Suns at Blazers 8pm MY45

[Chaplin]

I think you guys should at least give some credit to the young Blazers, that is a solid team that is going to be great next year.

And that was definitely a charge on Amare. We got a call there, so no complaining about the officials (although it proves the point that calls can change game outcomes).

 

[jagu]

Nash thinks he could guard other people when he really cant, he isnt a good help defender.

 

[devilalum]

I think you guys should at least give some credit to the young Blazers, that is a solid team that is going to be great next year.

And that was definitely a charge on Amare. We got a call there, so no complaining about the officials (although it proves the point that calls can change game outcomes).

If you want to get the charge you have to stand there and take it like a man. No falling backwards before you make contact.

 

[TBaslim]

They won this game on the defensive end at the end of the game, but it should have never come to that.

The sheer fact that they did that is encouraging. How often have we won with defensive effort at the end of a close game after losing a big lead?

 

[Chaplin]

If you want to get the charge you have to stand there and take it like a man. No falling backwards before you make contact.

Come on, you can't complain when you don't get a call, but support those you shouldn't have gotten. Amare ran over Jr.

 

[malooga]

agreed. i posted my 2cents in the "nash quit sucking thread"
basically what you said, over-dribbling...causing the offense to stall.

Nash has been praised for years precisely because he is able to keep his dribble with both hands longer than other guards. This is how he is able to create so much offense. This is partly why he won 2 mvp's. Now that they've lost a few games during a difficult transitional time for the team, you criticize him for "over-dribbling...causing the offense to stall". You can't have it both ways.

 

[green machine]

Come on, you can't complain when you don't get a call, but support those you shouldn't have gotten. Amare ran over Jr.

Totally agree, it was the wrong call, but given how many were wrong the other way (putting Amare in foul trouble, the "clear path to the basket", etc.), the refs had a pretty brutal night.

 

[Chaplin]

Totally agree, it was the wrong call, but given how many were wrong the other way (putting Amare in foul trouble, the "clear path to the basket", etc.), the refs had a pretty brutal night.

I'll agree there, but that blocking call was at the end of the game--tough to support the "make-up call" theory at that point. But you're right regardless, the refs had a pretty awful night on both sides.

 

[cly2tw]

wouldn't have worked for us this game anyway, shaq is off offensively (1 of 5 i think)

It's not about his shooting. Review the game, you will see the spacing was very good when he got the ball on low post. Even he missed, the ball was still hot and they wouldn't get a fast break opportunity out of it like the 76sers did.

In any case, it's great to see only 1 turnover by Nash. I don't mind only 4 assists from him, or just 6-7 had Amare hit some jumpers open. Also, we controlled tempo much better. And it's great that Nash called the timeout with 2 min to go up 4pts. We are an old team and would get beat at trackmeet by the young athletic guys on the Blazers, Warriors, and Hornets.

 

[Chaplin]

Nash has been praised for years precisely because he is able to keep his dribble with both hands longer than other guards. This is how he is able to create so much offense. This is partly why he won 2 mvp's. Now that they've lost a few games during a difficult transitional time for the team, you criticize him for "over-dribbling...causing the offense to stall". You can't have it both ways.

Nash has played his entire career without someone to clog up the middle--the floor has been completely open to him.

Now he has a huge center for the first time in his entire career. I think he deserves some leeway. Hell, he's a 2-time MVP, he deserves leeway just for that.

 

[cly2tw]

Nash has been praised for years precisely because he is able to keep his dribble with both hands longer than other guards. This is how he is able to create so much offense. This is partly why he won 2 mvp's. Now that they've lost a few games during a difficult transitional time for the team, you criticize him for "over-dribbling...causing the offense to stall". You can't have it both ways.

His problems of turnovers and stalling the offense with his dribbles and risky passes have been there all season long. We had a weak schedule that hid it a bit. But even back then DA himself wondered loudly whether other teams might have us, the system = Nash, figured out. And sure they did. Just review this game and see the difference between the two halves. We didn't lose this one because Nash didn't force it as much as he did against Philly, in which game his 5 turnovers in the 4th plus going-nowhere missed pullups gave 76sers many easy fastbreak pts. He is smart vet to not repeat the same mistake twice and gets my props for that.

 

[sLapzsHaQ]

Well, at least we won

 

[95pro]

His problems of turnovers and stalling the offense with his dribbles and risky passes have been there all season long. We had a weak schedule that hid it a bit. But even back then DA himself wondered loudly whether other teams might have us, the system = Nash, figured out. And sure they did. Just review this game and see the difference between the two halves. We didn't lose this one because Nash didn't force it as much as he did against Philly, in which game his 5 turnovers in the 4th plus going-nowhere missed pullups gave 76sers many easy fastbreak pts. He is smart vet to not repeat the same mistake twice and gets my props for that.

once again. i agree with you. just my opinion.

why do people live in the past so much? these aren't the same suns as his mvp years.

like chaplin said too, a bit has to do with his new mate, shaq. so its a little bit of everything.

but the main point is that in a critical/close games(NO,sixers, & now portland) nash over dribbles & avoids a quick pass to get ball movement started in the 2nd half, mainlly the 3rd qtr. that's where we've lost those games. .

