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And as Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni said Monday, the results have been encouraging.
"We've played (the Spurs) three times with Shaq," D'Antoni said, "and we felt like we won all three games."
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...n.3790bc0.html
Spurs: Suns confident O'Neal can contain Duncan
Mike Finger
Express-News Staff Writer
Back when the Phoenix Suns abandoned their wide-open, defense-be-danged philosophy and dug in their heels around the Big Cactus, one motive for their makeover stood above all others.
By adding Shaquille O'Neal, they presumably had a defender who had proven himself capable of slowing Tim Duncan.
There was only one minor problem with that theory.
"I never really played him a lot," O'Neal said of his old battles with Duncan, in which the Lakers and Spurs usually assigned other players to guard the opponent's star big man. "A couple minutes here, a couple minutes there."
One game into the postseason that was supposed to redefine that dynamic, little has changed. Thanks to a combination of early fouls and a renewed version of "Hack-a-Shaq," O'Neal's time against Duncan was limited to a couple minutes here, a couple minutes there in the Spurs' double-OT victory Saturday over the Suns.
And now, heading into what figures to be a pivotal Game 2 of the teams' first-round playoff series, the Suns still haven't found a definitive answer to their biggest looming question — is O'Neal really the key to getting past their longtime tormentors?
To a man, the Suns are saying they believe O'Neal can indeed make that kind of difference. They point to O'Neal's ability to guard the rim, to make Duncan work at both ends of the floor, and to provide the Suns with a sense of mental toughness.
And as Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni said Monday, the results have been encouraging.
"We've played (the Spurs) three times with Shaq," D'Antoni said, "and we felt like we won all three games."
The catch? Two of those meetings came in the regular season, and the third — Saturday's Game 1 — didn't officially go into the books as a victory.
It's difficult to determine what kind of real impact O'Neal made, because he wasn't on the floor long enough to make much of one at all.
Duncan scored 40 points Saturday, but the first 22 of those came with O'Neal on the bench with foul trouble. And even when Duncan was effective with O'Neal on the floor — the Spurs' forward scored nine points against him in the first overtime — the baskets came with the caveat that O'Neal was playing with five fouls.
That's why D'Antoni said Monday he doesn't feel like he has to double-team Duncan. Phoenix still thinks an aggressive, foul-free Shaq should be enough to keep Duncan contained.
"He doesn't seem like he gets as many (good shots) with Shaq on him," D'Antoni said.
Said Suns forward Amare Stoudemire: "Shaq is a great defender on Tim. We're confident in that. What we have to do is not get in foul trouble."
And as for the growing panic in Phoenix that trading for O'Neal might backfire?
"All it takes is one game" to turn things around, O'Neal said. "We'll be fine."
And as Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni said Monday, the results have been encouraging.
"We've played (the Spurs) three times with Shaq," D'Antoni said, "and we felt like we won all three games."
Mike D'Nial's affliction is getting quite pathetic."We've played (the Spurs) three times with Shaq," D'Antoni said, "and we felt like we won all three games."
Wow. Just when I thought D'Antoni couldn't say something dumber than he already has.
It really is. I have no clue wtf he is talking about. His act is so old now its not even funny. I want this er gone.
Rick Car Lisle! Dun Dun Dundundun. Rick Car Lisle! Dun Dun Dundundun.
I think D'antoni's losing it...
eh
I was hoping for Rudy T although he might be getting a little old.
bring back Frank Johnson. jk
Rick Carlisle and Steve Nash would be one of those matter/anti-matter collisions. Carlisle likes to call every offensive set.
it's true, those aren't very bright comments
We... FELT... like we won...
We.......
FELT.....?
Wow.
Let's go! Let's go! Come on! Let's go! Let's go!
Understatement of the year.
it's true, those aren't very bright comments
He's not a bright man at all.
The only way Shaq contains Duncan is if he gets the right trio of refs so he can manhandle him after that incessant whining.
Lets not kid ourselves. If one guy can come close to containing DUncan its Shaq. The size and length Shaq has is a problem for Duncan.
So it's gone from "I guard Duncan all the time, I know all things he will do" to "I didn't really guard him that much in the past, some minutes here, some minutes there."
lmfffaao
If they felt like they won game 1 then why weren't they celebrating on the court? They looked pretty sad for a team who felt they won. Thats because they lost which makes them losers and I'm sure they felt like losers too because thats how losers feel. lol
Okay, now that is seriously funny. A couple of weeks ago, after Shaq had a good game against Duncan, this is what he had to say: Added O'Neal, referring to his years of showdowns with Duncan: "If anyone knows what he's going to do with the ball, I think it's me."
Now he "never really played him a lot"? How can a guy that big be that chicken ? You know a team (and a player) is in trouble when the excuses start flying after Game 1 of a series.
How can he contain Duncan if he's sitting on the bench?
If Shaq can stay out of early foul trouble he will do a good job on Duncan. You can bet the farm on that.
Is this that hard to grasp?
Shaq wasn't on Duncan a lot because he wasnt on the court a lot in Game 1 due to Foul trouble. Something like 22 of Duncan's first 40 pts came when Shaq was on the bench. Shaq is only referring to Game 1.
Shaq always plays Duncan tough and always will. Give Tim credit. He hit some very tough, well-contested shots in Game 1 from all angles. He was brilliant.
But the idea that Shaq can't defend Duncan because of 1 game (when the 2 have battled close to 100 times in the past 10 years) is asinine, especially given that what Shaq said is true: The foul trouble he had (a lot of which was self-imposed bad fouls on his part) kept him from being able to really hone in and getting extended PT on Duncan.
You mean if the refs come out with dark glasses and canes, don't you? Because that's the only way he is going to stay out of foul trouble.
I have to agree that if Shaq is allowed to play NFL-style, he can "do a good job" on the other players in the league. Unfortunately for Shaq, defense is played with the feet... and Shaq isn't quick enough on his to defend Tim without those nasty whistles getting blown at him.
BTW - Shaq would also be at a disadvantage if they didn't allow him to play offense with his ass.
Spurs fans seem to think they have already won the NBA championship based on a double OT 2pt win on their HOME floor.
Suns fans seem to think they will roll off 4 straight after a ty Spurs team stole a game 1 victory after sleeping 1 3/4 quarters.
7 game series are all about adjustments and it's not like the Spurs have a good coach who has proven he can make them.
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