Kiki on the Suns side....

Western showdown looms
By Kiki Vandeweghe
ESPN,com

Editor's note: ESPN.com NBA analyst Kiki Vandeweghe answered some key questions after the Suns eliminated the Lakers, 119-110, in Wednesday's Game 5.
The Suns sent the Lakers off in five games. At first glance, how do you like the Suns going into a Spurs series?

It's a contrast in styles. A fantastic series. The Spurs want to slow it down, run their stuff, the best half-court game going. The Suns are the best fast-breaking team in recent history, an offense that nobody could put the brakes on.

When these two teams met in conference finals two years ago, Amare Stoudemire averaged 37 a game. Now he's a much better defender, rebounder -- a complete player.

The way I look at the Suns, they have three guys who get you a nightly double-double (Stoudemire, Shawn Marion with points and rebounds, Steve Nash with points and assists. That's amazing.

What's the state of Amare?

I think Amare has everything back. Early in the season he didn't have the confidence to play full tilt. Now he's one of few guys who has come back so well from microfracture surgery.

On the offensive end, he's developed the jump shot.

On the defensive end it seems he has a better understanding of defensive positioning and is real presence in the middle.

Now we have the prospect of him facing Tim Duncan. That's a really interesting matchup.

Does Amare's presence and the Lakers' ill health explain why this year's Lakers-Suns series wasn't close?

Yes. The big advantage the Lakers had last year was inside. Lamar Odom could post up inside, and the Lakers' big people could get offensive rebounds. They could wreak havoc inside.

But the Laker team was not as healthy as it was last year. It just didn't come together this year for the Lakers. A lot of injuries. In the last two months of season they beat one team with a winning record.

Marion ready to explode?

An extremely difficult matchup. He's physically a freak of nature, the way he elevates. One of the travesties of this year was that he was not on the All-Defensive team. He should have been because he's a great defender.

Who do you pick, Suns or Spurs?

Picking the Suns in this one. The Spurs are obviously a great basketball team, but they're dependent on older players to play very well, having at least one or two of them step up. The Suns' team is a young team that has young legs. :wakeup

The last time these two met in the playoffs, the games did not feature this version of Amare, who is older and better. This year is the Suns' best chance to win a championship.

Are they helped at all by the prospect of an early Dallas exit?

It's only natural to look at best regular-season team in trouble and say this could be a little easier. But I don't think the Suns or Spurs think they can waltz into anything. They are not looking past the other, that's for sure.

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the funny thing is "Kiki" in the Philippines means "vagina"...right Filipino's? :smokin

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Picking the Suns in this one. The Spurs are obviously a great basketball team, but they're dependent on older players to play very well, having at least one or two of them step up. The Nuggets'/Suns'/Mavericks'/Rockets' team is a young team that has young legs.

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I guess we're going to hear this every series.

and this one...

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The last time these two met in the playoffs, the games did not feature this version of "Melo/Amare/Josh Howard", who is older and better. This year is the Suns' best chance to win a championship.

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I thought we were also old 2 years ago. I also thought that they had proven that they could, in fact, run with the Suns and beat them at that game if they wanted to. Oh, well, with so many teams to watch, who can catch them all? Much easier to just make old generalizations that haven't been borne out in a couple of years.

Kiki blows. He's a Nuggets homer, and will pick against the Spurs until they hoist the trophy.

Legler picked the Suns today too. I think I'd be worried if those guys were picking the Spurs. Kiki traded three first round picks for Kenyon Martin and Legler picked the Timberwolves to win the championship one of the years they didn't even make the playoffs.

i thought we had a pretty good TRIO ourselves.....? and im not talking about the trio off the bench either.....hmmmm

Yeah I can definitely see us having trouble with a young team that scores a lot on fast breaks and has a power forward who is a more complete player than he's been in the past.

