a thought about Marion

[elindholm]

I wonder whether he was in a funk last night because Nash's MVP award was leaked, and it made Marion feel underappreciated.

 

[boisesuns]

I know what your sayin'

 

[Mainstreet]

I wonder whether he was in a funk last night because Nash's MVP award was leaked, and it made Marion feel underappreciated.

If this is the way Marion thinks...

I hope you are being sarcastic Elindholm, because that would be sad.

D'Antonni needs to tell Marion to play inside when the fast break is not going and stop throwing up those three point shots.

 

[boisesuns]

Someone needs to tell Marion about all the endorsements he will get if he steps his game up in the playoffs.

 

[elindholm]

No, I'm not being sarcastic or ironic (well, this time). It's not just that Marion was getting abused by Odom. He didn't look aggressive or active at all. As Doug Collins said, what makes Marion great is his activity level. If he plays the game at half speed, he really isn't very good at all.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

I almost would agree with your assessment here...but did he even realistically think he had a chance to win it?

Or was he trying to prove a point, that he's as valuable as Nash?

I don't think so...

I think he had a hard time guarding Kwamie and Odom and was just tired. He sort of looked like this in the first game too, in those two bad quarters.

 

[Tank]

Usually when Marion feels disrespected, he steps his game up the most...

 

[elindholm]

Usually when Marion feels disrespected, he steps his game up the most...

Maybe. Right now I'm working on the theory that he interprets trade rumors as compliments, particularly if it's something like himself and fillers for Garnett. Maybe it inspires him to be mentioned on par with someone of that caliber.

Also, no, I don't think that Marion believed he had a shot at the MVP. But if neither he nor Nash had won it, they could be considered close to the same level. Instead we have the guy who won the award and someone who probably finished about 10th.

 

[TucsonDevil]

I think Marion looked at the Newspaper and read headlines - Suns vs. Lakers, Game 2. He then realized it was time to pull the whole Houdini act.

PROVE ME WRONG SHAWN. You make MAX money, You are an All-Star, you were an MVP candidate - Step it UP. Odom is half the player you are in the regular season.

If Marion can't perform on a high level consistantly in the Playoffs, what good is he? Trade him for Big Shot BOB... and I am not joking. We are trying to win championships... the Suns already have plenty of 50+ win seasons.

Don't even get me started on the soft Frenchy-frenchman...

 

[jibikao]

Last night, I thought about this but I didn't want to bring it up. I don't think Marion is that "evil". We need everyone to step up to win games. Maybe he was just tired and lack activity. One thing I do know is that when Nasy penetrates in and got himself in the air, Marion did not step in AT ALL. Not even once. Both he and Diaw were standing 3pt line. Marion used to go in all the time to receive easy pass. Was Marion pissed because Nash got MVP??

At the rate he is playing, he can't be the MVP if that's what he is trying to prove.

 

[haverford]

I wonder whether he was in a funk last night because Nash's MVP award was leaked, and it made Marion feel underappreciated.

Honestly, I thought something very similar. My speculation was that he was hurt that his name hasn't been mentioned in a list of also-rans. There was something mildly depressed about the way he played last night...

 

[jibikao]

I think Marion looked at the Newspaper and read headlines - Suns vs. Lakers, Game 2. He then realized it was time to pull the whole Houdini act.

PROVE ME WRONG SHAWN. You make MAX money, You are an All-Star, you were an MVP candidate - Step it UP. Odom is half the player you are in the regular season.

If Marion can't perform on a high level consistantly in the Playoffs, what good is he? Trade him for Big Shot BOB... and I am not joking. We are trying to win championships... the Suns already have plenty of 50+ win seasons.

Don't even get me started on the soft Frenchy-frenchman...

Lamar has really stepped up big time in the playoffs. Lamar was usually non-factor in regular season matchups. He didn't play that hard to shut down Marion and he didn't have the inside game nearly as much 'cause Kobe was shooting so much (which we like!).

The biggest surprise and mismatch so far is Lamar. Kobe hasn't done anything special IMO. Lamar was destroying us inside, slowing the game down and he made so many killer 3pt shots last night.

