Suns vs Spurs 12/25/08

[French Fries]

The Suns played well enough to win, and they should have - it happens. Mental mistake by JRich by not switching to Mason.

ok, so if they wanted to work on Duncan with 5 fouls, why give it to Amare 3 straight times so he could miss? I thought it would be Shaq working on him.

we can only look back now, but, this was what should have been done...

like most suns-spurs game, it's certainly entertaining. i wouldn't want to be contented with our play today and want to leave some room for improvements so i think i appreciate the loss. it's always best to win decisively than doing enough to win...

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Tough tough game. The analysis between the end and the Laker game pissed me off.

Magic - "The spurs can ger a stop when they need to and go down and score at the end of the game"

Yeah that stop went real well. That inbounds play by the Suns was a thing of beauty.

Barry - " They played good defense but just can't ever seem to make the stops when they have to"

Uhh the guy who made the mistake on that play has been with us for 5 games.

Whatever. I STILL like the way this team is playing and alhtough I would have loved this win (i feel we totally outplayed them) this kind of stuff happens.

We will go on a run now because the schedule lightens up and the team is likely pissed.

Who knew we were getting this Shaq? IMO that is the best/most important development of the young season so far.

 

[cly2tw]

Barnes is erratic. For the sake of our playoff chance, we gotta pick up another swingman to level our bets.

 

[Budden]

The Suns have given up a ridiculous amount open shots from the perimeter all season. They continued that trend this afternoon - in the first half, the Spurs were missing the majority of the open shots they were getting and putting forth a so-so effort on defense. As the second half progressed, they started to make some of those shots they were missing in the 1st half, and they turned their defense up a notch.

This happens most of the time when the Suns play the Spurs. We've seen this movie over and over and over again. Somebody needs to fast-track the release of the DVD so that we can check the special features menu for the alternate ending.

 

[The Man In Black]

Solid game plan by Terry Porter and in the end, the new guy bought the drive to the rim and left a top 3 point shooter open.

Hotly contested and had just the right kind of feel for a great start of Christmas entertainment. Both teams deserved to win.

It was one of those whoever had the last shot deals.

Season series is 1-1

 

[cly2tw]

The Suns have given up a ridiculous amount open shots from the perimeter all season. They continued that trend this afternoon - in the first half, the Spurs were missing the majority of the open shots they were getting and putting forth a so-so effort on defense. As the second half progressed, they started to make some of those shots they were missing in the 1st half, and they turned their defense up a notch.

This happens most of the time when the Suns play the Spurs. We've seen this movie over and over and over again. Somebody needs to fast-track the release of the DVD so that we can check the special features menu for the alternate ending.

Suns parameter players, particularly Nash, have a tendency to converge into paint as if thinking that we needed help there, or just gambling for steals or taking charges. Parker's 3, Mason buzzer beater are all due to that.

 

[AfroSuns]

Solid game plan by Terry Porter and in the end, the new guy bought the drive to the rim and left a top 3 point shooter open.

Hotly contested and had just the right kind of feel for a great start of Christmas entertainment. Both teams deserved to win.

It was one of those whoever had the last shot deals.

Season series is 1-1

Nice post.

I like how the Suns played, Tony's drive could have ended with, and 1, one just never know and i don't care about regular season record with the Spurs (especially if going by last season), post season is what really counts.
Great game, painful loss.

 

[AceP]

I missed this one as it's in early afternoon, it finished even b4 I wake up.

I'm not sure why Barnes and Barbosa were so cold this game. I don't think the Spurs put much defense effort on them. Guys predicted a bad game for us due to more than necessary 4 days rest. So many days off, could have hurt their shooting touch. It seems have helped Shaq very much, though ... Our whole bench only scored 2 by 12 shots, damn ... 6 turnovers by Nash ...

Overall I'm very disappointed ... We still dont have an edge over the Spurs ...

 

[Andrew]

Lack of defense on J Rich's man cost us this game, dude made a mental mistake. Plus, it doesn't help when your go to guy can't buy a bucket or get the 6th foul on The Big Boring. Sigh....I had taped this game because I was with family today and all I knew is it was a one point game but didn't know who won. Boy, was I right. This is a tough loss, especially when Shaq and Amare combin for 48 points and 20+ rebounds.

