Suns @ Spurs [Game 1] April 19, 2008, 12pm (3pm EST) ABC

[Cheesebeef]

Yes, I'm sure you feel awful.

you like reveling in other people's misery? did you get beaten as a child or are you just a piece of crap? I'm guessing it's both.

 

[mjb21aztd]

Well we must get game 2 I don't like our chances that much after this game thats for sure , we really had to get this game just to get homecourt away from the spurs really we failed now we must get game 2. Man this is a tough loss to swallow I broke a keyboard when duncan hit that 3 lol good thing I had another one ugh crappy crappy weekend this will be

 

[cobbler]

There's 2 things your missing, non-calls are the biggest complaint. Duncan played 51 minutes and had 3 fouls called against him......he probably comminted 40+.

Look at the distribution of those fouls too.....6 on Amare, 5 on Shaq & Diaw, 4 on LB & Bell....they're all on our best players and all of our post players. Parker was the only critical player for the Spurs in foul trouble. KT isn't critical for them and probably committed 20+ fouls himself. Oberto had 3 fouls but they were hack-a-shaq intentional calls and so was one of Barry's fouls.

If the refs are going to put lots of fouls on all of our post players and not call Duncan for fouls then we are going to struggle in every game of this series. Once we get into foul trouble then Ginobili, Parker & Duncan just attack the basket every play trying to get even more fouls called on us and we have to play soft to avoid those fouls......which gets them easy baskets. Even if they miss those Layups then Duncan usually cleans them up because our defenders backed off to avoid the foul and got out of position to get the rebound.

Actually, I thought KT was a big factor for the spurs in this game. Just my observation. You could also easily see that the spurs were forcing the issue to your bigs early in the game knowing their penchant for getting fouls. It was definetly part of their gameplan. Again, ill preface this saying i was rooting for the suns, and i felt the game was pretty evenly called.

Nash should be the only sun shoooting in the last min period!

 

[Andrew]

Spurs fans have no room to gloat, this game could have gone either way.

 

[jbeecham]

Nash should be the only sun shoooting in the last min period!

I agree with this, but the other team knows this too and does a good job denying him the ball.

 

[95pro]

Then maybe you don't understand basketball.....your key players can't play aggressive defense when they're in foul trouble (especially when the other team isn't in foul trouble). Especially when you're getting called for ticky tack crap and people are flopping to draw more fouls on you.

thats usually why we hate the spurs.

someone has a foul(legit or not), but only 1 foul.

but flopberto/giflopli/flop-thomas will flop/fake a quick 2nd foul.

thats why it hurts so much.


and then, TD complains. so they give him a make up call.
the two examples are 3D fronting TD, therfor 3D picks up his 3rd & 4th fouls.

 

[cobbler]

Edit: Also, I am irritated with the NBA as a whole. Both the Spurs and the Suns flopped way too much, and players are rewarded for doing so. It is making basketball look more like a ballet with players flying all over the court. It is irritating to watch, and it is a problem with every team.

Couldn't agree with you more and i have posted many times on the subject. The players falling all over themselves (both teams) on literally every play only makes the officiating more difficult.

 

[Joe L]

The game should have been won on in regulation. Amare should have thrown the pass into Shaq who was wide open under the basket. Instead he got the charge. That was the play that sealed it.

 

[95pro]

The game should have been won on in regulation. Amare should have thrown the pass into Shaq who was wide open under the basket. Instead he got the charge. That was the play that sealed it.

that play happened in the 1st OT w/ 12sec left.

 

[az1965]

If we need to complain about fouls, we should complain about Amare not using his brain and committing ridiculous fouls. This has been a problem with him. He needs to grow some intelligence if needs to be considered among the elite players. This is in addition to him working on his defense and rebounding.

I did not see the first few minutes of the game so cannot comment on Shaq's first fouls but the 3rd one was a real stupid one by him.

This game was lost by us not executing in the end and terrible coaching.

 

[cobbler]

Then maybe you don't understand basketball.....your key players can't play aggressive defense when they're in foul trouble (especially when the other team isn't in foul trouble). Especially when you're getting called for ticky tack crap and people are flopping to draw more fouls on you.

Actually, I have probably played more basketball at a high level than most have even observed. I do know basketball! And if i learned anything over the years it's if you continually blame the refs, the coach, the enviroment (opposing courts), etc and dont look in the mirror and fix the issues you ACTUALLY have control over, you will never succeed. At least not with any consistency.

 

[Captain America]

There's 2 things your missing, non-calls are the biggest complaint. Duncan played 51 minutes and had 3 fouls called against him......he probably comminted 40+.

Look at the distribution of those fouls too.....6 on Amare, 5 on Shaq & Diaw, 4 on LB & Bell....they're all on our best players and all of our post players. Parker was the only critical player for the Spurs in foul trouble. KT isn't critical for them and probably committed 20+ fouls himself. Oberto had 3 fouls but they were hack-a-shaq intentional calls and so was one of Barry's fouls.

If the refs are going to put lots of fouls on all of our post players and not call Duncan for fouls then we are going to struggle in every game of this series. Once we get into foul trouble then Ginobili, Parker & Duncan just attack the basket every play trying to get even more fouls called on us and we have to play soft to avoid those fouls......which gets them easy baskets. Even if they miss those Layups then Duncan usually cleans them up because our defenders backed off to avoid the foul and got out of position to get the rebound.

BINGO!

Like I said before, the Suns were called for so many bogus calls throughout the whole game.

