Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Apr. 9

[degenerate_gambler]

I thought Manu re-sprained his ankle on the last play of the first half...came down on someone's foot and limped off the court. Did I imagine that?

I don't know if it was his ankle/knee or whatever but he did limp off the court after he tried that halfcourt shot to end the half.

[degenerate_gambler]

Did SA even run one double team at Shaq at all last nite? When he gets the ball down low on the left block and can swing into the lane, he's almost automatic. Last nite, I didn't see any help come his defenders way once, especially in the 4th.

[wildchild]

I've decided that Pop purposely left KT off Shaq because he will be on him in the playoffs - I knew it was CIA! Please?

Shaq's offensive isn't a problem and don't care who guard him.Oberto and Thomas did a good job on him. see that.

http://www.nba.com/games/20080409/PH...laybyplay.html

Shaq finished with 16 points but Barbosa with 14 Nash with 12 Diaw with 11 and Udoka with 2 Manu with 8 Vaughn with 0 Thomas with 0.

The problem with Shaq, is his defensive on Tim.

And the problem with the Suns, is our offensive sucked.

[wildbill2u]

@ roycrikside

So freakin predictable. When has Tony ever pouted about being the 3rd guy?

Things have certainly changed for Manu. But it's not all on Pop/Tony/Tim. A part of it is on Manu.

Manu is obviously in funk and he looks like he doesn't have any explosiveness in his legs. He shot 7-8 times in the first half. That's not less touches than he normally gets. In tonight's game, you can see Tony passing it Manu several times, and Manu passing it right back. He obviously just didn't have it this game.

NAILED IT! Manu gave up on himself last night and refused to take the ball and attack or shoot several times.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

The problem with Shaq is that he can get any shot he wants with Tim guarding him, yet TD struggles to get a shot off when Shaq is on him.

[tlongII]

What a pitiful performance by the Spurs. Entering the day with a decent shot at attaining the number one seed in the Western Conference, the Spurs instead rolled over and died against the Suns. Now San Antonio has to fight just to have homecourt advantage in the first round.

The Phoenix Suns came into San Antonio and were smarter, executed better and were more physical than the Spurs. Basically, the Suns just out-Spursed the Spurs. No matter what runs the Spurs made, the Suns just kept executing and eventually the Spurs sputtered. The Suns entered with a gameplan and worked that gameplan flawlessly.

The Shaquille O’Neal trade has worked out wonderfully for Phoenix. Against the Spurs, the Suns are now the bigger, stronger and more athletic team. And when O’Neal plays hard all game, they are also more talented and just as determined. A lot of supposed NBA experts ripped Steve Kerr and the Suns but the trade is looking brilliant. For the first time in the Steve Nash Era, the Suns actually have a legitimate chance to win a championship. In this game particularly, the only thing that kept the Suns from really destroying the Spurs was foul trouble for O’Neal and Amare Stoudemire.

blah-blah-blah

What a bunch of CRAP! The Suns should have won the le LAST YEAR and would have if not for a ridiculous ruling by the league office.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

What about game 6? oh yeah

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

I'd add something to Timvp's analysis if there was actually any more that could be said but he summed things up perfectly.

Believe is being tested in this even-numbered year.

[wildchild]

The problem with Shaq is that he can get any shot he wants with Tim guarding him, yet TD struggles to get a shot off when Shaq is on him.

It's true. Shaq scored more on TD than over Oberto/Thomas.

Anyway, if Shaq score 16 points and Duncan 23 I could live with that.

But, I couldn't live with our offensive in the last quarter.

[florige]

I'm confident that we will get this crap together come the playoffs. We have too much talent not to. I did not watch the game yesterday, but reading what you guys wrote down I got a pretty good picture on what the heck happened. I really just hate losing to Phx and those two prudes Shaq and Stoudamire. I really can;t stand listening to those two talk.

[Xylus]

Shaq went at Oberto on 3 straight possessions in the 3rd quarter, I believe, and scored effortlessly everytime. Duncan at least held his position and forced Shaq to shoot from a little farther out. Unfortunately for the Spurs, Shaq's hook shot was automatic last night.

Oberto only allowed 6 Shaq points, but they were the easiest 6 points Shaq had all night. Your best option is putting Kurt Thomas--who did a great job defensively--on Shaq in the first three quarters, and then stick Duncan on him in the final 12 minutes of the game.

Duncan played with no heart last night, but I expect to see a different kind of Timmy in the playoffs.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

It's true. Shaq scored more on TD than over Oberto/Thomas.

Anyway, if Shaq score 16 points and Duncan 23 I could live with that.

But, I couldn't live with our offensive in the last quarter.

The scary thing is that Shaq was like 3-3 in the fourth quarter, whereas TD was like 1-5.

Shaq won't log 40 minutes a night (though god knows with Dumbtoni) but I do expect his minutes to go up come playoff time, and if he can stay out of foul trouble it could be a whole other problem for us.

[Xylus]

Oh, and...

YEAH!

I love beating the San Antonio ing Spurs.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Shaq went at Oberto on 3 straight possessions in the 3rd quarter, I believe, and scored effortlessly everytime. Duncan at least held his position and forced Shaq to shoot from a little farther out. Unfortunately for the Spurs, Shaq's hook shot was automatic last night.

