Initial Reaction: Spurs vs. Suns - Game 3

[Fabbs]

-Tim Duncan did a lot of good in this game. He hit 5-of-9 shots from the field, grabbed 13 rebounds, blocked three shots and didn't have a turnover in 37 minutes of work. His defense was as good as could have been expected and he took advantage of his touches. That said, the fatal flaw of his outing was his free throw shooting. He was 5-for-12 from the line and his misses seemed to demoralize both himself and his team. After shooting 72.5% from the line in the regular season, he has hit less than half of his freebies in the postseason. I usually don't harp on missed free throws but his misses really seemed to hurt everyone's aggressiveness. Even with the misses at the line, it would have been a good idea to give Duncan more touches. He was producing well in all areas -- except for one.


-In the first half, DeJuan Blair played very well. He was rebounding, scoring and just playing with smarts on both ends of the court. The second half was a different story. When switched off onto smaller players on the defensive end, Blair got lit up. He just couldn't handle what was asked of him; guarding small guards out on the perimeter isn't where Blair makes his living. On the night, Blair finished with six points, six rebounds and a blocked shot in 11 minutes.

-I'm still shaking my head over the gimmick defense Pop went with in this game. To defend Phoenix's countless pick-and-rolls, Pop decided the Spurs should switch on all picks. The results were disastrous. The strategy forced Duncan and Blair to spend way too much time defending point guards. Once those guards got into the paint, the Spurs were forced to collapse -- which resulted in the Suns going 15-for-26 on three-pointers. When the Suns weren't hitting open threes, they were beating the bigs to the rim for easy looks. It might have been a decent gimmick to give the Suns a different look for a few minutes ... but for an entire game? Very questionable decision and it blew up in Pop's face. And while I was a proponent of putting Parker back into the starting lineup, that decision also backfired. I thought Pop had coached very well in the playoffs up until this game. He tried to get tricky and now the Spurs are staring into the abyss that is a 3-0 impossibility.

So if Duncan "did a lot of good in this game" and Blair matched, actually exceeded Tims per minute numbers, yet both were forced "to spend way too much time defending point guards" by Lord Poppy s fail strategy, why doesn't Blair get just as good a report as Duncan?

[Fabbs]

^^ When Blair was on the floor and the energy was flowing, Bonner was actually hot from treyland and we went up by 16 points at 37-21 or so, why did Lord Numb Nutts take Blair and Bonner out and insert butt draggy Duncan?


Clown Pop has no feel for subs ution patterns, total energy buzzkill.

[michaelwcho]

The Spurs have gotten squashed by the Suns during "winning time" in this series, not only consistently, but pretty convincingly as well. Any argument after game 1 that the Spurs just needed to correct a few things went out the window after game 2 and game 3. Tony Parker did exactly what many of us said he'd do, the Suns weathered the storm and just imposed their will. At some point, you have to recognize that the Spurs are being beaten by a better team.

A better team that won less games than the team we just ousted.

I think it's a little more complicated than they're just a "better team".

[Goran Dragic]

Your boy Tony sucked . Quit trying to blame this on Duncan. Tony got clowned by Dragic in the fourth. Go suck an egg, ducks.

bukkake on Ducks for being stupid

[ducks]

Your boy Tony sucked . Quit trying to blame this on Duncan. Tony got clowned by Dragic in the fourth. Go suck an egg, ducks.

15 points compared to 29 in game one
DUNCAN SUCKED DONKEY BALLS

[Amuseddaysleeper]

The Spurs haven't lost to a team that went on to win the Championship since 2002.

[Goran Dragic]

15 points compared to 29 in game one
DUNCAN SUCKED DONKEY BALLS

Tony Parker shot 5-17 and then just stood there like a while Goran Dragic took whatever was in his balls and sprayed it all over the Spurs in the 4th quarter, how the can you blame that game on Duncan?

[Agloco]

Tony Parker shot 5-17 and then just stood there like a while Goran Dragic took whatever was in his balls and sprayed it all over the Spurs in the 4th quarter, how the can you blame that game on Duncan?

+1

Dragic violated us in the fourth quarter. Pretty much bent us over and had his way. That wasn't on Timmy.

