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Recipe for TD:
Shaq guarding: face the basket, use quickness to get by Shaq or draw fouls.
Amare guarding: back to the basket and back him down; since the double team will most likely come, it will open up the 3-point line.
If Duncan continually tries to score against Shaq...this series is lost. He'll force shots and make Shaq look like he's 20 again.
Movement on and off the ball is the key to this series. Manu, TP and Finley need to step up, and Duncan needs to be patient...especially on offense. If the ball goes through Duncan on O, he needs to be a distributer and not a scorer.
Looking for Duncan to have big offensive games against Shaq is a big mistake, imho. He can have great games in this series, if he's not forcing the issue to proove himself. If he keeps Shaq out of the paint on the offensive end...Manu and TP will have a field day.
Everyone's looking at this like a Duncan vs Shaq matchup.
It's not.
It's a Spurs vs Suns matchup.
Recipe for TD:
Shaq guarding: face the basket, use quickness to get by Shaq or draw fouls.
Amare guarding: back to the basket and back him down; since the double team will most likely come, it will open up the 3-point line.
I've been trying to get timvp to podcast with me about the Spurs, but he isn't willing. So collaborative articles are the best we can do for now.
I think I'll just start taping our sports talks without him knowing and then publish.
Very true, TP-Manu fastbreaks even if they don't score, but the point would be to wear out Snaq Attaq
It's always the talented ones that want to lay low. The idiots spout off nationally.
You both write so well. It's a privilege to have ST, I'm glad timvp is comfortable letting us read his stuff.
What he said. I was thinking the same thing about the Suns' weak-ass defense. The Spurs may not win this series, but I think if they don't, they will either lose because of foul trouble or because of a stagnant offense, not because the Suns limit them in any way.
Great read
For me the keyword in this series is attack
TD must attack Shaq and Manu and TP must attack all the time
Spurs in 7
Thanks for the thoughts Kori and LJ very well done indeed. I don't know what to make of this series. Throughout the history of the NBA certain teams going for championships had those humps they either got over and ascended to the top or never quite got past. I am wondering is this the year the Suns finally get over that hump that is the Spurs or do we deny them yet again, maybe for the last time as this Suns group is constructed. Are we deep enough. healthy enough and dare i say it hungry enough to put these guys down again that want to beat us more than anything after what happened last year?? My gut feeling says yes we can do it one more time, i hope i'm right.
Go Spurs Go!!
Great rundown guys! Thanks for everything that both of you have done for us at ST this year.
Great points from all of you about this series. Personally I always felt that when the Spurs consistently move the ball with their motion O everything seems to fall into place and they're virtually unbeatable. It's when they stand around holding the ball everything starts to fall apart and we become stagnant. I've felt that the Spurs O is based on our ability to outposition the other team thereby creating the open shots. Only TP and Manu really have the ability to create their shots while everyone else needs the ball in "their" spot. If the Spurs focus on this then we're in good shape.
Believe
Why not put Duncan over O'neal, and Oberto on Amare for few minutes at start of the game?Series Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Preview
By LJ & Kori Ellis
-----------------------------------------
FABRICIO OBERTO
LJ's View: Fabricio Oberto’s role in this series will be interesting. To date, Oberto has shown absolutely no ability to defend O’Neal. O’Neal's combination of size and strength has just been too much for Oberto. And since that is unlikely to change at this point, Oberto will need to attempt to slow down Stoudemire. While he’ll obviously be at an athletic disadvantage, he needs to at least stay in front of him and force Stoudemire to hit contested jumpers. Oberto’s goal in each game should be to not allow Stoudemire to dunk the ball. If Oberto can buy even a few decent minutes against O’Neal, that will be a plus – although I’m highly skeptical that is realistic. Offensively, Oberto’s jumper will need to find the bottom of the net. O’Neal and Stoudemire won’t respect his jumper so Oberto will get as many open looks as he wants. Making the Suns pay is imperative.
Kori's View: Like his Argentinean teammate, Fabricio Oberto is a playoff performer. He's not strong enough to guard O’Neal or athletic enough to guard Stoudemire, but he's savvy enough to do some good things and I know he won't give up. On the glass, he needs to try to pull down some more boards rather than just tapping them out. On offense, the Spurs will need Oberto to stick the jumper up top and cut with regularity when he doesn't have the ball
Oberto always plays a good D on Amare. Stoudemire can't play D? good news for Oberto's cutting/picks.
If Tim can manage stay out foul troubles in those minutes before Oberto sit and Thomas in, sounds like a good plan.
I was glad to see the Barry's 3 return. The Spurs 'll need Mike, Barry, Ime in the perimeter against the Suns and with traffic in the paint 'cause the key against the Suns is our offense. Defensively and in the team D mod, we can stop them.-----------------------------------------
BRENT BARRY
LJ's View: Brent Barry enters this series as a question mark. Can he help the Spurs? It’s tough to say decisively one way or the other. Although history does tell us that Barry plays very well against the Suns. If the Spurs get cold from beyond the arc, Barry will likely be called upon to hit some big shots. At one point in the series, you have to believe Pop will throw Barry out there to help a stagnant offense. If Barry can help, that’d be a huge plus. Defensively, it’s tough to expect much of anything from Barry at this point, especially with a still tender calf muscle.