We let a D-Leaguer beat us, but we played solid. Let's just regroup and get it going from here.

 

[green machine]

I missed this one as it's in early afternoon, it finished even b4 I wake up.

I'm not sure why Barnes and Barbosa were so cold this game. I don't think the Spurs put much defense effort on them. Guys predicted a bad game for us due to more than necessary 4 days rest. So many days off, could have hurt their shooting touch. It seems have helped Shaq very much, though ... Our whole bench only scored 2 by 12 shots, damn ... 6 turnovers by Nash ...

Overall I'm very disappointed ... We still dont have an edge over the Spurs ...

No one would say that the Suns have the edge over the Spurs until the Suns beat them in the playoffs, so this game means nothing as far as that goes.

Hell, the Suns had won the last 3 regular season games between them, and that doesn't make a damn bit a difference come playoff time.

 

[Andrew]

The way the rest of the West is playing, if the Spurs and Suns both make the playoffs, I doubt a first round matchup again. They would be too close in the standings...

 

[Mainstreet]

Barnes is erratic. For the sake of our playoff chance, we gotta pick up another swingman to level our bets.

I guess Tucker is not that player. I'm wondering if he will ever get playing time.

 

[AceP]

I guess Tucker is not that player. I'm wondering if he will ever get playing time.

Tucker has been assigned to D-League. Forget about him. We have another guy Dudley, who almost hasn't played at all. I'm not sure why but we'll see.

Our schedule for next 2 months is much easier than the last 2, we'll play a lot of lowly teams. I think we will give some try-out for the young guys, Dragic, Dee Brown and Dudley, to see if they could cover our weak points. If not, expect signing of veterans b4 Feb.10 deadline, we have only 13 in roster, 2 open spots.

 

[Cheesebeef]

i know this probably isn't the case, but man it seems like we lose more big games by giving up wide-open threes on our homecourt no matter who's coaching or who's on the court since we got into AWA.

oh well. Amare's got the rebounding thing down now he needs to be to "the man". now he just needs to learn how to finish a ball game on the offensive end.

 

[AceP]

Just watched a part of the game on recording. That 3 consecutive Amare on Duncan possession doomed us. From my point of view, Porter did nothing wrong giving Amare the ball at that moment. Amare did nothing wrong attacking Duncan. But he should have passed the ball when there is no way in, there were teammates wide open ...

 

[green machine]

Just watched a part of the game on recording. That 3 consecutive Amare on Duncan possession doomed us. From my point of view, Porter did nothing wrong giving Amare the ball at that moment. Amare did nothing wrong attacking Duncan. But he should have passed the ball when there is no way in, there were teammates wide open ...

I think the problem is the gameplan then was to attack Duncan, but by doing that they were trying to force shots that maybe weren't there.

That said, when Amare gets that close, he's usually a good finisher.

 

[Cheesebeef]

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/133138

"Stoudemire disagreed and felt Duncan was given a lot of leeway in the exchanges.

“There was a lot of contact,” he said.

“The officials know the foul situation in that instance. What we wanted to do was attack him and try to get him out. I drew contact, no foul called, but that’s the way the game is played … the officials really don’t want to take him out of the game. I didn’t get the calls."

quit crying and try making a big shot Amare. jesus, the above whining just turns my stomach. There's contact at the end of games? No way!

Nice way to take responsibility and be "the man" Amare.

 

[green machine]

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/133138

"Stoudemire disagreed and felt Duncan was given a lot of leeway in the exchanges.

“There was a lot of contact,” he said.

“The officials know the foul situation in that instance. What we wanted to do was attack him and try to get him out. I drew contact, no foul called, but that’s the way the game is played … the officials really don’t want to take him out of the game. I didn’t get the calls."

quit crying and try making a big shot Amare. jesus, the above whining just turns my stomach. There's contact at the end of games? No way!

Nice way to take responsibility and be "the man" Amare.

I don't know if you've heard the actual audio from these quotes, but it sounds less like complaining and more just saying that's what happened, and that's how it is.

 

[mojorizen7]

i know this probably isn't the case, but man it seems like we lose more big games by giving up wide-open threes on our homecourt no matter who's coaching or who's on the court since we got into AWA.

oh well. Amare's got the rebounding thing down now he needs to be to "the man". now he just needs to learn how to finish a ball game on the offensive end.

