Probably not, as long as the top seed is up for grabs, but you have to know that top seed is absolutely vital to how far the suns go this year. More important to them, than to SA.
Phoenix is actually the least dependant on getting HCA and having success, than any team in the NBA.
They have by far the best road record in the NBA and they play just as well on the road as they do at home.
The Spurs are the team that must have HCA in comparison.
They suck on the road and they are almost unbeatable at home.
This year, you're right. But when the p/o grind begins, I can't say the suns' shots will still fall as easily when they mean more. Also, Jimmy J is the only bench depth they have and phx has shown numerous times this year, they run out of gas late in games. D'Antoni has not given nash and staudamire sufficient rest coming down the stretch and I think that is going to hurt them.
But that's just psychological, and if these back to back road victories did nothing else, they gave the Spurs confidence to win on the road.
Homecourt can be a crutch, if you let it. Remember, we had homecourt and a 2 game edge on the Lakers.... (hate to bring it up)
Jesus Jim can you give me a break, now I can't read your posts just once, I go to the bottom, and read your posts for at least 5 minutes everytime i check a thread you post on.
Nope, because they won't win without them. Period. Phoenix is desperate to get the number 1 seed. They don't even know if they can beat us WITH HCA.
Tim's injury is definitely a blessing in disguise-he's gotten much needed rest. He's gonna feel good for the playoffs, even if his ankle gives him trouble.
Sean Elliott quoted D'Antoni as saying that he wanted to rest players, but wouldn't with the #1 still up for grabs. Doesn't sound too confident to me. I agree with you to a small extent, Jim, but SA is in Phoenix's head, with the blowout at SBC, the collapse in PHO, and a narrow win over a Spurs squad with no Tim or Manu. If they didn't feel that they needed it, they would be resting players. They can't fall any further than #2. Yet, other than QRich, who was injured, they all played tonight. Four minutes into the second half, Nash has played 18, JJ, Marion, and Amare all played 21. Winning with our bench is paying HUGE dividends by putting enormous pressure on Phoenix to win, which they CAN'T do with their bench, because it sucks.They have by far the best road record in the NBA and they play just as well on the road as they do at home.
The Spurs are the team that must have HCA in comparison.
#13 has had plenty of rest on the defensive end.
QUOTE=MI21]#13 has had plenty of rest on the defensive end.
Exstatic, I think Phoenix needs HCA against SA moreso than other teams. Phoenix can win on ever court but SA's IMO. SA is so good at home, that that would trump Phoenix' road dominance.
Also if you look at Houston and their stats and record, they are much better on the road than at the Toyota Center. They shoot 4% better on the road, they score more, they rebound more and they have won more road games than home games(25-16 on road, 22-15 at home) Especially TMac, his stats are some much better on the road than at home it is not even close. McGrady has averaged four more points per game on the road, shooting four percentage points better than in Toyota Center. He has had four of his six 40-point games on the road.
suck is a bit of an exaggeration, don't you think.
Last edited by benjirh; 04-13-2005 at 09:11 AM. Reason: left out my comment
No, until the Clippers game, they were a .500 team on the road, and had lost 6 straight...so suck was about the best choice of word, to describe their road expertise, I think.
^We are 19-11 on the road with Duncan. Alot of the ones we have lost have been when Duncan's injured. 19-11 on the road isn't sucky. Its pretty good actually if you look at all the other road records. Its probably 4th or 5th. Things can also change in the playoffs. Its not a definite thing we are gonna suck on the road during the playoffs.
Championship teams,( even SA in 99 and 03) are not near 500 on the road.
Every team has injuries.
Phoenix has won 31 games on the road, and they have had their share of injuries.
No excuses.
Quit being so defensive, admit that the Spurs are 10 times better at home...that is my point.
Yeah, but not to a team's 4 best players at once sometimes.Every team has injuries.
Come on Jim not even you can bag on the Spurs that much.
19-11 is a good road record.
21-17 is pedestrian compared to their previous yrs.
True, but that 0-6 stretch without Duncan didn't help.21-17 is pedestrian compared to their previous yrs.
0-6 without Duncan,
lets say at worst they got 4-2 WITH him.
25-13.
That is a pretty damn good road record.
And dont give the "Every team has injuries" Not to there MVP, best defensive big man, and good bench guards.
"... 03 are not near 500 on the road."
huh? after 1 Jan, the 03 Spurs were like .700
1)ON THE ROAD
2) VS PLAYOFF TEAMS.
The 03 Spurs had the overall best NBA best road record.
The 04 Spurs were much weaker on the road, well below .500 after 1 Jan and playoff teams. And 3 of 4 Spurs losses vs Lakers 03 playoffs were @Staples.
hey boutons.
Think you need to call up the NBA.
They said the Spurs clinched the division, how can that be possible, if you have Houston in first place????
You're confused on who posted what. I don't have HOU in first place or anywhere.
Dude, read my post.
I am saying that the 03 team is NOT near 500.
They were 27-14...that is almost .666 on the road....that is NOT near .500....get it???
boutons, I think he's referring to your concern earlier in the season with the Rockets having the better divisional record.
Kori, in 03, SA had injuries too. DRob missed almost 1/5 of the season, TD missed a couple, Manu missed probably 12 games or so.
I feel better now about their road play than after the Dallas game, so it is all good...but at one point, they really were not a good road team....even with TD...they used to talk about that a lot.
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