Phoenix @ Dallas - Game Thread - Wed. Mar 14, 2007 - 6:00 pm

[Lorenzo]

No doubt. I didn't think the Nets game could be topped, but this one did it. Down by 16 in the fourth, with Nash's heroics and Amare's unstoppable play, the Suns pulled this one out. Others certainly stepped up, but Amare put himself back in the major national spotlight with that game. I wasn't pleased with his rebounding but was pleased with his hustle throughout the game, diving all over the floor and playing his ass off throughout 2 ot's.

I think Amare at this point is the best big man in basketball. Sure, Dirk is a better shooter, but Amare's progression as a shooter is amazing. His stroke from the outside continues to get better and he is just an unstoppable scoring machine. 16 of 19 is an unbelievable line, especially when he hit many of them from the outside. His progression as a player from a raw kid who would just try and dunk everything to a polished all around player has been extremely impressive. If he continues to improve his passing and all around defense/rebounding, he can be one of the best ever.

The only negative in the game has to be the play of Diaw. I really looked to this game as an opportunity for Diaw to make an impact, especially considering that he averaged 26 points a game against Dallas in the playoffs last year. His withering lilly routine is wearing old, especially considering how talented he is. He can score on pretty much anyone at anytime; he is too fast for big men, and can post up on smaller players. When he is agressive and takes control of the game, he can run the team and play excellent team defense. When he is not in it, he seems more of a detriment than a positive. I am not sure whether it is the injury or not, but this has not really been the Boris Diaw of last year. Hopefully he can get near that level of play by the playoffs.

Regardless, this team is just such a thrill to watch, with this game and Nets game being some of the best games I've ever watched. I have tickets to the game in April against the Mavs, I can't wait for that one. It could be pretty important in seeding, especially with San Antonio looking like a hell of a second round matchup. The playoffs can't come soon enough...

well then maybe we should put amare on the mvp ballot as well.

 

[Covert Rain]

well then maybe we should put amare on the mvp ballot as well.

I think if Amare continues to improve on defense and in rebounding, his time will come.

 

[BuddyFranklin]

Great game! Unreal! I wish they'd have fouled at the end of the 1st OT. I was thinking if we lose that will be a big question but to the Suns credit they stuck with it. Amare was amazing on offense. Driving to the middle of the paint and putting up shots. They couldn't stop him. Marion played solid D, and Nash... wow! One of the best individual performances ever! EVER! He did it all when it mattered most. He is the MVP.

Present.

If it makes you feel better, you can try to break our home winning streak.

Man...


It feels good.


Real good.

 

[Lorenzo]

I think if Amare continues to improve on defense and in rebounding, his time will come.

that may be the difference in the playoffs. I know the suns won fair and square. but they can't get out-rebounded like that come playoff time. Dallas should have sealed the game with all of those late offensive rebounds they got. Those fouls by dirk and howard in the last min of the game gave steve nash 5 FT's with the clock stopped. I can't believe they committed those fouls.

 

[Chaz]

Amare is very good and has always had a nice touch around the basket.

This year we have seen him make some nifty passes, rebound the ball much better, and play better defense. While he still has a lot of improvement to make on his position defense the last thing he needs is that 'take over the game' maturity and experience.

As good as he is he is still prone to turnovers with a lot of intensive defensive pressure. He needs to dominate and make plays with the game on the line if he wants to be considered for MVP someday.

With more experience, especially playoff experience, I have no doubt that he will improve in this area if he remains healthy.

 

[mribnik]

Did anyone else think Nash was totally missing Amare on the pick-n-roll througout the 4th quarter? They didn't get it perfected until the end of regulation/overtimes, but I thought Amare was open quite a few times and Nash had his head focused on the guy defending him.

 

[TucsonDevil]

Did anyone else think Nash was totally missing Amare on the pick-n-roll througout the 4th quarter? They didn't get it perfected until the end of regulation/overtimes, but I thought Amare was open quite a few times and Nash had his head focused on the guy defending him.

I felt this was more due to the effort Dallas was giving in stopping Amare rolling to the basket. Nash made them pay down the stretch... then in OT, they tried to stop Nash, and Amare was wide open to dominate.

I was pleased to see Amare play with his back to the basket - receive the ball, and then spin and score.

 

[mribnik]

I felt this was more due to the effort Dallas was giving in stopping Amare rolling to the basket. Nash made them pay down the stretch... then in OT, they tried to stop Nash, and Amare was wide open to dominate.

I was pleased to see Amare play with his back to the basket - receive the ball, and then spin and score.

Definitely. In fact, WTF was that the whole game. He's clearly still explosive. He might not be dunking on the guy, but he's a great finisher around the basket. I wouldn't mind seeing the Suns ISO with him in the post a little more.

