Game 5 was not the turning point

[Mulli]

Yeah, because the suspension had no affect? Honestly, have you ever touched a ball in your life?

Fine. Let us see the Suns keep the exact same roster and lose again next year. What will the excuse be then?

Read. I posted I hoped they put all the blame on the suspensions.

 

[ajcardfan]

Was Diaw tired in game 6? He did nothing. Amare was killing tonight and it wasn't enough as other stood and watched. Spurs could have beaten them in 5.

I also doubt the Spurs would've played grab-ass for a quarter and a half like they did in game 5 had Amare played. They would've been more focused.

 

[Arctic]

Yeah, because the suspension had no affect? Honestly, have you ever touched a ball in your life?

Some affect, yes. Cost the series? No. If you have touched a ball in your life, you know that's the truth.

 

[sly fly]

Fine. Let us see the Suns keep the exact same roster and lose again next year. What will the excuse be then?

Read. I hoped the don;t put all the blame on the suspensions.

The roster is fine. Yes, tweaking and re-loading will be necessary.

But, PHX just lost to a helluva basketball team. Greg Popovich and his staff are the best in the world... and it's not even close.

The team played their hearts out. Not always great, but always played hard. However, that little midget Napolean in NY took the knife and buried it deep into their chest.

 

[Griffin]

Fine. Let us see the Suns keep the exact same roster and lose again next year. What will the excuse be then?

As opposed to trying to fix something that we aren't sure is even broken?

 

[Mulli]

The roster is fine. Yes, tweaking and re-loading will be necessary.

But, PHX just lost to a helluva basketball team. Greg Popovich and his staff are the best in the world... and it's not even close.

The team played their hearts out. Not always great, but always played hard. However, that little midget Napolean in NY took the knife and buried it deep into their chest.

True enough. And I think the Suns are in better shape than the Mavs right now. Makes me feel a little better. I just thought this was the year for the Suns.

 

[Mulli]

As opposed to trying to fix something that we aren't sure is even broken?

I don't think the Suns should blow up the team or hire Van Gundy. But they need to add a couple players. Which ones, I dunno.

 

[Griffin]

I don't think the Suns should blow up the team or hire Van Gundy. But they need to add a couple players. Which ones, I dunno.

I agree on the additions, just not on the subtractions of any of our core players.

 

[jibikao]

Haven't posted a while.

The REAL turning point is Game 5 because we gained the confidence we need to bring the game back to PHX. If we win game 5, and lose game 6, we still have game 7 at home.

 

[Joe Mama]

I really hate complaining about the referees. I do. That said, had Bruce fallen not been allowed to manhandle Steve Nash for the entire series I think the Phoenix Suns could have won in 5 games. I know that sounds crazy, but think about it.

I'm not talking about a single call here and there. I'm talking about all game every game just putting his hands and hacking all over the two-time MVP. It makes absolutely no sense, and I can't believe David Stern in the NBA allow it.

The NBA goes to great lengths to clean up the ugly style of basketball that was being played for 10 years. Then they allowed again against the two-time MVP, the facilitator on the most exciting offensive team to play in the NBA since the Lakers Showtime. It just makes no sense.

Sure, Barbosa and Diaw were disasters almost the entire series. Barbosa in particular just could not handle the defensive pressure, and Diaw has a lot of work to do this summer. Shawn Marion played some great defense, but overall he disappeared offensively.

At this point I will not blame David Stern and the NBA for the suspensions. We heard today that all of the players on the Phoenix Suns were told not five minutes before the "altercation" and if anything happened they had to stay on the bench. Amare Stoudemire and to a lesser extent Boris Diaw were just total idiots.

Still, the difference in the series IMO was the way Bruce Balin was allowed to defend Steve Nash. Just take away the relatively blatant hacks and grabbing, and it's an entirely different series.

Joe

 

[Mainstreet]

My point is, they never held momentum... The Suns never proved they could hold home court. The Spurs were never put on their heals and into a must win game. Game 5 was not a must win game for the Spurs as much as it was for the Suns.... The Spurs lose they go home to tie it up, the Suns lose they face elimination on the road, and you saw what happened

The Suns did have momentum in game 4 until the suspensions. I'm sorry but to think Amare would not have made a tremendous impact in game 5 is ridiculous. I give the Spurs their due but the Suns would have won game 5 easily without the suspensions. Then the Spurs would have won game 6 and then there would have been a gigantic game 7 at Phoenix... the way it should have been. I'd like to think Phoenix would have won game 7 but thanks to Stern, the fans will never know.

 

[Arctic]

Are you saying Bowen gets preferrential treatment? Because he plays everyone that way, not just Nash. Any team with a player like Bowen has an xtra weapon in their arsenal. Spurs are no different. Suns could use a player like him.

 

[mjb21aztd]

agreed if you have homecourt you have to take care of it we just couldnt do it cause of bad breaks and few other things HORRY YOU POS

 

[elindholm]

Still, the difference in the series IMO was the way Bruce Balin was allowed to defend Steve Nash. Just take away the relatively blatant hacks and grabbing, and it's an entirely different series.

Joe

That's true, but we knew it was coming. Every year the NBA goes through a song and dance about how they are going to clean the game up, and every year the playoffs revert to the same hack-a-thon they've been since the days of the "Bad Boy" Pistons.

A team that needs the game called cleanly is never going to win a title. That's the bottom line. If you want to compete for a championship, you don't necessarily have to play dirty, but you need a system that can tolerate constant fouling.

