The Suns should forfeit Game 5

[elindholm]

The Suns have no chance in Game 5. They'll start Thomas/Marion/Bell/Barbosa/Nash and that's it, that's the whole team, for 48 minutes. Jones and Banks will get a little time but will be useless. Through hustle and determination, the Suns might keep the game close for two or even three quarters, but there's no way they can sustain the energy they need to in order to be competitive for the whole game.

But the worst part is, they will wear themselves out trying. That's the hidden cost. They'll leave everything on the floor for Game 5, for as long as they can, and they won't have anything left for Game 6. As we saw last night, they can win in San Antonio, but only if everyone is able to play hard the whole game. (As it turns out, the Suns did not play particularly well last night, but they did play hard.)

The bottom line is that the Suns have to win Game 6, and they have to win Game 7. Now, what gives them the best chance of doing that? Being as rested and as focused as possible.

Game 5 can only harm them. It will wear them out, distract them, expose them to further injury, and give the Spurs even more information about how they play. Nothing good can come out of it.

The best strategy for Game 5, then, is clear: Don't play it. Accept being down 3-2, and get ready for Game 6.

 

[slinslin]

They should just boycott the playoffs, maybe that would be the best.

 

[elindholm]

They should just boycott the playoffs, maybe that would be the best.

No, the best is to forfeit Game 5, then win in seven games. And it's possible. Extremely difficult, but possible.

 

[Shane]

I actually like that idea. The only problem is that rests the Spurs up too.

 

[Phade]

suns should just never step foot on a basketball court again in retaliation to david stern ruining this series..

 

[Nash Attack]

You are forgetting about Jalen Rose. My guess is Rose will play an important part in this game.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Nothing says "we have zero confidence in the rest of our team" more than forfeiting a game.

Amare and Diaw will be plenty rested for game 6.

 

[slinslin]

If we are going to play Banks better gets on the floor to take out Parker and Jumaine Jones and Pat Burke take out Duncan.

We don't need them for the rest of the playoffs anyway, might as well get their money worth and injure Spurs.

 

[Spider TX]

The Suns have no chance in Game 5. They'll start Thomas/Marion/Bell/Barbosa/Nash and that's it, that's the whole team, for 48 minutes. Jones and Banks will get a little time but will be useless. Through hustle and determination, the Suns might keep the game close for two or even three quarters, but there's no way they can sustain the energy they need to in order to be competitive for the whole game.

But the worst part is, they will wear themselves out trying. That's the hidden cost. They'll leave everything on the floor for Game 5, for as long as they can, and they won't have anything left for Game 6. As we saw last night, they can win in San Antonio, but only if everyone is able to play hard the whole game. (As it turns out, the Suns did not play particularly well last night, but they did play hard.)

The bottom line is that the Suns have to win Game 6, and they have to win Game 7. Now, what gives them the best chance of doing that? Being as rested and as focused as possible.

Game 5 can only harm them. It will wear them out, distract them, expose them to further injury, and give the Spurs even more information about how they play. Nothing good can come out of it.

The best strategy for Game 5, then, is clear: Don't play it. Accept being down 3-2, and get ready for Game 6.

For this post, you should probably go all Wee-Man and kick yourself in the face. Quit whining and back your team or go away.

 

[Shane]

Nothing says "we have zero confidence in the rest of our team" than forfeiting a game.

Do you honestly have confidence that they can pull off the win Jersey? Honestly?

 

[mribnik]

I'm sorry, but that's BS. The whole point of this team has been that no matter what doesn't go their way, they are going to come back the next game and lay it all out there. The Suns have a two-time MVP and some other talented players. The Spurs lost plenty of games this year because they were "coasting" against inferior competition. That's a terrible idea and it's not fair to the fans either.

 

[azsouthendzone]

Nothing says "we have zero confidence in the rest of our team" than forfeiting a game.

Get real. The fact is they just screwed the team in a way that has handed the Spurs game 5. It would send a message to the league that the Suns and fans will not accept this crap.

 

[Griffin]

I think we can win this game. There will be an enormous pressure on SA to take it, and no pressure on us at all. Everyone expects us to lose now, probably expects us to get blown out. We still have Nash. And we have a bunch of angry players with something to prove.

 

[F-Dog]

The Suns will be very careful with Nash's minutes, I'm guessing.

It'd be interesting to see them play their full bench in the first half--Burke, Jumaine, Jalen, Marcus.

 

[elindholm]

Some of you are going to be singing a different tune when an exhausted Suns team bows out meekly in Game 6 on Friday.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Do you honestly have confidence that they can pull off the win Jersey? Honestly?

Get real. The fact is they just screwed the team in a way that has handed the Spurs game 5. It would send a message to the league that the Suns and fans will not accept this crap.

I'm not saying I am confident that they will win. Geesh, do you think I am a complete and utter moron? (That's a rhetorical question.)

I just don't think forfeiting the game will send some grandiose message and make the NBA change is all. I just don't see the purpose.

Play the game. Who knows?

 

[Spider TX]

Some of you are going to be singing a different tune when an exhausted Suns team bows out meekly in Game 6 on Friday.

You very well may be the biggest bandwagon fan here. So just go away now since the Suns are going to lose as you say.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Do you honestly have confidence that they can pull off the win Jersey? Honestly?

I absolutely do. The Suns have nothing to lose, will be playing behind a CRAZY home crowd, will likely have the ref bias, and we have Steve Nash who can make a star out of anyone.

No quit. No surrender.

 

[elindholm]

I just don't think forfeiting the game will send some grandiose message and make the NBA change is all. I just don't see the purpose.

The purpose is to give themselves a chance to win Game 6. Does anyone actually believe that getting killed in Game 5 will do the Suns any good? Game 5 is already over -- focus on the next one.

But as far as the "statement" thing goes, someone will have to do it someday. The fraud that is NBA "fair play" just keeps getting worse, and every coach and player who is too chicken to lodge a real protest just gives the entire charade more legitimacy.

 

[ajcardfan]

Do you honestly have confidence that they can pull off the win Jersey? Honestly?

I think they can. If they knock down their three-pointers like they can, then they will win.

 

[haverford]

You very well may be the biggest bandwagon fan here. So just go away now since the Suns are going to lose as you say.

You, sir, are very right about the possibility of winning and very wrong about elindholm.

 

[elindholm]

You very well may be the biggest bandwagon fan here. So just go away now since the Suns are going to lose as you say.

Pretty strong words for someone who just joined as a Spurs troll a week ago.

I don't know how to get through to you, since your reading comprehension is obviously poor, but the idea is to try to win the series. If I knew I absolutely had to win Game 6, I wouldn't waste my time and energy on a hopeless Game 5. The Suns should be thinking the same way.

 

[Joe Mama]

I would be with you on this one Eric if the game was in San Antonio. I wouldn't stop there either. I would have bench fodder like Jumanine Jones body checking Tim Duncan clean through the Spurs bench. Then I would count every Spurs player to set foot on the court and demand that they were suspended for game 6.

This whole situation is really Bs.

Joe

 

[Shane]

I think they can. If they knock down their three-pointers like they can, then they will win.

Gonna be way to hard to knock down those threes with any consistency with no inside presence for the Spurs to worry about whatsoever. I know you know this but thats what makes those threes possible on a consistent basis.

With Amare and Diaw out they have nobody to get attention on the inside.

 

[Gaddabout]

Now if only the Suns could find a way to do it without forfeiting their entire share of this year's TV money (which the networks would hold them to because they're guaranteed a game).