[ducks]

Tony Parker shot 5-17 and then just stood there like a while Goran Dragic took whatever was in his balls and sprayed it all over the Spurs in the 4th quarter, how the can you blame that game on Duncan?

everything was short because he got undercut
he shoud not even been playing

and dragic scored on everyone in the forth not just on tp

[ducks]

+1

Dragic violated us in the fourth quarter. Pretty much bent us over and had his way. That wasn't on Timmy.

oh he scored on timmy to watch the forth again

[Goran Dragic]

Popovich had to experiment with switching on every screen because Parker is too much of a pussy to fight through screens, so as a result Duncan looks bad because Parker leaves him on an island to guard quicker players.

[wildbill2u]

Parker, Jefferson and Hill combine to go 7-for-33. That can't be understated as a reason why the Spurs lost. But the gimmick defense and missed free throws were right up there.

This was the type of game I've been worrying about from the Suns. I knew they were going to win at least one game based on their deadly three-point shooting ... but I was hoping those wins would be at home. To get that type of shooting on the road is really impressive.

When your defensive rotations leave their 3 pt. shooters wide open with no one within 15 feet of them, you either have a bad defensive plan or your personnel cannot execute it.

Since this is the third game that Channing Frye lit us up, it's clear that we have no defense that can stop them.

Play the kids (Maninmi, Hairston, Blair, Temple, Jerrels Gee) in the next game and lets go work on what we need to do for the next season.

[MmP]

I mean, the momentum for the suns started when Blair got Barbosa changing picks, I mean that's just plain stupid. This one is on Pop first and the players who ONCE AGAIN were outhustled by the entire Suns team. They wanted to win it more than most of us so it's kinda fair. Why in did the think we eventually would win?

[MmP]

Congrats to Dragic, he's a of a player. Reminds me of Manu's rookie season.

[Agloco]

The Spurs have gotten squashed by the Suns during "winning time" in this series, not only consistently, but pretty convincingly as well. Any argument after game 1 that the Spurs just needed to correct a few things went out the window after game 2 and game 3. Tony Parker did exactly what many of us said he'd do, the Suns weathered the storm and just imposed their will. At some point, you have to recognize that the Spurs are being beaten by a better team.

This. When it matters (4th quarter), the Suns are making shots and getting to loose balls. I remember reading somewhere that they scored on 10 straight possessions....... game, set, match.

I'd be interested in seeing their shooting percentages from the second half of all three games (both 2's and 3's). I'm betting it's substantially north of 50%. Outrageous.

Congrats to them. They're playing better during money ball time, something that legitimate championship contending teams tend to do.

[Agloco]

oh he scored on timmy to watch the forth again

Popovich had to experiment with switching on every screen because Parker is too much of a pussy to fight through screens, so as a result Duncan looks bad because Parker leaves him on an island to guard quicker players.

[Obstructed_View]

A better team that won less games than the team we just ousted.

I think it's a little more complicated than they're just a "better team".

Correction: A better team that won less 'game'.

Seriously, what series have you been watching? Get your nose out of the standings, because it couldn't be any simpler. There are years where the Spurs lost because they did something wrong, but they're just getting whipped at this point by a better deeper team playing better all around ball.

The Suns have been as good or better than ANYONE IN THE LEAGUE since the all-star break. Conversely, the Mavericks had a very good record in close games, which was a statistical anomaly that gave them a better record by one game than the Suns. Many of us knew the Mavs were probably the fifth or sixth best team in the west based on their point differential, and the outcome of Spurs/Mavs confirmed that.

The Suns have two excellent point guards, a surprising shutdown defender, a dominant post player, clutch three point shooting, excellent energy guys coming off the bench, and a smart coach that keeps everyone level. They're also doing it with one of their best bigs out with an injury.

As I've said before, the team that looks more like the Spurs did on their le runs is not wearing silver and black.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

This suns team is really something else.

They don't even have to get anywhere near the 40 point Amare performances in the playoffs to control a ball game.

They have several players who seem to be shooting at an incredibly high level. They're deep, any of their bench players can go off for 20. And to top it off they still score mad points with ease.

It's like all the positive aspects of the previous Suns playoff teams with a huge layer of armor covering areas where there used to be weaknesses or s.

They're really good. And when they eliminate us I will be cheering for them in the next round. Which is actually a good feeling. Something I have not felt in a really really long time.

[NFGIII]

Didn't we do this against the Lakers one year? What year was that?

2002

Had the lead in 4 of the 5 games against them in the 4th Q. I believe we would have won that series if Drob hadn't hurt his back against the Pistons in the last week of the season. That really derailed the Spurs in the PO. We didn't have the interior rebounding and D due to his bad back.

