Playoffs 2010: Western Conf Finals, Game 6 – Lakers At Suns Game Thread

[dodie53]

amare and LB needs to go

 

[slinslin]

How is that the Suns system? Facin up iso takes just as much time off the clock and requires no ball movement no more than a post up game requires, it just leads to more contested shots.

The Suns do not run any post-up plays because they have Amare in the pick and roll with Nash all the time.

You can't just take Chris Bosh and implement him as player that plays with his back to the basket without hurting Steve Nash as evidenced in the Shaq era.

Amare does not get post-up plays on the Suns by design really. They want him to come out and set picks or face up and drive.

 

[cly2tw]

Despite 4 rebs and tight shooting touches from Amare, we were in the game and had a chance to win if not for Kobe's unworldly clutch shots, and the flops by Fisher and Gasol in crunch time.

Put it this way, Amare would be Nash's only chance to ever sniff on the WCFs again before he retires. And, considering the huge amount of changes of playing style on both offense and defense, there is still a lot of room for this team to gel and forge a more coherent set of game plans, with individual skill improvement from Amare, Dragic, and Lopez being expected. We lost this series because we needed too much time to figure out what is the most suitable strategy, constantly reinventing ourselves. It's enough to beat Blazers and the aging Spurs, but not enough for Lakers who didn't allot us enough margin for errors. Lakers needed time to gel after Gasol being gift-wrapped to them. I'm curious what a full season of purposeful preparation would get out of this team. Mind you our mindset to start the season was nothing but just do something to entertain the spectators.

 

[az1965]

amare and LB needs to go

Both have maxed their potential and have limited capabilities.

 

[jagu]

Amare's rebounding totals make me heave lol. The dude choked big time. I hope Kerr doesn't get wasted and signs this guy to a max deal.

 

[elindholm]

I hope Kerr doesn't get wasted and signs this guy to a max deal.

Don't worry. If Kerr was willing to give Stoudemire a maximum extension, it would have happened long ago, and it's not like this playoff run is going to talk him into it.

 

[jibikao]

I really wanted Suns to beat Lakers to silence Celtics' "Beat L.A". sigh. I guess Suns didn't step up to the challenge at home.

Amare only had 4 rebounds again? I guess Amare is "by design" being put outside the paint so he couldn't get rebounds or what? 7/20 (35%) isn't good enough to save the Suns.


Kobe couldn't miss in the end. Oh well... I really thought this is the year for Nash to get to Final before he retires.

 

[jibikao]

**** this !@#$#. It's 2am now and I am so annoyed by this loss that I can't sleep. ugh. That's why I hate caring about a sports team. Other people's failure puts me in a bad mood.

I hate Lakers and Celtics equally as much.

This team will never get over the hump to the Final. If size is what we need to beat Lakers, then get rid of Amare. Simple as that. The game seems pretty even except for one category, rebounding. We had similar FTs, similar field goal % but the only thing that differs a lot is rebounds, which mirrors last game. Last game we actually shot better but still lost in the end.

Is Amare REALLY 6'10?? I mean how come he seems to have the shortest reach as a 6'10? Lamar is only 6'11 but he reach so easily. Pau didn't have as many but maybe he was busy boxing out guys? Was Amare that busy boxing out guys that he couldn't get rebound?

 

[Bufalay]

Amare was covering the perimeter in the zone during the first half which left him out of position to rebound. His defense on Poo in the third was very good. His offense was terrible. I dont know how he missed so many close shots unless he was being fouled.

 

[Cheesebeef]

you just can't give 20 million bucks a year to the second coming of Tom Chambers.

 

[Proteus]

The Nba season ended for me tonight.

 

[Chaplin]

I wouldn't say Gasol had an awful game. He helped to stop Amare. We went to Amare all night. The strategy in itself was sound. Amare could get past his man at will. But credit Lakers for great defensive help under basket which forced Amare often too deep under it, swarmed by 3 defenders. A player like West or Boozer would have pump faked and scored more, only they wouldn't have been able to beat Gasol like Amare did. In fact, when they doubled Amare too early to force him pass, those passing outs ended with Suns easy scores each time. Thus, they rather gave him the drive to basket, which was taking a chance, but Amare was too tight in the early going. He was kind of hesitant to take the jumpers.

