Bright Side

[stompg]

I know that everyone on this board is upset and basically want to vent their frustration. And rightfully so. Nobody wants to see bad triumph over good. That's why we root for the good guy in the movie. The Spurs have thus far proven that they are the one's wearing the black hat in this series.

With that being said, I think there is a bright side that you all are missing. What if we win game 5? Can you imagine the psychological blow that the Spurs will take if we beat them without Amare and Boris? And then they have to face the prospect of facing a VERY motivated Amare in game 6. I think that if we take game 5 tomorrow the entire Spurs team will collectively crap the proverbial brick.

Now is it probable that the Suns will win game 5? Probably not. But is it possible? Absolutely. This team has proven that when it's back is against the wall it plays it's best basketball. Well, guess what, game 5 is a mighty big wall and I don't think their backs can be pushed up against it anymore. Before I get razzed as a homer with rose colored glasses on, I admit that it is a very daunting task. But for some reason I believe that this Suns team can do it.

 

[az1965]

You need some inside presence and we will have none. They will cover perimeter glued to our shooters and we won't have any offense going. I might be wrong but doesn't look too bright to me at the moment. We may have to go hack-a-wuss-Duncan most of the night by playing small ball.

 

[stompg]

You need some inside presence and we will have none. They will cover perimeter glued to our shooters and we won't have any offense going. I might be wrong but doesn't look too bright to me at the moment. We may have to go hack-a-wuss-Duncan most of the night by playing small ball.

I don't disagree with you but an inside presence is not absolutely necessary. We beat the Clippers last year and Elton Brand is a beast. Like I said, I don't think it will be easy or even probably. But it certainly is possible. And if we pull it off, we will have a humungous psychological edge over the Spurs.

 

[Zobaczcie suki]

Hey, at least Pat Burke will get a few minutes.

 

[Linderbee]

You need some inside presence and we will have none. They will cover perimeter glued to our shooters and we won't have any offense going. I might be wrong but doesn't look too bright to me at the moment. We may have to go hack-a-wuss-Duncan most of the night by playing small ball.

He didn't say that things look bright now--he said IF we win, it will be VERY bright--which I agree with.

Not picking on you necessarily, az1965, but it's very obvious with today's turn of events who on this board is "glass half full" and who is "glass half empty"...none of us are saying this will be easy...most of us are saying it's going to be really hard. Some of us, though, are optimists. Can't help it.

 

[az1965]

My hopes will be overflowing tomorrow game time but we need to be realistic as well. I believe there is a fine line between optimist and realist. Last year at least we had Diaw and he was playing his best ball in the playoffs. We also had Tim Thomas. Duncan is in a totally different class though. Wouldn't you agree? Even with our full team, it has been a dog fight, literally.

Everything is possible, we can have our shooters catch fire and we can hit 16-18 3 pointers and Nash and Barbosa can go crazy driving to the bucket, getting Duncan and couple others into foul trouble.

Here's hoping...

 

[Linderbee]

My hopes will be overflowing tomorrow game time but we need to be realistic as well. I believe there is a fine line between optimist and realist. Last year at least we had Diaw and he was playing his best ball in the playoffs. We also had Tim Thomas. Duncan is in a totally different class though. Wouldn't you agree? Even with our full team, it has been a dog fight, literally.

Everything is possible, we can have our shooters catch fire and we can hit 16-18 3 pointers and Nash and Barbosa can go crazy driving to the bucket, getting Duncan and couple others into foul trouble.

Here's hoping...

I read too quickly & thought you said "our shoulders catch fire" and I was like, wtf???

 

[az1965]

I read too quickly & thought you said "our shoulders catch fire" and I was like, wtf???

Ha, ha... My head almost caught fire last night... I felt like it was going to burst with tension.

Let's hope for a similar game tomorrow!!!

I was hoping to run them out of the building, but now have to claw and scratch to keep it close and hope to take over in the fourth.

 

[elindholm]

The shooters can't "catch fire" when they don't have any room to get shots off. The Spurs have prevented the Suns from getting open three-point looks even while Stoudemire is operating in the post, so why will their defense suddenly start breaking down now?

 

[Linderbee]

The shooters can't "catch fire" when they don't have any room to get shots off. The Spurs have prevented the Suns from getting open three-point looks even while Stoudemire is operating in the post, so why will their defense suddenly start breaking down now?

