San Antonio @ Phoenix - Game Thread - Sun. May 6, 2007 - 12:30 p.m. ABC

[arthurracoon]

They knew immediately it needed stitches, but it would have taken about 15 minutes to take him back and stitch it, and there were only about one+ minutes left in the game.

you beat me to it

 

[BC867]

I know we're all upset, but was this really necessary? I mean, almost ALL of us say the same thing over and over again, but to just outright call someone and their posts stupid seems a bit over the line.

Thanks, cheesebeef. Actually, when I read his post, I thought just about the same thing. Why do I keep hoping that the Suns will take a step up?

Because I'm a Suns fan, that's why.

But, once again, Lucy has yanked the ball away and Charlie Brown has fallen flat on his ass.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Am I the only one the thinks D'Antoni was more to blame for Parker dropping 30? I mean even as fast as Marion is, it's generally a bad idea to match a penetrating point guard with a SF. It's freaking stupid.

It takes Marion out of position for rebounding. If he is chasing Parker, it also prevents him from getting out on the break. I think the fact that Marion still managed 16 was a miracle.

AGAIN....D'Antoni didn't make in game adjustments. I mean my gosh. If Parkers is going to drop 30, why not just have Nash guard him? If he is going to get his no matter what, then at least put your players in their natural positions and give those players a chance to succeed.

agree with you 100%. the marion on the pg hasn't worked on any pg other than cassell. and that's only b/c cassell is 127 years old.

 

[Linderbee]

2 and a half minutes left is not a lot of time. And why would we use all our timeouts up with that much time remaining in a close game?

Is it "not a lot of time" or "that much time"?

I never said use all our timeouts. Take one, miss a little bit--anyone know how long the last 2 1/2 minutes took in 'real time'?

They knew immediately it needed stitches, but it would have taken about 15 minutes to take him back and stitch it, and there were only about one+ minutes left in the game.

I disagree that it would have taken 15 minutes.

 

[az1965]

Sunday bloody Sunday

By Steve Kerr
Monday, May 7, 2007 2:49 am EDT

What a scene in Phoenix on Sunday, with Steve Nash unable to enter the game in the final minute due to a gash on his nose that made him look like Chuck Wepner after an Ali right hand.
Nash was bleeding so profusely that trainer Aaron Nelson couldn't stop it, forcing him to sit on the sidelines during the game's two most important possessions. Ultimately, the Phoenix Suns failed to score on both, and the San Antonio Spurs held on to win the opener of their Western Conference semifinal playoff series
Nash, who suffered the cut in a face-to-face collision with Tony Parker, took six stitches to the nose afterward and should be fine for Game 2 on Tuesday.
The game was wildly entertaining, with both clubs playing at a very high level. As usual when they play San Antonio, the Suns rarely were able to get out in transition for easy buckets. That's because the Spurs have two goals when they face Phoenix: Don't give up transition hoops and guard the three-point line.
The Suns made only six three-pointers (four fewer than their average) and never made one of their patented runs against the resilient San Antonio D. By having his defenders cover the line, Gregg Popovich is basically forcing Nash to be a scorer, which is exactly what he was in scoring a team-high 31 points. Popovich is content to let Nash go wild as long as everyone else is somewhat contained, and that's exactly what happened in Game 1.
Amare Stoudemire scored 20 points, but it took him 19 shots. Shawn Marion came on strong late, scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter, but he finished with only 16. Besides Nash, only Leandro Barbosa caused the Spurs much trouble. He scored 18 points off the bench but was forced into some difficult shots in the second half.
Ultimately, San Antonio showed why it's such a great team, winning Game 1 by playing Phoenix's tempo. The Spurs have won only three games all season when giving up 100 points or more, and two of them have come against the Suns.
Matchups are a major problem for Phoenix against San Antonio, as Stoudemire tries to handle Tim Duncan down low while Marion attempts to contain Parker. (The Suns like to put Nash on Bruce Bowen in order to keep their two-time MVP rested for offense.) With Parker going off for 32 points, Phoenix may use either Raja Bell or Barbosa on him in Game 2. As for Duncan (game-high 33 points and 16 rebounds), Kurt Thomas does by far the best job on him, and he may have to see more minutes for the Suns on Tuesday.
But in the end, defense is a team game, with all five guys helping one another, especially on the screen and roll. That was a major problem Sunday as Parker continually attacked the paint, and when the defense broke down, so did the rebounding. The Spurs grabbed 14 offensive boards, including some big ones in the fourth quarter.
So San Antonio has the early lead in the series, and the Spurs are looking as confident as ever in their quest for a fourth NBA championship. Phoenix now is faced with a must-win Game 2, and the Suns will be much more likely to get it if Nash is on the floor for the crucial possessions.