Finally somebody else realizes what i've been "sighing" over about for the last 16 yrs. Dude, you are spot on with this observation. I've made a few posts in the past regarding this. This is one the many reasons i'll always like the SUNS chances on the road no matter what the circumstances are.
Absoluteley friggin sickening at how many times the opposing team has hit a clutch 3 in our building. Not only clutch 3's but shooting period.
I've always said that if you could compile the opponents FG% in NBA arenas over the last 15 yrs that the SUNS AWA/USAIR would have to be at or near the top. W T F

BTW...I missed the game, worked 10 hrs today. Retail sucks.
I looked at the box score and saw that our bigs dominated but the rest of the squad not so much....but hey a 1 point loss at the buzzer at the hands of a 3 ball isn't the end of the world......and its certainly not the last one we're gonna see in our building.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I don't know if you've heard the actual audio from these quotes, but it sounds less like complaining and more just saying that's what happened, and that's how it is.

but that's not what happened and I don't believe it is how it is. It looked to me like Amare was trying to draw fouls instead of just making layups and now he's bitching because he didn't get calls. Worry about making your shot and not looking to be bailed out by the refs.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Finally somebody else realizes what i've been "sighing" over about for the last 16 yrs. Dude, you are spot on with this observation. I've made a few posts in the past regarding this. This is one the many reasons i'll always like the SUNS chances on the road no matter what the circumstances are.
Absoluteley friggin sickening at how many times the opposing team has hit a clutch 3 in our building. Not only clutch 3's but shooting period.
I've always said that if you could compile the opponents FG% in NBA arenas over the last 15 yrs that the SUNS AWA/USAIR would have to be at or near the top. W T F

BTW...I missed the game, worked 10 hrs today. Retail sucks.
I looked at the box score and saw that our bigs dominated but the rest of the squad not so much....but hey a 1 point loss at the buzzer at the hands of a 3 ball isn't the end of the world......and its certainly not the last one we're gonna see in our building.

Paxson cursed that place it's first year of existence. On our way to our first title ever, 10 seconds away from Game 7 at home and (as usual) there's just one of the best shooters in the game, WIDE OPEN, who surprise surprise, nails the three.

Mario Elie would follow it up two years later with a WIDE OPEN three from the corner (why we were trapping full court, tied at the end of a Game 7 is still beyond me) and Bowen would give us the final kick to the ******* in Game 5 of the 2007 series when as usual, he spotted up WIDE OPEN from the corner to drain the three that would effectively end that series.

yes, I know that's only 3 shots, but good lord, those were just monumentally huge shots... and they were all WIDE OPEN.

 

[shazaam6]

as much as i hate him,popovic is a great coach.he somehow finds surprise names like duncan,mason in the end.

and 30 games should be enough to judge porter,he s not a special coach,i dont rate him,he never surprised me in good way so far.he seems just average.

I am starting to think this way too.

WHY was Nash even in there for the last play, because of his defense? If Hill could guard Parker, Barnes should have been substituted in for Nash. It may not have mattered directly this game, but I think that was a mistake by Coach Porter.

Also on that last play, Ginobili was w-i-d-e open with Nash covering him on the switch from Mason.

Our defensive discipline sucks. I wonder if Porter is emphasizing defense anymore. We look just like D'antoni's defense, except for that overused high school zone. Popovich looks like a freekkin genius, the way he beats us over and over with less overall weapons.

 

[Cheesebeef]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap;_ylt=AtZZUHuEu2PadoJapcgrG8q8vLYF?gid=2008122521&prov=ap

“We played good enough to win,” Stoudemire said. “Every time we play the Spurs some type of big shot ends up happening.”

this also just makes me shake my head. When you continually give up wide open shots at the end of games, the best teams are going to make you pay for them more often than not.

Amare makes it out like the Spurs just keep getting lucky over and over and over and over and over and over again. If you played good enough to win, YOU'D WIN.

comments like these, the above crying about the refs, and his comments about how we played good enough defense to win a game in which we gave up 124 points just scream out to me that Amare is just a mental midget.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Also on that last play, Ginobili was w-i-d-e open with Nash covering him on the switch from Mason.

I noticed that as well - he was WIDE OPEN from the start of the play.

 

[Andrew]

A defensive laspe cost us the game, enough said.