To name a few:

- Shaq turned to the basket and Oberto flopped...offensive foul
- Parker runs into Kurt Thomas and somehow Raja Bell is called for the foul
- Amare, Ginobili, and Thomas all get tied up and fall and the foul goes to Amare.
- Nash drove to the basket and put up a layup and had Bowen and one other guy sandwich him before he hit the ground so he couldnt get his footing.

I could go on and on with the Spurs.

There was one point early in the second half when Shaq scored on Duncan and the camera zoomed in on his face. It looked like Shaq was talkin sh** to Duncan and saying "Y'all are floppers"

Like you said, it is all about the distribution of those fouls, and it has been this way for the last four years. How many times can anyone remember Bruce Bowen, Duncan, or Ginobili ever fouling out of a game or even being in early foul trouble? I cant remember more than one or two times, yet, our guys are in foul trouble early all the time! That is why it is frustrating, and that is why people complain about it.

Playing the Spurs is not playing basketball, it is basically playing the whistle. It is always said that you cant let an official's call be the deciding factor in a game. That is what the Spurs are great at...making sure that the game for the opposition is more in the officials' hands than in their own.

 

[cobbler]

that play happened in the 1st OT w/ 12sec left.

I dont think amare made it to the first overtime. Did he? I have no short term memory!

 

[jbeecham]

There was another play where Nash threw the ball into the post to Shaq and then cut to the basket. Shaq flipped the ball back to Nash for the layup and when Nash went up for the shot, I swear I saw Bowen kick him in the back of the legs. I haven't had a chance to go back and watch it, but Nash fell to the ground yelling and no call was made.

 

[cobbler]

BINGO!

Like I said before, the Suns were called for so many bogus calls throughout the whole game.

To name a few:

- Shaq turned to the basket and Oberto flopped...offensive foul
- Parker runs into Kurt Thomas and somehow Raja Bell is called for the foul
- Amare, Ginobili, and Thomas all get tied up and fall and the foul goes to Amare.
- Nash drove to the basket and put up a layup and had Bowen and one other guy sandwich him before he hit the ground so he couldnt get his footing.

I could go on and on with the Spurs.

There was one point early in the second half when Shaq scored on Duncan and the camera zoomed in on his face. It looked like Shaq was talkin sh** to Duncan and saying "Y'all are floppers"

Like you said, it is all about the distribution of those fouls, and it has been this way for the last four years. How many times can anyone remember Bruce Bowen, Duncan, or Ginobili ever fouling out of a game or even being in early foul trouble? I cant remember more than one or two times, yet, our guys are in foul trouble early all the time! That is why it is frustrating, and that is why people complain about it.

Playing the Spurs is not playing basketball, it is basically playing the whistle. It is always said that you cant let an official's call be the deciding factor in a game. That is what the Spurs are great at...making sure that the game for the opposition is more in the officials' hands than in their own.

And a spurs fan could come up with equally as many calls that went the other way. Same ole same ole...

 

[AnonymouslyKnown]

I can't take 7 games like this. I'll have a heart attack.

 

[Cheesebeef]

There was another play where Nash threw the ball into the post to Shaq and then cut to the basket. Shaq flipped the ball back to Nash for the layup and when Nash went up for the shot, I swear I saw Bowen kick him in the back of the legs. I haven't had a chance to go back and watch it, but Nash fell to the ground yelling and no call was made.

yeah, he completely blew the layup and then after he came down there was contact and Nash flopped. Doesn't take away from the fact that he completely blew the layup.

Loved Diaw blowing the layup at the end also before Nash's three. That was solid stuff as well.

 

[mjb21aztd]

I can't believe were paying doris 9 million bucks how do you miss that shot when game 1 of the playoffs is one the line what a joke

 

[cobbler]

Now....talking BASKETBALL instead of blaming the refs...

That last 3 in the corner by Nash was amazing. You had Diaw and LB taking the other last second crucial shots. I dont understand that at all. Mark Jackson called it correct when he said Nash should have just shot off the screen rather than dish to LB in a clutch situation.

Another thing i noticed was that Bell looked good in the opening minutes of the game and just disappeared. Is he hurt? And how come Hill played so few mins?

 

[Da_Spurs_Fan]

What a great game, credit my Spurs with the hard fought comeback. Suns seem to struggle at the end of games, well except for Nash and Shaq. They should try and keep composure. Diaw was playing great, but played like crap when it mattered.

 

[cobbler]

I can't believe were paying doris 9 million bucks how do you miss that shot when game 1 of the playoffs is one the line what a joke

It shouldn't have ever been in his hands to begin with. I thought Diaw played a pretty decent game overall.

 

[Hat]

I can't believe were paying doris 9 million bucks how do you miss that shot when game 1 of the playoffs is one the line what a joke

He should have dunked that **** right in Timmy's face. I know he could but wussed out

 

[Da_Spurs_Fan]

Pushing holding clutching grabbing mugging

You can't resort to excuses, that has never worked for you guys.

 

[cobbler]

He should have dunked that **** right in Timmy's face. I know he could but wussed out

I would love to see a dunk from 17ft away cause that's where he was.

 

[95pro]

There was another play where Nash threw the ball into the post to Shaq and then cut to the basket. Shaq flipped the ball back to Nash for the layup and when Nash went up for the shot, I swear I saw Bowen kick him in the back of the legs. I haven't had a chance to go back and watch it, but Nash fell to the ground yelling and no call was made.

yep i saw that.

bowen faced away from nash as he was driving towards the basket.
bowen stuck his right leg out.