Suns Offense = Still unbelievably good

[Obstructed_View]

From what I've seen, they seem to be playing much harder than I can remember from past seasons. I love that they are attacking the boards and outrebounding teams. They have issues. Their shooting has been somewhat inconsistent, their perimeter defense is still a bit lax which puts too much pressure on the interior defense and their young players haven't played good yeat.

Still Barnes has worked out very well. Shaq is looking fit and pretty athletic. Porter hasn't slowed them down at all, and seems willing to actually give the youngsters the time needed to become better.

At this point I'd say there's plenty of be excited about, and if Sarver can keep from effing things up, then maybe plenty going forward.

However, expecting Sarver to not botch up a good start somehow is as ridiculous as expecting Cuban to keep his mouth shut, or Artest to keep his head, or McGrady Ming to stay healthy, or Curry to rebound...

Sarver will mess this up. Somehow he'll say or do something that affects the team directly or indirectly, but completely effs up chemistry and/or demeanor, and sabotages the season.

Maybe, I suppose it depends on what your aspirations are. I'm looking at them like a championship contending team, and they aren't there. If you were expecting them to stink, then I suppose you're in for a pleasant surprise. I like TP and I hope he can do well (but not TOO well).

I'd expect that a team with Shaq and Amare should be outrebounding their opponents, particularly the four front lines the Suns have faced. Only the Nets weren't missing a starter, and the guys they have suck.

Barnes is starting to round into shape. He seems like he makes dumb decisions from time to time, but he's a good player, and he spells Hill, who can be really good in small doses. It seems like they were better shooters when they weren't worried about whether or not the shot they were taking was a good shot, but that may be part of the new system. As for their defense, what I've seen is that they have to help a lot which leaves shooters open. We'll see how that works out. They don't look like a championship team to me, but the prospect of entering a postseason where Nash might actually be fresh for a change has to excite every Suns fan.

[JMarkJohns]

They don't look like a le team to me, either. However, I think Porter has surprised at this point, and if he can continue to work the team towards a balanced game, then maybe there's hope. He hasn't come in and completely changed things. He's easing them into it.

I expect them to finish with around 50-to-54 wins, and compete for a first-round home series. Depending on Porter's ability to improve the defense, Kerr's ability to acquire a quality perimeter defender and Sarver's willingness to win, they have some quality pieces and now have a coach who can do something with them.

I didn't expect them to suck. However, I didn't expect them to play this well, either.

[Killakobe81]

Im not a Shaq fan either but he looks better lthan last year but much of his explosion is gone he can still gather and power dunk but vs. the Spurs he ahd 2 or 3 layups that would of been rim rockers in his LA days
Shaq only gave LA 1 truly dedicated season that was 2000 all the rest he played hard after all-star and in playoffs ...if Lakers are out ill root for hornets since BScott is their coach ...

[IronMexican]

I like Scott too. But, man, what Shaq did for this town will never be touched.

[dirk4mvp]

he played hard after all-star and in playoffs ...

Duncan does the same thing.


Since the Mavs won't be winning anything this year, I'm gonna puke if the Hornets, Jazz, or Cavs don't win the le.

[21_Blessings]

How can you hate Shaq.

How can you root for the Suns? Or like post Laker-Shaq?

I like Scott too. But, man, what Shaq did for this town will never be touched.

What Jerry West did for this town will never be touched. Shaq sullied his own Laker legacy and has no one to blame but himself. Never liked him before he was Laker. Loved him as a Laker. Happily went back to hating him when he stopped being a Laker. Him calling the entire city/fanbase fake, the shots at Phil, Kobe and constant bitterness he displays towards his selfish departure only makes it easier.

[JMarkJohns]

Never liked him before he was Laker. Loved him as a Laker. Happily went back to hating him when he stopped being a Laker. Him calling the entire city/fanbase fake

I'm getting a good idea where his comments came from... Hilarious!

[21_Blessings]

I'm getting a good idea where his comments came from... Hilarious!

Yes how dare I root for my team and not hop on a division rivals bandwagon for a player.

ing re Portland fans. When will they ever learn. Suck on this for a bit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY06eaFaplw

[jack sommerset]

Suns should sit Shaq every other game

[JMarkJohns]

Yes how dare I root for my team and not hop on a division rivals bandwagon for a player.

You're a good-timin' fan. Your own quote proves such. You hate on Shaq for calling fans fake while at the same time admit to only liking him when he was winning your team les.