Marion's game relies mostly on his activity level. When he is active and trying to get himself open for easy shots, he is good. But in the playoffs, if the opponent sends one guy to GLUE ON HIM (like Bowen), Marion has almost no other tricks. He almost has no fast break points and he has weak one-on-one and VERY WEAK post-up game.

 

[Joe Mama]

Shawn Marion is a great player because he works hard, and he's extremely athletic. Make no mistake though. Lamar Odom is a much more talented player. If he worked as hard a Shawn Marion on a nightly basis he would be a top 10 player in the league... no question.

I know I've been griping about Kurt Thomas' injury to anyone who'll listen, but here I go to him. If Thomas is healthy he is guarding Brown, and I don't think anybody would worry much about that matchup. Boris would be guarding Odom, and I think he would do a better job than Shawn Marion. He's got better size, and I think he's a better defender.

That would put Shawn Marion where he should be guarding Luke Walton or whatever other small forward the Lakers have on the floor.

Nobody should be surprised that the Lakers are giving the Phoenix Suns so much trouble. This team without Thomas is not a 50 win team. They would probably barely make the playoffs. With Thomas in the lineup the Phoenix Suns had a top-five defense, and without him they are a bottom five defense.

Nobody really knows how good this team would be with Amare Stoudemire and Kurt Thomas, but we do know that this was a damn good team with Thomas alone. I think they are just a notch behind the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons with Thomas in the lineup.

Okay, I'll try to get over it now. I know Kurt Thomas isn't coming back anytime soon, and injuries are part of the game.

Joe

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Shawn Marion's game is more set up for mid december games than defensive minded half court playoff games in April.

The guy showed me alot this year, but i think we maybe asking too much.

Lets package him and get KG

 

[jibikao]

Shawn Marion is a great player because he works hard, and he's extremely athletic. Make no mistake though. Lamar Odom is a much more talented player. If he worked as hard a Shawn Marion on a nightly basis he would be a top 10 player in the league... no question.

I know I've been griping about Kurt Thomas' injury to anyone who'll listen, but here I go to him. If Thomas is healthy he is guarding Brown, and I don't think anybody would worry much about that matchup. Boris would be guarding Odom, and I think he would do a better job than Shawn Marion. He's got better size, and I think he's a better defender.

That would put Shawn Marion where he should be guarding Luke Walton or whatever other small forward the Lakers have on the floor.

Nobody should be surprised that the Lakers are giving the Phoenix Suns so much trouble. This team without Thomas is not a 50 win team. They would probably barely make the playoffs. With Thomas in the lineup the Phoenix Suns had a top-five defense, and without him they are a bottom five defense.

Nobody really knows how good this team would be with Amare Stoudemire and Kurt Thomas, but we do know that this was a damn good team with Thomas alone. I think they are just a notch behind the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons with Thomas in the lineup.

Okay, I'll try to get over it now. I know Kurt Thomas isn't coming back anytime soon, and injuries are part of the game.

Joe

Our record after Kurt Thomas went down definitely shows your point. We played so well during that 11 winning streak. And didn't we beat Spurs once too?

Now KT is out of question. Who can step up to take KT's place? Is Grant the best solution? They both have similar size but why is Grant so much worse? Should coach D play Grant a lot more to get him used to it? I know Grant didn't play much at all so far and it's unfair to say he totally sucks. Grant can prove me wrong though.

 

[Sundance]

I wonder whether he was in a funk last night because Nash's MVP award was leaked, and it made Marion feel underappreciated.

I was thinking the exact same thing. Those MVP chants for Nash have to be like daggers in his heart.

What the hell is he going to do when Amare comes back, and Marion is pushed back down to #3? What happens if Amare and Nash make the All-Star team and Marion doesn't? We can't have 3 guys making it every year, unless we're just murdering the rest of league.

Is Marion going to mope come playoffs every year?

 

[JS22]

I was thinking the exact same thing. Those MVP chants for Nash have to be like daggers in his heart.

