Twolves at Suns (Game Thread)

[matt_whitlock]

I guess nobody's gonna post this...

Is Penny starting???

 

[matt_whitlock]

Penny gets Amare a lay-up, then he is a little more active and he grabs a rebound and hits the fallaway jumper.

Hopefully that'll get him started. 38 points, 14 boards?? Maybe?

 

[dyle_ph1]

I wonder what's wrong with JJ?

 

[Joe Mama]

Originally posted by dyle_ph1
I wonder what's wrong with JJ?

He can't shoot. That's what's wrong.

Matt_Whitlock, I hope this doesn't mean we are going to get a Penny Hardaway play-by-play all night long.

I like the idea of starting Hardaway. His shooting and distributing have been very nice the last couple of games.

Now, to be fair to Johnson Minnesota did go to a zone defense at about the same time JJ came into the game, so it would not be surprising if they often struggles.

So far Latrell Sprewell is eating Shawn Marion alive.

Joe Mama

 

[matt_whitlock]

Matt_Whitlock, I hope this doesn't mean we are going to get a Penny Hardaway play-by-play all night long.

It doesn't have to, but if you want it, don't be afraid to holler!

 

[Wally]

I just got home about ten minutes ago & turned the game on - When are these guys going to get some plays called for Amare? It looks like they are going out of the way NOT to get him the ball. For that matter When are they going to get more than a few basic plays?
The time has come to get a real coach.

 

[matt_whitlock]

Originally posted by Wally
I just got home about ten minutes ago & turned the game on - When are these guys going to get some plays called for Amare? It looks like they are going out of the way NOT to get him the ball. For that matter When are they going to get more than a few basic plays?
The time has come to get a real coach.

I disagree somewhat. This season, that's been pretty true, but tonight they've been going to Amare a lot, and he's been pretty good when he's had an opportunity to do something with it. He's made some bad plays, but he's had his share of nice ones as well, so I've been pleased with that.

The other night against Indiana we went to Amare a little more at times as well, and Amare did nothing positive with the ball in his post-up situations. He shot Jordanesque fade-aways with Johnsonesque results. Of course, for Amare to truly be effective in the post, we can't just go to him repeatedly a couple games and then not go to him at all the next. If you want consistent results, you have to give him consistent opportunities, in so far we haven't given him that as far as the season goes.

Otherwise the half was pretty good. I think Marbury was settling for the jumper a little too much, but his jumper has been on so you can't really complain. Amare has been looking good with his finesse shots in the lane, and Penny has been doing a good job knocking down some pretty tough shots and getting other guys involved. Shawn has looked pretty good, even though he only has 5 points he does have 4 boards and 2 assists.

By the way, JJ is 1-6, but I'll go on record saying it's not really his fault. Two of those shots were forced because the shot clock was going down, and 1 shot in the lane he got hammered and for some reason there was no call.

 

[Joe Mama]

Amare's hook shot over Kevin Garnett just before the half was beautiful. That's the shot he needs to develop. His little fadeaway jumper is not working, especially against these taller, athletic big men like Kevin Garnett and Jermaine O'Neal. I don't mind the set jump shot however.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I think the starters look a lot better with Penny Hardaway in the lineup. Joe Johnson's having a nice game again. He is shooting 1-6 so far.

Joe Mama

 

[devilalum]

I don't want to start the whole rip the WNBA thing again but comparing the Mercury getting the #1 pick to the Suns losing the Kareem coin toss is a reach.

 

[Wally]

The little bit I watched Amare only touched the ball twice & one was a turnover. Unfortunately I left my 2nd satellite receiver at our cabin so I can't watch the game & post at the same time. Since I'm one of the world’s slowest typists and also the king of bad spellers the whole disposition of the game can change by the time I get back to the TV....Thank God ...er, Bill G for spell checkers

 

[matt_whitlock]

Thank God ...er, Bill G for spell checkers

If you just compared Bill Gates to God, we might have a little tussle right here and now...

