Why is everyone so suprised?

[gdiddy]

Back when we traded for Shaq a lot of nay-sayers including myself said that this trade will destroy the team. I had the contention that by trying to play copycat with the Spurs, and dissolving the pieces away from our original offensive system, we went into identity crisis mode.

And now the team is on the ropes and everyone acting surprised!

Remember when we lost all those games when Shaq first got traded? Remember how a lot of you rationalized that it was ok, Shaq was still getting worked into the offensive system? What offensive system? The team went from being the top seed to being the 6th seed and facing the worst matchup in the first round of the playoffs.

We went stingy on Kurt Thomas, and brought in a big-mouthed Shaq. Guess who will likely play the next round and who will go home?

Last night as I watched this team gets its purple and orange butt kicked, the cameraman zoomed in on Steve Kerr, and the look in his eye was the look of failure: the guy kept rubbing his eyebrows, probably saying to himself "what have I done?"

We argue that small ball was a bad a system. But didn't Dallas use small ball to beat SA a couple years ago? Didn't we make it to the WCF finals without STAT and Kurt Thomas?

Tony Parker's offensive clinic is a testament as to why this team needed to keep Marion. But no, instead we get a big mouthed, overpaid, lousy free-throw-shooting player who's slow and broken.

I hope I'm not sounding too negative here--I'm just being realistic. All I can hope for is the team avoid getting swept. But I'm not holding my breath.

The "window" is close to being shut.

 

[dodie53]

poor Nash..

 

[Phade]

eh the move was still a good one.. we only played good ball the first game..

 

[titleist983k]

I'm not

 

[Darth Llama]

The trade was no doubt the biggest mistake the Suns could have made. Not because of the loss of Marion, or because of the performance of Oneal. The deal was a huge mistake because of Shaq's contract. Taking on that contract was just mind boggling. They're still paying him like he's the most dominant player in the league and he's not. Hell, he's probably only the 4th best player on his team (Nash, Amare and Hill) and he makes more then anyone in the NBA. Astounding.

It's going to be really hard for the Suns to afford to bring in new talent with a 20 million a year guy on the roster.

 

[dodie53]

maybe Shaq will retire after this season?
who knows?

 

[pokerface]

Yeah when we had Marion we knocked out the Spurs in the playoffs all the time...NOT. Yeah we beat them once in the playoffs without Timmy eons ago.....

We got stingy on Kurt?? Uhh...we brought in Shaq for twice the price for years to come. Not exactly cheap in my book.

So what we were first in the west with Marion...they don't hand out rings for regular season. Come playoff time Marion and the Suns would have been owned as usual by San Antonio.

We supposed to cry about Marion?

 

[pokerface]

If we would have kept Marion and lost to the Spurs again we always would have wondered if Shaq would have made the difference had we aquired him.

I'd rather try Shaq than keep Marion for another meltdown with the Spurs.

 

[gdiddy]

Look who grilled us last night: Parker and Ginobili.

What perimeter defenders do we have? Nash can't defend. Hill is injured. Bell already has an assignment with Ginobili.

Ginobili and Parker killed us last night. You think we needed Shaq to stop them?

We did fine with Kurt Thomas on Duncan last year. And, oh yeah, we went to six games last years and tied the series twice during that matchup.

Now we're looking out for the broomstick.

 

[Phade]

Look who grilled us last night: Parker and Ginobili.

What perimeter defenders do we have? Nash can't defend. Hill is injured. Bell already has an assignment with Ginobili.

Ginobili and Parker killed us last night. You think we needed Shaq to stop them?

We did fine with Kurt Thomas on Duncan last year. And, oh yeah, we went to six games last years and tied the series twice during that matchup.

Now we're looking out for the broomstick.

you guys aren't realizing we'd prob. be up in this series had tim duncan missed that 3..

 

[gdiddy]

We got stingy on Kurt?? Uhh...we brought in Shaq for twice the price for years to come. Not exactly cheap in my book.

Penny wise, pound foolish.

 

[Mr Bottomtooth]

you guys aren't realizing we'd prob. be up in this series had tim duncan missed that 3..

Yea but he made it and we're up 3-0.
I agree with the thread starter, why is everyone surprised?

 

[Agloco]

Back when we traded for Shaq a lot of nay-sayers including myself said that this trade will destroy the team. I had the contention that by trying to play copycat with the Spurs, and dissolving the pieces away from our original offensive system, we went into identity crisis mode.

