Reply With Quote
There like the Pistons from last year.
They will tire down the stretch. Look at the minutes of this box score. It's been like this for them all year.
http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=270129016
There like the Pistons from last year.
Yeah, I would like to see more bench usage. I just don't know how it would work because of the Suns' style of play. So much can happen in 2 minutes in any Suns game and so what difference is 34 minutes vs. 36 minutes for Nash? Also, I think Nash isn't exerting himself as much as last year, so all these minutes hopefully won't be as detrimental as last season. I also would like to see his rest in "real time" (i.e. when he goes out with 2 minutes left in the 1st quarter and comes back with 6-7 minutes left in the second, he could have had 15+ "true" minutes of rest.
Just a small observation, but I agree that I don't want them wearing down, but I just want Banks or Jumaine Jones to step up consistently. I also want Jalen Rose to play more because he has really good court vision and high b-ball intelligence, but maybe he's being saved for the playoffs. It's just that the past 2 years D'Antoni had so many role players step up like Eddie House, Jim Jackson, Steven Hunter that I wish he would give a couple of those guys opportunities in the first half to show what they got. The Suns will blow it in the 2nd half if they get too tired anyways, so the first half doesn't matter in the end.
Well, not a lot. But if you consider 32 minutes is probably acceptable, given your average winning margin in January. And 4 minutes per game amounts to 328 minutes over the course of a season, excluding playoffs. A two minute decrease is obviously half that, and still significant if you ask me.
It's just an observation. Trust me, games hurt a lot less to lose now than in May and June.
If D'Antoni isn't using Rose, Banks and company now then he won't be using them in the spring. And the 06 Pistons comparison is a good one I think, Burn531.
Yeah, but I've seen games where the Suns lets teams go on an 11-0 run in just over a minute. So that's where I say so much can happen in the game. I would like to see Nash down to 34 or below. I think Marion, Barbosa, Diaw, and Amare (as long as the knee holds up) can play higher minutes.
And Brad, I don't know why he turned away from Rose when Jalen was provided some much needed spark early-on after he signed. Honestly, it baffles me.
I understand what you're saying, I just think it's better to be a healthy 2, 3, or even 4 or a 5 seed than an team who's got the best record in the league but is hurt or extremely tired at the very moment they need to perform. The longer you stretch players into the season, the more of an injury risk it is.
Agree. 328 minutes is equivalent to around 6 or 7 games of rest, ulatively speaking. And PHX's playing style doesn't help either; although they seems to be literally just playing and toying around at times, their style consumes a lot of legs, and energy. They're the ultimate in sprint, but can they really pace themselves for this gruelling marathon of 82 games and muster enough strength to get 16 victories in the playoffs? or is D'Antoni just committing his team (and its shallow bench) to an atrocious strategy?
The next games against the Spurs and Jazz will reveal a lot about the Suns. I daresay that the SAS-PHX match-up will be a major turning point for either or both of these teams? Will SAS re-discover its greatness? or Will it highlight the theory that PHX style is still seriously flawed?
I think it's a bit early to be saying. The Spurs, Suns, and Mavs are all capable of winning a le, but only if completely healthy come playoff time. There's a chance one or two teams will see a significant injury between then and now (though I hope not). Right now, before the all-star break, it's just too hard to tell what type of ball the teams will be playing in four months.
I enjoy the concept of a statement game, or a "huge" regular season game, but I'm not sure they really pan out like expected.
That said, it will be a nice marker to see where each team stands. The Jazz are pretty banged up, but the Spurs-Suns matchup should be a lot of fun to watch.
Yeah, the Suns get a few days rest after their trip (going 4 out of 5 on that road swing isn't all bad...) to prepare for SA. Spurs will be coming off back-to-back at Utah, which is a plus for the Suns and hopefully they'll be trying to bounce back at home from that meltdown in Minnesota. Funny thing is, they were two buckets away from tying that game against the T-Wolves for a long stretch there, but just couldn't knock 'em down. But, they're a jumpshooting team and the ball isn't always going to fall their way.
