I like what Barkley said....

[Bayless2Budinger]

Good to see morons on this site are already throwing Amare under the bus after 1 game in which he did play good defense.

 

[Mainstreet]

Nash is like a scrambling QB in football that is made to stay in the pocket rather than create. His talent is being wasted when the Suns are not continually pushing the ball.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Good to see morons on this site are already throwing Amare under the bus after 1 game in which he did play good defense.

+1 although I won't agree with the moron comment. Amare has always had problems with Gasol. Diaw should be on him.

 

[SirStefan32]

Amare is simply not a very polished basketball player. On the offensive end he's either catching and shooting or taking it straight to the front of the rim and defensively it's not even worth discussing. Perhaps one summer instead of perfecting his 3 point shot (11-68 in his career!) he should watch film of every game Tim Duncan has ever played. Watch how Duncan frees up his teammates for wide open jumpers with his spacing and passing, watch how he anticipates doubles and attacks away from them or passes out so he can either re-position or get a teammate an easy shot, watch how he blocks shots in bounds to trigger a fast break, etc.

MVP? That's a joke. Once Amare loses his freakish athleticism in 3-4 years he's going to be Kenyon Martin.

Well, that's exactly the problem with Amare- he is NOT Tim Duncan. Tim Duncan understands the game of basketball. Amare is just an athletic freak. To be fair, Amare is a beast, and he developed that deadly jumper. Offensively, he is the best one-on-one player in the league, but beyond that, he just doesn't have basketball IQ.
Tim Duncan lets the game come to him. When he is having a bad night offensively, he sets up him teammates and plays defense. Amare throws his hands in the air and forces things, not to mention that he doesn't bother to block out. We've been having this discussion/ argument on this board for year- is it lack of coaching, or is Amare simply not intelligent enough (basketball wise) to be any better.

Amare is a good player. I love having him on the team and would hate to see him in a different uniform, but the fact is that he is, and never will be a Tim Duncan, or Shaq, or KG. He is an easy all-star, but MVP he is not.

 

[SirStefan32]

And I forgot to mention, I disagree that he will be a Kenyon Martin. He developed a very nice jumper and even when he loses his freakish athleticism, he will be a good role player.

 

[WuRaider]

Was Amare sick last night? There were about 5 plays where he coulda dunked it but decided to brick a layup instead.

 

[Mainstreet]

Was Amare sick last night? There were about 5 plays where he coulda dunked it but decided to brick a layup instead.

Sick of Porter?

 

[DeAnna]

One thing I noticed about Shaq (thanks to TiVo!). A lot of those easy baskets he missed were because he was too busy throwing his elbows around first; therefore, his shot ended up being a brick.

 

[TJ]

Was Amare sick last night? There were about 5 plays where he coulda dunked it but decided to brick a layup instead.

Whatever it was, the ball wasnt going in the hoop. I saw a lot of open jumpers and lay ups, especially in the 2nd half, that just wouldn't drop. Even Diaw, who can hit an open 18 footer w/ regularity, was struggling to get the ball in the basket.

 

[cly2tw]

Was Amare sick last night? There were about 5 plays where he coulda dunked it but decided to brick a layup instead.

He bricked a slam dunk earlier and was second-guessing himself on later plays. Even not dunking, he normally make at least half of his closeup bricks in this game. I guess it's nerve, playing in a nationally broadcast game.

That's the problem with Shaq. You can't. The spacing is horrible, nobody moves off of the ball. If going to Shaq doesn't work, this team is in trouble. There is no plan B. You can't run the 1/4 P&R because Shaq is in the lane, not giving the proper spacing needed to allow it to work. Nobody should be asking Shaq to lead this team. We have a 2 time MVP and a future MVP to do that. Shaq should be the 3rd option on offense, not the 1st.

But Shaq is to stay! Besides, Nash is getting older and good teams have him figured out. So, it's Nash who gotta accept reality and adjust. I have been appealing to no avail that he play like Stockton, not clinging to his glorious past MVP roles.
Looking at the gamecast replay of Nash's turnover trying to pass to Amare, you will see that he is also no more patient, maybe due to lack of energy, himself. Earlier, he'd have kept the dribble and run through the paint for regrouping instead forcing the pass without a clear lane.

Also, half Shaq and half DA's running is not a sound strategy, guys. DA's worked on the premise that running the whole game long would make everybody tired and hence sloppier with the game, for which condition the Suns were better prepared. That's how he had hard time winning against a solid team in the playoffs when they have enough time to adjust. The Olympic games were good evidence too. They played DA's off. system and won on having much superior talent and extremely good defense. But they still needed Kobe and Wade late game heroics to pull the final game against Spain which with limited talent were still in game with their consistent postup, inside-out games.

In summary, play Nash more like a SG and forget the destined-to-failure idea of hybrid of Shaq and DA to put all the time working on set plays around Shaq and Amare, plus Diaw. It's our only chance to turn around.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Good to see morons on this site are already throwing Amare under the bus after 1 game in which he did play good defense.

