Spurs @ Suns Game Thread

[arthurracoon]

I picked a good week to come to town and watch three games. Philly, Miami and San Antonio. My drive home will be pretty happy.

 

[reader]

No, we were only up by 4 pts and then Ginobili hit a 2 pt shot to make it only 2 pt lead, 88-86. These were key free throws. We were lucky that SA did not hit a 3 pt or any shot for that matter after that.

That is the sign of a player whose whose legs are gone, 95% shooter missing free throws. Now we read that Nash had the 'flu, as well, this was a back to back game too. Had that game had gone on much longer he would have continued to miss shots. Way to gut out the game and get a win. I am just glad there are two whole days off for both Nash and the team.

Yeah, famaous last words, I did not see the game, who was Bowen guarding?

 

[jibikao]

No, we were only up by 4 pts and then Ginobili hit a 2 pt shot to make it only 2 pt lead, 88-86. These were key free throws. We were lucky that SA did not hit a 3 pt or any shot for that matter after that.

I agree. With Nash's FT shooting %, missing both of them in clutch time is bad. Can you imagine if Spurs responds with a 3pt and then we lost the game? Nash would probably never forgive himself...lol

 

[Chaplin]

http://www.nba.com/games/20060107/scoreboard.html

The nba.com highlights video of the game has Amare shooting around a little bit.

The announcer in those highlights called the Gorilla a "bear". WTF?

 

[Chaz]

I did not see the game, who was Bowen guarding?

I saw him on James Jones quite a bit in the second half.

Horry was on Marion.

They were switching alot on the p&r, as were the Suns.

 

[sunsfn]

Bowen was guarding Marion.

 

[Chaz]

Bowen was guarding Marion.

When Marion was hitting his shots late in the game Horry was on him.

 

[reader]

I should also have asked, who was guarding Bowen, 0/4, zero points? I know he is not a shooter, but still.

 

[arthurracoon]

I should also have asked, who was guarding Bowen, 0/4, zero points? I know he is not a shooter, but still.

Nash

Most of Bowen's shots were mid range pull up J's. Not the corner 3 pt shot that he likes.

 

[jibikao]

Nash

Most of Bowen's shots were mid range pull up J's. Not the corner 3 pt shot that he likes.

Nash stopped Bowen!! lol Does Bowen's offense suck that bad? Even he can't take on Nash?

 

[Shawty]

Nash

Most of Bowen's shots were mid range pull up J's. Not the corner 3 pt shot that he likes.

That is correct.

 

[Errntknght]

Bowen posted Nash once early and that didn't work out so I guess they made a deal to both rest on that end of the floor.

He did guard Marion until Jones got hot then he switched over. Still he wasn't as effective as he was in the playoffs because Kurt and Boris were setting lots of picks for Shawn. Nash and House were even screening for him... Eddie got an offensive foul setting a back pick on Horry, I remember.

One notable thing about the referring - Violet Palmer was not herself! Only one really poor call that I remember - that's got to be a record for her. I kept wondering if she's intimidated by Bavetta who will not hesitate to overrule another ref on a really bad call. He made a couple of very questionable ones himself but I don't mind that if he keeps Violet in check.

I'll bet the fiasco the refs perpetrated in the Knicks game resulted in them getting called on the carpet... I swear the last two games the refs were giving the Suns a little respect.

 

[zett]

by far this was her best performance When I saw her out there when the game started my blood pressure went straight up! I was pleasantly suprised.

 

[jibikao]

Bowen posted Nash once early and that didn't work out so I guess they made a deal to both rest on that end of the floor.

He did guard Marion until Jones got hot then he switched over. Still he wasn't as effective as he was in the playoffs because Kurt and Boris were setting lots of picks for Shawn. Nash and House were even screening for him... Eddie got an offensive foul setting a back pick on Horry, I remember.

One notable thing about the referring - Violet Palmer was not herself! Only one really poor call that I remember - that's got to be a record for her. I kept wondering if she's intimidated by Bavetta who will not hesitate to overrule another ref on a really bad call. He made a couple of very questionable ones himself but I don't mind that if he keeps Violet in check.

I'll bet the fiasco the refs perpetrated in the Knicks game resulted in them getting called on the carpet... I swear the last two games the refs were giving the Suns a little respect.

I am glad the Suns got some respect they deserve!

