I agree with those who say it should be Amare/KT or Amare/Diaw but I think Barbosa starting is only temporary. In the long run I think we'll see Nash/Bell/Marion/Stoudemire/Diaw most often with Barbosa, KT and Rose rounding out the 8-man rotation.
I don't like Barbosa to be starting. This lineup is too small for Spurs. I would like to see
Marion
Boris / Thomas
Amare
Bell
Nash
I wonder what happened to the idea of KT and Amare playing side by side in the starting lineup.At some point this season ,I hope to see the starting 5 be Amare, KT, Marion, Bell, Nash.
I expect this Spurs lineup, this is what they had last game and how we would match:Very true but with him in the line up who is going to guard him?
The only starter they have quick enough is Parker and then who guards our best shooter? NASH
I expect this Spurs lineup, this is what they had last game and how we would match:
Bowen -- Marion
Duncan -- KT / Diaw
Oberto -- Amare
Ginobili -- Bell
Parker -- Nash
If we start Barbosa, then everyone will have to slide, probably this matchup:
Bowen -- Bell (SF)
Duncan -- Amare (C)
Oberto -- Marion (PF)
Ginobili -- Barbosa (SG)
Parker -- Nash (PG)
I don't like the matchups at all... I don't like Amare on Duncan. He will be in foul trouble. I don't like Barbosa on Ginobili either, height disadvantage as well as defensively we need Bell on Ginobili, not Barbosa. We need KT's defense on Duncan. Amare is not that good defensively in the first place and he is also struggling right now.
I thought LB was solid in his start. Did you watch that game?
22 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast, 2 stl.
He showed some quickness and energy on defense and offense. He was 11-12 from the line. Granted he missed the layup that would have tied the game and shot poorly from 3 (along with the rest of the team) but I thought he gave them a lot of energy to start the game.
People are talking about an Amare/Diaw/Marion/Bell/Nash starting 5 in the future, or Thomas instead of Diaw, isn't that a little lacking in 3 point shooting for the Suns style?
JJ is the one who is over rated. So what if LB and Diaw would fail on another team, they aren't on another team, they are here! Lets take a look at the numbers:
Lets use last years numbers, since we haven't played enough games this year to mean anything:
KT: 8.6ppg, 7.8rpg, 1.1 apg (plus he was injured a big part of the season, and not in "suns shape" to start the year) Diaw: 13.3ppg, 6.2apg, 6.9rpg (additionally he was unknown quantity early in the year and wasn't utilized as much). LB: 13.1ppg, 2.8apg, 2.6rpg.
or
Joe Johnson: 20.2ppg, 6.5apg, 4.1rpg.
And JJs scoring is inflated because the Hawks don't have anyone else to give the ball too.
So thats a total of Suns: 35ppg, 9.9apg, 17.3rpg,. vs Hawks: 20.2 apg, 6.5 apg, 4.1 rpg.
For those keeping score thats a difference of 15 points, 3.4 assists per game and 13.2 rebounds per game!
Not to mention if your fantasy trade went through, the Suns would lose depth, and have to fill more rosters spots w/ Pat Burke type players. Furthermore, JJ has a crappy attitude. Diaw, LB and KT give the Suns a lot of different looks and options, JJ would only give them one.
I think having Amare start is the smart thing to do. He and the Suns need to learn if he is the future of this franchise or part of the past. I believe the Suns need to feed him the ball where he can be successful. Maybe it will work or maybe it won't.
IMO, the Suns have tried to run last year's offense without including Amare as an integral option. However, there is only one way to find out what Amare can do now and in the future... play him and feed him the ball. Also, I think when Amare finds his role with the Suns, the other players will feel more relaxed because their roles will be more clearly defined.
Gawd I hope so!I agree...and I think Amare's main problem is in his mind. Maybe him starting will start to bring his confidence back.
i'm not going to be surprised at all if Jalen Rose ends up starting once he gets healthy and in shape. DA's offense runs at it's PEAK when there are FOUR 3 point shooters and a low post threat. I think that's why he's starting Leo right now. However, I think size is going to be a MAJOR issue for that lineup. We could get away with it when TT was playing the role of the 4th three point shooter because he was 6'10 and we could better get away with it when JJ was still on the team, at 6'8, but that lineup is just too small.
You throw a starting lineup of Nash, Bell, Rose, Marion and Amare out there and you have two players that can create for others, Amar eon the block and four three point shooters, plus it's a bigger team than the shrimpo team with Leo in there.
I also think Leo's better as a sparkplug off the bench along with Boris. Damn, I REALLY thought Boris would have worked on his shot this offseason and dveloped a 3 so he could have played the role of 4th BIG who can spread the floor. Instead, he just became a tremendous fat-ass! BOO!
Hey guys. I'm back after a short stay in the sin bin.
Hmmmm, i'm nervous about Amare starting against SA! of all teams. I can see it now, Amare picks up 2 cheapies and sits for most of the game in foul trouble.
Come on man, I'm not talking Duncan or anyone of that nature, but please, we are overstocked with swingman who can't play... or at the moment, can't play in our system.... or aren't being played in our system... either way you look at it, we have alot of em and only Shawn is contributing. They are the facts Nash Bridges.
Wait till tomorrow and watch how SA's big's eat us alive on the boards and in the paint... buuuuuuut i do hope we try and start Amare and KT. I would be happy about that. Then take one out 4 or 5 mins in but try and set the tone early on that we won't be man handled in the paint.
I can't wait to see how they come out after a long break. I wanna see the passion and desperation come back.
Go SUNS!
I agree Jalen was washed up 3 yrs ago. Why aren't we infusing young talent into this team instead of going for a washed up vet who has never been a great shooter. I hate the fact that we couldn't land Ely, Chandler, Muhammed or someone that we really need. Why can other teams do this so easily.
In regards to landing a big man, I am still a firm believer that we will land Ely in a trade next month. Something along the lines of James Jones/2nd for Ely.