A 7 game series is about adjustments; move, counter-move, etc. Look at Lakers-Spurs last season; Spurs owned LA in 1&2 - and Parker was getting off at will; then Jackson clamped down the lane, dared SA to beat them from outside and (along with the .4 miracle) turned the series around. Spurs went 1-3 against the Grizzlies during the regular season, but swept them in the playoffs, because of style of play and gameplanning/experience. Teams have to be multi-dimensional both offensively and defensively, with the ability to vary style and line-ups to counteract the other team's moves; The Suns are a one-trick pony - with no depth. When their opponent slows the transition baskets, can the Sun's defense stop their opponent enough to get the "W". Stats and history suggest "No". Suns are modeled after Dallas, Sacramento, Spurs from the mid - '90's, and Denver teams prior to that. Regular season wins for that style are phenomenol, championships just don't exist. This has been the case for too many years for a couple of hand-check rule changes to make a huge difference (you also assume the refs will continue to call the games the same as they have during the regular season - they never have before, why this year?) That being said, there will be a year eventually where one of these runnin' teams wins it all, and the naysayers will be proven wrong. Could this be that year? Possibly, but the Spurs, specifically, are built to win in the playoffs - and have addressed their two biggest weaknesses from last season (backup PG & consistent, proven shooter) - as well as the fact that the Spurs don't ever play their best ball until March (in other words despite their respectable record right now, they are going to peak in a couple of months) - and with their one meeting being such a lopsided affair (regardless of where it was played, these two teams locked up, and it wasn't even close) - calling Phoenix "Favorite" is premature.
During a home game against the Spurs in which the Spurs were absolutely DOMINATING the Mavs. Regardless, teams which lack depth, who rely on starters to log huge minutes to win, are more susceptible to season destroying injuies. Every Sun's starter plays more minutes than his Spur's counterpart; at a faster pace, leaving them more susceptible to injury, or weariness (which, frankly, Nash has appeared susceptible to). Pretty much nothing that happens this regular season is going to change my mind about this - including Phoenix taking the next 3 from the Spurs. SA won't kill themselves for the best record - home losses and road wins are not all that uncommon in the playoffs. If the Spurs have a strategy to deal with Phoenix, they won't show that hand until it matters.
Nowitzki is no mere starter for the Mavs. Imagine the Spurs losing Duncan in the playoffs. You're not gonna win no matter how much depth you have.
Rockets, we have two of the best players, there's no reason why we can't take this thing when the games go half court.
Sonics and Suns are playing the same way and it shows with the record. They have the same type of offense and basicall no defense approach to their games. This will win them a lot of games in the regular season but when it comes down to the playoffs and teams play some hard nose defense and they have one night of bad shooting...they are going to hit the bottom and not be able to come up. They rely on shooting too much and scoring and if tehy are off on their shots they won't do anything.
I watched quite a few suns' games this season. They blew out their opponents every single time! I believe every team is playing defence as hard as they can when they face the suns, but the suns are just unstoppable. Talking about playoffs, there is not much difference. The rules of bascketball are the same, the players are the same, the coaches are the same. Only difference is that there are more fans going to the game, which will favor the suns since they will have the homecout advantage against any opponent in the playoffs. I hate the suns too, but they are damn good.
Remember those Seattle teams with Payton/Schrempf/Kemp? Suns are a bit similar, aren't they...Nash/Payton and Amare/Kemp... They crashed in the playoffs a few times, but also got far a few times. I guess anything is possible with the Suns. But they definitely need a healthy Nash, he is the heart and brain for that team.
Seems that Greg Popovich also agrees that the Suns can win it. http://chicagosports.chicagotribune...mn?coll=cs-bulls-headlines&ctrack=1&cset=true "I know some people think it's not going to last, but that's because they don't want it to last," Popovich said about the conventional wisdom that running teams like the Phoenix Suns and Seattle SuperSonics will collapse in the playoffs, when the halfcourt game usually plays a bigger role. "Those guys aren't going to forget how to run and they're not going to forget how to shoot. Can they win in the playoffs playing like that? I don't see why not." Who was on Chicago's bench again???? DD
ugh! 31 to 42... pistons favor with 6 left in the 2nd quarter. amazing what one player (nash) can do for a team. on pace to score 80 or less this game. guess this nash mvp talk is legit.
I am surprised how awful they look without Nash. But when you rely on 5 guys in every game you have to get lucky with injuries.
The Suns are just a Nash injury away from becoming a lottery team. And with the style they play (running and gunning) and the famous Nash physical breakdown in the playoffs, smart money should be used to bet against the Suns if you want to make some serious $$$.
I thought you exaggerated the damage of Nash's absence. But Suns are destroyed by Pistons right now, 65 : 88 in fourth QT. Without Nash, They are close to lose four in a row. 65pts, they usually could score that amout of pts in the first half! Amare is doing great. 5 of 18, 16pts 9 rebs. Without Nash, he is coming down to Yao's level.