And now the team is on the ropes and everyone acting surprised!

Remember when we lost all those games when Shaq first got traded? Remember how a lot of you rationalized that it was ok, Shaq was still getting worked into the offensive system? What offensive system? The team went from being the top seed to being the 6th seed and facing the worst matchup in the first round of the playoffs.

We went stingy on Kurt Thomas, and brought in a big-mouthed Shaq. Guess who will likely play the next round and who will go home?

Last night as I watched this team gets its purple and orange butt kicked, the cameraman zoomed in on Steve Kerr, and the look in his eye was the look of failure: the guy kept rubbing his eyebrows, probably saying to himself "what have I done?"

We argue that small ball was a bad a system. But didn't Dallas use small ball to beat SA a couple years ago? Didn't we make it to the WCF finals without STAT and Kurt Thomas?

Tony Parker's offensive clinic is a testament as to why this team needed to keep Marion. But no, instead we get a big mouthed, overpaid, lousy free-throw-shooting player who's slow and broken.

I hope I'm not sounding too negative here--I'm just being realistic. All I can hope for is the team avoid getting swept. But I'm not holding my breath.

The "window" is close to being shut.

You missed the million dollar point......

No rings were won by either of the teams you mentioned. So yes, small ball has failed in it's untimate goal every year.

Shaq and/or Duncan have been in the NBA finals the last 9 years. Their teams have gone a combined 8-1.

I suppose that's what Kerr was looking at eh?

 

[Trophytown]

maybe Shaq will retire after this season?
who knows?

Wont happen. Shaunie (the soon-to-be former Mrs O'Neal) will exact half of the big mans income in the divorce proceedings. Shaq's got way too much pride to walk away from 40 million dollars and the annual media ass-kissing he's grown accustomed to enjoying. He'll tell ya, "dont look at me as the problem......(*mumble *mumble and some more mumbling).....Ive worked hard the last 16 yrs perfectin my game. I bring my game.........those mf's callin out the plays cant see that. Not my fault"

Youre gonna have to endure disgruntled Shaq next season and hope he stays away from the dinner table. Not throwin jabs....seriously. If Shaq developes that assitude he's displayed in LA and Miami, you might see the 360-lb Shaq (Swo'quille Oneal) who wants to "heal-on-company-time". He'll be despised in this town by the end of that contract. But he'll exact every penny of that contract.

 

[buttsR4rebounding]

Could it be that Nash's style can't beat the Spurs? He is now 7-22 against the Spurs in the playoffs combining Dallas and Phoenix. Also, it appears that Nash's age is starting to catch up with him. With all the great young point guards in the West--Paul, Williams, Parker, etc.--even if it is not the Spurs, it will be someone abusing him come playoff time. If they can get the right package I would look to move Nash and rebuild around STAT and LB. That will require actually playing some of the younger players, so try to include DA in the package...

 

[Trophytown]

Could it be that Nash's style can't beat the Spurs? He is now 7-22 against the Spurs in the playoffs combining Dallas and Phoenix. Also, it appears that Nash's age is starting to catch up with him. With all the great young point guards in the West--Paul, Williams, Parker, etc.--even if it is not the Spurs, it will be someone abusing him come playoff time. If they can get the right package I would look to move Nash and rebuild around STAT and LB. That will require actually playing some of the younger players, so try to include DA in the package...

Its nothing to do with style. Its the lack of focus or the determination or not having the skillset to play defense. You've got to WANT to play defense. Take some pride in making life difficult for the man youre guarding. The Suns just run back and hold down wooden floor boards, just waiting.........no........just hoping the opponent misses so that they can get a rebound and run back the other way and score their next bucket.

Did you see the game announcers highlight the lazy and pathetic defensive attitude of Amare last night vs Tony's last second teardrop before the half ? That right there.............THAT !!! sums up Amare's effort on D. He doesnt care. He relies solely on athleticism.........to hell with being a thinker or exerting any level of defensive bball IQ.

Leandro............nope!!!! Gets too shot-cocky. He hits a couple baskets, you already know the next couple trips down, he's looking for another shot, not taking whats smart in the rythmn of the game. LB will shoot you into game contention, but he can also run you in he dirt with poor shot selection. He too, has one attribute--quickness. And he too, plays pathetic defense. Those other guys are just...........old and run down.

