Official Round 1, Game #3 Thread.

[Joe Mama]

Originally posted by hcsilla
Again,I completely agree.

Why does the half of Suns fans bash Marion when he has two bad games in a row?

It's the "what have you done for me lately?" attitude that many sports fans have. We all do it sometimes. We would probably all laugh our butts off if we went back and read some of our posts from even a few months ago.

I definitely agree with Chap about the reasons for Shawn Marion's struggles. Bowen has traditionally given him a very hard time on the offensive end of the court. Now that it is playoff time Bowen's defense has been even better. And it's not like Shawn Marion has completely disappeared in the playoffs. He's had two bad games. Without him and his 53 minutes in the first game the Suns would have been blown out.

Now I'm all for complaining about Joe Johnson. He has completely disappeared. I love this potential, but JJ is far too timid. You think he was playing for John Wooden the way he refuses to dunk the basketball. If the Suns were getting anything from JJ they would at least be up 2-1 at this point.

Wasn't our demand from Marion at the start of this season to become a better and more dangerous 3P-shooter?

It's nice that Shawn Marion has improved his three point shooting. This team desperately needed someone to step up and that department, especially since the guy they drafted to do it is not. However, I think most people's demand from Shawn Marion was to go to the basket stronger and more frequently. In this series he's having a lot of trouble doing that. I credit Bowen and Duncan's presence in the middle.

Joe Mama

 

[Wally]

I’m NOT upset, I’m just totally frustrated…. so I’m going to ramble and get it out of my system.

I agree that Marion has had a couple of bad games. Parker has had several bad games against the Suns and Popovich had the correct words to the media "What do you think, I'm going to bench him? He's our point guard and just because he's had a few bad games is not going to change that". Marion is one of our better players but he's not a PF. FJ has Amare playing C and Marion at PF.

For some reason, FJ refuses to play Tsakalidis and it’s probably too late to think that it would be effective at this stage. Playing him for a couple of minuets isn’t going to do squat. Perhaps it’s JAKE’s fault for not being more aggressive in practice and not being able to move like a 6’ guard. IF JAKE’s still around next year, my advice to him would be to pick someone on the team such as Marbury or Amare, and spend a LOT of time this summer practicing plays He needs to light his own fire. If he could be developed into the player many of us believe he has the potential to be, it would be awesome to see a line up of JAKE, Amare, Marion, Penny & Marbury with Williams/ Voskuhl, Voskuhl/ Ford?, JJ/ Jacobsen off the bench. We have absolutely no rotation pattern. Someone (FJ’s replacement) should have players practicing plays as pairs and establish several different looks.

As far as I’m concerned, Jacobsen has been a big disappointment but at least he had an opportunity to show what he could or couldn’t do. Also, why keep Ford around? Let him go somewhere to see if he can make it in the NBA. It’s a total waste of money. Langhi has been streaky and is more than likely gone next year and …..has anyone seen Randy Brown on the bench? I believe I’ll look at a tape to see if he’s still around. Not that I want him to play much, but when nobody is hitting any shots I would try something different.

This team needs another shooter desperately. Marbury, Marion, JJ, & Hardaway have all shown they can shoot well in many games. One more good shooter in the mix and then having the sense to go with the hot hand would make this a team that would contend for the title….. Provided that we have and use a good C.

While I’m at it, I may as well throw in my two cents for a replay system again. I will be surprised if the NBA doesn’t have some type of replay system next year. With some type of system we may find that 3 seconds are really 3 seconds, a walk is a walk is a walk, and a foul is really a foul.

So that’s it. I’m done and I fell a lot better now… Oh, one more thing ….Until the Colangelo's wake up and hire a coach who understands all the positions on a team we're stuck with small-ball. It sucks, but that's the plain and simple truth. We keep this going and next year Denver will whip our butt. Since I also have a Colorado summer home, I may get to smile after all.

 

[JS22]

Anyone besides me think that Glen Rice or Derrick Coleman would fit well here?

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Ok, I was at the game last night, here is my 2 cents. Sorry if I repeat anyone, I cant handle reading 6 pages about how we suck.

1.) The fans wanted to get into it sooo badly. Anytime there was one good play, everyone would cheer for as long as they could. We just didnt have anything to be happy about. It is hard to go crazy when your loosing my an ever increasing margin.

2.) Our trapping defense on Duncan was good for a surprise game. It worked well for one and a half games. I think they should start having the mentality of the Minny defense. They key is not to LET the other people beat you, but to MAKE them beat you.

Let Duncan go for 40 and 20 while being guarded straight up. Who cares. If we are in everyone elses faces instead of just running at them, we win. 40 points doesnt win a ball game. For proof, look at the lakers, the timberwolves let them get 60 points out of shaq and kobe. They still win.

The role players confidence is up because all they shoot are wide open jump shots, of course they are going to start making them. Play them tight and forget about Duncan.


My only real complaint on the officials is Duncan must have had like 10 over the backs and only 1 was called. But whatever, they knew our stratagy and beat it. Steph even said after the game that we spoonfed them the game, they knew what we were going to do, they had seen it for 2 games already. Something needs to change.

 

[JS22]

Maybe Steph saying that will force Frank to change SOMETHING. I was hoping someone would say it. Frank may as well just give SA our gameplan before each game...

 

[BC867]

Originally posted by elindholm
FJ thinks Amare is our answer for a big man and doesn’t understand the difference between a PF and C.

Of course he does. A PF is someone like Dan Majerle or Shawn Marion. He wouldn't put those players at center. What do you think he is, stupid?

Right on, elindholm!

I wonder if Frank considers that, without a big Center, it puts too much unnecessary pressure on Amare. It keeps him in foul trouble, and results in too many games in which he is not a factor.

 

[Billythekid]

I agree thegrahamcrackr. Duncan is always going to be confident. If we allow the rest of the team to grow in confidence playing of the doubles the series is over. Play Duncan straight up, and suprise double occasionally but not every freakin time!

We can't let the supporting cast get going! And right now, we're giving them an open invitation to do so.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

if anyone wants to see the replay of the game it is starting now (6:30) on cox 9