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"Phoenix's help defense"
WTF?
Spurs expect Suns to be more physical
Paul Coro and David Vest
The Arizona Republic
May. 30, 2005 12:00 AM
SAN ANTONIO - San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said Sunday that he expects Phoenix to play more physically in tonight's Game 4.
That may be the first time someone anticipated that from Phoenix this season. That is just not the Suns' way. They fouled less than any team in the league by design. They kept the pace flowing then, but the lack of defensive aggression with San Antonio is not even feeding the other end.
San Antonio's patience and efficiency have picked Phoenix apart. When the Suns do get a stop, they seldom run like the 62-20 regular-season team.
Tim Duncan's deep posting ability and the Spurs guards' unobstructed drives are drilling the Suns.
"Seattle wanted to hit us hard every time," Spurs guard Tony Parker said, referring to when he and Manu Ginobili penetrated. "Denver, same thing. Maybe Phoenix is using another strategy. They are just different."
Duncan is getting stronger and quicker as the series goes. He appeared gimpy at times against Seattle, which pounded him with Jerome James and Danny Fortson. His presence has unraveled Phoenix's help defense.
That Seattle series also has San Antonio on guard tonight. Leading 2-0, the Spurs lost Game 3 and got into a six-game tussle.
"They (the Suns) are not going to lay down for anybody," San Antonio's Bruce Bowen said.
Amaré hurting
Amaré Stoudemire injured his right elbow on a third-quarter dunk Saturday and sat out Sunday's practice. He hesitated when asked whether he would play tonight, then said: "Probably so."He hurt his left elbow in the Dallas series.
"It's real sore and stiff," Stoudemire said.
Style points
The buzzards are circling the Suns' season, waiting to descend, and many are questioning whether their playing style is a reason for their exit. It even has Stoudemire, a long proponent of having someone else play center, wondering.
"It's tough because with this style of play, there tends to be a little helter-skelter play going on. In the playoffs, you can't afford that," Stoudemire said. "Every possession is valuable. It's tough to play that way."
Suns coach Mike D'Antoni and MVP Steve Nash were both handling such inquiries Sunday. D'Antoni deflected it, saying "the margin of victory is thin" in this series with four or five baskets making the difference.
"You can say whatever you want, but I think the biggest difference is that No. 21 (Duncan) is a terrific player," Nash said. " . . . If we played walk-it-up basketball, I think we'd have a much harder time."
Been there
Spurs forward Robert Horry is poised to leapfrog into third place on the NBA's all-time list for postseason game appearances.
Horry enters tonight's Game 4 against the Suns with 190 playoff games on his résumé.
Karl Malone and former Suns player and coach Danny Ainge are tied for third on the list, three games ahead of Horry.
Unless he's injured, or suddenly finds himself stuck on the Spurs bench, Horry will move past Ainge and Malone this postseason.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (237) and Scottie Pippen (208) are first and second on the list, respectively.
"He's just doing the right thing every time and the right moment with big shots, big rebounds and great plays on defense," Parker said.
"Phoenix's help defense"
WTF?
You would think with 11 Championships in 13 seasons, Bill Russell would be in the top group, but Bill played in 165 playoff games from 1957 - 1969. Fewer teams, fewer rounds is the reason why. Up until 1966, The NBA playoffs consisted of 2 rounds, Division (Conference) Finals and NBA Finals between the Eastern and Western Divisional winners. It went to three rounds in 1966.
this would be nice because it would help them with heat or pistons
Well maybe you shouldn't try to bring the backboard down every time you dunk, MORON!!!Amaré hurting
Amaré Stoudemire injured his right elbow on a third-quarter dunk Saturday and sat out Sunday's practice. He hesitated when asked whether he would play tonight, then said: "Probably so."
Suns physical = desperate
They are down 3-0 in the WCF after losing their HCA, after having an amazing season in which they saw their leader win MVP, their Coach COY, and EOY, while claiming the best record in the NBA. And they are one win away from everything being done---I am sure they are willing to do anything for their amazing season not to end.
I think Suns need to remember all these accolades they have received this year and use that to motivate them every quarter to fight harder. I mean, clearly winning 62 games wasn't a fluke---they have won games agaisnt other defensive teams in those wins--Detroit, Houston, etc.
"willing to do anything"
I don't think COY Mike thinks he's done anything wrong that needs fixin, in their last game of this season. He keeps talkin about barely losing, about the Spurs being the better team, about his guys not playing The d'Antoni Way in Game3. NOT this his way is broken and needs fixin.
I bet they will try to keep on doing that which brought them up to the WCF.
They might be slightly more physical, but their bench is so thin they can't afford to get their frontcourt in foul trouble.
I expect Phoenix to go after some mobile frontcourt players this offseason that will compliment their style of play but give them more of a defensive presence. Stromile Swift would be a good fit.
The Suns cannot get too physical because they will pile up fouls and have to use their razor-thin bench. But I guess they could throw some of their never-used bench warmers at Duncan in vain.
The return of Jake Voskuhl...
The playoffs have a way of exposing your weaknesses, and the Suns weakness is team defense. Their offense was so good they didn't need to work on defense very hard during the regular season. They will need/use a deeper bench not only for fouls, but because playing defense is tiring.
If Amare doesn't play, will you guys actually believe it's because he's hurt? Or he just doesn't want to endure the humiliation of being swept?
What´s Amare? Chicken?
I'll be very surprised if Amare doesn't play tonight.
That said, IF he doesn't, it'd probably be more of not wanting to injure himself in what he sees as a pointless game, rather than "saving face."
Because you know he'll catch all sorts of if he skips this one.
And if Amare doesn't play, shouldn't Nash sit, too? After all, without Amare, the Suns have NO chance, and why risk an already tired and, dare I say, creaky Nash to serious injury?
If he didn't play, I think there would be a lot of speculation about why. THAT could prove to be more humiliating than being swept.
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