Only in the fourth, and in every 4th q this series, Laker players seemed tired and couldn't converge to triple team Amare as quickly.

You're pro-Amare rhetoric is getting really old. We went to Amare all night? Yes we did. AND THAT IS WHY WE LOST!

 

[Cheesebeef]

For those who went to the game, did anyone else almost die laughing when the kiss cam settled on an old couple and Amare's RAT-S HIT CRAZY CUKOO-CUKOO BANANANAS Mother stood up in front of them by accident and the crowd laughed HYSTERICALLY at how cukoo-cukoo bananas she looked?

 

[dodie53]

i really don't care who wins in the Finals.

 

[jandaman]

Stoudemire's 22 ppg 4-7 rpg (depending on who against) 3 turn overs, 0.5 assists, 1 block, 0.5 steals per game, no pressure defense isnt worth 20 Million dollars a year. Thats the bottomline


Some here keeps arguing, he is fit for the Suns system, he is exactly what the Suns need blah blah blah.... in the end, you dont lock him up for 4 more years after Nash retires at 20 Million a year.



What he brings is replaceable... I'll say it again.

 

[jandaman]

Some said "no" to Boozer, I agree to an extent.

But if Boozer agrees to a 5 year 50 Million dollar contract... I'd be all over that.

He averaged 15 points and 12 rebounds against the Tall line up of the Lakers. Supposedly shorter and less athletic than Stoudemire...

And with Frye, Richardson, Nash at the perimeter... Boozer should get plenty of spacing and he is a way better passer than Stoudemire.... again assuming Boozer agrees to that contract above.. or close to it.

 

[Covert Rain]

You're pro-Amare rhetoric is getting really old. We went to Amare all night? Yes we did. AND THAT IS WHY WE LOST!

We lost because we didn't play any defense for most of the night. Come on.

And for those that want to bring in Lee??? Did you guys just watch the same series? We lost because our defense sucked for 90% of those games the Lakers won. You want to bring in Lee who would make us a worse defensive team??? Really?

Come on guys. If Amare is going to go so be it. If we need to move some pieces around to get another forward in here then at least get a guy in here who is better then Amare at defense...not someone who is worse.

This series clearly demonstrates the Suns still need to get better defensively to get over the hump. As long as Kobe is in the West, playing defense for stretches won't get it done.

 

[Mainstreet]

The Suns lost in game 6 for a myriad of reasons already noted, however, their best hope of winning evaporated when the Suns put Dragic back on the bench in the fourth quarter. Dragic's speed, defense and energy was the one thing the Lakers could not counter. I know this was Gentry's normal time to bench Dragic but the move was so reminiscent of former Suns coach John MacLeod. Dragic needed to remain on the court even if he had to play out of position. He was largely the reason the Suns were able to make it a game.

Don't get me wrong, Gentry did a fabulous coaching job with the Suns this season to even make it this far. I offer him my congratulations.

 

[Snik]

Sorry it didn't work out guys....still, congratulations on a great season!

I guess the league got their dream finals again. Lakers vs Celtics (like either one needs another championship). Guess I'm going to have to route for the Celtics although I don't think they can beat the Lakers this year. They are too beat up, and too old to compete with a Lakers team that is playing great basketball.

 

[joshstmarie]

We lost because we didn't play any defense for most of the night. Come on.

And for those that want to bring in Lee??? Did you guys just watch the same series? We lost because our defense sucked for 90% of those games the Lakers one. You want to bring in Lee who would make us a worse defensive team??? Really?

Come on guys. If Amare is going to go so be it. If we need to move some pieces around to get another forward in here then at least get a guy in here who is better then Amare at defense...not someone who is worse.

This series clearly demonstrates the Suns still need to get better defensively to get over the hump. As long as Kobe is in the West, playing defense for stretches won't get it done.

