Thank god we have only 3 losses

[Chris_Sanders]

By your logic, it will be armageddon, with all of us gnashing our teeth and pulling our hair out.

Look, do you not recognize the possibility that our interior defense and rebounding may hurt us later in the season? If not, if would be as immature of me to call you ignorant as for you to chastise others for overreacting.

I recognize that there is potential for it, but I also recognize that those teams will have equal trouble dealing with our speed. It is going to depend on who is on and who isn't.

The NBA have altered the rules of the game and we are a big benefit of it. Teams like Detroit that rely on slowing the game down and pounding you are struggling right now to adjust.

I think the whole thing is wide open, even with our current roster. But maybe I am just an optomist.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

And Chris,

Again let me state that I have not said "All of us"...

Yes some of the posters on here will be gnashing their teeth, calling for a change in coaching, in roster, in anything they can think of.

If you aren't one of those people, why get so offended?

 

[Cheesebeef]

And Chris,

Again let me state that I have not said "All of us"...

Yes some of the posters on here will be gnashing their teeth, calling for a change in coaching, in roster, in anything they can think of.

If you aren't one of those people, why get so offended?

because why when we finally have something of a discussion on this baord finally going - do we have to have people CALLING out other posters - no matter who they are? I for once find it refreshing to talk about the Suns because the Cards are such a freaking mess and you're basically telling a group of people to shut their mouths. That's just kind of ******** if you ask me, considering at the end of almost every topic - we all agree that we're very good already but we can still get better.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

because why when we finally have something of a discussion on this baord finally going - do we have to have people CALLING out other posters - no matter who they are? I for once find it refreshing to talk about the Suns because the Cards are such a freaking mess and you're basically telling a group of people to shut their mouths. That's just kind of ******** if you ask me, considering at the end of almost every topic - we all agree that we're very good already but we can still get better.

Alright fair enough. I specifically didn't mention names because I felt that it was unnecessary. I still wonder though what it will take to make some people happy.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

And Chris,

If you aren't one of those people, why get so offended?

My fervent passion for free speech? Dunno, perhaps it annoys me when people tell others what they should or shouldn't talk about, especially on a message board. Like I said, if you have umbrage with particular issues discussed by others, fine, disagree with them.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

My fervent passion for free speech? Dunno, perhaps it annoys me when people tell others what they should or shouldn't talk about, especially on a message board. Like I said, if you have umbrage with particular issues discussed by others, fine, disagree with them.

Perhaps then I should just ask the question since that is what really has me confused...

What would make you happy with the Suns right now if you don't feel their effort and record is good enough?

I am firmly in the "Wait until it breaks before we fix it". I believe this team will go far in the playoffs with the way it is playing now.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Alright fair enough. I specifically didn't mention names because I felt that it was unnecessary. I still wonder though what it will take to make some people happy.

Chris you know the saying - "you can't please all the people all the time?" I'm sure there would probably be someone unhappy if we won the title this year and minutes after the game would be cyring foul that JJ wasn't given a contract extension rather than focus on the bliss of finally getting a championship - it's just the nature of some people - but it's not most of us.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Perhaps then I should just ask the question since that is what really has me confused...

What would make you happy with the Suns right now if you don't feel their effort and record is good enough?

I am firmly in the "Wait until it breaks before we fix it". I believe this team will go far in the playoffs with the way it is playing now.

personally - I couldn't be happier with how they are playing right now - they are young and goriwng and they still don't really KNOW each other yet. I'm witholding on how far we'll go into the playoffs until we actually start playing a tougher schedule as the schedule Gods have been kind to us so far. I really want to see us play more games against the Spurs, Wolves, Utah (healthy), Nuggets and Kings before I can say just how absolutely great this squad is - but I am beyond words stoked at what they've been so far.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Chris you know the saying - "you can't please all the people all the time?" I'm sure there would probably be someone unhappy if we won the title this year and minutes after the game would be cyring foul that JJ wasn't given a contract extension rather than focus on the bliss of finally getting a championship - it's just the nature of some people - but it's not most of us.

Very true.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Very true.

Damn you! You were supposed to keep arguing and then go over to the P&R Board and continue to argue with me over there. You not arguing killed all the arguing mojo!!!!!

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Perhaps then I should just ask the question since that is what really has me confused...

What would make you happy with the Suns right now if you don't feel their effort and record is good enough?

I am firmly in the "Wait until it breaks before we fix it". I believe this team will go far in the playoffs with the way it is playing now.

Well Chris, I certainly don't feel that the Suns lack of effort or their record is good enough, I am thrilled with the start. I do have to say I am worried about our results against the top teams in the West, the teams we will have to beat if our ultimate goal is winning the Finals. Yes, I do believe that we have the guns to compete with the top teams in the west, and because of this, I have very high expectations for this team. However, against Sacramento and Minnesota, and probably against San Antonio, we had major issues with interior defense and rebounding. The game against Minnesota was telling, from the fact that it was ref'ed much like a playoff game, and the pace was more similar to a playoff game. There were many times in which I thought Nash and others were fouled, with no calls from the refs. The unfortunate reality of this is, when playoffs come around, this will be the likely pace that other teams will force us into. You aren't worried about playing a halfcourt game against a team like San Antonio?