The very same weakness (and strength) that DAL have. They're (PHX and DAL) excellent jumpshooting teams, but jump shots don't always fall right. There are just those nights that the basket seems like a tea cup.
Anyway, DAL's main weapon now is its ability to shut down opponents on critical times, similar to Spurs'. DAL's primary weakness is its very predictable offense. They simply don't have a consistent third option. If JHo is having a bad night, DAL easily becomes defensible, (everybody knows where the ball is going now, it's marked in bold "41")
As for PHX, their offense is so efficient, so unpredictable, it's simply a matter of choosing your poison for most opponents. But PHX's achilles' heel is its inability to shut down opponents when it matters, as it always rely (and spoiled, in fact) on its offensive prowess. But what happens if the ball isn't going in? Well, one has only to see the replay of MIN-PHX to see what happens...
This, I think sums up why DAL is ARGUABLY better than PHX at this point.
At playoffs, "D" is almost always greater than offense. This made the Spurs the most boring, but definitely one of the most efficient and successful team in recent history. As for the "boring" part, I'd like to correct myself, it's either the Spurs or the Pistons. The LA dynasty would have been boring also without the endless Shaq-Kobe bickerings and drama, right? So, my theory is, you have to have that ability to lull your opponents to sleep to get a shot at championship.
Personally though, I like watching shots get knocked into the 7th row of the crowd by a pissed forward-center who saw the shot coming about 4 years prior. That's every bit as likeable as a dunk, IMHO. I like watching a team just absolutely put the clamps on -- it's a thing of wonder. I know I'm in the minority there, though. :|
Better yet to control your block to get your teammate a chance to get the ball and get a fastbreak. Blocking out of bounce is entertaining but not the smartest move.
antoni only believes in 6 man rotation and play no d
I don't really know if anyone could have stopped KG tonight - the man was on fire in the 4th. It's not like he was getting uncontested dunks and layups, either... he was nailing fadeaway's from 15+ feet out. And I think he swished his last 6 buckets or so... just unconscious.
Phoenix makes big man look like superstars. Superstar big men turn into the second coming of Jordan against the suns. lol
I agree. I've said all along that the team that is the healthiest of these 3 teams would probably come out of the west. The Mavs & Spurs can handle an injury to one of their support/bench players much better than the Suns can though.
And therein lies the difference between the Suns & the Mavs/Spurs (teams & fans).
The Mav's & Spur's players/coaches/fans would have said they were two defensive stops away from having a chance to win that game. I always hated that "if we shot better" mindset back in the Nellie days. Thank God for Avery's arrival and bringing the Spur's mindset.
I'll agree with this thread. Suns need a backup PG like Blake or Diener. Someone capable of running an offense as Banks is terrible and Barbosa is a scorer that can pass, rather than a point guard.
To a lesser extent they could use another center, though when he gets back, Thomas will have some fresh legs for the stretch run. I'd still like a center like Hunter or would even be willing to give Loren Woods a shot. Just to see.
DANG! Beat me to it! (by 10 hours) haha
Yep...
And the fact that they're a different team when Nash is on the bench will do them in too....
Have run-and-gun teams been successful in post season? I don't recall any teams going far that had this type offense.
There have been a few up tempo offensive teams (see Lakers of 80's) that have won the le. This Sun offense is unique though. Their offense really isn't the issue though...it's their ability to make defensive stops late in playoff games that will always be in question until they win w/o doing that or they learn to do it.
Antoni brings KT, James Jones, and Leandro Barbosa off the bench.
That's an 8 man rotation not 6. Right now it's 7 as KT is not expected back until early March. And if Marcus Banks could pull his head out of his ass they'd have a 9 man rotation.
KG was phenomenal last night. Boris Diaw defended him very well. There was nothing to be done with those turnaround fadeaways from 15 feet out.
----------
come playoff time they will be worn out like a motha fucckka, and get eliminated thats facts. I dont think they can beat any texas team in the playoffs if all players on those teams are in the lineup.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