 

[haverford]

I agree that Bowen's hacking defense was shocking to behold, and must have been a source of great frustration for Nash. Nash was completely beaten up by him. That bruise on Nash's calf was ugly. My hope is that they solve the back-up point guard problem in the offseason (and get longer).....

 

[jibikao]

Are you saying Bowen gets preferrential treatment? Because he plays everyone that way, not just Nash. Any team with a player like Bowen has an xtra weapon in their arsenal. Spurs are no different. Suns could use a player like him.

But Suns don't want to be like Spurs = a dirty team. You don't get it, do ya?

The solution is easy. Most of NBA teams are not like Spurs trying to hack other players. So why force other teams into dirty teams when they can easily just get rid of Bowen's style?

 

[Arctic]

But Suns don't want to be like Spurs = a dirty team. You don't get it, do ya?

The solution is easy. Most of NBA teams are not like Spurs trying to hack other players. So why force other teams into dirty teams when they can easily just get rid of Bowen's style?

I guess they could go that way, but IMO the "clean" style will do no good for the NBA's ratings. Remember, the bad boy pistons were alive and well in the "golden era" of the NBA. I don't see the league cleaning things up. They tried earlier this season and the teams and fans complained until they eased off.

 

[WildBB]

I'm not talking about a single call here and there. I'm talking about all game every game just putting his hands and hacking all over the two-time MVP. It makes absolutely no sense, and I can't believe David Stern in the NBA allow it.

The NBA goes to great lengths to clean up the ugly style of basketball that was being played for 10 years. Then they allowed again against the two-time MVP,

This is an absolute issue with this series. HOW Bowen did not foul out in ANY game is beyond ludicris. These refs were not on top of things and you have to wonder what that reason is. During the season we get calls. Then hardly any?

 

[WildBB]

I don't see the league cleaning things up. They tried earlier this season and the teams and fans complained until they eased off.

That was obvious - painfuly unfortunately.

 

[gdiddy]

This series was lost with game 1, they put their backs agains the wall immediately and they never had the upper hand in this series. Not by the records and not on the court

Sorry, but this is really a ridiculous remark.

Spurs lost game 1 against the Nuggets. Were their backs against the wall???

 

[haverford]

And Manu Ginobili is a hell of a player.

 

[jibikao]

I guess they could go that way, but IMO the "clean" style will do no good for the NBA's ratings. Remember, the bad boy pistons were alive and well in the "golden era" of the NBA. I don't see the league cleaning things up. They tried earlier this season and the teams and fans complained until they eased off.

If I remember correctly the Final between Spurs and Pistons was the lowest ever? How is that good for NBA ratings?

If by "clean" you mean not hurting other players on purpose, then why is that bad for NBA? I've watched many games last season and I don't think I've seen that much hacking when Suns played against other teams (ex: Lakers and Clippers and maybe even Mavs in the playoffs).

I haven't watched that many games this season but from ESPN and other NBA sources I've read, I think the media and fans are rooting for Suns' style way more than Spurs'.

That rule-is-rule suspension is the stupidest thing ever. It's like me punching your loved one in front of you and if you have any human reaction, you are suspended. Yup, that's exactly how I interpret that incident. Nash is the leader and he got knocked to the score-table and Amare and Diaw wanted to see what was going on and got suspended. There was even no fight to begin with. The real only fight is between Bell and Horry.

 

[Arctic]

If I remember correctly the Final between Spurs and Pistons was the lowest ever? How is that good for NBA ratings?

Yes it was. Funny thing is, back then the Spurs were labeled the "choir boys" of the NBA. The media said they were soft and too clean. That was only a short time ago. Now they say they're too dirty. Since when has a small market NBA team ever garnered the favor of the media or nation?

If by "clean" you mean not hurting other players on purpose, then why is that bad for NBA?

By clean, I mean cleaning the game up in general. Remember the rediculous tech rules earlier in the year. Those went over well, right?

I haven't watched that many games this season but from ESPN and other NBA sources I've read, I think the media and fans are rooting for Suns' style way more than Spurs'.

No argument here.

That rule-is-rule suspension is the stupidest thing ever. It's like me punching your loved one in front of you and if you have any human reaction, you are suspended. Yup, that's exactly how I interpret that incident. Nash is the leader and he got knocked to the score-table and Amare and Diaw wanted to see what was going on and got suspended. There was even no fight to begin with. The real only fight is between Bell and Horry.

Well, some fans will say that for years to come. If the owners agree, maybe they will change the rule this off season. If not, I think that will speak to the validity of the ruling.

 

[Avondale Red Rage]

The Suns did have momentum in game 4 until the suspensions. I'm sorry but to think Amare would not have made a tremendous impact in game 5 is ridiculous. I give the Spurs their due but the Suns would have won game 5 easily without the suspensions. Then the Spurs would have won game 6 and then there would have been a gigantic game 7 at Phoenix... the way it should have been. I'd like to think Phoenix would have won game 7 but thanks to Stern, the fans will never know.

Thats a cop-out. If the Suns were a championship caliber TEAM, they would have won Game 5. They were in control the whole game until late in the 4th quarter. The championship claiber team wearing black hit clutch shots and the purple guys didn't....PERIOD.

 

[Arctic]

Thats a cop-out. If the Suns were a championship caliber TEAM, they would have won Game 5. They were in control the whole game until late in the 4th quarter. The championship claiber team wearing black hit clutch shots and the purple guys didn't....PERIOD.

That's a cheap shot. You can't say the Suns aren't champion material because they didn't win game 5. That's just...well sorry, but that's just a stupid comment.