Suns targeting Batista

[cepstrum]

Yes. And, you know what? There are going to be a lot of jock sniffers on this board when they see exactly what he can contribute.

I don't think anyone is saying he isn't going to contribute. The problem is we need another player that can contribute defensively in the low-post.

 

[elindholm]

I don't think anyone is saying he isn't going to contribute. The problem is we need another player that can contribute defensively in the low-post.

Right, exactly. I'm excited about Hill, but he's not going to shift to a power position when Stoudemire is on the bench with fouls and Diaw turns back into a passive turnover machine.

 

[jandaman]

exactly..

if Amare can play 37-38 minutes a game and not be in foul trouble most of it.. then its okay...

But knowing how Amare plays D, against Spurs, Jazz etc... He'd pick up 2 in the first quarter and a bit and the Suns are left with Diaw, Marion and Hill as the front court... Who would grab a rebound except Marion... if Diaw was 6'10 or atleast bulky... or if Grant Hill was still in his 20s and healthy as he can be, then he could provide 7-8 rebounds... these days?.. he'd give you 3-4. And Diaw... the thing is, if he actually focuses on becoming a rebounder atleast... then I dont mind his passive stance in the offense.... but atleast be a threat on the boards...

 

[sly fly]

I don't think anyone is saying he isn't going to contribute. The problem is we need another player that can contribute defensively in the low-post.

For the most part (especially during the regular season), ANY big man the Suns sign most likely will not see extended time.

The Suns are good enough right now to have the best record in the league. Adding Grant Hill expands this probability.

Rather than jump the gun on a trade that will alter team chemistry, I'd rather see PHX let things play out for a bit.

Any big man that can contribute (and, there aren't many of them) will likely come in the form of a trade.

 

[cepstrum]

For the most part (especially during the regular season), ANY big man the Suns sign most likely will not see extended time.

The Suns are good enough right now to have the best record in the league. Adding Grant Hill expands this probability.

Rather than jump the gun on a trade that will alter team chemistry, I'd rather see PHX let things play out for a bit.

Any big man that can contribute (and, there aren't many of them) will likely come in the form of a trade.

I guess what I was venting/b!tching about was the fact that we had the ideal guy in KT and we paid Seattle to take him from us. I was also venting about the fact that they are trying to sell this idea that somehow "playing fast" is going to help us defeat San Antonio.

Oh well, I sound like a broken record now, but I feel a little betrayed by the front office.

 

[sly fly]

I guess what I was venting/b!tching about was the fact that we had the ideal guy in KT and we paid Seattle to take him from us. I was also venting about the fact that they are trying to sell this idea that somehow "playing fast" is going to help us defeat San Antonio.

Oh well, I sound like a broken record now, but I feel a little betrayed by the front office.

I know, it's very frustrating. But, kind of hard to blame Sarver. If you're a business owner, would you like to be paying an employee double his normal wage? I know the NBA collects the luxury tax, but you get the point.

I try and keep a balanced look at things. We're very fortunate to have Nash, Amare, Marion, Barbosa, Hill, and Bell. That's a pretty good 5 right there... not many teams are gonna compete against this.

 

[F-Dog]

I guess what I was venting/b!tching about was the fact that we had the ideal guy in KT and we paid Seattle to take him from us. I was also venting about the fact that they are trying to sell this idea that somehow "playing fast" is going to help us defeat San Antonio.

KT's fuel light has been blinking for a while now, he's had major injuries in each of the last two seasons, and he was completely incapable of making the Spurs pay for going with Finley at PF in game 5 of that series.

I know you were merely using hyperbole, but these things are worth mentioning from time to time.

 

[elindholm]

KT's fuel light has been blinking for a while now

Only because he couldn't keep up with the regular-season Suns. It's folly to assume that the much-older Brown will be any more successful.

and he was completely incapable of making the Spurs pay for going with Finley at PF in game 5 of that series.

Wait, how is that Thomas's fault? Game 5 was a lost cause anyway, but I don't recall Finley guarding Thomas. Shouldn't it have been the Suns' erstwhile, underappreciated All-Star PF who made the Spurs pay for such a tactic?

 

[F-Dog]

It's folly to assume that the much-older Brown will be any more successful.

Very true. I don't know of anybody who thinks that, but if anybody does, that person is almost certainly wrong.

Shouldn't it have been the Suns' erstwhile, underappreciated All-Star PF who made the Spurs pay for such a tactic?

If the opposing PF is Horry, yes, but when they move down to Finley at PF, they've sacrificed their team defense and exposed Tim Duncan in order to match up specifically with Marion.

The fact that Duncan could show on Nash at the 3pt line (on the Nash/KT P&R) and still recover to block KT's layup attempts was what allowed the Spurs to go small in that situation.

 

[elindholm]

The fact that Duncan could show on Nash at the 3pt line (on the Nash/KT P&R) and still recover to block KT's layup attempts was what allowed the Spurs to go small in that situation.

Yeah, but that happened only a couple of times. On the whole the Nash/Thomas p&r was quite effective. Stoudemire doesn't always convert either, you know...