It's pathetic.

I didn't view your youtube clip, but since it was aimed at Portland fans, and I'm a disgruntled Suns fan, I figured I'd get nothing out of it.

[Obstructed_View]

They don't look like a le team to me, either. However, I think Porter has surprised at this point, and if he can continue to work the team towards a balanced game, then maybe there's hope. He hasn't come in and completely changed things. He's easing them into it.

I expect them to finish with around 50-to-54 wins, and compete for a first-round home series. Depending on Porter's ability to improve the defense, Kerr's ability to acquire a quality perimeter defender and Sarver's willingness to win, they have some quality pieces and now have a coach who can do something with them.

I didn't expect them to suck. However, I didn't expect them to play this well, either.

And back to the OP's point, I'm not sure how one would be excited that the Suns are scoring ~104 points per game when their shooting is so ridiculously high. I suppose "unbelievably" is the key word, and maybe that's the point.

[21_Blessings]

You're a good-timin' fan. Your own quote proves such. You hate on Shaq for calling fans fake while at the same time admit to only liking him when he was winning your team les.

It's pathetic.

Look how ing re ed you are. First of all, Shaq's quote was hypocritical. Second, I root for the Lakers not individual players and I put up with their bull as long as they keep delivering on the court for the team I love.

But of course this makes sense coming from a fresh on the bandwagon, now disgruntled (disgruntled about what? It's not like Phoenix has ever won anything) Suns fan. You're the only thing thats pathetic here. Well you and Suns defense.

[JMarkJohns]

Look how ing re ed you are. First of all, Shaq's quote was hypocritical. Second, I root for the Lakers not individual players and I put up with their bull as long as they keep delivering on the court for the team I love.

But of course this makes sense coming from a fresh on the bandwagon, now disgruntled (disgruntled about what? It's not like Phoenix has ever won anything) Suns fan. You're the only thing thats pathetic here. Well you and Suns defense.

You hate Shaq pre-Lakers.
You love Shaq with Lakers.
You hate Shaq post-Lakers.
You criticize Shaq for calling the Lakers fanbase fake.

You prove his point, yet I'm the re and hypocrite?

I hate Robert Sarver and as long as he's the owner of the Suns, running off players, selling off picks, worrying more about the bottom line than winning a le, I'll remain disgruntled to the point where I'll wonder whether the Suns would be better of if its fanbase revolted, forcing Sarver to sell the team due to the loss of revenue.

Do you get it? Of course not. You're used to an owner spoon-feeding you great players and have an complex where you not only want, but expect a le year in and year out. You think you're en led. If a player fulfills that sense of en lement, you'll love 'em. If they fail, you'll badmouth him. If they do, but then don't later, you'll love 'em until they don't.

You're so fake it's hilarious. Really, the only thing funnier is the fact that you're too stupid to connect the dots.


WOOOOOOO!!!! GO LAKERS GO!!!! WOOOOOOO!!!!

[leemajors]

You hate Shaq pre-Lakers.
You love Shaq with Lakers.
You hate Shaq post-Lakers.
You criticize Shaq for calling the Lakers fanbase fake.

You prove his point, yet I'm the re and hypocrite?

I hate Robert Sarver and as long as he's the owner of the Suns, running off players, selling off picks, worrying more about the bottom line than winning a le, I'll remain disgruntled to the point where I'll wonder whether the Suns would be better of if its fanbase revolted, forcing Sarver to sell the team due to the loss of revenue.

Do you get it? Of course not. You're used to an owner spoon-feeding you great players and have an complex where you not only want, but expect a le year in and year out. You think you're en led. If a player fulfills that sense of en lement, you'll love 'em. If they fail, you'll badmouth him. If they do, but then don't later, you'll love 'em until they don't.

You're so fake it's hilarious. Really, the only thing funnier is the fact that you're too stupid to connect the dots.


WOOOOOOO!!!! GO LAKERS GO!!!! WOOOOOOO!!!!

[21_Blessings]

You hate Shaq pre-Lakers.
You love Shaq with Lakers.
You hate Shaq post-Lakers.
You criticize Shaq for calling the Lakers fanbase fake.

I said I didn't like Shaq like pre-Lakers. On the Lakers? Yes, I loved him for what he brought onto the BASKETBALL court for the BASKETBALL team I have been rooting for the past 20 years. I went to actually hating him after he left based on how he went out combined with the fact I never liked his personality to begin with. Real fans root for their teams.