 

[fordronken]

Didn't see the game-- but saw that Shaq was a +12 when he was on the floor. Did he look that good with the team, or was it a coincidence?

 

[Mainstreet]

Giricek with the turnover + the clear path foul.

The clear path to the basket call puzzled me. Even if one maintains Giricek fouled the offensive player from behind, Raja Bell was already back on defense on the play. Thus there was no clear path to the basket irregardless of Giricek's foul. I did like Giricek's in your face defense which I think will help the Suns once he becomes more familiar familiar with the team.

 

[cly2tw]

Didn't see the game-- but saw that Shaq was a +12 when he was on the floor. Did he look that good with the team, or was it a coincidence?

He was a major force on defense and we went through him often in the first half with great results. His energy level was high though his shots were too flat. No coincidence.

 

[cly2tw]

The clear path to the basket call puzzled me. Even if one maintains Giricek fouled the offensive player from behind, Raja Bell was already back on defense on the play. Thus there was no clear path to the basket irregardless of Giricek's foul. I did like Giricek's in your face defense which I think will help the Suns once he becomes more familiar familiar with the team.

Giri was quite active at defense and blew only once by standing too close to paint to challenge JJ's 3pt shot.

 

[Mainstreet]

Didn't see the game-- but saw that Shaq was a +12 when he was on the floor. Did he look that good with the team, or was it a coincidence?

Shaq was dominant defensively taking up space, rebounding and playing good defense. A very nice effort from the big man. He definitely is an asset to the Suns and he should only get better.

 

[TJ]

I didnt like seeing Nash have to play the entire 4th quarter. Had we maintained that lead in the 3rd, we could have kept him on the bench and let him get his usual rest. Remember what happened last week. He played the entire 4th against Memphis then came out the next day against NO flat as can be. Just hope history doesnt repeat itself.

 

[TJ]

The clear path to the basket call puzzled me. Even if one maintains Giricek fouled the offensive player from behind, Raja Bell was already back on defense on the play. Thus there was no clear path to the basket irregardless of Giricek's foul. I did like Giricek's in your face defense which I think will help the Suns once he becomes more familiar familiar with the team.

Nice first impression from Giricek. Id like to see how his stroke is from outside, which is the primary reason hes here. That clear path call pissed me off so bad that I almost shattered my coffee table. Then again, watching your team let a 23 point lead slip away will have that affect on you from time to time

 

[jlove]

The only reason the Blazers got back in this game was because when Nash was resting, they tried running the team through Shaq and didn't space the floor well. They slowed the game up and that killed the Suns momentum and their tenacity. Had the Suns continued to push the ball, with good spacing the Blazers would have been blown out, but they slowed it down and ran the offense through Shaq.

As far as the Giricke clear path call....BS!!!!! Raja was ahead of Roy on the play.

As far as the Amare getting the blocking foul on JJ. It was the right call. Amare slid in the air to his left hitting the SIDE of JJ, avoiding the FRONT of JJ. It's a blocking call 9 out of 10 times, depending on the refs POV. If you hit straight up, then it would be a charge. If you attempt to avoid a frontal collision and slide to the side of a defender than it's a blocking foul. Plain and simple.

 

[Proteus]

Whew...glad we hung on.

Good 1st half, horrible 2nd half.

I hope our guys aren't too tired against the Nuggets since D'Antoni went pretty much with a 7 man rotation.

 

[French Fries]

It's not about his shooting. Review the game, you will see the spacing was very good when he got the ball on low post. Even he missed, the ball was still hot and they wouldn't get a fast break opportunity out of it like the 76sers did.

In any case, it's great to see only 1 turnover by Nash. I don't mind only 4 assists from him, or just 6-7 had Amare hit some jumpers open. Also, we controlled tempo much better. And it's great that Nash called the timeout with 2 min to go up 4pts. We are an old team and would get beat at trackmeet by the young athletic guys on the Blazers, Warriors, and Hornets.

that's correct. i'm actually surprised how good the spacing was considering joel, as usual, did a good job on his single coverage. but i believe it wasn't because of his touches as opposed to his rebounding presence (check those guys swarm shaq after an attempt, it's funny). with crossed fingers i hope, as his fan, that he gets his rhythm back (because he's more energetic when he scores some, it's good to see)

 

[dodie53]

this the start of our winning streak!

 

[Sunshooter]

Whew...glad we hung on.

Good 1st half, horrible 2nd half.

I hope our guys aren't too tired against the Nuggets since D'Antoni went pretty much with a 7 man rotation.

The team lead by 20 pts but only win by 5 at the end.

7-man rotation?
sxcks!