Suns at Sterns 6:30

[Proteus]

Good win.

When's Steve actually gonna be able to rest and get healthy though?

 

[Freddie]

I thought Vaughn was a nice pickup for the Spurs and something I wish the Suns could have done. However, I really would like to know if Marion had a sub par game or he gave up part of his game to play defense.

Finley burned marion a few times and his D wasn't stellar. Marion hardly ever does well against the Spurs. They are too disciplined to give up the layups and dunks that Marion usually gets most of his points from.

 

[Ronin]

good win. nothing more....nothing less

 

[Cheesebeef]

I thought Vaughn was a nice pickup for the Spurs and something I wish the Suns could have done. However, I really would like to know if Marion had a sub par game or he gave up part of his game to play defense.

to be honest, the only guy who played really well were Grant Hill and Skinner. Marion was somewhat invisible, Amare stepped up at the end, but again, had a bad night on the boards, Steve looked very human, Barbs was completely Jeckyl and Hyde, on fire and then a murderous black hole, Raja was just flat out bad, missing wide open threes over and over again. To be honest, I don't know how we won this game, but we did and we controlled it for the most part.

I want blood on Wednesday. I want this team to actually believe in itself and just kick the crap out of Dallas. They do that and my heart starts beating again for this club. Tonight was the first time I felt blood rush through my body watching this team. I miss that feeling. I want it back. Kick the Mavs ass and be what you're supposed to be Suns!

 

[Cheesebeef]

Are you kidding? Off the bench, with scorers like Nash, Amare, Barbosa, and Hill in the lineup I think that is a great game from Boris. I'd take that line every night of the week and say he was worth his contract.

if we got that from Boris every night I'd be content. That would mean we'd win a lot of games. Worth his contract? No. But he probably won't ever be worth his contract unless Amare goes down for the year and we don't want that.

 

[Suns_fan69]

I want blood on Wednesday. I want this team to actually believe in itself and just kick the crap out of Dallas. They do that and my heart starts beating again for this club. Tonight was the first time I felt blood rush through my body watching this team. I miss that feeling. I want it back. Kick the Mavs ass and be what you're supposed to be Suns!

There was some excitement for me at the beginning of the year but I've fallen into the same sort of malaise that you've been going through for the Suns this year. Even kicking the crap out of Dallas probably wouldn't be enough for me, it's just too damn early.

 

[az1965]

It's kind of sad we're excited over 11 points 5 rebounds and 6 assists. Yay Boris! Thanks for the big play at the end though.

I think if he provides this on a consistent basis, he will make us that much better. We have not been getting even this lately from him.

 

[az1965]

If we start getting consistent plays from Bell, Barbosa, and Diaw, this team will be hard to beat. Unfortunately, all three have been hot and cold, cold mostly.

 

[arwillan]

if nash can lead the team in rebounding with only 8 and only get 10 points and we're still able to win, i think we're in decent shape.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

what a game! another one for all those grant hill haters.

Is there really such a thing as a "Grant Hill Hater"?

I mean besides of course Gee - who had to have been drunk when he started that infamous thread

Dude is nails.

Can someone recap the Diaw steal for me. I only saw it on gamecast and it only said:

"Boris Diaw - Steal"

Not too exciting......

 

[cly2tw]

Coach finally acknowledges that challenging the opponents to a trackmeet is a bad strategy this year, given
1) we are old and have many main players playing hurt
2) league knows a lot better how to fight the running style resulting in many turnovers by Nash
3) Hill and Diaw are actually very good half-court players if they can preserve some energy from running wild, or in boris' case being imposed with a better defined role, to exectute.

The slowdown game actually favored the Suns in the end. Bowen's miss was a direct result of him not hitting a shot with no TD kickouts. We let TD get his and denied all others to get confidence in their shots by TD assists. Amare were solid. His foul trouble came late in the fourth when refs made bad calls on him. He most of the time stayed down on his feet on defense with very good results. His help defense was excellent.

LB was hot for a streak but was hurrying bad shots for a stretch in the critical middle of 4th. Luckily, he didn't continue that for too long (well, yanked for Hill).

Well, we proved we can win Spurs style. That's most important knowledge from this game!

Go Suns!

 

[Brian]

Ginoblli dribbled that ball right off Boris' leg. Diaw just happened to be standing there. No big whoop.

:notafanofDiaw:

 

[az1965]

Can someone recap the Diaw steal for me. I only saw it on gamecast and it only said:

"Boris Diaw - Steal"

Not too exciting......