 

[F-Dog]

Yeah, but that happened only a couple of times. On the whole the Nash/Thomas p&r was quite effective. Stoudemire doesn't always convert either, you know...

It was effective in that Thomas made a bunch of contested jumpers, but it wasn't effective enough to force the Spurs to change their scheme (or alternatively, to prevent them from coming back to win).

I would describe the Nash/Marion P&R in the first half of that game as "quite effective". It's not a matter of converting every time, it's a matter of putting the other team in an untenable position, and KT wasn't able to do that.

 

[elindholm]

I would describe the Nash/Marion P&R in the first half of that game as "quite effective". It's not a matter of converting every time, it's a matter of putting the other team in an untenable position, and KT wasn't able to do that.

Well, nothing on the offensive end could have met that standard without Thomas on the floor, since the Spurs scored at will whenever he was on the bench.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Well, nothing on the offensive end could have met that standard without Thomas on the floor, since the Spurs scored at will whenever he was on the bench.

The only time we played decent D was when Thomas was on the floor.

 

[F-Dog]

Well, nothing on the offensive end could have met that standard without Thomas on the floor, since the Spurs scored at will whenever he was on the bench.

...which is the same problem the Suns had with Steven Hunter back in 2004.


Again, I'm not saying KT wasn't useful or the Suns acted wisely. I just think it's important to have a consensus understanding of KT's limitations.

 

[Chaplin]

The only time we played decent D was when Thomas was on the floor.

Really? I loved KT, but a very common misconception on this board is that he made a big difference in that Spurs series. He didn't.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

I thought KT was stealing money from the suns during the regular season, and didnt think he made a big difference vs the spurs.

 

[cly2tw]

Really? I loved KT, but a very common misconception on this board is that he made a big difference in that Spurs series. He didn't.

That's quite unique of an opinion indeed.

 

[elindholm]

Really? I loved KT, but a very common misconception on this board is that he made a big difference in that Spurs series. He didn't.

It's a commonly held conception, all right, but I'm not sure where you get the "mis" part. Actually it was pretty obvious to anyone who watched the series, as this board was happy to point out while it was in progress.

 

[F-Dog]

http://http://www.urubasket.com/

BATISTA VIAJARIA EN LAS PROXIMAS HORAS
A EEUU: HAY GRAN INTERES DE PHOENIX SUNS
Esteban Batista proyecta viajar en las próximas horas a Estados Unidos convocado por los Phoenix Suns, para realizar un ensayo (work out), de 2 o 3 días, un trabajo previo y habitual cuando hay máximo interés de contratar a un jugador, dijo su representante Oscar Moglia. "En esos ejercicios se ven los movimientos de un jugador, a veces se efectuan solos o a veces les ponen a otro", explicó a su vez el representante Carlos Roca. "Si todo marcha bien luego de ese trabajo firmaremos contrato", agregó Moglia. Pero el interés por Batista no se limita a ese equipo, sino que se extiende a otros como Dallas, Indiana, Boston y Miami dijo Moglia. "Apostamos a la NBA", tras rechazar ofertas de Turquía, Francia e Israel, sostuvo.

Rough translation time:


Batista about to go to the U.S.; Suns very interested

Batista is expected to travel to the U.S. in the next few hours to meet with the Suns for a 2- or 3-day workout, as is usual when there is great interest in signing a player, according to his agent.

..."if everything goes well the Suns will offer him a contract", added the agent. But interest in Batista is not limited to the Suns; according to his agent, Dallas, Indiana, Boston and Miami are also interested.

Having rejected offers in Turkey, France and Israel, "We're betting on the NBA".

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

viva la batista! el jugador magnifico!

 

[Joe Mama]

Really? I loved KT, but a very common misconception on this board is that he made a big difference in that Spurs series. He didn't.

What? Surely this is a joke.

Joe

 

[slinslin]

He played hard but Duncan was getting just as much as he got when Thomas wasn't guarding him.

Basically Thomas gave us 6 more fouls on Duncan.

 

[elindholm]

He played hard but Duncan was getting just as much as he got when Thomas wasn't guarding him.

That's approximately true, but the rest of the Spurs got less, because (a) Thomas could, at least, guard Duncan one-on-one without getting instantly destroyed, and (b) the Suns got a defensive rebound once in a while.

 

[Rab]

He played hard but Duncan was getting just as much as he got when Thomas wasn't guarding him.

Basically Thomas gave us 6 more fouls on Duncan.

The Suns best chance to beat the Spurs was to not have to scramble and double Duncan on every play. Kurt allowed us to stay at home more on Parker and Manu, and then mix up our double team efforts on Duncan which bothered him at times. Without him, it's more like 04-05 Suns playing the Spurs all over again.

 

[JCSunsfan]

He played hard but Duncan was getting just as much as he got when Thomas wasn't guarding him.

Basically Thomas gave us 6 more fouls on Duncan.

I am sorry, but that is not true. I watched KT move Duncan out away from the hoop and Duncan forced and missed or passed.

The main thing was that we did not double team Duncan when KT was on the floor.

Do we watch the same games?