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Originally Posted by Duncanoypi

the funny thing is "Kiki" in the Philippines means "vagina"...right Filipino's? :smokin

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In french "kiki" is a childish term for penis. :spin

so Kiki is a combination of penis and vagina of a child....lol

what a stupid reason to pick the Suns. he got nothing

Hey, Kiki was a journey man ; he doesn't know shit

:tu KiKI

:toast :toast :toast :toast :toast
KIKI
:toast :toast :toast :toast :toast

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Originally Posted by Spurminator

Yeah I can definitely see us having trouble with a young team that scores a lot on fast breaks and has a power forward who is a more complete player than he's been in the past.

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Me, too. I don't know how our Spurs will ever prevail.

I see all the Suns fans finally found their way to the board :rolleyes

Nobody is dumb for picking either team, but we all know who is really going to win...

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Originally Posted by sprrs

I see all the Suns fans finally found their way to the board :rolleyes

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Yep...right after they figured out how to turn on their computers. Yay. :clap

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Originally Posted by PM5K

Nobody is dumb for picking either team, but we all know who is really going to win...

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I disagree.......



Nobody knows...nobody would bet their life on either team...that is what makes this series so damn interesting.

I think SA has to get split in Phoenix in games 1 and 2 to have a chance, if not, I do not se them winning 4 of the next 5.


If Finley shoots somewhat like he did in Denver series and Manu gets his head out of his ass and plays like he did 2 yrs ago, then SA will win the series.

^nice start...

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Originally Posted by THE_SUNS

FUCK YOU SPURS FANS!!!!!!!!!!

DIE MOTHER FUCKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Brilliant! :makeout

Whoa. Talking crap already. :lol New posters. I see now that we have to contend with trolls again...

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Originally Posted by THE_SUNS

FUCK YOU SPURS FANS!!!!!!!!!!

DIE MOTHER FUCKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I see the classy Suns fans have hit the forum.

I love all of the doubters. The victories taste much sweeter after it's all said and done.

Besides, I think the Spurs got a warm up with the Nuggets by having to use their transistion defense. I know the Suns run harder but the Spurs seem to make that extra effort when playing them.

Also, am I wrong in my estimation that TP does pretty well guarding Nash?

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Originally Posted by THE_SUNS

FUCK YOU SPURS FANS!!!!!!!!!!

DIE MOTHER FUCKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Welcome back KB24.

I like to read the Spurs fans opinions. :toast

Come on guys we have always had trouble with fast breaking teams :rolleyes . Kiki is just basing his opinion on our history when it comes to dealing with perimeter oriented teams.. :rolleyes

and let the suns trolling begin.

be ready for "suns in 4" attack....here comes the trolls...

Don't feed the trolls.....

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Originally Posted by George Gervin's Afro

Come on guys we have always had trouble with fast breaking teams :rolleyes . Kiki is just basing his opinion on our history when it comes to dealing with perimeter oriented teams.. :rolleyes

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I thought Spurs impose their will against fast breaking teams.

Isn't a fast breaking team also different from a perimeter oriented team?

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The Suns are the best fast-breaking team in recent history, an offense that nobody could put the brakes on.

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I guess Kiki missed all the Team USA games last summer. :rolleyes

There's no doubt that the 07 Suns are a step or two up from 05. I'm just at a loss for how anyone could watch the Spurs pick apart the Nuggets and still say that the Spurs are too old to compete. ESPECIALLY when the team you are picking over them pretty much lives and dies on a pair of 33 year old legs.

The Spurs are probably too old to try to play 48 minutes of up tempo, open court basketball. That's why they are going to do everything to avoid having to do that. This series rests on who controls the tempo, and I think that the Spurs can do that.

The SUNS in 6. Book it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

wtf!...suns fans continue to multiply...coming from nowhere....

How many of these trolls are really new posters?

I'm liking the sig brazilian blur....Duncan is like a robot, 100% efficient

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Originally Posted by Bruno

In french "kiki" is a childish term for penis. :spin

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in slovenian its a brand of children gummy candy

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Originally Posted by fonzy16

in slovenian its a brand of children gummy candy

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So "Kiki" = little children's vagina & penis shaped gummy candy?


:wtf I'm confused. :lol

Fuck Kiki.

or fuck with a Kiki.

depending on what area of the world you are from

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Originally Posted by Trainwreck2100

or fuck with a Kiki.

