Well your almost there, Thank Nash

[airjer15]

it looks like your about to claim the #1 spot in the whole NBA. Good Job! You all have a great team, with Nash out the Suns have really taken a dive, I wonder, how San Antonio would play with out Tim. I know Jazz have struggled with out there all star. Don't you think it would be better to climb to first, without a gimmy from injury?

[Kori Ellis]

Nash has only missed two and a half games and he's expected back on Wednesday. So it's not all about Nash.

[exstatic]

Injuries are a part of the game. If they have no depth, it makes their team not as good as people thought.

[bigzak25]

Don't you think it would be better to climb to first, without a gimmy from injury?


it's a long season, 1st place in Jan don't mean squat....even so, if memory serves....last time the two met, it was SPURS 115 SUNS 94.

so go choke on your "good job, but take this jab with you" posts....

[BigVee]

Spurs have had more than their share of huge injuries to huge stars. If you want a list I am sure many on this forum can provide. I'll take first place however you get there.

[ladiesman]

If I remember correctly, Duncan was out for the "Rodeo Stretch" 2 seasons ago, and the spurs went on a winning streak that led them to their second championship.

[Jimcs50]

Nash has only missed two and a half games and he's expected back on Wednesday. So it's not all about Nash.

It is all about Nash.

Case in point, look at Stoudemire's output with Nash out of the lineup:

With Nash this year: 59% shooting

w/o Nash 38% shooting

And I do not even want to discuss Q Richardson, and Marion.They have been HORRIBLE the past 4 games.

It is not unlike KMart with and without Kidd. Nash makes all his teammates better.

[Kori Ellis]

They have been HORRIBLE the past 4 games.

But he's only missed two games.

Obviously they are playing a lot worse with him gone, but my point was that he didn't miss that much time.

[Jimcs50]

But he's only missed two games.

Obviously they are playing a lot worse with him gone, but my point was that he didn't miss that much time.

Oh, I thought he missed the last 3 games.

I watched the Indy game and did not see him in the game, I guess he was injured early, huh?

[Kori Ellis]

I think he played 11 minutes before getting injured.

Speculation is that he'll be back in action tomorrow. So, we'll see if they get right back on track. Friday's game is going to be huge!

[Rummpd]

With Tim out last year (I do believe it could have been year before = senior moment), Spurs at least played competetive in one memorable game Manu went off for I believe 35+ and they just missed beating the Lakers and then had close call vs. Mavs next night.

Others stepped up and even Rasho played very well some games, and Spurs weathered the Storm onto 58 wins.

Suns do not seem to have the mental toughness despite 2 allstars in Marion and Richardson (or Barbosa is sadly over-rated) to even compete last few games. I would have expected one or the other to have helped them stay close vs. Detroit (not exactly an offensive powerhouse).

The difference is also that a defensive team can stay close even with a star down, but Suns seem to fade.

Does not portend to me that the Suns are truly a great team, I believe even with Nash back they will stay in funk and Spurs win again Friday comfortably.

MadDoc

[Useruser666]

With Tim out last year (I do believe it could have been year before = senior moment), Spurs at least played competetive in one memorable game Manu went off for I believe 35+ and they just missed beating the Lakers and then had close call vs. Mavs next night.

Others stepped up and even Rasho played very well some games, and Spurs weathered the Storm onto 58 wins.

Suns do not seem to have the mental toughness despite 2 allstars in Marion and Richardson (or Barbosa is sadly over-rated) to even compete last few games. I would have expected one or the other to have helped them stay close vs. Detroit (not exactly an offensive powerhouse).

The difference is also that a defensive team can stay close even with a star down, but Suns seem to fade.

Couldn't you consider Amare and Nash allstars?

Does not portend to me that the Suns are truly a great team, I believe even with Nash back they will stay in funk and Spurs win again Friday comfortably.

MadDoc

[boutons]

"Friday's game is going to be huge!"

Want to know how huge @PHX is?

The 31 - 9 Spurs are only 1 - 6 on the road against "quality" playoff teams.

6 losses:

2 x HOU
MEM
SAC
SEA
ORL

The single W was @DAL (with Finley DNP).

We've beaten a couple of EC teams on the road that might sneak into the playoffs, but beating low-seed EC's ? BFD.

The only other game so far as big as @PHX was the 2nd SEA game @SBC, and the Spurs off/def disappeared in the 2nd quarter, 12 - 29, GAMEOVER.

