Are Ya Convinced?

[jagu]

How many of you guys are convinced that this current Suns team, the one that just rolled off 7 straight against some tough opponents (some of em), is for real? I think the Suns have finally gelled with Diesel and they are getting a lot of nice open looks from the perimeter with him and Amare's presence down low. Shaq looks agile, fast, strong and teams can't just abandon him on defense. Nash looks reborn for the past few games, lots of open looks for him and the "slower" run-n-gun style is keeping him fresh.

Marion + Suns = Good team that plays ok D but can't stop any big man down low or grab an offensive rebound for their lives.

Shaq + Suns = Good team that plays ok D but can stop big men from dominating the inside post and could play the boards just as well as other teams.

To me, I'm convinced. Suck that Hollinger.

 

[bigfoot]

I think Dantoni said it best, “I just don’t want us to get ahead of ourselves. Two weeks ago, we weren’t going to make the playoffs, according to a lot of people, and today we’ll probably never lose again, and neither one of them is true – we’re right in the middle. We’re still working and have got some things to do."
I don't wanna get too excited at this point but I now dare to expect very good things to happen to us.

 

[jagu]

I think Dantoni said it best, “I just don’t want us to get ahead of ourselves. Two weeks ago, we weren’t going to make the playoffs, according to a lot of people, and today we’ll probably never lose again, and neither one of them is true – we’re right in the middle. We’re still working and have got some things to do."
I don't wanna get too excited at this point but I now dare to expect very good things to happen to us.

Haha going with the "safe" answer!

 

[bigfoot]

:d

 

[Chaplin]

Haha going with the "safe" answer!

THe "safe" answer? What's the unsafe answer? That we're going to win out all the rest of our games and win the title? That's no answer. And on the other side, maybe we'll end up missing the playoffs entirely and become just another lowly lottery team. That's not an answer either.

Expecting good things but not holding your breath for it isn't the "safe" answer, it's the ONLY answer!

 

[cly2tw]

I said that no team with Marion on a max contract could win a championship! Well, the moment he was gone we became title contenders and the recent games just solidify my convinction even further. We'll win it all! Go Suns!

 

[WuRaider]

I'm waiting until after the Eastern road trip.

 

[FirePit]

I think we have a sense of what works and what doesn't. The more games before the playoffs, the better.

 

[Kody Rumin]

I'm convinced that they are a championship contender, and are a better team than before the trade. Some things still need to be worked out of course, but I believe they can win it all.

 

[SirStefan32]

There is no doubt in my mind that this team can go all the way. They just need to take it one game at the time, keep playing their game and work hard.

 

[CaptainInsano]

There is no doubt in my mind that this team can go all the way. They just need to take it one game at the time, keep playing their game and work hard.

And stop turning the damn ball over so much.

After that we should be good.

 

[TJ]

And stop turning the damn ball over so much.

After that we should be good.

I agree with the turnovers. We need to be more careful as a team with the ball. Watching the Seattle game was almost hilarious with the amount of turnovers. If we want a chance at Detroit tomorrow, we cant turn the ball over 100 times

 

[Darth Llama]

I think the people that were convinced the Suns wouldn't make the playoffs were crazy to begin with. I mean come on.. really? The Suns not make the playoffs?

That was ridiculous from day 1. I'm still not sure just how good the Suns really are, but I have never been convinced they were not an elite team. They will be there challenging for the title with the Lakers, Spurs, and Hornets. Those are the 4 best in my opinion.

The title is still up for grabs, no doubt.

 

[arwillan]

]I think the people that were convinced the Suns wouldn't make the playoffs were crazy to begin with. I mean come on.. really? The Suns not make the playoffs?[/B]

That was ridiculous from day 1. I'm still not sure just how good the Suns really are, but I have never been convinced they were not an elite team. They will be there challenging for the title with the Lakers, Spurs, and Hornets. Those are the 4 best in my opinion.

The title is still up for grabs, no doubt.

sunsman44 wanted to bet us all $1000 that the suns wouldn't make the playoffs at the start of the year.

 

[Darth Llama]

sunsman44 wanted to bet us all $1000 that the suns wouldn't make the playoffs at the start of the year.

You should have taken that bet. Someone that foolish deserves bankruptcy.

 

[arwillan]

You should have taken that bet. Someone that foolish deserves bankruptcy.

everybody was trying to call him on it, but then he got suspended about 10 more times and finally banned.

 

[Feeble Mcjackson]

time for me to eat some crow....

I was bashing the shaq trade from the beginning, but it seems like there putting it all together. I am not gonna say were world beaters just yet, but i am a lot more optimistic now then i was 3 weeks ago.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Well said.

 

[jandaman]

its good that the Suns are playing well.

But Suns have been playing well the last 3-4 years so its no different, its definitely way more satisfying than 2 weeks ago when the team was struggling. But nothing has been proven.

Again, fans should enjoy it, appreciate it. And hopefully, this team keeps getting better and hopefully they carry it into the playoffs, give us fans a memorable run, more positive than the last few years hopefully. And in the end of June, hopefully they are champions.


But its going to be very very very hard. Its good o be confident with your team, but I bet hardly anyone will really bet their life savings on a team at the moment since the west is so good and come finals, a matchup wit Pistons or Celtics is going to be just as hard.

 

[Gaddabout]

If Shaq had played like this for Miami I don't think they would have traded him. It's pretty obvious they were using up his legs in practice. He definitely has taken to the light practices and training staff here.

I think the Suns are going to be more frustrated in the playoffs by swingmen than they have in the past. Hill does better than he's given credit for, but the Suns have no one off the bench who can match up with a decent scoring 3. It's exacerbated when our 2s have huge size disadvantages.

If you're looking for one big hole on the roster, that would be the one I'd fear.

 

[nowagimp]

If Shaq had played like this for Miami I don't think they would have traded him. It's pretty obvious they were using up his legs in practice. He definitely has taken to the light practices and training staff here.

This is spot on IMO, Pat Riley is a slave driver, and it may work for young players, but not for the older ones. I also think the suns training staff was correct in targeting shaqs flexibility. Shaq never looked so coltish as a heat player. Flexibility and quickness go hand in hand, and thats where shaq needed the work. Flexibility also means less chance of injury pulling something.

 

[jagu]

Shawn Marion is sitting on the pine with back spasms and Shaq's playing. It would have been a tough stretch if we had an injured Marion at this point in the year.

 

[SO91]

Shawn Marion is sitting on the pine with back spasms and Shaq's playing. It would have been a tough stretch if we had an injured Marion at this point in the year.

I don't follow the Heat or Marion so I have no way of knowing if the injury is legit or not, but I'd put my money on the Heat tanking.

 

[Divide Et Impera]

"Are ya convinced?"

I personally was never not convinced....

 

[TheHopToad]

Shawn Marion is sitting on the pine with back spasms and Shaq's playing. It would have been a tough stretch if we had an injured Marion at this point in the year.

There's nothing wrong with Marion. If he were still on the Suns, he'd be playing every night as usual.

The only thing wrong with Shawn right now is that he increases the chances of the Heat winning a game too much to risk letting him play.