Are the Spurs mentally weak? Why did they fall apart tonight?

[Furio]

j/k...that's what they would have said about the Suns if they lost...endlessly in the media all day.

 

[F-Dog]

Yes.




In other news, Tim Duncan is officially a fraud. Give him a little foul trouble (like every other center in the league has to deal with, game in and game out) and he turns into marshmallow.

The Spurs were forced to pull him at 6:00--in favor of Horry, IIRC--and when he got back in the game, he promptly gave up four buckets in a row, directly on his head, as the Suns went from 5 down to 3 up.

That's what happens when you get refs who aren't scared they might get fired if they cross TD...

 

[azirish]

I wasn't sure the Suns were mentally strong enough to fight through the innumerable uncalled fouls that give the Spurs such a big advantage. It seems to effect their confidence and they missed shots they usually make.

However, there is another factor going the other way. The Spurs are an older, slower team. In a game like tonight, they had to expend an incredible amount of energy and perhaps it began to take its toll. As the game speeded up, perhaps they just ran out of gas.

 

[The Man In Black]

Just to say, that the home team went to the line 14 times to 29 for the Suns. So I would say that the officiating was favorable to the visitor. It's the 2nd time in the playoffs that has happened to San Antonio but they are 1-1 in those situations.

I think Pop erred in his late game substitution pattern and sat Duncan too long.

Some people say older but if they win this game, then some people would say experienced. They took some bad shots late, looked to attack and responded with weak shots(well-challenged defensively, aggressive, fouls? maybe but I compliment the effort by the Suns D on those plays) but that game was still winnable.

It's game 5 that will show which team is more mentally strong. That will be the game right there.

 

[azirish]

Just to say, that the home team went to the line 14 times to 29 for the Suns. So I would say that the officiating was favorable to the visitor. It's the 2nd time in the playoffs that has happened to San Antonio but they are 1-1 in those situations.

I think Pop erred in his late game substitution pattern and sat Duncan too long.

Some people say older but if they win this game, then some people would say experienced. They took some bad shots late, looked to attack and responded with weak shots(well-challenged defensively, aggressive, fouls? maybe but I compliment the effort by the Suns D on those plays) but that game was still winnable.

It's game 5 that will show which team is more mentally strong. That will be the game right there.

Yes, the Suns got to line more than the Spurs, but perhaps it is because the Suns do not deliberately foul like the Spurs do. It the Spurs were called for the same kind of ticky tacks that get called on the Suns, the Suns would have gone to the line 50 times.

But I will give you one thing, I'm sure the traveling call on Duncan had to be a first. He NEVER gets called for traveling.

 

[F-Dog]

It's the 2nd time in the playoffs that has happened to San Antonio but they are 1-1 in those situations.

Games 1 and 4 of this series, right.

I think Pop erred in his late game substitution pattern and sat Duncan too long.

Pop brought Duncan back at about 6:30, the Suns went right at him for a score, and Pop had to pull him again at 6:00.

Since the Spurs weren't going to score anyway, I think they would have been better off keeping Duncan on the bench. Maybe Elson or Bonner could have provided the defensive spark that Duncan was obviously lacking.

 

[TucsonDevil]

Just to say, that the home team went to the line 14 times to 29 for the Suns. So I would say that the officiating was favorable to the visitor. It's the 2nd time in the playoffs that has happened to San Antonio but they are 1-1 in those situations.

This is a very deceiving statistic. If you watch the game, the Suns chose to drive the lane more frequently than the Spurs. Also, when the Spurs came in the lane, that is when they were sent to the line. Look at the shot chart, and you will see that the Suns took more shots under the basket than the Spurs did.

 

[clif]

This is a very deceiving statistic. If you watch the game, the Suns chose to drive the lane more frequently than the Spurs. Also, when the Spurs came in the lane, that is when they were sent to the line. Look at the shot chart, and you will see that the Suns took more shots under the basket than the Spurs did.

And to top that off. The Suns are one of the least penalized teams in the league. It never suprises me for them to have fewer fouls called against them, because that would only slow them down.

 

[cly2tw]

Spurs were a victim of their own success with the role players. Pop trusted them for too long while TD sat with foul trouble. The FT disparity was a result of the Spurs preventing any easy layup/dunk, and of the refs finally called the game consistent and by the rules.

 

[elindholm]

It's game 5 that will show which team is more mentally strong. That will be the game right there.

Unless the Suns win it, in which case you'll be back to tell us that actually the critical game is Game 6.

 

[Gaddabout]

Duncan got in foul trouble. End of story. The Suns can play to some effectiveness without Amare because Nash is still in control. Without Duncan, the Spurs melt down the stretch.

 

[The Man In Black]

I gave your team mad props for stepping up off the canvas and weaving in between the blue lines(Hockey take) before getting the game winning goal. They win game 5, I'll be back to give you props, but first they got to win game 5 and I don't think that the Spurs are just going to lay down like fish. I expect that they will persevere and win another hotly contested game. I expected that as well tonight though. I guess I'm 2-2