be honest, did you think this was possible?

[playstation]

amare's numbers so far in february:

31 ppg / 14 reb / 1.5 ast / 1.0 blk, 58%fg, 82%ft

that is absolutely eye-popping

and so the question is obvious: can THIS team...with THIS amare added to the WCF team of last year be denied?

they're the best suns team i've ever seen at this point, just need to keep proving it.

 

[SactownSunsFan]

It's up to health and a bit of luck. Every team that's won the championship since the Lakers dynasty has had a bit of luck on their side.

 

[Scot1]

Injuries, and gas in Nash's tank, and maybe our ability to bear down adequately against top opponents, are the only questions, I'd say. But sadly, they really are questions.

 

[Skkorpion]

Teams with long players will give us fits in the playoffs. I feel for Amare and Marion both having to play against tall players.

I think Dallas and the Lakers can both beat us in a series. And Houston is a whole different team now with Mutumbo starting.

 

[HooverDam]

This past week or so has been very discouraging for me as a Suns fan. Rajas leg, Boris' back, Nash's arm/back.....I don't know if D'Antoni riding them too hard or what, but it is making me a bit worried. Hopefully the All Star break will provide some nice rest....I hope Banks can keep developing and get minutes, I'd really like to see Jumaine Jones more as well, but it seems like D'Antoni only likes to give one bench guy an opportunity at a time.

 

[TJ]

I hope D'Antoni sees that he is overworking the machine. He should go to at least a 9 man rotation after everyone is healthy. This 7-8 man crap is obviously hurting the suns....literally and figuratively

 

[Treesquid PhD]

amare's numbers so far in february:

31 ppg / 14 reb / 1.5 ast / 1.0 blk, 58%fg, 82%ft

that is absolutely eye-popping

and so the question is obvious: can THIS team...with THIS amare added to the WCF team of last year be denied?

they're the best suns team i've ever seen at this point, just need to keep proving it.

No, I never thought Amare would be as explosive or near as explosive as he is 1.5 years later, but I did always believe his inside get to the line presence would help a team that is all too happy to launch 3 pointers hold leads and prevent huge runs in the playoffs.

It's almost too good to be true that my favorite NBA player could overcome this like he did.

 

[Ronin]

amare's numbers so far in february:

31 ppg / 14 reb / 1.5 ast / 1.0 blk, 58%fg, 82%ft

that is absolutely eye-popping

and so the question is obvious: can THIS team...with THIS amare added to the WCF team of last year be denied?

they're the best suns team i've ever seen at this point, just need to keep proving it.

Considering how bad things looked for Amare during the off-season and training camp, I would say no. I think the best part of those numbers is that Stoudemire is getting stronger as the season moves forward.

 

[BC867]

I hope D'Antoni sees that he is overworking the machine. He should go to at least a 9 man rotation after everyone is healthy. This 7-8 man crap is obviously hurting the suns....literally and figuratively

I'm glad that talking about going all the way with 7 NBA Championship caliber players has caught up with us now.

Come playoff time, it would be too late. The question is, is it too late even now?

Or can GM Mike D'Antoni and Coach Mike D'Antoni use the rest of the season to make major adjustments to be ready for the post-season?

Correction. Will he? No indication of it so far.

It looks like the dictionary definition of the Phoenix Suns, "50-and-fade", won't be updated anytime soon.

That's a shame.

 

[Chaplin]

I'm glad that talking about going all the way with 7 NBA Championship caliber players has caught up with us now.

Come playoff time, it would be too late. The question is, is it too late even now?

Or can GM Mike D'Antoni and Coach Mike D'Antoni use the rest of the season to make major adjustments to be ready for the post-season?

Correction. Will he? No indication of it so far.

It looks like the dictionary definition of the Phoenix Suns, "50-and-fade", won't be updated anytime soon.

That's a shame.

Come on. I think it's pretty funny how everyone on this board seems to think that without Steve Nash we should still be beating every team we come across. We are still a very good team, but Steve Nash is more than just one of five players on the floor.

It's only the middle of the season and the naysayer negatives are already writing off the team. That's actually pretty sad. There's concerns, sure, nobody is saying otherwise, but it is FAR too early to all of a sudden proclaim this team a 50-and-fade team.

 

[jbeecham]

It's not just Nash that were missing, with Diaw & KT out as well. We're a team that didn't want to go more than 8 deep in any game and now 3 of those guys aren't playing. It's going to be extremely hard for us now with guys like Burke, Banks and even Rose actually having to play meaningful minutes. Then you get officiating like tonight calling tons of fouls (except on Ben Wallace or anyone else who was fouling Amare constantly) and we have 6 of our best players in severe foul trouble all game long and it's almost impossible to win against a good team.

 

[RingtheBell]

Losing KT hurt us more than if LB would have went down.

 

[SO91]

Losing KT hurt us more than if LB would have went down.

There's no doubt that losing KT hurts, but come on now. If LB goes down who do we have that can give Nash and/or Bell a rest? From what I've seen on another thread you're not too happy with Banks, so tell me, what would the suns do?

 

[RingtheBell]

I would rather see Jones and Banks on the floor in the 2nd quarter before Burke.

KT backs up 3 people and can score and play D. LB is a saving grace for this team but we have other options at the position. With Diaw hurt it shows even more.

 

[Covert Rain]

I agree. Kurt is valuable but Barbosa give us 20 off the bench and allows Steve to rest without losing much scoring punch. Not to mention that Barbosa has taken over games for us. Kurt doesn't do that. That alone makes Barbosa more valuable. Having said that, Kurt is huge when the team needs defense or rebounding.