I actually like how the Suns handled the situation in Knicks. I know many NBA-related forums were trashing the hell of that game and D'Antoni and Suns players can easily complain in the public but they didn't. The only thing that happened is Nash "mentioned" that so many players fouled out. He didn't trash the refs at all. I think that's how we got the respect, unlike how Rocket handled it in the playoffs...by complaining about the refs in the public and got warned and fined. That's like slapping NBA's face and I don't think Stern likes that.

 

[F-Dog]

This was a very good game for the Suns.

The thing that bodes well for the future is that Marion was able to keep Tony Parker out of the lane, for the most part. The Spurs started out using a wicked double-screen for TP, with both Duncan and Nesterovic planted in the lane, but they got an offensive foul and a 3-second call on consecutive trips, and that was the end of that. Parker made a few outside shots but (obviously) not enough.

As long as the Suns can park Nash on Bruce Bowen, the entire Spurs/Mavs strategy of wearing Nash down goes out the window. The Joe Johnson injury was such a killer last year because it exposed Nash, but if the Suns can put Marion and Barbosa on Parker, they won't have the same problems this year. (Even when Nash was on Parker, he looked tougher than in previous years--maybe there's something to his improved defense after all. )

The Suns struggled on offense, especially when Nash was out, but that won't happen when Barbosa gets back (to say nothing of Amare). The Suns are really missing that third playmaker.

That Nash 3-ball after Horry's second 3pter was an MP3 play. Horry missed his third 3pt attempt on the next possession, and the momentum shifted to the Suns the rest of the way.

James Jones was huge, and Marion was nails in the 4th with Horry on him--the Suns forced Bowen to switch around, trying to plug holes in the dike so to speak, then took advantage of the non-Bowen defender with screens and isos. Diaw deserves special mention too...actually, every one of the Suns' top six was a major contributor to the victory.

I may not have mentioned it before, but I love D'Antoni's coaching.


OK, I'm out of emoticons now.

 

[jibikao]

I don't know any player in NBA that can't score on Nash's defense. Yes, I am calling out Bowen. I know his offense isn't great but come on.... almost anybody can shoot over Nash.

 

[nowagimp]

This was a very good game for the Suns.

The thing that bodes well for the future is that Marion was able to keep Tony Parker out of the lane, for the most part. The Spurs started out using a wicked double-screen for TP, with both Duncan and Nesterovic planted in the lane, but they got an offensive foul and a 3-second call on consecutive trips, and that was the end of that. Parker made a few outside shots but (obviously) not enough.

As long as the Suns can park Nash on Bruce Bowen, the entire Spurs/Mavs strategy of wearing Nash down goes out the window. The Joe Johnson injury was such a killer last year because it exposed Nash, but if the Suns can put Marion and Barbosa on Parker, they won't have the same problems this year. (Even when Nash was on Parker, he looked tougher than in previous years--maybe there's something to his improved defense after all. )

The Suns struggled on offense, especially when Nash was out, but that won't happen when Barbosa gets back (to say nothing of Amare). The Suns are really missing that third playmaker.

That Nash 3-ball after Horry's second 3pter was an MP3 play. Horry missed his third 3pt attempt on the next possession, and the momentum shifted to the Suns the rest of the way.

James Jones was huge, and Marion was nails in the 4th with Horry on him--the Suns forced Bowen to switch around, trying to plug holes in the dike so to speak, then took advantage of the non-Bowen defender with screens and isos. Diaw deserves special mention too...actually, every one of the Suns' top six was a major contributor to the victory.

I may not have mentioned it before, but I love D'Antoni's coaching.


OK, I'm out of emoticons now.

Good post! I'd like to add that the spurs looked old. They are 1-5 this year in the 2nd game of back to backs by the way.

 

[George O'Brien]

I don't know any player in NBA that can't score on Nash's defense. Yes, I am calling out Bowen. I know his offense isn't great but come on.... almost anybody can shoot over Nash.

The key for Nash is to keep his man from getting into the paint every time and to get his hand up when his man is shooting jumpers. He's doing that this season and wasn't doing it consistently last year.

I watched the AI guarded by Nash matchup last week and was very impressed by how often he forced AI to shoot jumpers. Considering how AI is second in the NBA in scoring, 33.1 ppg, holding AI to 7 of 23 was a huge accomplishment. Yes Nash got help, but so does every other player going against AI.

 

[reader]

Found this game recap from a Spurs Blog. I found it to be a quite interesting.

http://poundingtherock.com/

 

[George O'Brien]

Found this game recap from a Spurs Blog. I found it to be a quite interesting.

http://poundingtherock.com/

Agreed, although I'm not sure what he expected Duncan to do against Nash.