 

[dyle_ph1]

Is uncle Cliffy still playing with the suns? Garnett with only 10 pts. on 3-9 shooting so far

 

[sly fly]

Geez, what the heck happened to Shawn Marion's game?

 

[Joe Mama]

I was going to resist the temptation to criticize the referees, but this is just too much to take. Joe Johnson and Amare Stoudemire in particular should have been to the free-throw line several more times tonight.

Boy is Shawn Marion struggling so far this season. He can't get anything to go in the basket on one end, and on the other Latrell Sprewell is tearing him a new one.

Joe Mama

 

[Cheesebeef]

what's the score?

 

[sly fly]

Originally posted by Joe Mama
I was going to resist the temptation to criticize the referees, but this is just too much to take. Joe Johnson and Amare Stoudemire in particular should have been to the free-throw line several more times tonight.
Joe Mama

Amare's not going to get any calls fading away. He's not taking the ball strong to the hole.

JJ's not going to get any calls until he hits a few jumpers.

The refs know what's going on.

 

[Joe Mama]

Originally posted by dyle_ph1
Is uncle Cliffy still playing with the suns? Garnett with only 10 pts. on 3-9 shooting so far

This is one of the reasons Frank Johnson's double-team everyone defense drives me crazy. This team has a bunch of guys who are good one-on-one defenders. Amare Stoudemire is very good as a one-on-one defender. He's much better defending one-on-one than he is as a team defender in a scrambling defense. Tonight he has done a nice job on Kevin Garnett.

Shawn Marion and Joe Johnson are also good one-on-one defenders. Even Penny Hardaway... well, not Penny Hardaway.

Joe Mama

 

[matt_whitlock]

I'm pretty sure Shawn's struggling really has to do with the fact that he's not shooting well. I mean, obviously.. but the fact that he's not shooting well means that he doesn't have confidence in his jumper, and when he doesn't want to shoot the ball, he drives it and is forced into a bad shot. I'm not really talking about that play just before where Hoiberg took the charge on Shawn, but I mean when Shawn takes two dribbles and just elevates towards the basket from about 13 feet from the hoop, and then forces up an off-balance, heavily contested floater. Those shots aren't good for anybody.

 

[Wally]

Originally posted by matt_whitlock
If you just compared Bill Gates to God, we might have a little tussle right here and now...

The Devil made me do it

 

[sly fly]

Originally posted by matt_whitlock
I'm pretty sure Shawn's struggling really has to do with the fact that he's not shooting well. I mean, obviously.. but the fact that he's not shooting well means that he doesn't have confidence in his jumper, and when he doesn't want to shoot the ball, he drives it and is forced into a bad shot. I'm not really talking about that play just before where Hoiberg took the charge on Shawn, but I mean when Shawn takes two dribbles and just elevates towards the basket from about 13 feet from the hoop, and then forces up an off-balance, heavily contested floater. Those shots aren't good for anybody.

Yes, that is true. However, Marion is NO semblance of the player he used to be around the hole defensively and offensively.

He looks scared, timid... pulls the string on his jumper. Pulls up short on his drives.

The new "do" is not working.

 

[sly fly]

Another 4th quarter swoon. Stick a fork in them.

This team as it is will never, ever, ever, ever win a championship. I don't care how much Amare improves (and, there's a lot of room for that.)

I'm sick of this sh**.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Originally posted by sly fly
Another 4th quarter swoon. Stick a fork in them.

This team as it is will never, ever, ever, ever win a championship. I don't care how much Amare improves (and, there's a lot of room for that.)

I'm sick of this sh**.

what is the freaking score?! And why are we swooning - who's in right now?

 

[dyle_ph1]

Originally posted by cheesebeef
what is the freaking score?! And why are we swooning - who's in right now?

Nba.com has the updated score. 80-66 as of right now.

 

[arthurracoon]

Suns suddenly down by 12 somehow...

*sigh*

When will Marbury take over the game?

 

[sly fly]

80-68

4:21 LEFT.

a total joke!