Because they SUCK.

 

[gdiddy]

I don't disagree with you but an inside presence is not absolutely necessary. We beat the Clippers last year and Elton Brand is a beast. Like I said, I don't think it will be easy or even probably. But it certainly is possible. And if we pull it off, we will have a humungous psychological edge over the Spurs.

Elton Brand is just a great player; Chris Kaman is the beast!

 

[az1965]

The shooters can't "catch fire" when they don't have any room to get shots off. The Spurs have prevented the Suns from getting open three-point looks even while Stoudemire is operating in the post, so why will their defense suddenly start breaking down now?

I know it is going to be very very tough. They played pretty suffocating perimeter defense in 2nd and 3rd quarters. See my first post.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

The shooters can't "catch fire" when they don't have any room to get shots off. The Spurs have prevented the Suns from getting open three-point looks even while Stoudemire is operating in the post, so why will their defense suddenly start breaking down now?

what's logic, when you can gulp cooliade? Notice the people who are saying "just win" have nothing stategic to offer, it's all "I believe BS".

Spurs certainly will lock down the shooters, Ames Ones is not going to go off, sorry.

Dear Suns, I ran out of lube and all I have is this rough gravel, you should be used to it though by now though.

Love, david and stu

 

[msdundee]

what's logic, when you can gulp cooliade? Notice the people who are saying "just win" have nothing stategic to offer, it's all "I believe BS".

Somehow I seriously doubt that those responsible for working out a game plan would consult this board for ideas on strategy.

 

[Linderbee]

Here's a bright side for you...Skkorp was hoping to test the capacity of the board during the draft...I saw 155 viewers in here earlier...he probably got a good test today!

 

[scoutmasterdave]

what's logic, when you can gulp cooliade?

Not a bad argument, but what the hell is "cooliade"?

 

[Linderbee]

Not a bad argument, but what the hell is "cooliade"?

That's how they spell it in Chandler (they're kind of backwards over there)

 

[nashman]

There is no Bright Side! We have no shot unless we can get Duncan out of the game in the first half! Maybe have burke just punch on him and try to get him to retaliate, that seems to be what the league wants. If we go down I want every guy on our team to foul out just to send a message to the league! Would that not be great our WHOLE team and BENCH foul out and not sissy fouls HARD fouls!

 

[stompg]

what's logic, when you can gulp cooliade? Notice the people who are saying "just win" have nothing stategic to offer, it's all "I believe BS".

Spurs certainly will lock down the shooters, Ames Ones is not going to go off, sorry.

Dear Suns, I ran out of lube and all I have is this rough gravel, you should be used to it though by now though.

Love, david and stu

Look, if you want to be pessimitic, by all means wallow in your misery and ignore whatever theory I have to offer. But if you want to disagree with me then you better come up with something better (and more intelligent) than the fact that I'm drinking Kool-Aid.

I'm not the Suns owner, GM, head coach, assistant coach, star player, role player, 6th man, or 12th man. It is not my job, nor am I qualified, to find the strategy for this team to win.

You want logic? I believe that when a man is down he can find the wherewithal to find something inside of him that belies the limits of his own talent. I believe this because I've seen Steve Nash will us to a win (Dallas Mavericks game). I believe this because I've seen Shawn Marion lock down any man put in front of him (granted this has been rare but I've seen it). I believe this because I've seen the fire that Raja Bell has and his pure desire to win. All of these men are very talented but in these few instances, they've found something inside of them that has brought out a focus that is only there when a certain desperation becomes apparent and it surpasses any talent they may possess.

You want to think that we simply can't win, fine, that's your perogative. But do not begin to insinuate that my faith in this team is unfounded or illogical. I never once said that we were GOING to win. What I said was that IF we did win it would give us a significant psychological advantage. You take your pessimism and self pity and be happy with the fact that you feel shafted. I will take my hope and guarded optimism and will believe that it is possible.

 

[AZZenny]

Stomp G, I am with you on this. Yes, it's improbable -- but it is NOT impossible. Yes, everyone has to show up and play the game of their life, and Duncan needs to get in foul trouble early -- but even if we drive the Spurs hard and lose fairly close tomorrow, it will put them on notice. And it is not the must win game.