Sterns needing 3 pointer to tie the game, inbounded to Floppoli who dribbled off either his or Diaw's foot. Diaw grabbed it and started a fast break with no one in front of him. He was fouled and got clear path to the basket two shots where he made 1/2. We got the ball and Nash was fouled immediately and he made 1/2. They hit a 3 which hit the backboard. Game over.

 

[cly2tw]

Can someone recap the Diaw steal for me. I only saw it on gamecast and it only said:

"Boris Diaw - Steal"

Not too exciting......

That was actually Manu dribbling the ball on someone's feet. But Boris hassle resulted in it and he reacted quickly to pick it up going down court. Very solid game up to one passed-up shot under the basket, which should have resulted in score or foul on Duncan. But Boris chickened out and a turnover resulted out of the intended pass to Skinner.

 

[Stargazer]

LOL - I love Al McCoy.

Was listening to the live stream from nba.com for awhile - he is just ripping the Spurs, particularly Duncan, Pop and Horry. Called Duncan 'The Big Whiner'. Classic.


Course, Al is such a class act, when he rips on folks, it's still in a nice way.

I heard that, too. Classic -- called Duncan a big whiner, then said that's how he is, and then took a rip at "a referee who we won't name" who wouldn't make those calls against the Spurs in the playoffs. Not exactly classy stuff, but definitely giving a lot of fans what they want. I think he needed to get it out of his system, for all of us.

 

[Stargazer]

BRUCe FRIggEN BOWEn!!!! grabs skinners leg and then protests the foul. hes a grade a bitch

This was classic Bowen -- he practically hoisted Skinner's leg up to his chest so he wouldn't get beat on the pick and roll -- which is fine, prevent the easy basket . . . but then he complains about the foul. Don't these guys realize they're on tv?

 

[Arizona's Finest]

That was actually Manu dribbling the ball on someone's feet. But Boris hassle resulted in it and he reacted quickly to pick it up going down court. Very solid game up to one passed-up shot under the basket, which should have resulted in score or foul on Duncan. But Boris chickened out and a turnover resulted out of the intended pass to Skinner.

eh i'll take it....

someone watch for the Suns plane once it lands back in Phoenix tonight. I'd like to get back to back solid efforts out of Boris but something tells me he will be out in Scottsdale clubbing with his shirt off and schmoozing the ladies with how he "saved the day"

 

[krispydude]

nice win by the team. this is definitely the reason why hill was a good pickup because when nash gets shut down by the spurs we have someone that can at least create their own shot.

amare looks twice as old as duncan. ill take that game by boris anyday. was aggresive and played solid d. skinner was good again, bringing some energy. barbosa was hot and cold and seemed like he took 20 shots without looking at the boxscore. nash almost had a triple double but was mostly shut down by the spurs. marion went unnoticed most of the game but not surprising against the spurs.

dallas should be a better test, they seem to be playing really well right now.

 

[Bufalay]

The headline for the highlights on espn.com says "Duncan Puts Up 36 in Spurs Victory Over Suns"

 

[Bufalay]

why did nash lead the team in rebounds?

 

[Stargazer]

Great win. Yes, it's not the playoffs, it's only one game, it's December, blah, blah -- but the only thing that the Suns could accomplish tonight was to beat the Spurs, and they did. Some thoughts:

1. Favorite thing about the game: Bowen missed the Spurs last real shot. Second favorite thing: Manu fumbled away the Spurs last chance. If only Horry could have somehow shared the blame for the loss, my night would have been complete.

2. Is it just me, or do the Suns look like a halfway decent half-court team this year? Since they'll have to play that way in the playoffs, that's a hopeful sign.

3. I mostly credit the Suns defense for the win. In the final two minutes, I was bracing for the Spurs defense to clamp down while ours did not -- except that this time it did. I hope the Suns can keep building on that.

4. I don't care if the Suns lose the easy ones, so long as they win the big ones.

 

[az1965]

4. I don't care if the Suns lose the easy ones, so long as they win the big ones.

I'm not sure I agree with this. Final standings also matter. They should win the games they are supposed to win.

 

[Stargazer]

I'm not sure I agree with this. Final standings also matter. They should win the games they are supposed to win.

Well, you're right. I guess I mean that, if the Suns have to lose some and win some, I'd rather they lose to the poor teams and beat the good teams.

 

[arwillan]

I'm not sure I agree with this. Final standings also matter. They should win the games they are supposed to win.

this is true, but would you rather win the tough ones or easy ones? that's the point i think he was trying to make.

 

[TheHopToad]

dallas should be a better test, they seem to be playing really well right now.

How is Dallas playing well? They are 8-7 in their last 15 games, including consecutive losses against Indiana, Milwaukee, and Washington. IMO they're playing pretty inconsistently.