUNNING for the suns to have a chance.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:56 am
BALLZ says:
Since Santa Clara pimpin. Since Santa Clara.
April 23rd, 2008 at 12:07 pm
GEE..Pimpiiiiiiiiiiiin! (Money Mike) says:
K-Dizz I am along your line. You have to spread the blame. Sure Nash gets some, but come on a lot of players, played timid and didn’t come through.
Mind you it was Nash who put them in range to even have it tied up at the end.
Everyone must account for a loss such as that.
It’s a trip how people really love to pin-point one dude and just make him the reason for losing the game, global warming, terrorism and all sorts of bedlam.
Crazy
April 23rd, 2008 at 12:11 pm
bron42 had springs before slamball says:
Gee: I have to get a MRI on my shoulder so thats on hold for now but it was a crazy experience..slamball is no joke.
Everyone here picking on shaq….well ya kno what…PICK ON ME! I’M A MAN! I’M 40!..sorry had to get that out my system. Back to my point, isn’t nash’s greatest legacy his playmaking? so once again in the playoffs where did that all go? You all talk about how the suns suddenly couldnt score after halftime, last i checked nash was in the game in the 3rd quarter when they fell behind. Nash has had a less overall impact this series than shaq has since both shaq and amare have had big games. I mean history shows nash doens’t handle quick pgs in the playoffs. Blame amare, blame shaq all you want but EVERY playoff series nash gets destroyed by the other teams pg. Raja Bell can’t guard manu and parker by himself so nash has to slow someone down. You blame it on shaq for the pick and rolls? so its not nash’s fault at all that he cant ever seem to get around a screen? If the bigs have to keep commiting to the pick and roll in order to cover nash their gonna keep getting in foul trouble, just look at the play where parker had the fast break and nash tried to take a charge which sent parker into shaq. FOul on shaq because nash couldnt get in front of parker. Nash Must slow down someone, anyone, or the suns ae done.
April 23rd, 2008 at 12:14 pm
bron42 had springs before slamball says:
I do agree with Gee though that its a team loss and you cant just pinpoint one person but someone has to lead this team.
April 23rd, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Lady Luck says:
LOL@ Duke…your blaming Marion for last night’s game?
The Suns traded “gimme gimme Marion” for “gimme gimme 20 MILL Shaq” so……I think the SUNS MANAGEMENT should’ve thought about that when they traded their best defender, rebounder, and slasher for Shaq. (Remember, Nash would be defending Bowen if they still had Marion. Marion would be guarding Manu and Bell would check TP) Even if they were going to accomodate Marion’s trade request, they didn’t have to make THIS trade. Remember they could have taken AK47 for Marion. Right now, they would be ridiculous!
The Suns need to quit blaming everyone else…former players, refs, conspiracies…..BRING IT!!!!!
The REAL problem with Pheonix is not Steve Nash. Hill is hurt and giving them nothing right now. Barbosa, Diaw, and Bell have not stepped up. Shaq is in foul trouble, and they don’t have any other big back there that can step up when their wing players repeatedly get beat,Amare is not a good defender obviously. Most of all, D’Antoni is being severly OUTCOACHED! Where are the adjustments? The Suns are successful when they run. In the half court they need to run the offense through Shaq (excellent passer) and get some movement. Get your shooters open. This is not a stand still team. When they do, they turn the ball over.
The series is still early, Spurs did what they are supposed to do…win at home. Now we’ll see what the Suns are made of by how they respond. I don’t see them getting swept, but unless the coach makes some adjustments at both ends of the court, this Suns season will be over sooner than later.
April 23rd, 2008 at 12:44 pm
rangerjohn says:
@ post 24,
yes those stats look typical for nash, but think about this, nash had 9 assists in the 1st half and only 1 in the second half. amare can not create anything on his own, he is an average power forward at best with nobody to spoon feed him. it is not his fault, that is the problem when you play 4 yrs with a guy who does nothing but spoon feed you, you never learn anything different.
the spurs took away the outlet and nash did nothing to counter, that is his fault. not amares fault he could not get the ball from nash.
April 23rd, 2008 at 12:52 pm
GEE..Pimpiiiiiiiiiiiin! (Money Mike) says:
Bron I feel you on someone having to lead. That is true. Also man at least you were in the cut with Slamball. I have to say I really didn’t check for it like I should but between you two trying out I am most def. checking it this time.
Lady Luck I will agree with you on the outcoaching part too, with last nights game at least.
Coaching becomes so clear during the playoffs to me. Like L.A. and Denver lol that is so funny to see the Lakers executing and Denver getting their playground days on.
April 23rd, 2008 at 12:55 pm
djKianoosh says:
look at the +/- stat in the boxscore though, especially the top bench players:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore?gid=2008042224
Diaw & Barbosa were -17 and -18 while Ginobili and Udoka were +12 and +17. That’s the biggest difference in the stats. while stats don’t tell the whole story, that is a big enough difference to be worth something.
maybe it is the coaching. maybe they still just dont have enough depth. same story every year.
still, they can just as easily win on their own home court to tie it up. the difference between these teams isn’t that much, is it?