The only time I start to lose faith -- it isn't hope, hope is for idiots --this is belief -- is when I realize the Refs have ALSO been reinforced by Dav and Stu for letting the Spurs do whatever they effing well please.

Tell ya something, if any Spur so much as nudges Nash tomorrow night, I have to think some fans may try to take this into their own hands. I will probably not blame them.

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[Chaplin]

Game 6 is ours. Period. Games 5 and 7? Not so sure.

 

[asudevil83]

you know...the brightside of this situation is ONE THING: these players that we've ragged on all season, can show that they are valuable.

Burke - he has heart, and if he can man up against duncan....well then i will have all kinds of respect the the guy.

Rose - he came to this team wanting to make a contribution and win a championship. he was given the opportunity to leave, but opted to stay.

Banks - if i were him, after reading this site, i would have cried myself to sleep. we show the guy ZERO respect. he's going to get a chance to go out there and play his heart out.

 

[Chaplin]

Here it is: The 3 guys that can beat us--Duncan, Manu and Parker.

1) Tony Parker: Put Marcus Banks on him. Tell Marcus to not worry about offense and just make Tony work for every single thing he does, whether that's shoot or pass. Make him exhausted and not able to run the Spur offense.

2) Manu: He had a good Game 3, but single coverage with Raja seems to be working, so don't change it.

3) Duncan: DOUBLE, DOUBLE, DOUBLE! This is where James Jones becomes extremely valuable. Help KT when Duncan is down low, and let Marion roam to get more of those blocks from behind he seems to have patented in this series.

These strategies give Nash, LB and Marion the freedom to really run the Spurs ragged. Will D'Antoni do something like that? I think he'll go with Point 2 and maybe Point 3, but Point 1? Probably not. But if you have Marion and KT playing the big guys, Raja on Manu or FInley (whoever is in), and Nash on Bowen, that's a pretty solid job. Let Shawn school Oberto and Elson pretty much at will. He certainly won't have to worry about disrupting Amare from doing anything in the paint. And it's not like our pick-and-roll was working very well anyway.

This is a game we can win, especially since we'll be at home with hopefully a very hostile crowd.

 

[ma_falaa_50]

whats done is done. this is the mental toughness part that Steve Nash was talking about. Its hard to roll it off but phx has to and if they dont the spurs will get the mental edge right back.

I respect for Duncan and TP. I think phx has a hard game ahead of them. They are going to have to play without Amare and diaw and complaining and bitching about it will only help San Antonio.

The fault rely heavily on the officials because now they are going to call a tight game after the series has been overly physical.

once again the NBA is 2 seconds behind the problem.

 

[cly2tw]

Here it is: The 3 guys that can beat us--Duncan, Manu and Parker.

1) Tony Parker: Put Marcus Banks on him. Tell Marcus to not worry about offense and just make Tony work for every single thing he does, whether that's shoot or pass. Make him exhausted and not able to run the Spur offense.

2) Manu: He had a good Game 3, but single coverage with Raja seems to be working, so don't change it.

3) Duncan: DOUBLE, DOUBLE, DOUBLE! This is where James Jones becomes extremely valuable. Help KT when Duncan is down low, and let Marion roam to get more of those blocks from behind he seems to have patented in this series.

These strategies give Nash, LB and Marion the freedom to really run the Spurs ragged. Will D'Antoni do something like that? I think he'll go with Point 2 and maybe Point 3, but Point 1? Probably not. But if you have Marion and KT playing the big guys, Raja on Manu or FInley (whoever is in), and Nash on Bowen, that's a pretty solid job. Let Shawn school Oberto and Elson pretty much at will. He certainly won't have to worry about disrupting Amare from doing anything in the paint. And it's not like our pick-and-roll was working very well anyway.

This is a game we can win, especially since we'll be at home with hopefully a very hostile crowd.

I fully agree with your points 1 and 2. Banks on Parker will at least tire him up and rough him up. However, we should still keep our single coverage of TD for most of the game and mix it up with double on and off, in order not to let the 3pt shooters Finley, Barry win the game for them.

Also, I think the refs from this game on will give Nash extra protection after both Bowen and Horry targeted him hard. And LB should be getting some 50-50 calls in his favor if he drives to the hoop smart and HARD. Just don't give them too much freebies without body contact.

We don't need to be excessive with our fouls but we should do them hard when we need to commit some. I'd dare the refs to foul out our entire lineup if need be.