Round Two: Mavs vs. Suns

[Cheesebeef]

careful... careful.. you sound like me. You might get called insane in a minute.

nah - he's not saying anything insane - like Dallas can't possibly play any better - nor is he talking about SA. Big difference insaneclif.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

i'll say it again. bad loss. can't lose homecourt when you've got the game close despite not playing well and losing jj. this is a really stinging loss. one that won't sit well with the team. i fully expect the next game to be a mavs blowout. the fourth game will be the deciding game. if we can take it (which we won't w/o jj - i'm just being objective here) we have a 7 game war. if not (and let's face it, away from home, momentum against us, and if no jj, no clutch 4th quarter performer, we are probably going to lose this one) we're done and it's been a nice season, but a wasted opportunity. a damn injury. a shame.

 

[Cheesebeef]

i'll say it again. bad loss. can't lose homecourt when you've got the game close despite not playing well and losing jj. this is a really stinging loss. one that won't sit well with the team. i fully expect the next game to be a mavs blowout. the fourth game will be the deciding game. if we can take it (which we won't w/o jj - i'm just being objective here) we have a 7 game war. if not (and let's face it, away from home, momentum against us, and if no jj, no clutch 4th quarter performer, we are probably going to lose this one) we're done and it's been a nice season, but a wasted opportunity. a damn injury. a shame.

make sure Pacman doesn't let you go taking any long walks on short piers for the next couple days, okay Big Bro?

 

[az1965]

That is the problem with no depth. One player goes down and the danger of losing the season is looming. I am positive if JJ hadn't gone down, we would have won this game. Tough luck!

We have been the road warriors but without JJ is going to be tough.

 

[sly fly]

Damn. JJ's going to be missed. Screw basketball for a second. That was a nasty fall, and I'm just glad he "only" has a fractured orbital socket. Could have been much worse.

After waking up and thinking that was only a bad dream, I've had time to digest what could happen.

Obviously, Barbosa/Jimmy Jackson/Stephen Hunter MUST now earn their stripes. The other 5 busted their nuts out there last night, so all 3 of these must step up if were going to win this series.

I don't think Dallas can play any better than they did last night. Finley was an absolute animal. Not only did he hit big shot after big shot, he also found people cutting to the hole and played D on Amare.

Dirk was Dirk, I just wish Marion was on him on that last play. Q doesn't have the lift or length to be able to defend Dirk.

Nash has to get everybody involved. If we have to rely on his scoring, it usually means the game is close.

Let's see how Dallas plays when they have all the pressure now placed squarely on THEM. JJ's out. They're at home. Going to be interesting.

Don't count this PHX team out. They still can't stop Amare. They may have slowed him down, but PHX will adjust. He will get his, and they better hope he doesn't hurt someone trying to do it.

 

[Big D]

We're in trouble. I too thought it was a bad dream when I woke up this morning, then I had the visual of JJ's face smacking against the hardwood flash through my head and reality set in. The other JJ will be fine, but we have no dependable scorer off the bench now, which in a playoff series is really, really bad. Barbosa wasn't terrible but he looked lost out there at times last night. Well, the playoffs start now. You've gotta win tough games in the playoffs, Suns have their work cut out for them. Have to get a game in Dallas or the series is over.

 

[Chaz]

We gave Dallas thier own bad dream on Friday.

A 15-0 run to bury them and take a 2-1 lead into Sunday.


Get well soon Joe. The guys will hold the fort until you get back.

 

[PhxGametime]

Don't worry the anti-jinx is in - on the front page under Breaking News, there is never anything positive concerning the Suns and that might just do the trick...

 

[greensborohill]

Game 5

Game 5 is gonna be tough, I wish it was tonight instead of tomorrow night. . . I can't stand the wait.

 

[Skkorpion]

Don't worry the anti-jinx is in - on the front page under Breaking News, there is never anything positive concerning the Suns and that might just do the trick...

I wonder who writes up those blurbs....

 

[PhxGametime]

I'm not sure but it could help the anti-jinx scenario... anything will help. I just remember seeing how Suns got dominated 1 game and the other 1 how Mavs got homecourt and knocked JJ out of Playoffs... but nothing about the 2 wins. LOL

I did actually remember reading - Steve Nash winning MVP but shhhhhh (don't want to ruin it) and most of the time it's Cardinals I like the Cardinals however but I am addicted to the Suns, I like all the home teams (minus asu) and I can't say I'm much of a Hockey fan but I really like the Suns, Mercury, Arizona Wildcats: Basketball addict and then D'Backs and Cardinals, etc.

You probably haven't read most of my posts but I'm the biggest homer on Suns board and I'm reaching lately - although IMO the Suns only problem should've been the Spurs (minus injuries and officiating) and BAM JJ goes down.

I'm not trying to start trouble...

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Don't worry the anti-jinx is in - on the front page under Breaking News, there is never anything positive concerning the Suns and that might just do the trick...

