Things that need to happen for the Suns to win Game 5

[Amarelooms]

Keys for the Suns to win Game 5:

1. Play LOTS OF ZONE. Force Parker to shoot and the Spurs to jack up 3's

2. Barbosa HAS TO BE HUGE!!! NEED 30+ from him...he's gotta ATTACK THE RIM and hit his 3's

3. Be PHYSICAL...you gotta put Parker and Flopnobli on their @$$. Not really dirty plays but HARD FOULS.

4. Nash must play like the MVP....can't be having 8 TO a game. Drive and get to the line the refs will call everything for the Suns...any contact and they'll be shooting free throws

5. Marion needs TO BOARD...guards are gonna have to help out as well

Lastly, even if you lose game 5 you can win game 6 and 7. Refs can;t help but feel sorry for the Suns so expect all calls to go the Suns way regardless of where the games are played. Plus Amare will LOOM in game 6...he might go for 50

[trueD]

I also thought about that, Suns still have HCA and if they should lose #5 they can still easily hang on to win 6 with an emotionally powered Amare. Besides, Game 5 is not an automatic win for the Spurs. HCA is going to help Suns loads, and players are gonna be passionate. I predict that the physical game intensifies!

Suns aren't wimps by any stretch. Nash has proven he can't be stopped, and yeah...Bell and Barbosa need to be huge, but they've proven they can be. Barbosa is a good rebounder, and Marion is in dire need of stepping up big and proving himself. If a consistant zone can prevent penetration even 25%, Suns have a good chance. A heavy handed body on Parker could mean everything.

Plus, if Spurs organization is anything like some of their fans, a Spurs win in Game 5 will only count as a 1/2 W, extending the series to a possible 8 games.

[ponky]

i expect the suns will get a lot of calls tomorrow. not trying to homer for them, i just feel for several reasons, that the calls will go their way.

[td4mvp21]

i expect the suns will get a lot of calls tomorrow. not trying to homer for them, i just feel for several reasons, that the calls will go their way.

Me too, unfortunately.

[dav4463]

I predict that the Suns will shoot 47 free throws and the Spurs will shoot 19. Let's see how close I am.

[Xylus]

The Suns are going to get ref treatment.

Can't say I don't think they deserve it. We're going to need every intangible advantage possible if we expect to win it.

[trueD]

Hey, the world spins on it's axis and treatment isn't always fair.

That's what the Suns are saying right now.

[Xylus]

Apparently Jerry Colangelo was on the local radio today and told his interviewers that he was very, very mad at David Stern. He tried getting in contact with Stern, but only managed to get a hold of his henchmen.

Also, Stern was planning on being in Phoenix for Game 5, but has now backed out of going. That's good--Stern just became public enemy #1 in Phoenix. He's going to be hated by Suns fans for many years to come.

[TampaDude]

That's good--Stern just became public enemy #1 in Phoenix. He's going to be hated by Suns fans for many years to come.

Yeah, it's such a terrible thing to uphold the rules of the game...shall we lynch him now or wait until after game 5???

[TampaDude]

Plus Amare will LOOM in game 6...he might go for 50

What's with all this "looming"? Is Stat gonna weave us all a big rug???

[BillsCarnage]

Yeah, it's such a terrible thing to uphold the rules of the game...shall we lynch him now or wait until after game 5???

It's not the upholding of the rules, it's wussing out to attend the game after dishing out the suspensions. If he had the cajones he should still come to the game.

[Stargazer]

The optimist's case for the Suns: Before the suspension, I believed that Game 4 would decide the series -- either the Spurs would go up 3 -1, and win, or else Phoenix would retake HCA and the momentum, and ride to victory. Thanks to an amazing rally, the Suns won Game 4, and should have had the series in hand.

The suspensions stripped that away. Now (assuming they lose Game 5), we are back where we started, with Game 6 now deciding the series (because I believe the Suns will win Game 7 if it gets that far). It sucks that we have to climb the mountain twice, but all hope is not lost. They have HCA (again) for the pivotal game, but we should have an emotional edge with Amare and Boris' return, and maybe a marginal advantage in that they won't have Horry for the game.

What we did before, we can do again. I still believe.