Like I've said, I am thrilled with the results so far, but there are definite areas of improvement. If the Suns expect to compete with the top teams in the playoffs, they either need to develop Hunter, or look for help from the outside. We have the resources to acquire a player that can help, so why not discuss the possibilites of a trade? Because you think it is wrong? Also, the substitution patterns employed by D'Antoni have the potential to wear the starters out as well, and this is a legitimate concern as well. I'll repeat, I am thrilled with the results so far, but there are definite areas of improvement.

 

[100%CardsFan]

I think the Suns would be alot better if we got James Edwards back.

 

[George O'Brien]

Yes, I am still upset about the Cleveland loss.

Seriously, on the radio tonight one of the assistant coaches (I think was Ivaroni) said he thought they made a mistake taking Hunter out so quickly against the Wolves. If I was being negative, then that was one of the key issues. Hunter's defense has been crucial in the last two games, so I don't think I was being especially negative.

My concern about Q's shooting has tempered after the Portland game. Against the Warriors he was tightly covered, but did a great job of getting the ball to his teammates. I think Q is growing as a player and am feeling a lot better about his play than I did on Friday.

There was an interesting article about Casey on Suns.com. Apparently the Suns coaching staff likes his defense, even if he didn't look that good against Wally. I was wondering what they were seeing in CJ we weren't and guess that's what it is.

Bottom line - I think the Suns are no worse than the 5th best team in the NBA with a chance to be even better by the end of the season. I'm not quite sure how that translates in negativity.

 

[elindholm]

I wonder what it would take to make some of you happy...

Well, if you could stop being so snide and self-righteous, that would be a step in the right direction.

Evidently I'm in your group of "some people," because it was my flip remark about D'Antoni's coaching that you decided to single out when pressed for an example. I haven't said much about the Suns either way so far this season, partly because I've been able to watch only about half of the games so far, and partly because I don't think they've really had a chance to show much yet, thanks to the very easy schedule.

I'm among many on this board who don't think the team in its present configuration (and with its present rotations) can make any noise in the playoffs. But other people are making that point, so I haven't said too much about it recently.

I think it was George O'Brien who advanced the theory that D'Antoni is going head-first into small ball partly as a philosophical crusade -- to show that it can work, above and beyond the question of whether it's even the best for this particular roster. There's something to that. I haven't been very impressed with the team's preparation or in-game adjustments in the games that I've been able to watch, but so far their athleticism has been so superior that it hasn't mattered.

Chris, I know that you do a lot of work to run this board and I respect that. You are absolutely entitled to do and say whatever you want, because it's your place. But part of what appeals to me about this board is that everyone can express their views, assuming they do so without getting too obscene or indecent. This isn't the damn Soviet Union; we can tolerate dissenting opinions. At least, I think we can, can't we?

Let me put it this way: If you don't like what I write, don't whine about it. Just ban my ass. Otherwise, get off my freaking case, because I've had it.

 

[hcsilla]

I still wonder though what it will take to make some people happy.

Perhaps not to start threads like this.

 

[George O'Brien]

I'm not sure I suggested the theory that D'Antoni wants to prove small ball per se, since someone else suggested it first.

Coach Gentry was interviewed on TV tonight and said it was simply the desire to have the best five guys on the court independent of size. He reinterated the theory that while the small guy may have trouble defending against the big guy on the other end there is a similar mismatch.

Prior to camp, there was some discussion about how the Jordan Bulls won without an exceptional center. I'm sure that's true. 1997-98, Luc Longley averaged 29.4 minutes a game and grabbed only 5.9 rebounds. Of course, there was a guy named Rodman grabbing 15.0 rpg and the Bulls outrebounded their opponents by 5.2 rpg that season and had a 2.6 advantage in offensive rebounding.

But maybe the small ball theory is right. Dallas proved that a potent offense could make up for having a lousy defense by winning 60 games just a few years ago. However, the Mavs "small ball" in 2002-03 included a seven foot forward Dirk Nowitzki along with Raef LaFrentz who is 6'11" and Shawn Bradley who is 7'6". Their problem was a lack of toughness, but they were big enough. Still they were outrebounded by 3.4 rpg which was obviously a troubling sign going into the playoffs.

The Mavs did make it to the conference finals where they lost to the Spurs. The Spurs outrebounded the Mavs by 5.1 rpg and held the Mavs to only 41.8% shooting after a season when the Mavs shot 53.3%.

Maybe the refs will call games tighter than back then, but best bet is that the team with the best defense and best rebounding will have an advantage.

 

[PhxGametime]

I wonder what it would take to make some of you happy...