You prove his point, yet I'm the re and hypocrite?

Yes you are a re for one since you can't ing read. I called Shaq hypocritical. And yes you're also ing re ed for thinking Shaq even had a point.

I hate Robert Sarver and as long as he's the owner of the Suns, running off players, selling off picks, worrying more about the bottom line than winning a le, I'll remain disgruntled to the point where I'll wonder whether the Suns would be better of if its fanbase revolted, forcing Sarver to sell the team due to the loss of revenue.

Haha, holy irony. See below

Do you get it? Of course not. You're used to an owner spoon-feeding you great players and have an complex where you not only want, but expect a le year in and year out. You think you're en led. If a player fulfills that sense of en lement, you'll love 'em. If they fail, you'll badmouth him. If they do, but then don't later, you'll love 'em until they don't.

Look how dense you are. It seems to me like you're projecting your own beliefs here, which isn't surprising coming from a Suns a fan.. And now yes you are ing hypocrite based on what you just wrote. You hate Sarver but you'll stop hating him if he actually fulfilled your sense of en lement as a Suns fan. Good job calling yourself a fake ass based on your own re logic.

What you said has nothing to do with me not liking post-Laker Shaq. As I was still in his corner despite showing up fat, out of shape and failing to win le(s).

You're so fake it's hilarious. Really, the only thing funnier is the fact that you're too stupid to connect the dots.
WOOOOOOO!!!! GO LAKERS GO!!!! WOOOOOOO!!!!

You just pretty much spelled out your own bitterness for us. The Suns are incapable winning anything in the NBA dating back to forever. And you hate the Lakers for it. Thats fine. But rooting for your team through thick and thin can't be defined as fake no matter how much you try to bull coat it. Sorry about that. Enjoy losing in the 1st round again this year.

[JMarkJohns]

You really have issues. I'm the hypocrite, even though you've proven yourself to be the hypocrite. I'm the re , even though you've proven incapable of seeing that you're a hypocrite. I'm fake, even though I'm so real in my fandom that I can't stand the owner whose literally killing the team I root for and am willing to not enjoy them if such would evict said person as owner.

I never loved Sarver. I've disliked him from the beginning. I've disliked him throughout. I dislike him now. When he leaves or dies, I'll rejoice that the Suns are no longer under his control - BECAUSE I DISLIKE HIM SO MUCH.

Explain to me how that makes me a fake ass ?

You're gettin' desperate! It took you damn near a half an hour to respond with that drivel, which tells me you started and stopped, then restarted probably a handful of times while trying to respond. It's OK... It must be hard to parade around as a true fan when your very own words paint you a hypocrite... or as a smart fan when your inability to comprehend paints you a re ... or a quality post when your posts themselves have nothing of substance.

I get it. It's ok... GO LAKERS GO!!!

[21_Blessings]

You really have issue. I'm the hypocrite, even though you've proven yourself to be the hypocrite. I'm the re , even though you've proven incapable of seeing that you're a hypocrite. I'm fake, even though I'm so real in my fandom that I can't stand the owner whose literally killing the team I root for and am willing to not enjoy them if such would evict said person as owner.

I never loved Sarver. I've disliked him from the beginning. I've disliked him throughout. I dislike him now. When he leaves or dies, I rejoice that the Suns are no longer under his control - BECAUSE I DISLIKE HIM SO MUCH. [/quote

Except me being a hypocrite never happened. You're the one calling people fake and then admiting you are one as well in the very next paragraph based on what you just wrote.

Your analogy is . Has nothing to do with what we were talking about with Shaq. Two different situations completely. Stop trying to validate yourself and project your own fake bull on to other people.

Explain to me how that makes me a fake ass ?

Based on your own re logic. You're making this too easy. Read what you ing wrote in the last post.

You're gettin' desperate! It took you damn near a half an hour to respond with that drivel, which tells me you started and stopped, then restarted probably a handful of times while trying to respond. It's OK... It must be hard to parade around as a true fan when your very own words paint you a hypocrite... or as a smart fan when your inability to comprehend paints you a re ... or a quality post when your posts themselves have nothing of substance.

I get it. It's ok... GO LAKERS GO!!!

You're just running around in a circle. Probably f5ing the page since you have no real life to attend do. But good job counting the minutes at which I reply to your hilarity at work.