 

[jbeecham]

Agreed, although I'm not sure what he expected Duncan to do against Nash.

I was thinking the same thing......if Duncan runs at Nash then Nash is going to go right by him and to the hoop. Duncan could also pick up a foul if he grabs/checks Nash as he goes by (I know it's unlikely).

Our pick & roll is hard to defend now and almost impossible to defend when Amare is running it with Nash. We've got spaced out shooters and Marion & Amare that can cut to the basket for dunks. If everyone else is shut down then Nash pretty much gets to the basket at will.

 

[F-Dog]

Found this game recap from a Spurs Blog. I found it to be a quite interesting.

http://poundingtherock.com/

I love the arguments that Amare won't help the Suns. I wonder if he made the same arguments when Tim Duncan was hurt a couple years ago--"Look how well Rasho Nesterovic is playing right now".

Agreed, although I'm not sure what he expected Duncan to do against Nash.

Step into Nash's path and knock him off course as he went around the pick. It's not like the officials would have called a foul on Duncan there.

 

[elindholm]

Actually, that stuff is pretty damn good. I may bookmark his page. He's clearly a fan who loves his team, but he isn't completely biased and he knows how to write.

His argument about the return of Stoudemire is interesting. Basically (for those of you haven't read it), he's saying that if Stoudemire replaces Thomas in the starting lineup, he'll perpetually be in foul trouble, and if he replaces Diaw, the Suns lose their second best playmaker.

There's something to that. If the frontcourt is Stoudemire/Diaw/Marion, any team with two bigs is going to give the Suns significant matchup problems. The Suns face the same problem now with Thomas/Diaw/Marion, but the difference is that it's not the end of the world when Thomas gets three fouls in eight minutes and has to spend the rest of the first half on the bench. It won't be so easy with Stoudemire.

So the option is Thomas/Stoudemire/Marion. But now you lose Diaw's creativity, so you're hoping that the one-dimensional offense (Nash and Stoudemire pick-and-roll, repeat ad nauseum) is awesomely effective enough to make up for it. Which it might be, but it's an open question.

Could Diaw be moved to SG, for a lineup of Thomas/Stoudemire/Marion/Diaw/Nash? All things being equal, I think we'd rather remove Bell from the lineup than Diaw, even though Diaw isn't a threat from distance. Basically that's a team that doesn't figure to shoot many threes at all (unless, as reported, Stoudemire is ready to get in on the act), but it would probably be pretty fluid offensively and could be very effective on defense.

 

[scoutmasterdave]

Could Diaw be moved to SG, for a lineup of Thomas/Stoudemire/Marion/Diaw/Nash? All things being equal, I think we'd rather remove Bell from the lineup than Diaw, even though Diaw isn't a threat from distance. Basically that's a team that doesn't figure to shoot many threes at all (unless, as reported, Stoudemire is ready to get in on the act), but it would probably be pretty fluid offensively and could be very effective on defense.

On the other hand, I think the space that Bell and Jones create with the threat of the three make it much easier for the rest of the offense to function. That lineup features four players that excel in the paint, and only one real outside shooter.

 

[nowagimp]

I love the arguments that Amare won't help the Suns. I wonder if he made the same arguments when Tim Duncan was hurt a couple years ago--"Look how well Rasho Nesterovic is playing right now".



Step into Nash's path and knock him off course as he went around the pick. It's not like the officials would have called a foul on Duncan there.

Yeah, I like the part how replacing Diaw with Amare "reduces athleticism". HA HA HA! And Rasho will guard Amare easier than he guards Diaw? This guys interpretation is one dimensional as if only the starting five matters, we know better. As for matchups with 2 bigs, run em boys, and run em hard when KT is out. Let me see, none of these guys can guard Diaw or Stat and this is a mismatch for the suns because of the mighty Rasho. Yeah, and no more 40pt performances from Manu to help the spurs compensate for having only 3 scorers. I also really like the new approach to guarding parker, no more layups, go under the screen, let him shoot the jumper. Many thanks to the pistons on that one! That defensive adjustment alone is probably worth 10 pts a game on 'D'. I was laughing so hard when he talked about how Rasho and Mohammed would score on Stat. I dont think they'll be playing that long, having to defend him one-on-one. I can see it now "the unstoppable Rasho scores at will". If Rasho and Mohammed represent the cavalry upon Amare's return(te he he!) hope is dim indeed!