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:lmao

In France, "kiki" is too the name given to this soft toy :

http://anjali11.skyblog.com/pics/524304247.jpg

More fun with the internet. This is the first thing that a Google image search found for "Kiki"
http://www.smdungeon.com/backgrounds/KIKI.bg.jpg

^ so "kiki" is a box with an x...lol

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Originally Posted by spurs_fan_in_exile

More fun with the internet. This is the first thing that a Google image search found for "Kiki"
http://www.smdungeon.com/backgrounds/KIKI.bg.jpg

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was that 'kinky' or 'kiki'??

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Originally Posted by degenerate_gambler

was that 'kinky' or 'kiki'??

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:lol I swear it was Kiki. I know because after that came up I double checked to make sure I had typed the right thing.

Picking the Suns is not indefensible, though I question some of Vandeweghe's reasoning.

Amare had that jumper two years ago.

Marion is not going to "explode" all on his own; he is not very good at creating his own offense.

Spurs excel with teams that have a limited number of people who can create their offense, especially a perimeter player.
Check the history, the only teams that gave the Spurs trouble are:
00 to 04 Lakers - Shaq and Kobe are two dominant scores, but Shaq drew so much attention, Kobe was free to roam.
05 Detroit - Yes I know the Spurs won, but the Pistons gave the Spurs all they could handle. Billups, Rasheed and to some extend Hamilton and McDyess can create their own shots when need be.
06 Mavs - Dirk, Howard, Terry and Stackhouse can all create their own shots, and Devin Harris did a bit of that as well.
The reason is because the Spurs rely heavily on team defense to shut down a small number of dominant scorers, using traps and double-teams. But if there was a large number of these players, well, the defense breaks down.
The Suns, with their heavy reliance on Nash on the offensive end, is exactly the type of teams that the Spurs should be able to contain.

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Originally Posted by sprrs

I'm liking the sig brazilian blur....Duncan is like a robot, 100% efficient

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100% Efficient with no personality!!!!!

^ so you want showbusiness not basketball.....lol

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Originally Posted by The Brazilian BLURR

100% Efficient with no personality!!!!!

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He saves it for the parades.

http://theassociation.blogs.com/the_.../tombstone.jpg

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Originally Posted by The Brazilian BLURR

100% Efficient with no personality!!!!!

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Maybe he should add some exclaimation points after everything he says. I bet that'd make him cool.



!!!!!!! .

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Originally Posted by SpursWoman

Maybe he should add some exclaimation points after everything he says. I bet that'd make him cool.



!!!!!!! .

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Sometimes a single exclamation point is enough. The difference between Duncan and the Coyote is "21" and "2!". And strictly because of that Duncan is a soft, whiny robot and the Coyote is such a hardcore mofo that he had to be ejected to keep from slitting Wally Sczerbiak's throat.

I saw Kiki once and is it just me, or is he bo-ring. And Im a Spurs fan

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Originally Posted by spurs_fan_in_exile

Sometimes a single exclamation point is enough. The difference between Duncan and the Coyote is "21" and "2!". And strictly because of that Duncan is a soft, whiny robot and the Coyote is such a hardcore mofo that he had to be ejected to keep from slitting Wally Sczerbiak's throat.

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Q.E.D.

They save Kiki's commentary for the end of every show, knowing that everyone will doze off after a few seconds.

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Originally Posted by Borosai

They save Kiki's commentary for the end of every show, knowing that everyone will doze off after a few seconds.

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Yeah, I mean Reggie Miller's a better analyst than him. Maybe its just that I havent lived through the Kiki days, all I know about this guy was that he was a former Nugget who can score.

Hmmmm... He must be pretty mad Nuggets got owned four straight again. :dizzy

Amare went for 37 a game 2 years ago and they lost in 5 games. Amare is not better now he is worse, i bet even his teamates with a gun to their head would admit to that. Marion never plays well against the Spurs and he will not have a huge series in this one either. Suns do not match up well with the Spurs because they have guys that can run the floor with them and unlike the Suns, Spurs play great half court D.