I love the people who view the Amare isn't an MVP as "throwing him under the bus" or that they're called morons. He's a very good offensive scorer and that's about it. He's not a great rebounder, he's not a good distributor, he's a mediocre at best defender and we've yet to see him as a leader of his team and that's not an opinion based on one game - it's based on his career.

but hey, if you want to just view everything in a vacuum and call people names, more power to you.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

But Shaq is to stay! Besides, Nash is getting older and good teams have him figured out. So, it's Nash who gotta accept reality and adjust. I have been appealing to no avail that he play like Stockton, not clinging to his glorious past MVP roles.
Looking at the gamecast replay of Nash's turnover trying to pass to Amare, you will see that he is also no more patient, maybe due to lack of energy, himself. Earlier, he'd have kept the dribble and run through the paint for regrouping instead forcing the pass without a clear lane.

Also, half Shaq and half DA's running is not a sound strategy, guys. DA's worked on the premise that running the whole game long would make everybody tired and hence sloppier with the game, for which condition the Suns were better prepared. That's how he had hard time winning against a solid team in the playoffs when they have enough time to adjust. The Olympic games were good evidence too. They played DA's off. system and won on having much superior talent and extremely good defense. But they still needed Kobe and Wade late game heroics to pull the final game against Spain which with limited talent were still in game with their consistent postup, inside-out games.

In summary, play Nash more like a SG and forget the destined-to-failure idea of hybrid of Shaq and DA to put all the time working on set plays around Shaq and Amare, plus Diaw. It's our only chance to turn around.

Stockton ran the P&R for his entire career. Playing like Stockton would be going back to that.

 

[cly2tw]

Stockton ran the P&R for his entire career. Playing like Stockton would be going back to that.

That's only part of his game. He played a lot of catching-shooting off screens and screening Malone's defender for easy mismatchs and/or cheating to get fouls called on the defender. He used to have more assists but they looked much easier and more natural, thus less spectacular. In short, he handled the ball half the time Nash did, while trying to get the game going around Malone first, for which p-n-r with him was part of it.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Whatever it was, the ball wasnt going in the hoop. I saw a lot of open jumpers and lay ups, especially in the 2nd half, that just wouldn't drop. Even Diaw, who can hit an open 18 footer w/ regularity, was struggling to get the ball in the basket.

We must differ greatly on the definition of "regularity" if we're talking about Diaw's 18 footer.

 

[Black Jesus]

I agree. Amare didn't look interested in last night's game. Whether he was in a mental or physical funk, or if he is upset with the game plan and Terry Porter I don't know, but he was not his usual self yesterday.

 

[WuRaider]

I don't understand why Nash and Bell are whining about running more. We just don't have the pieces to be a open space running team anymore. No JJ, Marion, Tim Thomas, etc.

Unless Nash changes his stance and adapts his game to Stocktons, I see this team beating bad teams and losing to good teams until Nash requests a trade behind doors. He'd be better off somewhere else anyway, this team doesn't need a superstar PG anymore.

Nash, Barbs, and Bell need to be moved.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I don't understand why Nash and Bell are whining about running more. We just don't have the pieces to be a open space running team anymore. No JJ, Marion, Tim Thomas, etc.

Unless Nash changes his stance and adapts his game to Stocktons, I see this team beating bad teams and losing to good teams until Nash requests a trade behind doors. He'd be better off somewhere else anyway, this team doesn't need a superstar PG anymore.

Nash, Barbs, and Bell need to be moved.

This I do sorta agree with. If we aren't going to use the talents that Nash/Barbs have, we'd might as well trade them. No use making Nash look like someone who can't play anymore. I'm sure Nellie would want him back. We could get Foyle's expiring contract + picks + in a deal for Nash.

 

[Covert Rain]

Shaq is what is happening to Nash. I have no doubt that he can be the playmaker that he used to be. With Shaq in there, not only do they run our offense through him, but our spacing is TERRIBLE.

The Lakers of old had great spacing with Shaq on the floor. Wonder why we can't figure it out? You can't blame spacing on Shaq. Just becuase you run from the inside out does not automatically mean bad spacing. The difference is that teams don't appear to be scared of our outside shooters any longer and they are sagging down on defense.

Also, I noticed that Amare and the other forwards appear to be lost and don't know when they should or should not cut to the basket. They are clogging lanes. Shaq is not the problem. How we are organized on the floor with Shaq is.

Bring Shaq off of the bench and let him get all the touches he wants in the second unit.

Sounds great in theory but the facts are that our defense in the paint becomes non existant without Shaq on the floor. Look at defensive point differential. Sorry, but the last thing I want is to be down by 20 before you bring Shaq into the game. Plus, you think our spacing is bad on the 1st unit.....when this team goes to the bench (which can't shoot) the spacing will be even worse.