Kori's View: I wasn't sure that Brent Barry would make it back to the court this season. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised in the last couple regular season games. Barry's ball handling and three-point shooting were sorely missed and a big part of why the Spurs weren't as consistent this season. Though he's not in game shape yet, I'd imagine Barry will be back in the flow by the end of this series. His presence will help spread the floor and keep the ball moving, which is vital for the Spurs to be successful. When they have played poorly this season, the offense has been stagnant and the three-point shooting has been atrocious
Spurs in 6.
The Spurs will benefit from the minutes they get from Barry and Horry. Barry helps the offensive flow. Horry is one crafty mofo. Both are needed behind the arc. The Spurs have really missed both this season. If they are able to contribute in a meaningful way then the Spurs will repeat.
Very nice preview.
I think the Spurs will win this series because it is the first round. They will be fresh and ready to play.
What worries me is the physical toll they will have to pay. Hopefully, everything works out for us.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...s.388a8c9.html
Spurs' keys to victory
Web Posted: 04/18/2008 10:47 PM CDT
San Antonio Express-News
Don't get lost in transition
Contrary to popular belief, the acquisition of a certain large, lumbering center did not slow down the Suns' running game much. Surprisingly, the Suns' scoring average went up nearly a full point — to 110.6 points per game — with Shaquille O'Neal in the fold.
With Steve Nash at the controls, the Suns' offense can still run like a racecar. Adding to the danger, Phoenix's fastbreaks often result in wide-open 3-pointers, not layups.
The challenge is clear for the Spurs' defenders: Bring your running shoes, and try to keep up.
Pitch Nash curve balls
When it comes to defending the Suns' pick-and-roll, would the Spurs prefer Nash to keep the ball and take perimeter jumpers? Or would they like the ball out of Nash's hands altogether?
The answer is both. And neither.
Nash is one of the best pick-and-roll point guards in NBA history. The Spurs can't let him get too comfortable.
They must attack Nash in a variety of ways, mixing up defenses to keep him on his toes. If Nash is allowed to regularly pick his own poison, it will be a long series for the Spurs.
Make them double Duncan
The Suns seem comfortable taking their chances with O'Neal guarding Duncan one-on-one in the post. Duncan's mission is to make them regret it.
That doesn't necessarily mean Duncan should feel compelled to score 30 points a game — though the Spurs would certainly take it. However, if Duncan can continually beat O'Neal, it should give rise to scoring opportunities for other players elsewhere.
If O'Neal is successful in holding down Duncan, and the Suns can get away without double-teaming him, it will be difficult for the Spurs to score enough to keep pace.
- Jeff McDonald
The must play every Suns game as they did to crush the Jazz.
On to Round 2.
The Jazz@ATT, Game 82, game was unstoppable Championship basketball.
I'm sorry for tnot reading everything on this thread but I never learned a fast reading. 2 milios articles plus bilion users making gazilion thoughts.
Anyway more then anything all those gajme plans and strategy is not that important. The screenrolls the jumper are ofcourse importnat but mostly is the mental stuff.
D'Antoni might not be the best coach in the NBA but he is not the worst either, but he has got help right now from Shaq who's been with the best and has high bball IQ and he knows what it takes to win. Another guy is Grant Hill who desperatly wants championship and always during important games tries to motivate his teammates, add Pissed off Nash and Amares talent you have to believe in toughness hat the spurs with their knowledge and experience can break through.
Two last contest they were demolished in that aspect more then anything and all those mistakes on jumpers and not making the plays correctly and Tim having some kind of mental block because the colosus Shaq is standing there ... umm I mean time for playoffs and adjusting.
Spurs need to get of the gate quicly and set for jumpers early on (Finley), that would give much confidence and more versitality to the game of the spurs.
REBOUNDS - without them and making shots spurs are lost.
I've been trying to get timvp to podcast with me about the Spurs, but he isn't willing. So collaborative articles are the best we can do for now.
I think I'll just start taping our sports talks without him knowing and then publish.
Thanks for the thought, LJ & Kori!
I am pumped for this series. This is the best first round matchup of all the series! I fully expect us to win it. It will be a tough long series and a great one to watch.
BELIEVE
great!
Bonner will carry that bench to the finals and paint it in champaign.
But I thought you were a Spurs fan?! Dumbass.
I agree completely.
Damn, I can't wait for this to start!!!!
Do a LJ from a carton with moving lips and then persuade somebody to dubb him.I've been trying to get timvp to podcast with me about the Spurs, but he isn't willing. So collaborative articles are the best we can do for now.
I think I'll just start taping our sports talks without him knowing and then publish.
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