Clippers @ Suns 5/16/2006 game thread -Yahoo/ESPN previews

[az1965]

It was way too soon for the Suns to change their game plan. A 19-point lead in the middle of the third quarter is nice, but you have to keep doing what you're doing. I don't remember exactly how they lost the lead, but "protecting" it by going away from their game plan wasn't the answer.

No, but the Clips were in foul trouble and we should have taken advantage by trying to drive to the basket a little bit more. We could have had 5-6 extra free throws and getting some of them into fouls problem.

 

[jibikao]

The rule wasnt always called this way. Sam jumped about 3 feet into TT on the second one. Even Doug collins said it didnt look like a foul, sam just jumped into him.

It looked lilke Sam "exploited" the rule rather than really drawing the foul. If Sam jumped and TT jumped into him, it's definitely a foul but all Cassell did was faking it, waited and jumped into TT to initiate the contact.

Well, this is why Bell is great on Cassell 'cause he isn't as jumpy as Marion/TT. Marion is probably the easiest to fake in this league. I don't know how many times Dirk drew that foul on him.

 

[az1965]

On another note, where was Maggette last night? I don't remember him playing at all. He usually gives us fits.

Apparently, based on Dunleavy's post-game interview, some of the players were not doing what he wanted them to do - milk the clock, go inside-out - and they were hoisting up quick shots. As per Dunleavy, he took those players out and put the players that were willing to follow his game plan.

Even though he did not mention anyone, Maggette might have been one of them since he spent quite a bit of time on the bench.

 

[jibikao]

Apparently, based on Dunleavy's post-game interview, some of the players were not doing what he wanted them to do - milk the clock, go inside-out - and they were hoisting up quick shots. As per Dunleavy, he took those players out and put the players that were willing to follow his game plan.

Even though he did not mention anyone, Maggette might have been one of them since he spent quite a bit of time on the bench.

They tried to exploit Nash's defense by going to Maggette's post game many times in the first half (mainly first Q). The funny thing is he didn't make many shots that way and that Karman guy grabbed probably 3 straight offensive rebounds and put them back.

That Ross guy played really hard and almost stole twice from Nash.

 

[jbeecham]

The defensive player is allowed to jump straight up. But if he is moving toward the offensive player while in the air, and then the offensive player moves into him, it's a foul. It's bogus, but changing the rule would require some delicate judgment from the officials in a lot of cases, and they've already demonstrated that they aren't particularly good at that.

My main problem with this type of play is when the defender jumps towards a shooter, lands and is still 2 ft away from the shooter and then the shooter jumps forward into him as the defender is landing. There wouldn't be any contact without the offensive player jumping forward, yet the offensive player gets the call. Cassell did that to Thomas pretty badly last night and actually turned sideways and led with his shoulder into TT and got the call. The Suns need to stop going for head fakes and make the Clippers hit thier outside shots.

 

[Gaddabout]

My main problem with this type of play is when the defender jumps towards a shooter, lands and is still 2 ft away from the shooter and then the shooter jumps forward into him as the defender is landing. There wouldn't be any contact without the offensive player jumping forward, yet the offensive player gets the call. Cassell did that to Thomas pretty badly last night and actually turned sideways and led with his shoulder into TT and got the call. The Suns need to stop going for head fakes and make the Clippers hit thier outside shots.

If Thomas doesn't break the parallel plane (lean forward), it's a no call. If you contest a shot by jumping, as long as you maintain your parallel space, you can't be called for a charge.

Or so said Doug Collins last night.

 

[Redmark]

Anyway the thing which bothers me the most is the state of Nash's health - he looked so tired already in the end of the regulation when he made those ugly turnovers and that clutch 3 pointer from nowhere. It was not the 2x MVP Steve Nash at all.

He looked a heck of a lot better in Game 5 than Game 4, but I don't believe he made a single 3-point shot and is on something like an o-fer 15 streak. You figure he's way overdue to breakout, but most of these shots are off course or barely hit the rim. Maybe Raja ought to give him a few pointers.

 

[nowagimp]

The defensive player is allowed to jump straight up. But if he is moving toward the offensive player while in the air, and then the offensive player moves into him, it's a foul. It's bogus, but changing the rule would require some delicate judgment from the officials in a lot of cases, and they've already demonstrated that they aren't particularly good at that.

Almost every rule requires "delicate judgement" in todays NBA. How about traveling, offensive fouls, palming, fending off the defender on the shot. The fact is that Sam wouldnt have been able to shoot the shot without traveling if he hadnt bumped into TT (barely)first. He could never have taken that shot jumping that way if TT was not there. As far as TT jumping straight up, it was off by a few inches at most. It was indeed a delicate judgement to even determine that TT didnt jump straight up.

 

[George O'Brien]

If we are going to do a gripe fest, I'd like to mention that Barbosa was called for a couple of palmings, but Cassell does it almost every time he goes down the floor.

BTW, I was surprised the refs finally called Kaman for three seconds ine lane ONCE. I started watching and he lives in the lane. He never had to move to grab those offensive rebounds - because he was camped under the basket.

Back to the Suns play, they got shoved around a lot when shooting the ball inside without getting many calls. I got the impression that it really unnerved Diaw, which is why he didn't play much late in the game.

In any case, the Suns have to keep going to the basket but with more authority. The Clippers are shot blocking team, so the Suns have to dunk.