Rivals

[Xylus]

This is a serious question: Are the Suns and Spurs now rivals? Everyone knows a rivalry doesn't begin until both teams have actually won.

From my perspective, the Suns have been the Spurs' bitches for so long that it seems like whatever rivalry was there or could have been there, is gone. It seems like whatever hatred existed between the two teams has been replaced by mutual respect.

[Trainwreck2100]

no

[SanAntonioSpurs23]

Nope

[scottspurs]

Definitely Mutual Respect and not rivals at all.

[NewJerSpur]

No. Doesn't have the Dallas/SA or old school MIA/NY feel to it, but who knows moving forward.

[Trainwreck2100]

Rival would have had RMJ break Nash's occipital bone even though the game was lost. Not like he's gonna be in the NBA next year anyway

[blkroadrunners]

David Stern spits tobacco at that word.

[Strike]

It always felt like a rivalry to me. Even though the Spurs have always beaten the Suns (minus this year and sans Duncan in '00), the series between these two teams had always been heated. I didn't feel that this year.

I usually can't root for the team that beats "my" team, but if the Suns beating LA in the CF shuts up the legion of Kobe ball slobberers, I'll take it.

Here's to a Suns/Magic Finals. :toast

[JMarkJohns]

I think any Spurs fan would acknowledge the benefit of facing the Suns in 2005 (JJ's injury) and that Phoenix was an incredibly tough out in 2007, a series that could have gone either way suspensions not withstanding.

I agree. I think it's a mutual respect. I hate the Spurs, but even in defeat I appreciate the greatness of their team play.

In all likelihood, Spurs with both those series regardless of health of stupidity on the part of the Suns, but the games were almost always close, and had one thing gone different, a series could have been won or lost.

Also, the fact this series is unlikely to determine the eventual Champion takes some of the hate out of losing the series.

[sabar]

It's been too lopsided each time they meet up IMO. In a series like Spurs-Mavs 2006 you can almost feel the tension in the air.

Another thing is how hatable the other players are. It is really easy to hate Terry, Stackhouse, Howard, and so on. In years past the Suns had a lot of guys that were easy to hate, but the fact is that they were a class act this time around. Amare has really matured too.

Spurs-Suns and Spurs-Detroit are so much different than Spurs-Mavs and Spurs-Lakers. You can feel it when they play.

[J.T.]

Also, the fact this series is unlikely to determine the eventual Champion takes some of the hate out of losing the series.

Pretty much this.

I may be alone here but I'm not sure the Spurs even have a rivalry with the Mavs. The media and the fans play it up like there is but honestly the whole thing was fabricated by Mark Cuban in 2006 almost exclusively because Avery Johnson was coaching his team, as if that was a deliberate attempt to acquire corporate knowledge on the Spurs organization in order to beat them. During this "rivalry" the Mavs lucked into two series wins thanks to Ginobili (The Foul in '06 and he didn't even play in '09) and the Spurs won a championship.

Even less with the Suns in my opinion. Case in point Suns fan had to make this thread asking if its a rivalry now after SWEEPING the Spurs.

[slick'81]

i dont hate phoenix as much as dallas or la but rival not yet but 0-4 hurt like a motha fucker

[Stringer_Bell]

No rivalry, just two teams trying to get to the same place.

[Spursfanfromafar]

It is indeed a rivalry. Even if the Spurs always had the best of the Suns this decade, most of the series were all hard fought and competitive, except maybe the 4-0 drubbing this time around. The level of play was always high and thats what counts in a rivalry.

[crc21209]

Not too too much of a rivalry...especially since the Suns don't have a championship yet. The Spurs went thru the Suns in 3 of the title runs (03', 05', and 07') to get to the championship...

[xellos88330]

I wouldnt call it a rivalry.

There just isn't enough bad blood for the Spurs to really call The Suns a rival.

Dallas is a different story because they talk too much trash about San Antonio and the Spurs. It makes it a personal thing for fans/players.

I just don't see the "it's personal" thing with the Suns and Spurs.

[temujin]

With Kerr and Gentry the Suns are one of the Spurs spin-off.

[SenorSpur]

I don't see a rivalry. Just not enough bad blood between the participants. These two teams (players, coaching staffs and management) have a ton of respect for one another.

Another reason you know this is NOT a rivalry, tthe Spurs and Suns hey have a track record of occasionally doing business with one another in the offseason. You'd never see the Spurs and Mavs making trades with one another.

Let's check back, if these two teams meet again in the playoffs next spring.

[DarrinS]

I don't see a rivalry. Just not enough bad blood between the participants.


How can you guys say this?

[jag]

How can you guys say this?

I dont get it either. There's definitely a rivalry, even if it's historically been lopsided.

[gameFACE]

It's not a rivalry yet but it could be. Duncan and Nash are too nice guys. They don't have the assholeness like Jason Terry or of Cuban. They don't even have Dirk's sneer. MOst rivalries are fabricated to a degree.

As a fan there aren't really any Suns I love to hate. I kind of like Nash and sure hope he gets a ring before Shaq or Kobe get another.

[DarrinS]

Well, we just got swept, so if you didn't think there was a rivalry before, you'd certainly have to concede that we have one now.

[FromWayDowntown]

I got to thinking about it last night, and with all due respect to the one-off Kings/Lakers battle in 2002 (yeah, yeah, SAC pushed them in 2000), there really have been two rivalries that have defined the Western Conference since 1999: Lakers/Spurs and Spurs/Suns.

The series that those teams have played down through the years have identified the conference champion on at least 8 different occasions since 1999. The Lakers have had the better of the Spurs mostly, but the Spurs have had the better of the Suns. I've always considered SA/LAL to be a rivalry and I've felt the same about SA/PNX since 2005. I think each is defined by mutual respect, no matter who has the upper hand; and I think the mutual respect makes the matchups rivalries.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

In a strictly competitive sense, yes, I'd call it a rivalry. The series have always been well worth watching and provided some great drama.

And yet I just can't bring myself to use that word. When I think "rivalry" I think of the sort of vitriol that I can only muster against the Lakers and Mavs and I really can't say why. I hate A'm'a'r'e''''''' plenty, I think Nash is overrated, and I wish Sarver would get hit by a bus, but I still don't hate the Suns like I do the other two. Part of that is probably due to the fact that the Suns fans around here are by and large pretty sharp posters, as opposed to a Mavs fanbase that's hit or miss and Lakers posters who are almost entirely useless.

[clambake]

not really.

all the experts have pinned the blame on manu's broken nose.

that means the mavs continued their domination of the spurs.....again!

[rjv]

amongst fans yes (although probably more so on the phoenix end) but amongst the teams i just do not get that feeling. seems to be too much mutual respect between the two.

[Kamnik]

Here's to a Suns/Magic Finals. :toast

:toast

That would be perfect... I couldn't stand LA, Boston and especially Cleveland win it. :bang

[rjv]

:toast

That would be perfect... I couldn't stand LA, Boston and especially Cleveland win it. :bang


boy would the networks hate that finals matchup. but basketball fans should appreciate it.