vs. Spurs Game 2- Win or its over?

[playstation]

Who here wants to say that we can go to SA down 0-2 and see the light of AWA again, much less win the series? This is not pessimism, this is pragmatism. Tomorrow is a must win. JJ or not, the season is on the line. We will see what this team is made of when its against the wall for the 1st time this year.

I'll say this: I'm alright with us losing this series, but we NEED to win at least ONE game. There needs to be a confidence builder for next year. This may become a Kings/Lakers thing over the next 5 years, and we can't afford to be the Kings, where the Lakers had them psychologically...

 

[arthurracoon]

If we go down 0-2, we might be able to pull off a 4-2 loss, but there is NO way we would win the series.

We NEED to go to SA 1-1, and get JJ back for Game 3 in order to win this series.

 

[Cheesebeef]

man - if we go down 0-2 against a team that will then have beaten us every time we've played them - with 3 on our home court and only one on theirs, combined with the fact that they are the best home team in the league and we aren't completely - well, we wouldn't be dead, but we'd definitely be knocking on the door.

that being said - if they win it's a completely different series - hell, I remember the Lakers beating the Kings in Game 1 in Arco back in 2002 - Peja was nursing an injury where everyone thought he should be coming back any day and the Lakers owned the Kings - after Game 1 - I looked at my Laker friends and said it was a sweep - it actualy ended up being one of the greatest series of all time and if not for one Robert Horry prayer or 10 missed FTs in Game 7 - the KIngs would have won. So anything's possible if they win the next game - but if not, man, it wouldn't look good at all.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

man - if we go down 0-2 against a team that will then have beaten us every time we've played them - with 3 on our home court and only one on theirs, combined with the fact that they are the best home team in the league and we aren't completely - well, we wouldn't be dead, but we'd definitely be knocking on the door.

that being said - if they win it's a completely different series - hell, I remember the Lakers beating the Kings in Game 1 in Arco back in 2002 - Peja was nursing an injury where everyone thought he should be coming back any day and the Lakers owned the Kings - after Game 1 - I looked at my Laker friends and said it was a sweep - it actualy ended up being one of the greatest series of all time and if not for one Robert Horry prayer or 10 missed FTs in Game 7 - the Kings would have won. So anything's possible if they win the next game - but if not, man, it wouldn't look good at all.

Translation: DB!

 

[Billythekid]

I'm confident going into game 2. Q and Marion will be fired up. Losing game one, as funny as it sounds, takes a little pressure off us i think. No one is picking the Suns now, if there were at all. Take some risks and run the lanes.

Set the tone early and play with urgency!


GO SUNS!!!!

I Believe... still

 

[Chaz]

I don't even want to think about 0-2.

1-1 we are in the series. 0-2 is knocking on the exit door.

 

[jibikao]

If we can FINALLY figure out how to beat Spurs tomorrow, then our confidence will allow this series to go to Game 7 and we will eventually win.


I was really expecting we win Game 1 and lose Game 2 since we ALWAYS play the worst in Game 2.


Man... I really hope our team understands the importance of Game 2. We can't go to Spurs 0-2. This may work for Mavs but for us.

 

[ajcardfan]

I don't even want to think about 0-2.

1-1 we are in the series. 0-2 is knocking on the exit door.

Yeah, 0-2 is deep, deep trouble. Hell, 90% of game one winners of the Western Conference Finals went on to win the series the last 30 years. Based on that history, we're already in deep trouble.

 

[HooverDam]

Even if we go down 0-2, Ill paraphrase a great quote by Mr Paul Westphal, "we're going to go there, and we are going to win two games, then we are going to come back to Phoenix and win a game, then we'll go to San Antonio and win a game. And youll all say what a great series it was"

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Hell, 90% of game one winners of the Western Conference Finals went on to win the series the last 30 years. Based on that history, we're already in deep trouble.

Someone told me today about what a bogus stat that was, and I have to agree.

You have to figure that most teams that lose game 1 are the underdogs, and on the road. In other words, they are expected to lose game 1.

If we had a stat for the number of road team game 1 winners that won the series, that would be something interesting.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Even if we go down 0-2, Ill paraphrase a great quote by Mr Paul Westphal, "we're going to go there, and we are going to win two games, then we are going to come back to Phoenix and win a game, then we'll go to San Antonio and win a game. And youll all say what a great series it was"

man - if only we were playing a team with a 39-43 record instead of the odds on favorite to win the whole thing!

They HAVE to win tomorrow - in the words of Apollo Creed - THERE IS NO TOMORROW!