What the hell is he going to do when Amare comes back, and Marion is pushed back down to #3? What happens if Amare and Nash make the All-Star team and Marion doesn't? We can't have 3 guys making it every year, unless we're just murdering the rest of league.

Is Marion going to mope come playoffs every year?

I think it's finally time to pull off the Marion + fillers + #1 for Garnett trade.

 

[elindholm]

Would you go as high as Marion, Barbosa, this year's Lakers pick, and next year's Hawks pick? The Wolves won't want Jones, and they'll want help in at least two upcoming drafts.

 

[Chaplin]

Shawn Marion is a great player because he works hard, and he's extremely athletic. Make no mistake though. Lamar Odom is a much more talented player.

Joe

Come on Joe. Odom has a lot of talent, no question, but "much more"? You've got to be joking. There's nothing that proves that theory.

 

[elindholm]

I'm not sure that Garnett is a better player than Marion, to be honest. But one thing is clear: There is no chance that Garnett would ever disappear in a playoff game to the extent that Marion did last night. He simply would not allow it to happen. He might, in a bad game, shoot terribly, commit a bunch of turnovers, or struggle with foul trouble -- but no matter what, you'd know when he was on the floor.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Come on Joe. Odom has a lot of talent, no question, but "much more"? You've got to be joking. There's nothing that proves that theory.

I think Joe's right...

I've made this argument a long time ago on this board...that's why I kind of chuckle at Marion being included in the MVP consideration.

The guy cannot create his own shot. He relies on others to hit him on cuts, or get wide open jumpers.

Yeah, sometimes he can drive and get a runner, or dunk. But look at Kobe, or James, or Nash, or Dirk..or, or....Odom.

They guys can create...Marion really can't.

I think that puts Odom above Marion in terms of talent. But Marion has more heart and more motivation...

Mike

 

[Chaplin]

I think Joe's right...

I've made this argument a long time ago on this board...that's why I kind of chuckle at Marion being included in the MVP consideration.

The guy cannot create his own shot. He relies on others to hit him on cuts, or get wide open jumpers.

Yeah, sometimes he can drive and get a runner, or dunk. But look at Kobe, or James, or Nash, or Dirk..or, or....Odom.

They guys can create...Marion really can't.

I think that puts Odom above Marion in terms of talent. But Marion has more heart and more motivation...

Mike

Sorry, Mike, totally and utterly disagree with you. Anyone who mentions Lamar Odom along with the likes of Dirk, Nash, Lebron and Kobe has a screw loose.

There are a multitude of players that can create their own shot. I like Chauncey Billups, but Marion is a better player. Richard Jefferson, Rip Hamilton, Corey Maggette, Jason Richardson--all guys that create their own shot. Regardless of if I want them more than Marion, Marion still is a better player.

You're basing your assessment of Odom on what he "might be able to do", rather than what he HAS done. He's a good player, but he'll never be as good as Shawn Marion.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

I'm not sure that Garnett is a better player than Marion, to be honest. But one thing is clear: There is no chance that Garnett would ever disappear in a playoff game to the extent that Marion did last night. He simply would not allow it to happen. He might, in a bad game, shoot terribly, commit a bunch of turnovers, or struggle with foul trouble -- but no matter what, you'd know when he was on the floor.

Garnett is the far superior player to Marion. Maybe not even stats tell the story there, but Garnett is much more skilled, has more desire to win and is a better shooter and with post game. While Garnett cannot single handedly carry a team by himself, his game is tailor made for the playoffs and the Suns style. I really believe that he just needs a PG and some shooters around him.

They should make the move this off season with the uncertanity of Amare.

 

[D-Dogg]

Odom has more talent because he is far more versatile than Marion.

 

[Chaplin]

Odom has more talent because he is far more versatile than Marion.

Marion beats him in every aspect of the game over a long period of time. Now Odom plays like an all-star for 2 games and Marion lays an egg, and Odom is suddenly better because he's "more versatile"? Odom has yet to prove he's anything more than a talented head case who most likely will never live up to his expectations (assuming he even can).