Game 2 Prediction

[Treesquid PhD]

Suns will win by 7-12 pts. I just don't think this is all doom and gloom yet. This is going to be a series IMO, I felt D'antoni was brilliant in the press conference calling out the refs like he did, that will pay off.

Stoudemire and Barbosa will have better games.

 

[FArting]

Better defense on Parker.

Play Thomas more.

Suns by 5

Would the zone defense help us against the Spurs?

 

[Griffin]

I would say there's no way the Suns lose both games at home. I would say they will come out with the kind of energy and determination we haven't seen yet and run the Spurs off the floor. I would say that, but I'm pretty sure I said all that two years ago too.

So I'll be cautiously optimistic. I'd like to believe that this is not a repeat of our last meeting, that we are a better team, that we are the better team. I'd like to believe that we can pull out a close game against this team. Because if we have to go back to the drawing board and try to fix in the next two days something we could not fix for the past two years, then we might as well start getting ready for next season.

 

[az1965]

It will be tough to win by double digits unless we are shooting lights out and they are struggling. Pop will not let long runs, unlike some coaches we are very familiar with , he will pull the reins to the runs by calling timeout as soon as we make 2-3 consecutive buckets.

 

[az1965]

We have enough talent to win this series, we need better coaching.

 

[cly2tw]

Can someone please tell me why our best permiter defender (Bell) is not guarding Tony Parker, he killed us today, IMO if DA makes that half time adjustment we win this game...

Bell is too slow for Parker. He was killed by him last time he defended him. If switch Bell on Parker, we'd lose control of both Parker and Manu. Disaster.

 

[Sunshooter]

Suns by 7

Kurt Thomas must step up in game 2.
Mike should trust Kurt's D, not Diaw

 

[NDNACE]

I don't understand why the Suns have to make things difficult on themselves, Tuesday's game is now a darn near must win situation. The Spurs own us on our homecourt. Popovich says we can't beat them. Our fans in the lower bowl ....don't give a feel of a homecourt advantage.

Nash said there was a sense of urgency missing (that comment worried me more than anything). I'm not falling for it this year, Suns escape a sweep by narrowly winning game 2 and are done in 6 if we are lucky.

 

[NDNACE]

BTW, the Suns are taking applications for a cutman to be in their corner on Tuesday.

 

[az1965]

The Suns used four main players to try to slow down Parker. Marion was on him most of the time, but Nash and Barbosa also got chances to guard him. And when Kurt Thomas was in the game, the Suns would switch the pick-and-rolls and let Thomas try to slow Parker.

Here are the results for game one:

--Against Marion, Parker was 6-for-9 and got all five of his free throw attempts when Marion was guarding him.

--Against Nash and Barbosa, Parker was 3-for-4 against both of them.

--Against Thomas, Parker was 2-for-5.

It looks like the Suns' best hope is to play Thomas and let him switch off on Parker. Thomas also did a great job on Duncan. It's no mistake that Thomas led the Suns with a +7 on the game in regards to +/-.

Luckily for the Spurs, D'Antoni doesn't like to play Thomas.

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Even the Spurs fans get it but we have a dumb coach...

 

[Covert Rain]

Bell is too slow for Parker. He was killed by him last time he defended him. If switch Bell on Parker, we'd lose control of both Parker and Manu. Disaster.

Well Marion isn't either. So that leaves Nash or benching Bell and bringing in Barbosa. For me, I think Parker is going to get his. So keep Nash on him, make Parker work on defense. At least then we have our players playing in their natural positions defensively which should help with rebounding and the fast break.

 

[cly2tw]

Due to the shorter bench, we have more of a fatigue problem than the Spurs.

Amare's bad shooting night and us conceding too many off. rebounds are all a direct result of it. Amare just didn't have the touch around the basket late in the game and he missed a couple boxing out too.

We seriously should think of putting Banks on Parker for 10min or so, to at least give him some bang for driving to the hoop. Also, as it looks, JJ can be easily replaced by Jalen Rose too, since everybody can defend Finley, Bowen and Horry on the perimeter.

We gotta save some energy for Amare and Nash for the crucial 4th qtr!

 

[fordronken]

Suns win by double figures.

 

[PetryJr]

Great call, fordronken!