 

[sunsfn]

Is it "not a lot of time" or "that much time"?

I never said use all our timeouts. Take one, miss a little bit--anyone know how long the last 2 1/2 minutes took in 'real time'?



I disagree that it would have taken 15 minutes.

Linderbee,

The 15 minutes is from the mouth of the trainer.............so what do you think? We take the trainers word or yours?

 

[ma_falaa_50]

if phx won teh rebound battle. they would have won that game. Amare got 18 how did marion do? marion was schooled by Odom, was schooled by TD and TP. Im a big marion fan but He is so overpaid.


Phx can not afford Shawn's houdini act. Last series its Lamar odom, this series its TP. if Phx do advance, he has to guard either stephen jackson or mehemt okur. No one said guarding the best player was easy but lamar out played him last round and TP is making look like a smuck. His pattern of inconsistency is so old. this is the time of year to step up and he has not yet played like an allstar.

Im extremely disappointed in shawn more than leandro and amare. Amare was guarded by a HOF and leandro did mental mistake which is common for a young player. whats shawn's excuse?

 

[Linderbee]

Linderbee,

The 15 minutes is from the mouth of the trainer.............so what do you think? We take the trainers word or yours?

Well, considering it took less than 15 minutes to put 4 stitches in the mouth of a screaming 3 year old child that was so distraught it took 4 adults to hold her down, I'd say the trainer is embellishing to keep people from saying "you should have done that"

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Well, considering it took less than 15 minutes to put 4 stitches in the mouth of a screaming 3 year old child that was so distraught it took 4 adults to hold her down, I'd say the trainer is embellishing to keep people from saying "you should have done that"

The walk to and from the locker room alone takes 5 minutes.

 

[Covert Rain]

The walk to and from the locker room alone takes 5 minutes.

There is no way they could have sterilized the wound, stitched him up and then got him back there in time for the game to end.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

I heard a clip on KTAR with Amare commenting on how KT would start Game 2. Looks like it's Unior to the bench. Good move, although to be fair Unior has been money since they reinstituted the leather ball.

 

[Linderbee]

The walk to and from the locker room alone takes 5 minutes.

That's why you RUN.

There is no way they could have sterilized the wound, stitched him up and then got him back there in time for the game to end.

Well, they'd have lost nothing trying, huh?

 

[az1965]

I heard a clip on KTAR with Amare commenting on how KT would start Game 2. Looks like it's Unior to the bench. Good move, although to be fair Unior has been money since they reinstituted the leather ball.

Junior has been money??? I must be watching some other JJ then... he has been terribly inconsistent. In the beginning, yes. But he returned to his old inconsistent self afterwards.

 

[sunsfn]

That's why you RUN.

Well, they'd have lost nothing trying, huh?

Huh! They stopped the bleeding long enough for him to go in and make 5 points before he had to leave for good.

Linderbee, you are just arguing a point to argue and that makes no sense.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

Junior has been money??? I must be watching some other JJ then... he has been terribly inconsistent. In the beginning, yes. But he returned to his old inconsistent self afterwards.

I forgot the , I figured leaving off the J in junior would sum up my thoughts about him .

 

[100%CardsFan]

Stupidity is defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Actually Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Stupidity is quoting insanity and replacing it with stupidity.


J/k

 

[BC867]

Actually Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Stupidity is quoting insanity and replacing it with stupidity. J/k

Actually, I've heard it both ways.

Perhaps stupidity is getting personal in rebuking someone's opinion with insults. Hmmm.

 

[Greg Popovich]

I think one thing the Suns could possibly try is similiar to what the Spurs did in the '05 series against Amare.

As I recall--in that series, Amare exploded and scored a great deal of points against Duncan.

It seemed almost as though SA just conceeded that the Suns would score with Amare and focused on trying to stop every other Suns player.

So--what if the Suns doubled Parker--try to negate him as much as possible. Sure--Duncan will explode for more points--but in game one, the two combined for over 60. If one of them had fewer points, the Suns would be in better shape overall.

Just a thought.