Well being that Trade Proposal's take about 5-10 minutes to do (depending on cap), I do believe even with a Championship - there would be at least a few Proposal's still. I'm sure for some, the Suns actually Trading for their Proposal would be cool - I don't take mine very serious but it is fun.

ME personally, I'd like one more 4 or 5 but I would like to keep core. I am happy with record but I worry about wearing down players. I do think a few people would agree. The other main issue would be offensive rebounds from opponent.

I like record, defense, starting line-up (although if Suns keep that unit, Steven Hunter probably needs to continue to get minutes off bench), offense, passing, etc...

Whether it's a 4/5 or a 3/4, I do think Stat and Matrix playing that many minutes could hurt later on... I really don't mind skillball really and with Hunter, Lampe, Voskuhl, and Vroman all capable at Center, a 4 wouldn't hurt too much that could command minutes (keeping core for a decent big, IMO would be better than Trading away farm).

 

[Errntknght]

Chris_Sanders, "What would make you happy with the Suns right now if you don't feel their effort and record is good enough?"

No one is faulting the teams effort or record so the way that question is phrased makes me wonder if you read the posts you would wish away. When I read or write one of those posts I think it's fairly clear what will make the person happier.

"I am firmly in the "Wait until it breaks before we fix it". I believe this team will go far in the playoffs with the way it is playing now."

I am firmly in the "preventative maintenence" camp. I don't think total small ball will take us deep in the playoffs and I believe that an easy part of the schedule is an ideal time to develope a bigger line up - not to replace the successful small lineup but to complement it. About eight or ten years ago the Suns crushed all the non-playoff teams and had about a .500 record against playoff teams - and were summarily dismissed from the playoffs in the first round. To me that was a dismal season though their record was sparkling in terms of W-L pct.


Elindholm, "I think it was George O'Brien who advanced the theory that D'Antoni is going head-first into small ball partly as a philosophical crusade "

Don't blame that on George... though I think it was his thread "What does D'Antoni see, etc. " that gave me to opportunity to make that speculation.

 

[F-Dog]

I think the negativity stems from the process, not the results.

The two things that most Suns fans blame for the team's failures are Small Ball and no-name coaches; suddenly, the team is playing even smaller than anyone could have imagined before the season started, and D'Antoni is cracking one-liners like nothing is wrong. In a way, each new win is more annoying than the last--it's like watching a friend keep getting rewarded for lying or cheating. I mean, you like him and you're happy for his success, but shouldn't he be getting his comeuppance right about now? Where's the other shoe to drop when you need it?

Frankly, the Suns could cruise to 60 wins and make the NBA finals this season, and some guys would spend the next summer complaining that D'Antoni hasn't learned his lesson, and now he'll get three more years to run the team into the ground. (This is not to say that they're right or wrong, but winning isn't going to shut them up.)


On the other hand, if the Suns were 11-8 right now with Jerry Sloan coaching and Jake Voskuhl playing 35 mpg, I think most people around here would be satisfied with how things were going.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Well I feel it is equally rediculous how many "trade this player for this crap guy from the East Coast" threads we see on here right now. I fail to see how my post is "self-righteous". I choose to disagree with the flood of negativity that is swirling around a 14-3 team.

"flood of negativity" - whoa. you don't know negative. compared to the cards board this is happy-happy-joy-joy land.

i gotta agree with cheese (i know, big surprise), peeps are just talking. it's not like anyone is lambasting anyone. and we haven't passed any big tests yet. in fact, the only one that we've faced, we failed (minny).

i love this team but that don't mean it's perfect. and your comments lead me to believe that you think it's perfect. that's the only reason why there should be nothing to discuss other than "yay we're the best!"

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

that doesn't make a whole lot of sense considering your initial post. I would think you'd be loathe to see what this board is like after two losses in a row.

he was being facetious idiot.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I recognize that there is potential for it, but I also recognize that those teams will have equal trouble dealing with our speed. It is going to depend on who is on and who isn't.

The NBA have altered the rules of the game and we are a big benefit of it. Teams like Detroit that rely on slowing the game down and pounding you are struggling right now to adjust.

I think the whole thing is wide open, even with our current roster. But maybe I am just an optomist.

i agree with you chris, however, you gotta admit, it is likely to be a whole different ballgame, prolly NOT suited to OUR makeup in the playoffs where they allow alot more of the bully bs that they're trying to regulate against in the regular season right now. some of the posters here are just looking more in the long term.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Alright fair enough. I specifically didn't mention names because I felt that it was unnecessary. I still wonder though what it will take to make some people happy.

for some, nothing short of a champion.

 

[Joe Mama]

I think this has been the most overall negative thread on the messageboard in some time. There's absolutely nothing wrong with making constructive criticisms. Overall everybody seems happy with the way this team is playing. Frankly I feel like those who are criticizing the messageboard's "negativity" are looking for it.

Joe Mama

 

[frdbtr]

I think we sould trade Amare,Q, and Nash for Nene.




























or not.

Maybe we could trade Yuta Tabuse (sp?) for Tim Duncan. That would definately improve our team.