You dont want a core of LB and Stat. It amounts to exciting offensive production with 3 jackin, forays to the hoops with layups and crowd pleasing dunks, but you end up with the same product you have now. YOu gotta get some players that are quick, smart and want........NO.........LOVE to play defense. The last two teams standing in 1.5 months will exhibit stellar defense. Wait and see.

 

[BC867]

It's easy to hang this on Shaq.

But every time D'Antoni allows Pop to manipulate him and sends Shaq to the bench . . .

Every time D'Antoni wavers on the concept of a real Center and puts a passive 6'8" lightweight in his place . . .

Every time D'Antoni talks to the Press about a running offense and disregards defense . . .

Every time we look at his bench and see five or six unused players . . .

Every time we see Steve Nash dragging his butt because we don't have a backup Center . . .

Every time we see totally undeveloped rookies . . .

Every time we hear D'Antoni tell the Press that he doesn't know what's going on . . .

How in the world can you blame Shaq?

He could have played a very efficient role if his Coach weren't dysfunctional.

 

[STATfan4Life]

 

[newfan101]

Every time we see totally undeveloped rookies . . .

Undeveloped rookies? I see a lot of undeveloped cash.

 

[mojorizen7]

Look who grilled us last night: Parker and Ginobili.

What perimeter defenders do we have? Nash can't defend. Hill is injured. Bell already has an assignment with Ginobili.

Ginobili and Parker killed us last night. You think we needed Shaq to stop them?

We did fine with Kurt Thomas on Duncan last year. And, oh yeah, we went to six games last years and tied the series twice during that matchup.

Now we're looking out for the broomstick.

Pick your poison.

 

[DeAnna]

Sadly, I'm not too surpised. I wasn't a big fan of the Shaq trade but thought it would make sense come play-off time. But of course, now we see Shaq gets abused in the pick n roll due to poor guard play and bad defensive rotations. And we can't run and gun like we used to, so it's like being in limbo.

At the very least, they should hire a defensive-minded asst coach and ditch Jay Humphries since no one really knows what he heck he does anyway.

Scott Bordow summed it up pretty well:

So, yes, the results are in: The Shawn Marion-for-O’Neal trade can officially be declared a mistake.
A $40 million mistake.
Not because O’Neal went 5-for-12 from the free-throw line in the first half Friday and had an embarrassing three lane violations.
Because with O’Neal, Stoudemire and Nash on the floor, the Suns simply aren’t good enough defensively to win a championship.
And that’s not going to change next season, when O’Neal and Nash are a year older and Stoudemire is still trying to learn the basic elements of help defense.
Where do the Suns go from here, besides home to lick their wounds?

 

[az1965]

It was a bad trade. No doubt. But we weren't going anywhere with Marion either.

Regardless. I never expected we will be swept in the first round which is what going to happen as the team is completely lost and appears has given up on the fabulous coach.

 

[rgangel27]

If we would have kept Marion and lost to the Spurs again we always would have wondered if Shaq would have made the difference had we aquired him.

I'd rather try Shaq than keep Marion for another meltdown with the Spurs.

true

 

[rgangel27]

Sadly, I'm not too surpised. I wasn't a big fan of the Shaq trade but thought it would make sense come play-off time. But of course, now we see Shaq gets abused in the pick n roll due to poor guard play and bad defensive rotations. And we can't run and gun like we used to, so it's like being in limbo.

We had more fast breaks and defensive rebounds with Shaq after the trade during the regular season. I am not excusing Shaq and his old bones from the way the team is playing the Spurs the past 3 games but I will not be putting all the blame on him either.

 

[rgangel27]

It's easy to hang this on Shaq.

But every time D'Antoni allows Pop to manipulate him and sends Shaq to the bench . . .

Every time D'Antoni wavers on the concept of a real Center and puts a passive 6'8" lightweight in his place . . .

Every time D'Antoni talks to the Press about a running offense and disregards defense . . .

Every time we look at his bench and see five or six unused players . . .

Every time we see Steve Nash dragging his butt because we don't have a backup Center . . .

Every time we see totally undeveloped rookies . . .

Every time we hear D'Antoni tell the Press that he doesn't know what's going on . . .

How in the world can you blame Shaq?

He could have played a very efficient role if his Coach weren't dysfunctional.