Oberto only allowed 6 Shaq points, but they were the easiest 6 points Shaq had all night. Your best option is putting Kurt Thomas--who did a great job defensively--on Shaq in the first three quarters, and then stick Duncan on him in the final 12 minutes of the game.

Duncan played with no heart last night, but I expect to see a different kind of Timmy in the playoffs.

By the way Xylus, props on the win last night. Very impressive that 2 of the 3 PHX wins this season against SA have been on the road.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Oh, and...

YEAH!

I love beating the San Antonio ing Spurs.

you just couldn't hold back, could you

[Xylus]

Watching Nash dump it into Shaq in the post over and over and over was a very welcome sight. You can't imagine how it feels, as a Suns fan, to finally have a low-post presence on this team. I'm about as big of an Amare fan as there is, but he just doesn't have a low-post facet to his game.

[Xylus]

you just couldn't hold back, could you

Sorry, I've been holding that in.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Sorry, I've been holding that in.

haha, nah it's cool, I know this was probably the biggest win of the season so far for you guys. As well as a nice rebound from the Dallas game.

[SenorSpur]

What a bunch of CRAP! The Suns should have won the le LAST YEAR and would have if not for a ridiculous ruling by the league office.

Common shortsighted opinion

[SenorSpur]

Shaq exposes Oberto in a real way. This brings up the fact that the Spurs are somewhat shorthanded on the frontline when it comes to defending guys like Shaq and Yao. KT is adequate, but overmatched - as is Duncan.

[Whisky Dog]

The team is worn down. They have no energy as shown in the complete lack of any movement on offense and a lack of energy to finish games on defense. It's just not there. The energy required to lock down on defense in the playoffs is just too much for this team with basically the same exact lineup to do it two years in a row for 4 rounds. That's the even year curse, the team and especially the stars are worn out in the playoffs after winning a le the year before. If this team somehow manages to turn it up in the playoffs and win another le this year, it would rank with the absolute greatest team accomplishments in NBA history in a single season. To go through this gauntlet of a playoff year while worn out and still win would be just about the most remarkable thing I've ever seen on a basketball court.

[wildchild]

Shaq went at Oberto on 3 straight possessions in the 3rd quarter, I believe, and scored effortlessly everytime. Duncan at least held his position and forced Shaq to shoot from a little farther out. Unfortunately for the Spurs, Shaq's hook shot was automatic last night.

Oberto only allowed 6 Shaq points, but they were the easiest 6 points Shaq had all night. Your best option is putting Kurt Thomas--who did a great job defensively--on Shaq in the first three quarters, and then stick Duncan on him in the final 12 minutes of the game.

Duncan played with no heart last night, but I expect to see a different kind of Timmy in the playoffs.

I like Kurt over Shaq. But I think Oberto didn't a bad job.

the easiest 6 points Shaq?

However. At least Oberto took adventage of cutting at the rim and scored 6 points, too. And drew 2 Shaq fouls and sit him. Not bad.

[SenorSpur]

The team is worn down. They have no energy as shown in the complete lack of any movement on offense and a lack of energy to finish games on defense. It's just not there. The energy required to lock down on defense in the playoffs is just too much for this team with basically the same exact lineup to do it two years in a row for 4 rounds. That's the even year curse, the team and especially the stars are worn out in the playoffs after winning a le the year before. If this team somehow manages to turn it up in the playoffs and win another le this year, it would rank with the absolute greatest team accomplishments in NBA history in a single season. To go through this gauntlet of a playoff year while worn out and still win would be just about the most remarkable thing I've ever seen on a basketball court.

If this proves to be the unraveling of this squad in the playoffs, I'll continue to curse R.C. and Pop for choosing NOT to infuse the roster with a least 1 or 2 younger players. such an infusion of young talent would have provided the necessary energy boost, athleticism and active legs this team is sorely lacking.

[wildchild]

Shaq exposes Oberto in a real way. This brings up the fact that the Spurs are somewhat shorthanded on the frontline when it comes to defending guys like Shaq and Yao. KT is adequate, but overmatched - as is Duncan.

Last 2 games against Rockets (game 2 and 3), we hadn't problem with Yao offensive.

Overmatched? Tim didn't show much over Shaq last night, on O neither on D.

[hitmanyr2k]

Duncan needs to go back and watch tape of his performance in the 2003 WCSF versus the Fakers. He needs to riddle Shaq with his footwork, upfakes and his ambidextrous shooting skills inside, while mixing in his bank shot outside. He can easily get Shaq or anyone else into foul trouble if he's in the right frame of mind.

I agree with you. It appeared that Tim was not mentally into this game. Therefore, it showed up by way of his passive approach at both ends. He became far too predicitable and timid.

The whole team needs to look at Game 2 of the 2005 Finals and watch the clinic they ran on the Pistons in that game. It's probably the best I've ever seen the Spurs offense (or any offense for that matter) executed. This team looks lost right now and the first person you blame is the coach for his dumbass gameplan and rotations.