Steve is the MVP period. The last couple games proves that. The guy is the one that makes everything go. These last 2 games proves how good Nash is and how important he is. Nobody can run this team like Steve. Nobody is more valuable to his team then Steve.

 

[BC867]

Come on. I think it's pretty funny how everyone on this board seems to think that without Steve Nash we should still be beating every team we come across.

A coach can't assume that the 7 players who were getting almost all of the minutes will all remain healthy all season.

Doesn't it look like the bench wasn't prepared for the loss of Nash? How could you not anticipate it?

And with a weak bench, hasn't D'Antoni the General Manager let down D'Antoni the Coach?

 

[Covert Rain]

Doesn't it look like the bench wasn't prepared for the loss of Nash? How could you not anticipate it?

And with a weak bench, hasn't D'Antoni the General Manager let down D'Antoni the Coach?

You nailed it. D'Antoni's own comment was that the bench was not ready. Who's fault is that? You can look at this 2 ways. Either the bench is not prepared which then is the "Coach" who is at fault or you don't have the right players which then is the "GM" who is at fault. In both instances that falls on D'Antoni.

Rotations shorten up come playoff time. We all know that. However, what about our last 2 years of playoffs runs have we learned? That at some point someone is probably going to get dinged up come playoff time.

If someone gets in foul trouble or gets dinged up our bench has to be ready to step up. If anything we know that are bench is ill prepared either from lack of playing time or lack of talent (which I don't buy).

I love Mike D'Antoni. I love this system. However, people act like because we have a great record that it shields Mike from any criticizm. I will call it right now. If this team doesn't get the bench more playing time and get us better prepared...we will not win a title this year. It won't be because our starting 5 are not good enough. It will because the people that are coming off the bench are not prepared to come in when adversity strikes during the playoffs.

It's not time to hit the panic button by any stretch. I just don't want to wait until the playoffs to shore up something that could be done right now.

 

[zett]

I'm glad that talking about going all the way with 7 NBA Championship caliber players has caught up with us now.

Come playoff time, it would be too late. The question is, is it too late even now?

Or can GM Mike D'Antoni and Coach Mike D'Antoni use the rest of the season to make major adjustments to be ready for the post-season?

Correction. Will he? No indication of it so far.

It looks like the dictionary definition of the Phoenix Suns, "50-and-fade", won't be updated anytime soon.

That's a shame.

You are now free to jump of the highest bridge you can find, because there is no future in suns land!
I hope you don't enjoy our winning a title any time soon!

 

[BC867]

You are now free to jump of the highest bridge you can find, because there is no future in suns land!
I hope you don't enjoy our winning a title any time soon!

Do you not agree that our bench is not prepared for a Title run?

I've rooted for the Suns for decades, but I'm not going to hide my head in the sand.

I wonder if anyone within the Suns organization is questioning the lack of confidence in the bench.

 

[Feeble Mcjackson]

if you look at our bench when this team is healthy they can produce. suns would have LB, Kurt, and JJ getting solid minutes and producing fairly well. The glaring issue seems to be Banks. As a team our point differential is worst when he is on the floor then when he is off. Unfortunately we overpaid him so even though he has been on the trading block for some time nobody wants to take his blated contract.

With that being said, 8 deep when healthy is better then we have had in the past. I still feel that when healthy this is the best team in the NBA and the championship is ours to win.

 

[Skkorpion]

Feeble, the problem is that the Suns are rarely ever healthy by playoff time. This year, the problems have started earlier.

Right now, Raja Bell's swelling knee is worrisome and he continues to play on it. The reason for and the severity of Nash's injury are still unknown. Diaw could very well have a serious back problem.

Kurt Thomas, Nash, and Bell have a lot of miles on them. Maybe Mark Cuban was right about Nash breaking down.

You may not be concerned but I am.

 

[Covert Rain]

Not to mention that JJ is starting to get inconsistant again. I would be much more comfortable if we could get 1 to 2 more guys in the rotation so at least they are ready come playoff time.

 

[TheFallen49]

Yeah... a team that uses a 7 man rotation is deifnitely going to be hurting when even 2 guys go down (especially Nash, and another starter in Bell). I don't think theres anything wrong with the rest of your bench and don't understand why they don't get any PT even with the injuries. Whatever.

As for Amare, no one could have possibly seen this coming and i'm happy for the kid because he's once again a fun beast to watch... but can the Suns be denied? Well saying no is just foolish, especially when they aren't the best team in the league at this point.

 

[Lorenzo]

Feeble, the problem is that the Suns are rarely ever healthy by playoff time. This year, the problems have started earlier.

Right now, Raja Bell's swelling knee is worrisome and he continues to play on it. The reason for and the severity of Nash's injury are still unknown. Diaw could very well have a serious back problem.

Kurt Thomas, Nash, and Bell have a lot of miles on them. Maybe Mark Cuban was right about Nash breaking down.

You may not be concerned but I am.

nash breaking down always seemed to be the excuse in dallas. I never bought into that because the great players rarely break down in the playoffs. A lot of nash's style is defended a little more carefully in the playoffs(the transition points and jump shots). Nash will be fine in the playoffs if amare is the difference. Amare can give the suns tough points in the paint, tough rebounding, and tough defense. If he and the suns committ to that philosophy they can beat anybody. Having said that it has to be a team attitude.

 

[Mainstreet]

nash breaking down always seemed to be the excuse in dallas.

Nash has already paid for his contract already with two MVPs. Dallas is just thinking those are two Championships they could have won (if they had kept Nash). Maybe this is the year that Steve leads a healthy postseason team to a Championship.