April 23rd, 2008 at 1:16 pm
rangerjohn says:
what i find to be a large factor in games, and series; minutes and rotation. look at the same box score, spurs had 2 players at 35+ minutes last night and played 11 guys, the suns had 4 playes over 35 minutes and played 8 guys. spurs had one player over 40 minutes had 2. that is quality minutes for the spurs. manu played 33:29 which is right around his average.
as for the +/-, i dont take that to heart myself much, thomas as an example played 13 minutes, and had a -6 rating, we all know he contributed a lot more then a -6 rating.bruce bowen had a -8, and TONY PARKER HAD A -5 i mean did parker only contribute -5? those things are so scewed i dont even pay any attention to them because all they do is take into account how many points your team is up or down while you are on the floor. it is not a measure of how you played.
April 23rd, 2008 at 1:17 pm
K Dizzle says:
@ post 35
I think that’s wrong to say Amare can’t create on his own cuz in the first half, he couldn’t be stopped. Even the first play of game 1, he put that spin move
and dunk on oberto to start the game. You can’t downgrade dude based on a bad half.
On your point tho, if Nash had 9 assists in the first half and Amare went 11-13, then whose fault is it if nash had one assist in the second half and Amare went 2-12? Just wasn’t fallin.
Not blamin amare or nash, I’m blamin the rest of the team other than shaq cuz you’d think the dudes who been there the last 2 years when the spurs were takin their lunch money would take it more personal. Suns gon need Diaw, barbosa and bell to score some buckets or this series is done. Like they say, the series don’t start till the hometeam loses a game so we’ll find out how bad the suns want it
April 23rd, 2008 at 1:40 pm
rangerjohn says:
the thing is, it is nash’s job to get amare the shots, amare, while playing a smaller less athletic defender, can get his shot, but he doesnt get those same moves against a duncan, or a kg, or shaq in practice, or even a kurt thomas UNLESS he has nash spoon feeding him.
i am not says this over a bad half, i am saying this over the course of a carreer. look at amare’s carreer (not a lot before nash i know), as soon as nash got there, his minutes came down, his % went WAY up, his points went up, he became more efficient. that being said, if amare doesnt get it done and nash is making the plays then thats on amare, if amare isnt getting it done, and nash is not making the plays thats on nash.
and for the record, i have never been a fan of either of those guys. amare is an arregant prick and nash is just nasty (i mean come on the guy licks his fingers constantly after handling the ball, realize where the ball has been, who has been sweating all over it, the floor, he is just nasty, and his lazy crooked eye is ab as bad as tmacs)
April 23rd, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Jim says:
The announcers didn’t catch it, but in the 3rd the Suns tried to mix it up, which lead to Giricek guarding Manu for 1 possession, which lead to a Manu layup in about 2 seconds. And a quick timeout and the hook. D’Antoni needs to take some blame here for allowing matchups like that. I realize Hill was hurt, but if you build your team for offense you’ve got to deal with it.
Nash also KILLED Tony in the 4th quarter and somehow got them back into it, why doesn’t the paper mention that?
You notice the lack of trash coming from Spurs fans, it’s because–like Tony said–we’ve been here before and gone home early. Let’s pick one up Sunday and then I’ll relax a little (or Friday, but I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt).
April 23rd, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Lady Luck says:
Nash having 1 assist in the second half is unacceptable. Clearly the offense has stalled if your playmaker only has 1 assist. Again, you need guys to put the ball in the basket, you need other players to step up and handle the ball in the offense (Hill, Diaw, Barbosa,and Shaq) to take some of the pressure off Nash, and maybe give the Spurs a different look. The rest of the guys cannot create their own shot. Again…The COACH gets paid to see these things happening….he should call a timeout and devise a plan to combat this.
Oh, and I don’t think Avery should get fired yet. His teams have overall been successful even if they didn’t win the whole thing. Somebody has to lose. N.O. is a bad matchup for Dallas, they would have probably been better off playing my Lakers, but Dirk said that they were just trying to avoid playing the Lakers. I think at some point Dallas needs to bring in a vocal, veteran leader to bring some toughness and get in the face of the guys, maybe that’s supposed to be Kidd but I’ve never heard of him being real outspoken.
WHERE IS JOSH HOWARD?
April 23rd, 2008 at 5:27 pm
frankie says:
Such b.s. I’ve never seen.
In this series, Nash averages 23 points, TP averages 29. NEITHER OF THEM IS GOOD AT DEFENSE!!! Jesus. Blatant haterism. Oh, and btw, Nash DOUBLES TP’s assists. So maybe we should be writing articles as to why the Spurs will never win with TP at PG!!! omfg he can’t stop Steve Nash!!!
Get real, haters.
April 23rd, 2008 at 7:51 pm
word says:
Barbosa had a bad game yesterday too.
April 23rd, 2008 at 8:05 pm
rangerjohn says:
frankie, parker RARELY plays d on nash. and the spurs system doesnt rely on the point guard like the suns do. nash is the whole team, parker is just one part. and
“So maybe we should be writing articles as to why the Spurs will never win with TP at PG!!!”
i surely hope that is a joke because the spurs HAVE ALREADY WON with parker at the point, THREE TIMES. see the thing about that is, nash has not won it all with any team has been on (never even made the finals)and their chances get worse when he only has 1 assist in a half.
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:17 pm
daquest?on says:
THE SUNS ONLY PLAY ONE HALF OF EVERYGAME ITS A SHAME ITS ONLY THE FIRST HALG
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:20 pm
daquest?on says:
ucant blame nash.. are u kidding me shaq and amare let ginobili and parker walk through the lane