[JMarkJohns]

I've already explain how you being a hypocrite happened. I needn't labor any longer on the topic. You failing to grasp such is how you continuously prove to also be the re you attempt to insult me with.

Don't tell me about good times and bad. You've never known my situation. You're like born money. You got it from the beginning, figure it's yours for simply living, and can't see how anyone could ever dare to complain that life sucks.

Dense. That's all you are. Whether intentionally as a bravado so you can parade around as the bad ass, not-a-care-in-the-world Lakers fan, or unintentionally because you were dropped on your head a child.

You can't even connect the dots in your own posts. I don't know why anybody would ever think that entering a conversation with you would be anything more than

[21_Blessings]

I've already explain how you being a hypocrite happened. I needn't labor any longer on the topic. You failing to grasp such is how you continuously prove to also be the re you attempt to insult me with.

Except you haven't. Your lack of comprehension is what sprung your WAAAAH MY OWNER sucks sob story and you spewing your repressed jealousy of a successful franchise. In doing so you contradicted yourself in the very thing you originally tried to claim. I'd recommend medication if I had the authority. Maybe then you could actually organize your thought process correctly.

Don't tell me about good times and bad. You've never known my situation. You're like born money. You got it from the beginning, figure it's yours for simply living, and can't see how anyone could ever dare to complain that life sucks.

Yeah, see a therapist about that. No one wants to hear about your insecurity unless they're getting paid.

[JMarkJohns]

You sure are taking Shaq's "Lakers fanbase is fake" comment hard for a guy who hated, then loved, then hated Shaq, but who isn't hypocritical, isn't fake and most certainly is not a re for failing to see that you are in fact a hypocrite and fake if you hate when someone gives nothing, love when someone gives everything, then hate when said someone returns to giving nothing.

Wait, what was that...

It obviously will never end since you're both incapable of doing anything but regurgitating previous attempts at bad-assedness, and incapable of comprehension.

I know, I know...

And so on and so forth...

[TheMACHINE]

You hate Shaq pre-Lakers.
You love Shaq with Lakers.
You hate Shaq post-Lakers.
You criticize Shaq for calling the Lakers fanbase fake.

[/SIZE]

I'm lost. How is this bad?

[JMarkJohns]

I'm lost. How is this bad?

You can't criticize Shaq for calling Laker fans fake when you admit to only caring for O'Neal when he won you les.

Yeah, yeah, I get that you root for teams, not for players, or whatever BS fandom justification he wants to use...

When you hate a player, then jump on his fandom when it serves your purpose, then jump off said fandom when it no longer does, you are a bandwagon fan. Regardless of whether you root for the same team the entire time or not. It makes you fake. Therefore you can't get mad at Shaq when he merely points out such. That's all he was saying. You loved me when I won you les, and now that I no longer serve your best interests, you hate me.

21_IQ admitting to doing just that. That justifies everything Shaq said, and undercuts any attempt at justification he tries to give.

[IronMexican]

Simple as this, without Shaq Kobe wouldn't have won a ring.

[Findog]

You may move #7 Dallas up to the second tier, but I'm just not sure.

I don't know why anyone would do that. Good lord we suck.

[21_Blessings]

You sure are taking Shaq's "Lakers fanbase is fake" comment hard for a guy who hated, then loved, then hated Shaq,

Disliked for certain, basketball unrelated reasons, loved for different basketball related reasons, hated for certain unrelated basektball reasons. The constant is the Lakers. Nothing fake about that as I would tell like it is to Shaq's face.

but who isn't hypocritical, isn't fake and most certainly is not a re for failing to see that you are in fact a hypocrite

While you're the hypocrite and "fake" by your own definition. Just refer to your feelings towards the Suns' owner that no one here on the board really gives a about, yet you insisted on telling us anyways. The folly in your bull is that you're incapable of smelling it despite the fact that it's smeared all over your face.

and fake if you hate when someone gives nothing, love when someone gives everything, then hate when said someone returns to giving nothing.

Love is reciprocal in this case. Lakers fans gave Shaq everything, city keys included, while he was here, gave him nothing when he demanded a trade amd didn't want to be here. The real fake fans are the ones that went with him. Good riddance, as we don't want them back. Ironically, an entire slew of them became Phoenix Suns fans.

It's ok. You and Shaq can watch the Lakers run off quite of a few of these in the coming years. Hopefully suffering through another Lakers dynasty doesn't up your psyche anymore than it already is.