I think its pretty funny everyone tries to say lees defense is worse than amares, as if we dont know what coach/system hes playing in. Get him out of the dantoni "defense" and next to a real center like lopez and this dude is head and shoulders better defensively than amare. period.

 

[Covert Rain]

I think its pretty funny everyone tries to say lees defense is worse than amares, as if we dont know what coach/system hes playing in. Get him out of the dantoni "defense" and next to a real center like lopez and this dude is head and shoulders better defensively than amare. period.

Oh you mean like Amare's defense improving or Nash's? Sometimes players just don't have it in the DNA. Lee is one of those players. He didn't play good defense under Zeke either.

Even Gentry couldn't work miracles as proven in this series. You can get teams to play better team defense but you can't get a bad defensive player to play good defense. It takes a team effort and I give Gentry credit for drawing up good defensive schemes this year that allowed guys to help each other out.

Lee is soft.

 

[Chaplin]

Oh you mean like Amare's defense improving or Nash's? Sometimes players just don't have it in the DNA. Lee is one of those players. He didn't play good defense under Zeke either.

Even Gentry couldn't work miracles as proven in this series. You can get teams to play better team defense but you can't get a bad defensive player to play good defense. It takes a team effort and I give Gentry credit for drawing up good defensive schemes this year that allowed guys to help each other out.

Lee is soft.

I would only say ok to David Lee if we got some defense along with it in the form of another player along with him. At least Lee is cheaper and allows us to get more creative about getting more personnel.

 

[Errntknght]

I think its pretty funny everyone tries to say lees defense is worse than amares, as if we dont know what coach/system hes playing in. Get him out of the dantoni "defense" and next to a real center like lopez and this dude is head and shoulders better defensively than amare. period.

I don't claim to know squat about Lee's defense but just from watching Amare's D, I'd be willing to gamble that Lee's is better - and factoring in rebounding, which is a major part of defense, much better.

He's not too shabby on the offensive end either, he's scoring over 20 a game and his 3.6 assists/game is third best among PF and C, behind Diaw and Josh Smith. Better than Garnett and Duncan, who are considered premier passers among bigs. Except for getting opponents in foul trouble, he and Amare are close to a wash statistically on the offensive end. Heck with Nash feeding him off the P&R, Lee might score more than Amare.

Of course, I don't want Lee for the max either, but it might be possible to get him for 12 mil, while no way does Amare sign for that 'pittance' even if no one else wants him.

Whether its in the realm of possible under the cap rules is another matter. It would almost take a sign and trade featuring he and Amare to bring off, I imagine. (Dang it all, D'Antoni deserves this monster he helped create!)

 

[AzStevenCal]

I don't claim to know squat about Lee's defense but just from watching Amare's D, I'd be willing to gamble that Lee's is better - and factoring in rebounding, which is a major part of defense, much better.

He's not too shabby on the offensive end either, he's scoring over 20 a game and his 3.6 assists/game is third best among PF and C, behind Diaw and Josh Smith. Better than Garnett and Duncan, who are considered premier passers among bigs. Except for getting opponents in foul trouble, he and Amare are close to a wash statistically on the offensive end. Heck with Nash feeding him off the P&R, Lee might score more than Amare.

Of course, I don't want Lee for the max either, but it might be possible to get him for 12 mil, while no way does Amare sign for that 'pittance' even if no one else wants him.

Whether its in the realm of possible under the cap rules is another matter. It would almost take a sign and trade featuring he and Amare to bring off, I imagine. (Dang it all, D'Antoni deserves this monster he helped create!)

+1. I don't know about his defense either but I find it hard to believe it could be any worse than Amare's even without factoring in the boards. Lee had a couple of monster games this season and that's usually all it takes to get a player or an agent thinking big but if we can get him at a reasonable salary it would be worth a shot.

I'd rather gut the team and start over but considering the unlikelihood of that proposition, Lee at 12 million would be a nice option B. Well, actually, I'd make him option C behind Kevin Love from Minnesota. He's not a free agent but there's a good chance Minny will move either him or Jefferson.

Steve

 

[dodie53]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnWGXKA0I_Q