In light of the above road record, I don't see how anybody can be exstatic or satisfied with the Spurs. The soft Spurs have a LONG way to go before they are really as good as their record. A W @PHX would be only the first step.

Anyway, this is January, not March, so yet another road L @PHX is no big deal, "only one game", right? :)

[Jimcs50]

It was last year...we did not have Rasho the year before.

[ducks]

It is all about Nash.

Case in point, look at Stoudemire's output with Nash out of the lineup:

With Nash this year: 59% shooting

w/o Nash 38% shooting

And I do not even want to discuss Q Richardson, and Marion.They have been HORRIBLE the past 4 games.

It is not unlike KMart with and without Kidd. Nash makes all his teammates better.
I think nash is the mvp

but their backup point guard still needs time to develop

also nash is a score
other teams can double amare with the backup point

you have to guard nash on defensive or you pay
nash has a jumper unlike aj
that is why david would get double and even tripled team all the time

[T Park]

ORL

take Orlando out of the equation Boutons, they are an eastern conference team who squeeked by a Spurs team looking ahead to thumping a pathetic Minnesota team.

[boutons]

"equation" is obviously subjective (I left out the Lakers completely), and it moves anyway, esp in the 2nd half, as teams records float up/down the rankings. I put in ORL, marginal at 6th seed, because they are the ONLY decent (at the time) EC team that we have played on the road.

Looking ahead to MIN? I really avoid mind reading the Spurs to explain why the do/not peform. In your mind reading, WTF was wrong last Sat night in the Spurs minds?

The Spurs EC road games to watch as a measure of Spurs road toughness and playoff readiness:

@MIA
@DET
@IND
@CLE
@WAS

[PM5K]

I wonder, how San Antonio would play with out Tim.

Tim missed a total of thirteen games last year, during the first three the Spurs went one and two. During that time the opponents margin of victory was three points, one game in overtime 117-120 and 78-81 with both losses against good teams in Dallas and Los Angeles.

The second stretch was ten games in which the Spurs went six and four which is pretty respectable, not only that but I think this years team would do even better, not that I want to find out, although in some of these past games he's played so horrid I don't know what difference it makes...

[GoSpurs21]

I think he played 11 minutes before getting injured.

Speculation is that he'll be back in action tomorrow. So, we'll see if they get right back on track. Friday's game is going to be huge!Then again maybe the Suns will be without both point guards on Friday.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0118nash0118.html

[RobinsontoDuncan]

If I remember correctly, Duncan was out for the "Rodeo Stretch" 2 seasons ago, and the spurs went on a winning streak that led them to their second championship.


you're wrong, he was big reason we broke the record for most consecutive road wins in a regular season during that trip.

[Sense]

I gotta agree, Spurs are being soft, until i begin to see a secure winning streak, I don't think we will make it all the way.

[ZStomp]

If I remember correctly, Duncan was out for the "Rodeo Stretch" 2 seasons ago, and the spurs went on a winning streak that led them to their second championship.

I think it was Robinson that was out during that rodeo stretch.

[GoSpurs21]

I gotta agree, Spurs are being soft, until i begin to see a secure winning streak, I don't think we will make it all the way.Just curious...who is playing up to your standards and can beat the Spurs in a 7 games series. Just wondering.

[T Park]

What sucks about them both being out, if the Spurs beat them,

then the whiners and haters like Boutons, Brodels, and all the rest will point out and say
THEY WERENT HEALTHY!!!! NOT A GOOD WIN!!!!!

[slayermin]

04-05 Suns = 02-03 Mavs

[boutons]

"NOT A GOOD WIN!!!!!"

aka an "*" win

[PM5K]

What sucks about them both being out, if the Spurs beat them,

then the whiners and haters like Boutons, Brodels, and all the rest will point out and say
THEY WERENT HEALTHY!!!! NOT A GOOD WIN!!!!!

The Spurs already beat the hell out of them when they were healthy so......

[boutons]

"then the whiners and haters like Boutons, Brodels,"

what utter bullshit. If you don't like unpleasant facts pointed out, go work for shrub and dickhead.

Please inlcude Pop in your totally bogus list of whiners and haters, since he is as sceptical as anybody (a key reason he's such a successful coach). He and his staff have certainly sliced and diced the season and came up with the same FACT that I did, 1-6 on the road against better teams. "road game against a better team" is what Pop would call a "test", and he knows these Spurs have failed to win in 6 tests vs 1 win.