 

[Lorenzo]

Overall this was the best game i've seen this season eventhough my mavs lost. and i thought the last meeting was great. I thought the mavs should have finished it off in the last min. with everything that was in their favor. They had done everything right untill that point. But they collapsed and nash was the man. The OT the suns just outworked the mavs. This is going to be an exciting series if these two meet in the playoffs. I can't wait. Congrats suns fans!

 

[se7en]

Apparently the Suns:

Can't play defense
Can't beat other top teams
Can't beat other top teams on the road
Can't play a half court, playoff style game
Can't make hustle plays
Can't out coach other well coached teams
Can't make clutch plays
Can't match the supposed versatility of other good teams
Can't win close games
Can't go deep in the playoffs with their style of play
Can't match the depth of other good teams
Can't... insert ridiculously absurd talkinghead jibberjabber here...

Although you wouldn't know it from watching the "experts" on TNT and ESPN, the Suns have not lost their most recent games against the Mavs, Spurs and Rockets. I only point this out because you'd swear the Suns had just gone on a losing streak to these teams the way pundits talk. Hell, the way the pundits dismiss the Suns recent 10-1 winning streak as "uninspired", I was almost certain they had actually gone 1-10.

So if they blow out Detroit the way they did Houston, will anyone finally notice?

 

[mribnik]

Apparently the Suns:

Can't play defense
Can't beat other top teams
Can't beat other top teams on the road
Can't play a half court, playoff style game
Can't make hustle plays
Can't out coach other well coached teams
Can't make clutch plays
Can't match the supposed versatility of other good teams
Can't win close games
Can't go deep in the playoffs with their style of play
Can't match the depth of other good teams
Can't... insert ridiculously absurd talkinghead jibberjabber here...

Although you wouldn't know it from watching the "experts" on TNT and ESPN, the Suns have not lost their most recent games against the Mavs, Spurs and Rockets. I only point this out because you'd swear the Suns had just gone on a losing streak to these teams the way pundits talk. Hell, the way the pundits dismiss the Suns recent 10-1 winning streak as "uninspired", I was almost certain they had actually gone 1-10.

So if they blow out Detroit the way they did Houston, will anyone finally notice?

I can't believe Greg Anthony made the comment the other day that the Spurs and Mavs are clearly a step above because they have players that make hustle plays. WTF does that mean. There are tons of reasons you can give to say the Spurs and Mavs are better than the Suns, but hustle players? WTF was he smoking.

The defense on the Mavs tonight was excellent. The defensive rebounding was terrible. The Suns held the Mavs to 45% shooting, but let them have 27 offensive rebounds (yuck). The amazing Mavs defense held the Suns to 55% shooting. Oh, and the Suns were in better condition at the end of the game as well.

 

[Lorenzo]

Apparently the Suns:

Can't play defense
Can't beat other top teams
Can't beat other top teams on the road
Can't play a half court, playoff style game
Can't make hustle plays
Can't out coach other well coached teams
Can't make clutch plays
Can't match the supposed versatility of other good teams
Can't win close games
Can't go deep in the playoffs with their style of play
Can't match the depth of other good teams
Can't... insert ridiculously absurd talkinghead jibberjabber here...

Although you wouldn't know it from watching the "experts" on TNT and ESPN, the Suns have not lost their most recent games against the Mavs, Spurs and Rockets. I only point this out because you'd swear the Suns had just gone on a losing streak to these teams the way pundits talk. Hell, the way the pundits dismiss the Suns recent 10-1 winning streak as "uninspired", I was almost certain they had actually gone 1-10.

So if they blow out Detroit the way they did Houston, will anyone finally notice?

most of those same things were said all year about dallas last season. When dallas finally broke thru against the spurs....people started to treat that team differently. untill the suns get it done in the playoffs vs. the spurs and the mavs the same pundits will talk.

 

[cly2tw]

Our weakness defensively in this game was Amare's defensive rebounding and Barbosa's repeatedly leaving Stackhouse open for threes despite his hot hands. Diaw had problems with Howard and Dirk but he played little.

Otherwise, Suns defense were quite good, particularly from Marion and Bell who were the unsung heroes in this game. And Nash was not bad there either.

As usual, most Mavs points came from one-on-ones mixed with a simple screen and switch.

DA's decision to insert Kurt early proved ingenious in the end. I guess he didn't want to play him late in the game, which was also the case. But as a byproduct, Amare got a lot rest which was needed for the late game dramas. This is a good formula to follow for the Suns substitution scheme.

