Hey whottt

[picnroll]

When is Shaq going to show up?

[whottt]

Shaq's already shown up...he's been putting up good numbers until tonight.


It's ironic because he and Nash may be the easiest players to play with in the NBA(along with Duncan), yet they haven't really figured out how to play together. Surprising...but if you don't think Nash will have that figured out by the end of the season, you haven't watched him play very much.


It's a big transition, but I am pretty sure they'll get hot at some point before the season is over. and they'll match up with us in the playoffs a of a lot better with Shaq than they did with Marion.



I'm glad they didn't get Brent Barry...he'd have helped them quite a bit with their spacing and ball movement.


I have no problems saying that they, not the Lakers will be the team that is going to challenge us in the Western Conference playoffs.




But go ahead and claim scoreboard 6 games in...

[picnroll]

WTF

Shaq has sucked. His defense is horrible. He can't establish low post position. He's getting defended and pushed out of the paint by scrubs unless he fouls them with an elbow on the turn. He can't finish chippies at the basket. You have lost your ing mind. Suns the Spurs biggest threat? The Suns will be lucky to make the playoffs. I think Kerr trading for Shaq may have been collusion to help Presti by turning that Suns pick the Sonics got into a lottery choice.

[SAGambler]

WTF

Shaq has sucked. His defense is horrible. He can't establish low post position. He's getting defended and pushed out of the paint by scrubs unless he fouls them with an elbow on the turn. He can't finish chippies at the basket. You have lost your ing mind. Suns the Spurs biggest threat? The Suns will be lucky to make the playoffs. I think Kerr trading for Shaq may have been collusion to help Presti by turning that Suns pick the Sonics got into a lottery choice.

[whottt]

Dude, Shaq hasn't played the kind of D you are taking about since about 1993. He's never played that kind of D...he intimidates.


I don't know if you've ever watched the Suns play with Marion and Amare...but they were charmin soft in the paint. They didn't play any kind of defense...they were inviting even. They aren't going to be inviting with Shaq in there....even if he just stands there he is going to be more of a presence than Amare and Marion were combined.


In a playoff style game, half court, they are going to infinitely better with Shaq in there than they were with Marion and Amare. Infinitely better.


Go ahead and claim victory now...but you are wrong if you don't think their play will improve. And they will be a better half court team than they have been in this era.

[picnroll]

Bookmarked.

[CarefreeAZ]

Yes, San Antonio fans, we are sucking and I know that you all are happy about that. Shaq's defense is not what we are relying on but his rebounding which has helped take away the second chance points that teams were getting, along with every big guy not having career nights due to Amare's stellar defense. Our new problem now = other team's backcourt guard tandem shooting a nice 55+%. All the Western teams are playing good basketball and there is not much leeway/time in trying to figure out how this is all going to work.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

I agree, it's too soon to tell right now.

[picnroll]

Yes, San Antonio fans, we are sucking and I know that you all are happy about that. Shaq's defense is not what we are relying on but his rebounding which has helped take away the second chance points that teams were getting, along with every big guy not having career nights due to Amare's stellar defense. Our new problem now = other team's backcourt guard tandem shooting a nice 55+%. All the Western teams are playing good basketball and there is not much leeway/time in trying to figure out how this is all going to work.

So far, of Odom, Gasol, Garnett, Perkins, Reggie Evans, Warrick, Wallace, McDyess, Darko, Chandler the only bigs held below their average have been Perkins by a point and Chandler. Most of these guys have been 8, 9, 10 points over their average playing against the Suns. If that's what you're pinning your improvement on, good luck.

[CarefreeAZ]

So far, of Odom, Gasol, Garnett, Perkins, Reggie Evans, Warrick, Wallace, McDyess, Darko, Chandler the only bigs held below their average have been Perkins by a point and Chandler. Most of these guys have been 8, 9, 10 points over their average playing against the Suns. If that's what you're pinning your improvement on, good luck.

Just stating that it was alot worse. Although not great it has improved - especially the rebounding differential. Shawn Marion's intangibles and hustle were always going to be missed.

[Ghost Writer]

The Suns didn't get Shaq for him personally to be a savior. They got him to allow Stoudamire's game to flourish, add some presence inside and permit the team to perform better in the halfcourt come playoffs time.

[ludda]

Uhmare's stats sure are up, but Suns still losing.

I agree, too early to tell but so far their attempts as a halfcourt team are not very successful, having defensive stalwarts like Nash and Amare doesn't help in that case.

[remingtonbo2001]

Dude, Shaq hasn't played the kind of D you are taking about since about 1993. He's never played that kind of D...he intimidates.

Whottt...That's IDIOTIC.

I can usually find some amount of logic, but that statement deserves to be thrown to the trolls.

If intimidation is the methodology behind Shaq's defense and it keeps the other team from scoring, then it's obviously a good techinique. It might not be textbook defense, but defense is essentially keeping your opponent from scoring.

I think there were other qualities besides intimidation which made Shaq a worthy post defender.

[my2sons]

Shaq's already shown up...he's been putting up good numbers until tonight.


