Amare sticks to his guns: Spurs dirty, Suns should be in finals

[CAPARG]

We're bored. Let us pick on this little head for a while.

[exstatic]

Actually, fast break/open court offenses have had success winning championships. Basketball is pretty much unique out of the other major sports, in that defensive half court basketball has become more en vogue recently, where as fast break offense was more "old school".

OK, so if you put the entire city of Phoenix in a time machine and send them back 35 years, we'll ALL be ing happy. They'll have a ghost of a chance, and we'll be rid of them.

[exstatic]

This thread has officially degenerated to the point of no return.

It did that the minute you typed in it.

[Spider TX]

Just posting cold hard facts. The Suns will always be a gimmick until they can prove otherwise. Too bad their window's closing fast as the Mavs won't choke every year and the Jazz are getting better every season. Rockets are still there, Nuggets will be extra motivated next year, and Oden and Durant just hopped into the Western Conference. Not to mention the salary that Phoenix is going to have to deal with.

This will not scare me for a while and Oden will be a part of the biggest thug team there is and Durant is going to a team that hasn't really scared anybody in a long while. They win their division one year, and are terrible the next with the same team. Until they prove otherwise, they are no threat, the Jazz are the only real threat to join the 3 elite teams anytime soon.

[Shred]

OK, so if you put the entire city of Phoenix in a time machine and send them back 35 years, we'll ALL be ing happy. They'll have a ghost of a chance, and we'll be rid of them.

[Johnny RIngo]

If, today, the Suns fired Mike D'Antoni and hired Jeff Van Gundy as their new head coach, they would be the overwhelming favorites to win the 2007-08 NBA championship.

But they won't do that, and so they're going to keep falling short.

I agree with that. A defensive philosophy goes a long way. Even the incredible offensive Laker/Celtic teams of the 80s were top 5 in the defensive categories. You need to be balanced on both ends of the floor to win a le.

[ClingingMars]

This thread has officially degenerated to the point of no return.

-Mars

[Spider TX]

Any track & field fan knows the Indianapolis Colts are the reincarnation of the old NFL run & shoot offense. He's great recruiter, but Mack Brown will never win in January.

But in the defense of the guy who originally said it, the Colts never won until they stepped up on defense. I thought the Suns could possibly overcome, but maybe they need to take a look at the Colts model of this past season.

[OldDirtMcGirt]

OK, so if you put the entire city of Phoenix in a time machine and send them back 35 years, we'll ALL be ing happy. They'll have a ghost of a chance, and we'll be rid of them.

Don't even need to go back thirty-five years, just check out the Showtime Lakers. Right now Phoenix's biggest problem is its head coach and backup point guard.

[Marcus Bryant]

I agree with that. A defensive philosophy goes a long way. Even the incredible offensive Laker/Celtic teams of the 80s were top 5 in the defensive categories. You need to be balanced on both ends of the floor to win a le.

2006-07 Spurs
2nd in FG%
4th in Opponents' FG%

[exstatic]

Don't even need to go back thirty-five years, just check out the Showtime Lakers. Right now Phoenix's biggest problem is its head coach and backup point guard.

The Lakers played ing defense. They ran, but they played damn good defense, which isn't a surprise with Riles as their coach. They also had a half court offense with a post game.

[OldDirtMcGirt]

The Lakers played ing defense. They ran, but they played damn good defense, which isn't a surprise with Riles as their coach.

We need to play better defense sure, but there doesn't have to be a fundamental change in our system or team concept.

[cornbread]

This thread has officially degenerated to the point of no return.

So who's the best? Dallas?

[Shred]

But in the defense of the guy who originally said it, the Colts never won until they stepped up on defense. I thought the Suns could possibly overcome, but maybe they need to take a look at the Colts model of this past season.

They had the worst run defense in the NFL last year, but whatever.

[exstatic]

We need to play better defense sure, but there doesn't have to be a fundamental change in our system or team concept.

You need an effective half court offense that won't wilt in the playoffs when someone decides to make Nash score. Setting multiple picks and movement without the ball would be a start.

[ShoogarBear]

Actually, fast break/open court offenses have had success winning championships. Basketball is pretty much unique out of the other major sports, in that defensive half court basketball has become more en vogue recently, where as fast break offense was more "old school".

Not without defense.

Most of the modern-day fastbreak concepts came from Auerbach's Celtics. But didn't win squat until they got a guy named Bill Russell.

[Spider TX]

They had the worst run defense in the NFL last year, but whatever.

Yes, but go look at what their run defense became in the playoffs. Far from the worst when it mattered.

[ClingingMars]

They had the worst run defense in the NFL last year, but whatever.

IN THE REGULAR SEASON

But in the PLAYOFFS when it really MATTERED they stepped up their defense, not allowing a touchdown to KC or Baltimore.

-Mars

[Extra Stout]

There will still be that one team in the NFL that couldn't stop anyone but still won, and that is the 99 Rams. Although defense wins championships, there are still those few times when the offense just overcomes.

If the Suns are the Rams, then of course the Spurs are the Patriots. Why settle for being at best a one-trick pony? Why not become a conventional team with all that talent and win normally?

[ShoogarBear]

This thread has officially degenerated to the point of no return.

Because now there are Suns fans in here who can actually complete a thought?

[OldDirtMcGirt]

You need an effective half court offense that won't wilt in the playoffs when someone decides to make Nash score. Setting multiple picks and movement without the ball would be a start.

We can do that just fine. Our half court offense without Nash, while it isn't our strong suit, isn't what is keeping us from getting over the hump. The problem is when Nash goes out, we can't execute anything. And against San Antonio, Nash had 12 assists per game, so outside of the first game you guys didn't really force him to be the scorer.

[OldDirtMcGirt]

If the Suns are the Rams, then of course the Spurs are the Patriots. Why settle for being at best a one-trick pony? Why not become a conventional team with all that talent and win normally?

At this point, I'd take one championship over the squadoosh we have now.

[Spider TX]

If the Suns are the Rams, then of course the Spurs are the Patriots. Why settle for being at best a one-trick pony? Why not become a conventional team with all that talent and win normally?

I agree completely, just pointing out that although tough and unlikely, it is possible.

[exstatic]

If the Suns are the Rams, then of course the Spurs are the Patriots. Why settle for being at best a one-trick pony? Why not become a conventional team with all that talent and win normally?

I think the Suns players, other than Nash and Bell, are just generally too stupid to put in something effective like a motion offense. Can you imagine Amare having to set two picks on the same play, and pass the ball, and then not even score? He'd be charging the coaching box. The Blur would be much less effective, too. He's generally not comfortable in a slower offense: witness the WCSF when San Antonio put lead boots on PHO.

[Shred]

If the Suns are the Rams, then of course the Spurs are the Patriots. Why settle for being at best a one-trick pony? Why not become a conventional team with all that talent and win normally?

But the Rams still have a better O-line than the Suns, and even though Nash is a better scrambler, Bulger's got the arm. I can't figure out how the Suns could possibly improve on that front and still manage to pay their expensive WRs.