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I think they stopped caring after they beat the Spurs.
They were charging over everybody as they were building up to the WCF.
Then poof... Well there's still games 3 and 4 but Nash and Amare don't have a lot of time.
Well in that case I actually feel Gentry's frustration, what the is a coach supposed to do when the two best players on the team stop giving a ?
I think they stopped caring after they beat the Spurs.
They were charging over everybody as they were building up to the WCF.
Then poof... Well there's still games 3 and 4 but Nash and Amare don't have a lot of time.
Agreed.
Yes.
Some guys have a poor work rate defensively + poor awareness + poor defensive intensity, but that's part of their skill-set; they weren't especially apathetic last night.
DUNCAN
DUNCAN
DUNCAN
When you ain't aggravating the bejeesus out of me, you're a true wonderment.
They beat the Spurs because they are way better than the Spurs. Not because they were trying harder than they are against the Lakers.
...suns need to dig deep and remember that since january or so---they were the best team in the west...
gentry needs to fire them up and continue to play the SAME rotation (10 deep) that was working so well---but they need to apply a full court press and get the crowd in a frenzy and bother the out of the lakers---play as physical as they played against the spurs---
show no respect to the lakers----and it might change the series---no guarantees that they will win---but it beats the out of this bull awe and respect that they are showing the lakers---
in other words---the only thing that really bothers a bully---is when you punch him in the nose----HARD---
that is why the celtics will embarrass the lakers yet again in the finals---if the suns don't wake up...
Losing to LA is nothing to be ashamed of. I agree they are a significantly better team that might even be up 2-0 anyway. The way Phoenix lost game 2 is something to be ashamed of. Game 1 was LA just being a way better team, game 2 was a combo of that and Phoenix being lazy. I know he had a decent statistical night, but it seems obvious to me Nash isn't leaving it all on the court like he does whenever he plays the Spurs. It probably wouldn't be enough, but I'm fairly certain Nash (and Amare but no one is arguing that) could be doing more. Now is not the time when a teams' best player is supposed to go through the motions and nonchalantly have an average game while his team loses.
Same goes for San Antonio beating the Mavs. They felt like they'd won the championship because they got revenge for last year (and 2006). Then they had their asses handed to them by a weak Phoenix team.
same can be said for you. When you aren't trying to get under my skin I generally agree with you.
Mogro, do you think all NBA players give 100% effort each night? Your posts seem to think they do, decrying any attempts to paint an NBA player as lacking effort.
I'll agree that the Suns lack the ability to counter LA's big men, but Amar'e has been pretty sad on the defensive end, even for him.
All true.
swept by the suns....pathetic.
That whole station is a joke. The morning guys absolutely suck as well.
But then again, am I gonna get upset if they dont offer Amare a max contract?
His performance last night was so pitiful. Downright embarrassing.
I remember when the Suns beat Portland, Blazer fans were really hard on LaMarcus Aldridge. I thought "He's a good player. Dont be furious he couldnt lead the team to victory over the Suns without Brandon Roy. You shouldnt expect that from him."
But in this case, Amare was just AWFUL. Probably the worst game Ive seen from him since before the all-star break. Maybe the worst since he came back from knee surgery. The worst part is, I GUARANTEE he thinks he didnt do anything wrong. He'll blame it on their defensive strategy or just Gasol's length. I can wish all day that Gentry and Majerle locked him in a room and replayed his ups over and over and over again but I know it didnt happen.
He's just not smart enough to make quick decisions on defense. He's the worst pick n roll player we have.
I say it. If he starts playing like that again, go with Lopez, Frye and Lou. At least we wont give up the ridiculous number of layups and offensive boards.
I feel the same way DSF. I'd prefer they keep Amare, but I won't lose sleep over it if he's gone. There's always something with this guy. I've just gotten tired of seasons ending and the fans not knowing what would have happened if Amare wasn't injured/suspended/lazy.
My Guess: He'll be a Knick. D'Antoni will make a hard push for him when Lebron, Wade etc. give him the finger.
You think? Maybe I read into it the wrong way, but in 2008 when things were getting sour between the Suns and D'antoni by the day, Amare was the only player not endorsing him and used him as an opportunity to scapegoat as the reason why he sucks at defense. I'd be very surprised if D'antoni wants a player who IMO threw him under the bus (regardless of the fact D'antoni maybe deserved to be thrown under the bus).
D'Antoni has a six million dollar salary he has to justify. If they cant get Lebron or Wade, they might become desperate.
Besides, Amare was all about having a "players coach" after that Terry Porter disaster.
Its just a guess.
Laziness or lack of intelligence, maybe both.
I'm not Mogro but I think he and are in agreement that what is often interpreted as "lack of effort" or "team X didn't play well" is ascribing blame/credit in the wrong place. Great teams tend to make other teams look bad... missed shots, bad shot selection, a step slow, etc. Some of that can be misinterpreted as "not playing hard" when it really is more just being outplayed by bigger, stronger, faster, better players/team.
Nothing about this series has been shocking so far -- we already knew that Amar'e is a lousy defender. Yeah, the degree to which he has been abused is a bit surprising... but shocking? Gasol is perhaps the finest offensive PF/C on the block in the game today with a vast height advantage surrounded by great offensive players. Amar'e plays with poor technique and mediocre effort as a regular habit. That's just who he is.
Aside from that, I really don't see any loafing going on with the Suns. Do you think Frye is missing shots because he isn't trying hard enough? Looks to me like Nash, Dragic, Dudley, Hill, Barbosa, Lopez, Amundson, etc. are working their tails off out there. It's just that, despite what Hollinger thinks, the Lakers are a better team.
You and I seem to be on the same page. The Lakers are just a better team and they are playing to their potential.
I think a lot of times the excuse of "my team just wasn't playing hard" gets thrown around a lot. Sometimes its pretty obvious when a team is too lazy, when they lose to a team they shouldn't have.
But with the Suns I think they are playing hard enough. The only two I see playing exceptionally bad are Frye and Amare.
Frye is just shooting lousy and isn't letting the game come to him.
Amare is getting torn apart on defense, but when you have a notably poor defensive player guarding one of the best players in the game what do you expect to happen?
I'm not making an excuse. LA deserves both wins they have, by no means am I trying to take anything away from them. My only purpose with saying Phoenix hasn't played with heart is because they don't deserve the simple cop out that LA was better after they way they played game 2.
In 2006, when Phoenix lost to Dallas, it was obvious they emptied the tank and gave all they did. Dallas was clearly the better team and nothing Phoenix did would have won them the series. That might very well be the case with LA, but if they're gonna get the "LA is simply better" cop out, they better earn it first. LA shooting 57% from the field and Phoenix turning the ball over 17 times isn't playing hard.
either that or they simply cant find a way to win.
Once again...
Just because Rashard Lewis is a max level player doesn't mean Amare is.
So when Barbosa is a free agent...is he worth the FULL MLE Luke Walton money?
Just because Luke...an inferior player...gets it?
No, my point is that Amare getting max money in today's NBA isn't some incredible travesty that redefines what a horrible contract is. Giving Amare the max isn't about whether or not he deserves it, it's about what the best option for Phoenix is.
AH i c.
Hope it works out for you DOK.
Would be fun to develope a nice rivalry going on for the next few years.
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