It's ironic because he and Nash may be the easiest players to play with in the NBA(along with Duncan), yet they haven't really figured out how to play together. Surprising...but if you don't think Nash will have that figured out by the end of the season, you haven't watched him play very much.


It's a big transition, but I am pretty sure they'll get hot at some point before the season is over. and they'll match up with us in the playoffs a of a lot better with Shaq than they did with Marion.


I'm glad they didn't get Brent Barry...he'd have helped them quite a bit with their spacing and ball movement.


I have no problems saying that they, not the Lakers will be the team that is going to challenge us in the Western Conference playoffs.




But go ahead and claim scoreboard 6 games in...

just don't know if 25 games will be enough time for shaq to figure out when to get out of the way. It would be a much easier transition if shaq was known for his defense, but he hogs the paint needs to repost and holds the ball way too long for a pass oriented run and gun team. Lets just say as a spurs fan, I hope they don't get it until next year. the advantage is that dantoni's system is not that complicated, but is the coach smart enough to figure it out

[K-State Spur]

soft? yes. but Marion was a better post defender than Shaq.

Shaq + Amare = worst defensive frontcourt in the league. Throw in Nash, and they shouldn't expect to get stops anywhere in the court. When they play the Spurs, how many guys are they planning on hiding on Bruce?

[jag]

When you go from being strictly run and gun to not knowing when to run or when to slow it down...i can see how that might be a little confusing.

[Sec24Row7]

They have no idea what they are doing right now...

And D'Antoni has no hope of helping them figure it out since he is such a ty coach.

[Spuradicator]

Dude, Shaq hasn't played the kind of D you are taking about since about 1993. He's never played that kind of D...he intimidates.


I don't know if you've ever watched the Suns play with Marion and Amare...but they were charmin soft in the paint. They didn't play any kind of defense...they were inviting even. They aren't going to be inviting with Shaq in there....even if he just stands there he is going to be more of a presence than Amare and Marion were combined.


In a playoff style game, half court, they are going to infinitely better with Shaq in there than they were with Marion and Amare. Infinitely better.


Go ahead and claim victory now...but you are wrong if you don't think their play will improve. And they will be a better half court team than they have been in this era.

Yeah Shaq's D has really improved the Suns. Thats why they are giving up a load of points and scoring way less than what we are use to seeing.

While I agree its too early to tell, I still think this was a bad move for the Suns. They have no one but Bell to defend the perimeter and teams are shooting a very high % against them. And Im sorry, Shaq doesn't intimidate anyone anymore. I know he doesn't intimidate the Spurs.

Bottom line he just doesn't fit their style.

[E20]

The reason Amare's SCORING average is up is because Marion is not there, so he gots more attempts.

[polandprzem]

I'm waiting for timvp to second whottttt

Than I will have a good material to bump in the playoffs

[whottt]

timvp wants to hedge so you probably won't get any ironclad commitment from him(not that that keeps him from being owned)...


You will get one from me however...barring injury this Suns team will give up less points in the paint and match up better with the Spurs than any other Suns team of this era.


I don't know that they are going to match up with all teams better...but they'll definitely match up with us better...as their transition game was completely useless against us in a closeout situation.

[polandprzem]

timvp wants to hedge so you probably won't get any ironclad commitment from him(not that that keeps him from being owned)...


You will get one from me however...barring injury this Suns team will give up less points in the paint and match up better with the Spurs than any other Suns team of this era.


I don't know that they are going to match up with all teams better...but they'll definitely match up with us better...as their transition game was completely useless against us in a closeout situation.

And Shaq gives them fenomenal half court defense and superb half-court ofense.

Saq is not threat at all on defense. No pick&roll defense at all.
Ofensive game is su ious - what in a hack you gonna play? A running game with shaq in the lineup? Inside outside? Motion? Tough questions. Esp. when you have a guy that was in a heat squad and contributed nothing.

[whottt]

I don't care how bad you think Shaq is now in the halfcourt, he's still better than Marion...Shawn Marion is not a halfcourt player in any way shape or form...and he's not a great defender at the PF position either.

[picnroll]

I don't care how bad you think Shaq is now in the halfcourt, he's still better than Marion...Shawn Marion is not a halfcourt player in any way shape or form...and he's not a great defender at the PF position either.

So the Suns have gone from a good running, bad half court offense and decent perimeter and bad interior defensive team to a bad running and half court offense and bad perimeter and interior defensive team. Seems like a winning formula to me.

[polandprzem]

I don't care how bad you think Shaq is now in the halfcourt, he's still better than Marion

In a halfcourt ?

It giving better results?

Shawn Marion is not a halfcourt player in any way shape or form...and he's not a great defender at the PF position either.

and shaq is?

he is having above 8 fouls per 48minutes, it is not difficult to get rid of him from the game. Than you have Phoenix squad - 6 man rotation.

They now lost to Phily, if they drop few more of those they can lose a playoff spot.

It's a big if though.


IMO Shaq is more done than he is into a way to best performances in more than a year