You obviously don't read the frontpage enough...

Mike

 

[PhxGametime]

It's cool, Mike. I know how great this site is and how much everybody has did for this site (including members) - but a few of us took a lot smack LOL for jinxing the team and I'm fishing for anything to anti-jinx.

There has been quite a few Suns stuff on there but I noticed the last 4 games, only the 2 losses were mentioned - so in my quest to find the anti-jinx, it has to start somewhere... Skkorpion's predictions as well but everybody understands - I'm just pointing out. I made a post, I take full responsibility in jinxing team but if the Suns prevail (I've always wanted a jersey) My birthday is in like 2 weeks, so I might not need even the cash for jersey.


Plus in Phoenix Chat, there were a bunch of Trolls bragging on Mavs victory, so that too could be the anti-jinx... ANYTHING will do.

 

[playstation]

Anyway, I'm almost willing to guarantee that Jason Terry will put up 25+ ppg this series, on 50+% shooting. The Suns can win anyway, but it's going to be because of the other guys stepping up to help Steve Nash, not the other way around (a.k.a. the usual way).

D'oh! well, 1 out of 6 isn't bad, is it?

jason terry, 6 games, 16.5ppg/5.0ast/3.7reb/1.5stl/49.4% shooting

FDog, I know you're trying to be objective here, but imo as a general rule, no league MVP should be at a disadvantage to a non-allstar. the best terry can hope for is a draw, but to say nash will be outplayed, and badly to boot, is to disrespect nash's talent.

double D'oh!

steve nash, 6 games, 30.3ppg/12.0ast/6.5reb/1.0stl/55.0% shooting

don't underestimate the man!

 

[Joe Mama]

For the life of me I can't figure out why Avery Johnson didn't have Jason Terry going hard at Steve Nash from the start. I mean I would go as far as to say that Steve Nash played "good" defense most of the series, but they might have gotten him in foul trouble or more importantly worn him out more.

Joe Mama

 

[zett]

I think the time has come to put a lock on this thread and lose the sticky

 

[Joe Mama]

O'Brien fired... Cheeks to coach Sixers

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2066717

Mo Cheeks will take over as new coach

Associated Press


PHILADELPHIA -- Jim O'Brien was fired Monday after one season as coach of the Philadelphia 76ers and replaced by former Portland Trail Blazers coach Maurice Cheeks, one of the most popular players in Philadelphia's franchise history.

Jim O'Brien's Coaching Record
Year Team W L PCT
00-01 Boston 24 24 .500
01-02 Boston 49 33 .598
02-03 Boston 44 38 .537
03-04 Boston 22 24 .478
04-05 Philly 43 39 .524
Totals 182 158 .535
Playoffs
01-02 Boston 9 7 .563
02-03 Boston 4 6 .400
04-05 Philly 1 4 .200
Totals 14 17 .452
O'Brien, a Philadelphia native who played for Saint Joseph's, went 43-39 in his only season and the Sixers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.

He was in the first year of a four-year contract that paid him about $4 million a year. O'Brien, though, was not very popular with his players -- most notably former All-Star Chris Webber -- who often complained about their roles.

Cheeks was one of the most popular 76ers from 1978-89 and played on Philadelphia's last championship team, in 1983.

Cheeks was fired March 2 after nearly four seasons as coach of the Trail Blazers. He had a 162-139 record in Portland, the fourth-highest win total in Blazers history.

Cheeks guided the team to the playoffs his first two seasons, but the players hardly made Cheeks' tenure easy -- on or off the court.

The team was nicknamed the "Jail Blazers" after several brushes with the law, many of them involving marijuana possession.

Cheeks also spent seven seasons as an assistant coach for the 76ers and was part of the staff when they went to the NBA Finals in 2001.

Cheeks will be Philadelphia's fourth coach since Larry Brown resigned and left for Detroit following the 2002-03 season. Randy Ayers was fired 52 games into the 2003-04 season and replaced by Chris Ford.



O'Brien
A Philadelphia native who attended Roman Catholic High School and Saint Joseph's, O'Brien is the son-in-law of Hall of Fame coach Jack Ramsay. He led the Sixers to a 10-win improvement from a year ago and they returned to the playoffs, largely on the back of a healthy, happy Allen Iverson.

While O'Brien avoided public spats with Iverson, he did not have the full support of the rest of the team. Some of the younger players, like Samuel Dalembert and Willie Green, felt they did not develop like they should have under O'Brien and were unsure about their roles.

The Sixers also failed to really understand O'Brien's defense, a sticking point even in the postseason.

But Cheeks' return shouldn't come as a surprise. The Trail Blazers turned down Philadelphia's request to speak to Cheeks as a possible replacement for Brown. The former point guard always remained popular with Philly fans and was at the top of the Sixers' short list to take over for Ford.

Now, they'll get their wish.

 

[zett]

and this has what to do with the mavs and suns round 2?
someone bury this thread its a dead issue.