 

[Cheesebeef]

Someone told me today about what a bogus stat that was, and I have to agree.

off the top of my head - I can think of three teams the 2004 Lakers won Game 1 in Minnesota - won in 6... 2002 Lakers - winning game 1 at Sacramento - won the series... the 2001 Lakers - won game 1 @ San Antonio - won in 4... the 1995 Houston Rockets - won Game 1 in SA, won the series in 6... basically - all the road teams in the last 10 or so years that won Game 1 of the WCF on the road ended up winning the series.

Does anyone remember the last time in the WCF where the #1 lost Game 1 that they actually came back to win it? That's the better question - I'm guessing not very often - as the recent past shows.

 

[cly2tw]

We should try Jake on Duncan for stretches. Duncan himself said two years ago that Jake covered him as well as anybody he faced.

 

[JS22]

We should try Jake on Duncan for stretches. Duncan himself said two years ago that Jake covered him as well as anybody he faced.

Poor Jake. I forgot he was even on the team.

 

[elindholm]

For what it's worth, remember that the Suns lost the first two games at home to the Bulls in 1993, and ended up just a few seconds away from forcing Game 7 in that series. Some of you will say, "Michael Jordan is God yada yada," but the point is, the Suns were still in that series even after dropping those first two home games.

That said, I would be much MUCH happier if they could even the series tomorrow.

 

[jandaman]

the difference with spurs and other teams we have beaten so far.

Is that spurs, when they turn it on, they just blitz us and beat us confidently. Game 1, they got the shots that they wanted, they executed to the T. It wasnt based on some rhythmic shooter, those Barry 3pointers were planned off the coaching book.. and they executed. The only lucky break for the spurs in that last quarter was the Parker missed FTs and the second chance rebound... other than that The spurs had as beat.

It may be the OT win at dallas, that seemed to have taken its toll on marion more so than Bowen could of done. But they scored 43 points in the last quarter, when they were supposed to be tired from playing high offense... this team is supposed to be 50/50 to get 120+ and beat us... But so far, the two games where the suns got to run.. they beat us in our own game.

Forgive me if Im pessimistic. But, this team is too smart of a cohesive unit to be beaten simply by suns high offense. We need stops, and we arent getting it especially without our 2nd best defender.

Its time for D'Antoni to actually try something against the spurs, instead of trying to see if they are going to be hot from field. They have an interior scorer and a couple of penetrator... they are not Dallas, they can miss outside and still score inside.


My best plan would be to let their anchor... Duncan, to try to beat us by himself... dont allow him to get his teammates playing well in the offensive end.. it will rub off in the defensive end and put them out of confidence.

Amare will score his 30+ they let him, Nash will get his 12+ assists and contribution from the scoring... but Q needs to be a factor. Marion will not score 3 points again thats for sure... atleast this series. Hunter is fired up against this team, and I think he should get the chance to play more minutes.... we need stops and we need to distrupt their team offensive rhythm... let Duncan dominate and take his offensive impact away from his teammates.

 

[Errntknght]

"We should try Jake on Duncan for stretches."

I was thinking the same thing today ... it's really too bad that D'A didn't give any thought to keeping the bench up to speed, except for worthless Waltuh. It might work to go big using Amare, Hunter and Jake and letting Q sit the whole game... he needs something to shake him up and that might do it. The trouble is we need to win the game and I can't imagine that Jake will not be as rusty as an old junker by the seashore.

I did like one thing that Q did in game 1 - when he bit on the fake of Ginobili's at the end of the 3rd quarter, he really got his money's worth - Manu didn't have to flop one bit. And he might think twice about giving Q such a good fake again.

Actually, I don't think it's time for desperate measures... we played well enough to win and SA had everyone catch fire in the fourth quarter which doesn't figure to happen again.

 

[ajcardfan]

Someone told me today about what a bogus stat that was, and I have to agree.

Somehow I think the stat would have a lot more validity if we had won game 1.

 

[Joe Mama]

Little Jake was okay guarding Tim Duncan a couple years ago, but remember that the Phoenix Suns were helping him with double-teams on virtually every possession. it would be nice if Amare could stay out of foul trouble enough to guard Duncan when Hunter isn't in the game in the fourth quarter.

Joe Mama

 

[elindholm]

it would be nice if Amare could stay out of foul trouble enough to guard Duncan when Hunter isn't in the game in the fourth quarter.

If I remember correctly, Stoudemire finished with only two fouls in Game 1, those two quick ones that he got in the first quarter. After that, he played his usual brand of defenseless basketball. I understand that he needs to stay on the floor, but if he reaches the last five minutes of the game with only two fouls, maybe he could afford to gamble just a bit and attempt some defense on a few possessions.

 

[jibikao]

If the refs can call less fouls on Duncan... Amare can guard him.

It seems every little dump on Dunca is A FOUL. You can't put your hand up, you can breathe on him...

