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Pop is not pissed off about the Shaq trade. Like most players, coaches, and GM's they are all thinking WTF.
If the Spurs stand pat and can't get frontcourt help, can you help me figure out how we'll match up with:
Phoenix*
C - S. O'Neal
PF - A. Stoudamire
Los Angeles**
C - Bynum
PF - P. Gasol
Other players can't be left unchecked if you are thinking double teams:
* S. Nash, R. Bell, G. Hill
** K. Bryant, L. Odom, D. Fisher
Now do you understand why Pop is p1ssed about the Gasol trade and why Kerr signed off on Shaq to Phoenix?
Question.
Pop is not pissed off about the Shaq trade. Like most players, coaches, and GM's they are all thinking WTF.
I don't think he meant that Pop was pissed about Kerr. I think he meant that Pop was pissed about Gasol because of that matchup problem it creates due to one of the biggest rapings in trade history, and that Kerr got Shaq for the matchup problem as well.
Yeah after reading it again he meant what you said.
Bringing in Shaq to help with matchup problems is a desperate plea, which I think will not payoff.But I am in the minority.
Thanks guys for restating what I wrote.
Pop knows we can't match up with the Lakers' frontcourt and I never said Pop is p1ssed about the Shaq deal.
Read!
As good as the Lakers seem I am not too worried about them. If we do run into them in the PO's I'm confident that with a 100% health Big 3 we would get them in 6 games. Pau needs to just be bullied up so he will be more hes ant. Hope Bowen can work his Magic on Kobe. Tim Duncan will either have to guard Bynum or Gasol when on the court so his D on one of those should be effective. I'm not worried about Phoneix at all.
What was Pau's numbers agains the Spurs in 2004 PO's.
Lakers will be pretty good for the next several seasons, but you can't just say they will automatically rise to the 'ship in this current season. Spurs experience/chemistry will prevail. Oh yeah and we have Tim Duncan.
Pau's numbers are only going to get better as he is not the #1 option on the Lakers as he was with Memphis. He's only 5 games in and he's already put up:
24/12 against NJN
30/9 against ORL
26/6/6 against CHA
Well above his 19/9 average.
If it's another big that we need, perhaps the Spurs should've retained Melvin Ely.
Just wanted to submit a "wild-ass" opinion.
Just gotta dig their boots in and go to work. Thats all.
If it's another big that we need, perhaps the Spurs should've retained Melvin Ely.
Just wanted to submit a "wild-ass" opinion.
Well, I'm worried.
Duncan can hold Shaq, but Amare will abuse Oberto/Elson/Horry. And then you got the rest of the Suns, who are pretty darn good.
The Lakers are even more nightmarish, because I still believe Kobe is the best player in the game and despite what people think, Bowen has never shut him down.
Duncan will draw Bynum, leaving Gasol to punish Oberto/Elson/Horry.
Finley and Fisher are a wash. Or you put Parker on Fish.
Then we're asking Ginobili or Finley to guard tall Odom?
Or does Pop put Bowen on Odom and Ginobili on Kobe?
Ether way, our frontcourt is overmatched and we give up a lot of size.
Thoughts?
Maybe we can get Howard for some chips? Ohh... wait, we are not the Lakers...
Amare didn't abuse Oberto last game in Phoenix and didn't abuse in last playoffs. I think Oberto was good enough on Amare.
I like Fin over Odom and Bruce/Manu on Kobe.
Throw all that out the window, because the Spurs will have to honor Shaq in the post now, which will open up Amare's game.
It typically takes more than a season for star players to play well as a team. I would be worried more about next season rather than this season.
I would worry more about the Spurs defense rather than any particular team. So far it has been well below the standard of previous years.
Duncan will guard all of them. Duncan is GOD
I think Oberto can handle Gasol. I don't think Gasol will punish him. I think the matchups actually work out well because Duncan is a dominant enough force down low to nullify Bynum without the double team and allow the Spurs to stay at home.
The guard matchups with the Lakers are negligible.
As for Phoenix, Duncan can outsmart Shaq and Amare on offense. If they double--kick it out, perimeter defense hasn't exactly been one of Phoenix's strengths. If they play straight up--torture chamber. If the Spurs can dictate pace and keep the run and gun bottled up, this should turn out like it always does. Shaq being involved adds an interesting wrinkle, but everyone in the league knows how to handle the big aristotle by now. I seriously see these contests coming down to more of a matter of effort, and less of strategy.
I really don't think it'll be that big of a problem. Shaq will really only be a problem if the game is played at the Spurs pace. The last 3 years with the Heat, in 3 games Shaq averaged about 20 pts and 5 rebounds, which while a significant contribution, is not nearly as terrifying as he used to be. His biggest contribution will be guarding Duncan, which will protect Stoudamire from picking up stupid fouls.
Shaq may keep Duncan from posting up too near the basket, but while Duncan has lost a step, Shaq has lost at least 2, so it'll still force double teams, and the Suns perimiter defense is much weaker without Marion, so driving to the basket should be easier, and there should be more open jumpers.
Duncan may end up having to guard Amare and leaving Oberto on Shaq (flipping Duncan to Shaq when the weaker/quicker big men come in). The big question is whether our bigs can stay out of foul trouble.
The biggest danger from Shaq on the Suns would be his rebounding, which has been nearly pathetic by his standards the last several years, and I doubt will improve with the Suns.
Again, I will remind everyone that Gasol is having back problems at the age of 27
Would anyone mind telling me the progress of Larry Legend after he started having back problems?
How about D-Rob?
I'm not trying to hate on Gasol. He is a very good player. However, I'd be cautious with his minutes over the next couple of seasons.
Foul Trouble.
These playoffs are gonna be good...
The last PO's series agains the Suns Amare has been averaging like 35 and 15 and Nash was a monster as well, they can't play any better with or without Snaq.
To be real, Im upset with Pop for complaining about it. If someone wants to trade for the future of their team then they should. His punka$$ know he needs to trade but they weak up tight a$$es just dont want to pull the trigga. That was a move to me. That sniching like a hoe because you didnt get him! I wish I could call his punk pussy a$$ and tell him its your move hoe! Study long study wrong as we say in my hood!
None of this worries me.
Playoffs are about matchups but they're also about adjustments.
And no one is better than Pop at adjusting things during a series.
There are no back-to-backs, our age won't be an issue.
We are so experienced at what it takes to be the last team standing.
Our chemistry is proven.
And as E20 pointed out, we have Duncan. Without a doubt he is the best big man in the game. As long as he's healthy, (as well as Parker and Manu), I like our chances against any team in a 7 game series.
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