Spurs At Suns Game Thread

[Proteus]

Suns up 111-99 with 45.8 seconds left in the 4th quarter.

 

[jagu]

Just wow. Gentry leaving Dragic in the entire fourth quarter shows balls. Dragic stepped up to the challenge playing defense like we haven't seen since Kidd. Kerr found a gold nugget in the second round in Dragic.

 

[SirStefan32]

I love the fact that Gentry left Dragic in, and damn, did Dragic step up! Love it!

 

[TJ]

This was a TEAM win. When this team plays with cohesion, they are unstoppable.

 

[Proteus]

Yes!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!!! Suns win 112-101. Great game Suns.

 

[mjb21aztd]

Wow just awsome win by the suns tonight , loved some of the dunks Amare had just very impressive. Also way to step up in the 4th Dragic nice job. Major plus rep GO SUNS

 

[cly2tw]

Gentry is rounding into form as the HC now! 85:90 and 8 or 9 min to go in the 4th, he trusted Dragic despite some problems early in the 4th, and Dragic responded huge with his defense and decision making. His calculation was that Nash needed more rest to be 100% effective on both sides, so we just needed our defensive unit to hold up the forte out there for maybe 2 more minutes in case they couldn't score. With 5-6 min left and Nash in, in our form of this night, we could afford some deficit by then. His gamble paid well off!

Earlier, LB was committing stupid fouls all over on defense. He never returned in the 2nd half. Aside from him, all players played really well.

Nash seemed so energic tonight, back to his MVP form to lay the foundation for our win. If we keep him sufficiently fresh for the entire playoff run, we are not afraid of anybody. Though he drifted into help defense leaving 3pt shooters open a couple of times too many, his recovery at PnR was quite good. That was huge if he could have enough energy for defense in crunch time in the playoffs. Well done!

 

[Covert Rain]

Gentry's move to leave Dragic in seems very calculated to me. We know how well Dragic plays when his confidence is up. We have seen how he plays when his confidence is low. I think Gentry had seen an opportunity to give him a confidence boost knowing that we not only could see that team in the playoffs but to show him he trusts him during big moments in the game.

Do I think Gentry would have done that in the playoffs? Not a chance. However, it might make all the difference in the world to boost his confidence because every game in the playoffs is big with big moments. We are going to need Dragic to perform on the NBA's biggest stage every game to win a series.

Great win by the Suns. I think this will only help them with some confidence. I also liked what Grant Hill said after the game. Most of the guys on the team were not around win San Antonio kept breaking the Suns hearts. They don't know any better.

Gentry continues to impress.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Great win by the Suns. I think this will only help them with some confidence.

I agree it's a great win but it's hard to read anything into it other than we definitely needed it. We were well rested and playing a Spurs team that (like us) struggles in the 2nd game of a back to back. Also, Tony Parker is clearly not back to form and George Hill was out completely. Although we have our own excuses, theirs will not likely follow them into the playoffs as ours will.

Steve

 

[Cheesebeef]

i was also ECSTATIC that Gentry didn't go back to Barbosa in the fourth. The dude just doesn't fit with this team anymore. But he's still an asset and should be treated as such. With a decent contract, I'm hoping we're able to ship him off for a late first rounder this year, continuing to get younger while also shedding salary so that we don't have to blow up this team going into next year because we're so far over the tax (that is of course assuming we sign Amare).

 

[JCSunsfan]

Gentry's move to leave Dragic in seems very calculated to me. We know how well Dragic plays when his confidence is up. We have seen how he plays when his confidence is low. I think Gentry had seen an opportunity to give him a confidence boost knowing that we not only could see that team in the playoffs but to show him he trusts him during big moments in the game.

Do I think Gentry would have done that in the playoffs? Not a chance. However, it might make all the difference in the world to boost his confidence because every game in the playoffs is big with big moments. We are going to need Dragic to perform on the NBA's biggest stage every game to win a series.

Great win by the Suns. I think this will only help them with some confidence. I also liked what Grant Hill said after the game. Most of the guys on the team were not around win San Antonio kept breaking the Suns hearts. They don't know any better.

Gentry continues to impress.

I was not a fan of Gentry when the Suns hired him. It just seemed to be another in house easy fix. But he seems to be really solid. He is willing to take a more fatherly/authoritative role with the players and he runs the SSOL offense without the gimmickiness that DAntoni did.

He also seems to be more in tune with developing players both in and out of game situations. Have to say that I am impressed.

 

[BC867]

i just can't believe there is ANYONE on this board who wants to play this team in the playoffs.

Believe it. Believe it.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Believe it. Believe it.

you want them?

 

[Bufalay]

you want them?

The Suns aren't going to win a championship, but it would be cool to see them beat the Spurs.

 

[Cheesebeef]

The Suns aren't going to win a championship, but it would be cool to see them beat the Spurs.

sure it would. it would also be cool to have a million dollars in my bank account right now. unfortunately neither are going to happen in the next couple weeks.

 

[Chaplin]

In a perfect world, I want the Suns to get to the finals in the easiest way possible. And that means avoiding the Spurs. While it would be nice to prove to the world that we CAN beat them, that goal is secondary to the primary goal of winning it all.

 

[jagu]

Yea as much as I want the Suns to win the ring, its a very slim possibility. It's been an entertaining season though.

 

[Covert Rain]

In a perfect world, I want the Suns to get to the finals in the easiest way possible. And that means avoiding the Spurs. While it would be nice to prove to the world that we CAN beat them, that goal is secondary to the primary goal of winning it all.

I agree. The "PERFECT" scenario would be beating the Spurs, Mavs and Lakers on the way to a title to leave no doubt about the team. However, it is secondary to winning a title. That is the end game....PERIOD. You play the cards your dealt and beat the teams lined up in front of you.