When your defensive rotations leave their 3 pt. shooters wide open with no one within 15 feet of them, you either have a bad defensive plan or your personnel cannot execute it.

Since this is the third game that Channing Frye lit us up, it's clear that we have no defense that can stop them.

Play the kids (Maninmi, Hairston, Blair, Temple, Jerrels Gee) in the next game and lets go work on what we need to do for the next season.

Agreed. If your plan is bad or you don't have the type of players neccessary to implement it then it needs to be changed.

As for playing the kids I understand your feelings and would like to see them play too but I don't want to get swept by the Suns. A matter of pride for one but can you imagine the crap that will be posted here if that happens? We wont hear the end of it.

Anyway Jerrels and Gee aren't eligible to play IIRC. And Ian will foul out in the first quarter.

[vander]

obviously the list is long what Nash can do that TP can not

but what can TP do that Dragic can not?





seriously, you're at the park, picking teams, do you take any of the Spurs big three before any of the Suns' big three? Obviously TP is the last guy selected, and Nash the first, but do you even take a single Spur before all the Suns are gone?

[spurs10]

We need to win game 4. If we could hold on to our lead, by making our freethrows, it's possible we get a little momentum. Losing twice at home will be very bad for business.

[wildbill2u]

2002

Had the lead in 4 of the 5 games against them in the 4th Q. I believe we would have won that series if Drob hadn't hurt his back against the Pistons in the last week of the season. That really derailed the Spurs in the PO. We didn't have the interior rebounding and D due to his bad back.




Agreed. If your plan is bad or you don't have the type of players neccessary to implement it then it needs to be changed.

As for playing the kids I understand your feelings and would like to see them play too but I don't want to get swept by the Suns. A matter of pride for one but can you imagine the crap that will be posted here if that happens? We wont hear the end of it.

Anyway Jerrels and Gee aren't eligible to play IIRC. And Ian will foul out in the first quarter.

If a sweep is likely--and it is--I'd rather see some enthusatic kids play a lot minutes and lose than watch some dispir ed veterans lose their dignity.

There is a chance we could win the next one on pride alone, I suppose. And there is the argument that heroes should go home on their shields.

I wouldn't be surprised if Gentry played his bench most of the game.

That way, if we win, they take us back to Phoenix and humiliate us there. Kinda like the Romans took prisoners back to Rome and had them march in the victor's triumphal parade before execution.

The regular season proved to be a preview of the playoffs. This team is Too inconsistent to play all the way through to the championship. It became a question of when we'd lose, not whether we were good enough to win it all. Most thought we'd never get out of the first round against the Mavs.

I'm not ing. We can't win every championship. Other teams are getting better. The brains in the FO and Pop will go back to the drawing board and see what can be done this summer to improve.

[J_Paco]

Hey, one bright spot is that Amar'e, Dirk and Boozer could all be changing addresses. So, that would really change the landscape of the conference next season. It sucks to be looking ahead, but there is little else to look forward to.

[michaelwcho]

Correction: A better team that won less 'game'.

The Suns have two excellent point guards, a surprising shutdown defender, a dominant post player, clutch three point shooting, excellent energy guys coming off the bench, and a smart coach that keeps everyone level. They're also doing it with one of their best bigs out with an injury.

As I've said before, the team that looks more like the Spurs did on their le runs is not wearing silver and black.

I don't disagree with your analysis here, but I wonder how much of this is just timing? If the Suns are really this good, they should wipe the floor with the Lakers, too. They should have swept a hobbled Portland team. If the Spurs were really this bad, they wouldn't have even made the playoffs.

I think we're worn down because of the injuries and they're playing out of their minds, which is not exactly the same thing as them being a simply better team. In years past, we could play better in the playoffs because we would add minutes to the big three and increase our efficiency thereby. Useless points to bring up, perhaps, but maybe it's just the fan in me.

That being said, I do like the grit of this Suns team, and if (when?) they knock us off, the 2nd best outcome of the playoffs would be for them to send Kobe packing.

[HarlemHeat37]

obviously the list is long what Nash can do that TP can not

but what can TP do that Dragic can not?





seriously, you're at the park, picking teams, do you take any of the Spurs big three before any of the Suns' big three? Obviously TP is the last guy selected, and Nash the first, but do you even take a single Spur before all the Suns are gone?

Nash(considering the cir stances)
Duncan
Stoudemire
Ginobili
Parker
Richardson

Not really much of an argument otherwise IMO..