I also strongly believe that they need to change their rotation strategy. Nash leaving at the end of the 1st quarter is horrible. I know they are trying to maximize the total time he is allowed to rest but the team falls apart when he goes to the bench. Rest Nash from the 6 minute mark to the 3 minute mark in the 1st quarter and let him still start the 2nd quarter off of the bench.

I agree with that. I hate how they substitue in and out for Nash.

That's the problem with Shaq. You can't. The spacing is horrible, nobody moves off of the ball. If going to Shaq doesn't work, this team is in trouble. There is no plan B. You can't run the 1/4 P&R because Shaq is in the lane, not giving the proper spacing needed to allow it to work. Nobody should be asking Shaq to lead this team. We have a 2 time MVP and a future MVP to do that. Shaq should be the 3rd option on offense, not the 1st.

Disagree. Shaq should be the first option but the problem is this team doesn't seem to know what to do after that. Nobody is asking Shaq to carry the team. Just make him your first option. When that well runs dry move on. Perfect example was that game when Shaq and Amare played great. Shaq started to look tired and they went to Amare. Where the heck has that been since that game?

They have no plan B. Amare should be plan B. Nash plan C and everybody else after that. There doesn't appear to be a cohesive offensive strategy. Maybe there is but guys still look confused on offense.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

you guys are all missing the point . . . dragic makes the entire team look terrible.

 

[nashman]

I think the point is it seems like NO ONE is flourishing under Porters' system. You have to wonder how many of these guys even beleive it will work at this point. This team still has offensive weapons and we shouldn't be struggling to score. Right now it doesn't appear to be the hybrid offense that we were sold by Kerr, it looks like boring ass Detroit syle half court and we look lost alot of times. God help this board if the Knicks end up winning more games than the Suns!

 

[Bayless2Budinger]

I love the people who view the Amare isn't an MVP as "throwing him under the bus" or that they're called morons. He's a very good offensive scorer and that's about it. He's not a great rebounder, he's not a good distributor, he's a mediocre at best defender and we've yet to see him as a leader of his team and that's not an opinion based on one game - it's based on his career.

but hey, if you want to just view everything in a vacuum and call people names, more power to you.

Its not that. His passing is improved but 2 plays last night turned him into a bad distributor. His rebounding has been decent-good. Most of the time we give up offensive boards is when we are playing zone. His offense has been good when he has gotten the ball although last night he missed some easy shots he would usually make. His defense has improved a lot. Power forwords are routinely shooting and scoring below there average this year. Hell he even forced Bynum to throw up a air ball last night.

This isnt about where or not people view him as a MVP. It's about morons that expect immediate results in every aspect of his game every night. Things take time and he has improved what he needed to improve and is still improving.

 

[Bayless2Budinger]

I think the point is it seems like NO ONE is flourishing under Porters' system. You have to wonder how many of these guys even beleive it will work at this point.

I think it obvious what players have bought into his plans and what players havent. Nash and Bell have been mediocre to horrible on both ends of the court and are choosing not to buy into the system.

Shaq/Diaw/Amare all have bought into the system and even though it isnt working right now, know that if they continue to work at it, it will improve.

 

[Cheesebeef]

This isnt about where or not people view him as a MVP. It's about morons that expect immediate results in every aspect of his game every night. Things take time and he has improved what he needed to improve and is still improving.

IMMEDIATE results? The guy's been playing in the league for 6 years. At 26 he's had PLENTY of time to improve these things and by 26, he should be freaking consistent, especially with all his talk. The scariest thing to me is his rebounding is getting WORSE.

 

[Bayless2Budinger]

IMMEDIATE results? The guy's been playing in the league for 6 years. At 26 he's had PLENTY of time to improve these things and by 26, he should be freaking consistent, especially with all his talk. The scariest thing to me is his rebounding is getting WORSE.

His rebounding isnt getting worse. Just like Garnetts rebounding didnt get worse from 06-07 to 07-08 even though the numbers say they did.

Hes 26 years old and he has shown defensive improvement under the only defensive coach he had. Lebron still is not a great defender and has no outside shot, Kobe has always had problems with his leadership. Just because you are 26 does not mean that you should be a perfect player and that you have no room to grow.

No point in arguing with you though. Your attitude sucks and your posts are sub-par. Have fun spouting more garbage.

 

[Cheesebeef]

His rebounding isnt getting worse. Just like Garnetts rebounding didnt get worse from 06-07 to 07-08 even though the numbers say they did.

he's averaging less rebounds in more minutes. How is that not getting worse? Again, KG's numbers looked like they went down because his minutes went down, thus he didn't get as many opportunities but his rebounding rate was pretty much the same. Amare is now getting MORE minutes, which means more opportunities and his numbers are worse. What's the argument that he's not doing a worse job this year on the boards than he did last year?

No point in arguing with you though. Your attitude sucks and your posts are sub-par. Have fun spouting more garbage.

oy ve.