Maybe that's why Hunter wasn't being very physical with him. Because if he pushes trying to be physical with him, it's a FOUL. He has to let Duncan get the ball and then hopefully he misses it. lol

Can you imagine those who were guarding Michael Jordan? You get too close, he pushes you away with no fouls and when he drives in it's an instant foul and maybe he would score too.

That's how frustrating to play against star players because they DO get star treatment.

I think Amare usually gets his star treatment on the offensive end and so is Nash but Duncan seems to get BOTH offensive and defensive star treatment. sigh...

 

[Joe Mama]

If the refs can call less fouls on Duncan... Amare can guard him.

It seems every little dump on Dunca is A FOUL. You can't put your hand up, you can breathe on him...

Maybe that's why Hunter wasn't being very physical with him. Because if he pushes trying to be physical with him, it's a FOUL. He has to let Duncan get the ball and then hopefully he misses it. lol

Can you imagine those who were guarding Michael Jordan? You get too close, he pushes you away with no fouls and when he drives in it's an instant foul and maybe he would score too.

That's how frustrating to play against star players because they DO get star treatment.

I think Amare usually gets his star treatment on the offensive end and so is Nash but Duncan seems to get BOTH offensive and defensive star treatment. sigh...

I only saw one foul called on Duncan's defender that I thought was questionable. The referees have been fine.

Joe Mama

 

[tobiazz]

Last series there was some terrible officiating that weighed in the Mavs favor, especially in the first halves.

IMHO, last game was the best officiated I have seen in a while, which makes the loss scarier. What will the Suns do if Manu gets all of his flopping calls and the refs let Bowen manhandle one of our players? SA is a damn good team on both ends of the floor.

Bottom line is we need better defense. I don't buy into the "defense wins championships" argument, but our offense doesn't have too much room for improvement (not everyone can be on fire all series long) and our defense has a lot. The scoring of Nash & Amare should have been nearly sufficient in Game 1, but the Spurs are taking far easier shots than the Suns. If the Suns shooters are on fire, they can still win that way, but it would be far more manageable if the Suns could keep them out of the paint with some regularity.

 

[frdbtr]

the difference with spurs and other teams we have beaten so far.

Is that spurs, when they turn it on, they just blitz us and beat us confidently. Game 1, they got the shots that they wanted, they executed to the T. It wasnt based on some rhythmic shooter, those Barry 3pointers were planned off the coaching book.. and they executed. The only lucky break for the spurs in that last quarter was the Parker missed FTs and the second chance rebound... other than that The spurs had as beat.

It may be the OT win at dallas, that seemed to have taken its toll on marion more so than Bowen could of done. But they scored 43 points in the last quarter, when they were supposed to be tired from playing high offense... this team is supposed to be 50/50 to get 120+ and beat us... But so far, the two games where the suns got to run.. they beat us in our own game.

Forgive me if Im pessimistic. But, this team is too smart of a cohesive unit to be beaten simply by suns high offense. We need stops, and we arent getting it especially without our 2nd best defender.

Its time for D'Antoni to actually try something against the spurs, instead of trying to see if they are going to be hot from field. They have an interior scorer and a couple of penetrator... they are not Dallas, they can miss outside and still score inside.


My best plan would be to let their anchor... Duncan, to try to beat us by himself... dont allow him to get his teammates playing well in the offensive end.. it will rub off in the defensive end and put them out of confidence.

Amare will score his 30+ they let him, Nash will get his 12+ assists and contribution from the scoring... but Q needs to be a factor. Marion will not score 3 points again thats for sure... atleast this series. Hunter is fired up against this team, and I think he should get the chance to play more minutes.... we need stops and we need to distrupt their team offensive rhythm... let Duncan dominate and take his offensive impact away from his teammates.

This is a good post and my thoughts exactly. The Suns are in deep trouble because the spurs can beat us with up tempo style and with the slow down grind it out game. In fact, the suns haven't been able to close out a Spurs team all year, even when Duncan and Ginnobli were out the suns had trouble closing out this team. I hate to be a pessimist but I don't see the suns winning this series. Game 1 shattered any confidence I had that they could do it. Giving up 43 points in the 4th is unreal. I think that not double teaming Duncan would be a good idea but then he would probably beat us by himself, I am going to just watch this series and try not to let it get to me emotionally.

 

[jibikao]

I only saw one foul called on Duncan's defender that I thought was questionable. The referees have been fine.

Joe Mama

It is fine if it's aother players but not Amare. I thought the 2nd foul on Amare was BS. He got two fouls in 4 mins!! What a star treatment for him... lol

No, the overall calls are decent. In fact, I think they favor us in the end because of home court.

But when we try to be physical with Duncan, Duncan IS going to get his shares of calls either on defense/offense end. And refs seem to be very picky about Amare's defense.