 

[PhxGametime]

Man what a game, I turned it on with 1 minute left in regular time... for noobs (I don't watch Games live) lol I was so into the Game, and maybe I gave em good luck this time. =D

 

[se7en]

most of those same things were said all year about dallas last season. When dallas finally broke thru against the spurs....people started to treat that team differently. untill the suns get it done in the playoffs vs. the spurs and the mavs the same pundits will talk.

Hmmmm. I thought the Suns did get it done against the Mavs the year before? And actually, I was pretty impressed the way the Suns took the Mavs to 6 games in the WCF last year without: AMARE, KURT THOMAS and RAJA BELL.

Neither the Spurs nor the Mavs have made it to the WCF the past two years, the Suns have.

 

[OldDirtMcGirt]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: because we have the best offense in the league, people will naturally assume that we're a poor defensive team. Sure we're not San Antonio or Detroit, but we can hold our own. It's rebounding that's our achille's heal.

 

[jenna2891]

BEST. GAME. EVER.


i swear, i can't stop shaking/nervous tapping. i just got into a 30 minute debate with my husband (a big suns fan) as to why this game is the perfect example of the nash (me) vs. dirk (him, devils advocate) mvp debate. he conceded.

 

[nathan]

he conceded.

Are you sure he just didn't get tired of hearing you talk?

 

[nathan]

I wish I had stayed up to watch this game.

 

[Russ Smith]

Our weakness defensively in this game was Amare's defensive rebounding and Barbosa's repeatedly leaving Stackhouse open for threes despite his hot hands. Diaw had problems with Howard and Dirk but he played little.

Otherwise, Suns defense were quite good, particularly from Marion and Bell who were the unsung heroes in this game. And Nash was not bad there either.

As usual, most Mavs points came from one-on-ones mixed with a simple screen and switch.

DA's decision to insert Kurt early proved ingenious in the end. I guess he didn't want to play him late in the game, which was also the case. But as a byproduct, Amare got a lot rest which was needed for the late game dramas. This is a good formula to follow for the Suns substitution scheme.

I tuned in mid 3rd quarter and I swear Dallas scored on at least 10 straight possessions and not a one of them was a difficult shot. Just when I was going to say man Phoenix can not defend, they shut it off.

Nash is amazing he couldn't guard Terry the whole time I was watching, but he's so good on offense it doesn't matter because he gets more than he gives up. Missing that late 3 and then taking the pass from Marion and hitting it was so clutch, so many guys in that situation having just missed won't want to take the next shot.

Once again a huge game on the line and Dirk blows a free throw and misses the tying shot. He's a fantastic player but when it really matters unfortunately for him he comes up short too often. He made huge shots earlier in the game no doubt but in crunch time once again he didn't come through.

 

[Djaughe]

Are you sure he just didn't get tired of hearing you talk?

 

[sunsfn]

After the game, Eddie Johnson was saying that looking at the stats and the shooting, if the suns would have picked up just a few more rebounds the Mavs would not have been in this game at the end of regulation. Both teams took about the same amount of shots and the suns shot a better percentage, but the Mavs got the rebounds.

A lot of you are giving up on Diaw, but if his back is the reason he did not play more, I think he is going to help this team a lot when he gets healthy. He would have helped on the rebound situation because of his size and smarts in getting them, and he really helps as a second passer to the open man. (Mainly 3 point shooters.)
He had an excellent game against the Rockets, and we really need him to play well for us to win a title this year.

 

[hafey]

The problem is not Diaw's offense. We all know that he is a nigthmare for most teams. Unfortunately, its his defense that was killing the Suns last night. In the third quarter, the Mavs came out and went at the Diaw every single possesion. Whether he was guarding Howard or Dirk, he was a sieve.

Maybe its his back limiting his defense, I don't know, I've never had a back injury. But if he wants to help the Suns againist the Mavs he needs to play defense. The Suns can score without him on the floor.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

The problem is not Diaw's offense. We all know that he is a nigthmare for most teams. Unfortunately, its his defense that was killing the Suns last night. In the third quarter, the Mavs came out and went at the Diaw every single possesion. Whether he was guarding Howard or Dirk, he was a sieve.

Maybe its his back limiting his defense, I don't know, I've never had a back injury. But if he wants to help the Suns againist the Mavs he needs to play defense. The Suns can score without him on the floor.

As soon as Diaw came out of the game, Dirk stuck it to Marion.

 

[Covert Rain]

As soon as Diaw came out of the game, Dirk stuck it to Marion.

Dirk stuck it to everyone. Marion at least made him work. Diaw became a liability on the floor because he kept getting matched up on the switch with Howard and Stack. They just drove around him.

Also, Marion not only shadowed Dirk but Howard all night which in itself was a nightmare. How many defenders are asked to go from guarding Howard to Dirk in the same night?