Next Suns move, deal Steve Nash. Replace him with, Gary Payton... Payton provides more of an "all-around" game with his ability to drive and dish, along with his usual stalwart defense that helps limit the opposing guard from controlling tempo (team defense being something they currently lack). It will enable the Suns to be a more "balanced' team all around...
yeah but basketball is a game of adjustments. Its just the 3rd game that Shaq played in and they have faced 3 very tough teams. It's just too early to count them out.
All that really didnt matter...What matters is that the coach's philosophy was incorrect. You cannot run your way to an NBA Title with streamers. Because people like Tim Duncan do not like sissy streamers and you will be punched in the mouth for your insubordination. It was a cool idea that has sort of changed the league due to other teams running more like the Lakers, Golden State (well the whole Pacific has to run now), also they made the Rockets change their court to look more like PHX who routinely sellsout tickets 103 games and counting WOW! Close but no cigar will be the title for them once this run is over, which it will be if they play Detroit again, what a punch in the mouth that was. tim Duncan told them once before that if you run with streamers, you will be punched!
Steve Kerr is an idiot Poor PHX , they were an exciting and likable team, but they were doomed to not win an NBA championship from the beginning...Defense wins championships
Shaq has barely been part of the Suns. It's going to take some time for him to get into shape and gel with the other players. And remember that the reason the Suns pulled the trigger on the trade was for the Spurs and Mavs (although I believe they wouldn't have had any trouble beating the Mavs this year had they not pulled the trigger). The Suns need someone to use when the games get bogged down in halfcourt sets in the 4th quarters. And, if healthy, Shaq can be that person. But I do think that the Suns are worse without Marion. He's a big reason they were so good defensively last year; Marion is a versatile defender who can do a good job shutting down the perimeter. You're right on there. But I think they might be just be okay. Shaq will be on bigs. Nash will be on PGs. Raja will be defending the best player on each team that doesn't fit in one of these categories. Well, he would, but Nash isn't the best defender. So someone's going to have to help him out. Here's who I see being open and torching the Suns without Marion: SA - Bruce Bowen. With Nash on Parker with help and Bell on Manu, Bowen will jack up 3s all night. HOU - Nash is on Ralton. Bell is on T-Mac. BJax, Luther, and Novak will have a field day. DAL - Nash is on Kidd. Bell is on Howard. Dirk will torch Amare, and Terry will be open like 7/11 Other - Brent Barry. If Barry goes back to the Spurs, he's another. If he comes to Houston, he's a problem here. I think the loss of Marion hurts the Suns against these three teams (although I think there might be no net loss or gain against the Spurs). But, assuming Shaq can get into shape by the playoffs, it helps them against these teams: LA - Amare can't guard Bynum AND Pau by himself. If Amare/Shaq can do a good job on the bigs and if Bell can do a good job on Kobe, you're forcing Lamar Odom to win the game. And I like the Suns' chances against Odom over their chances against Pau. NO - They're a tough matchup for PHX. Someone needs to guard Peja, and Marion can't do it anymore. I say Bell. Nash can't guard CP3, but he'll be fine with some help. But Shaq will help take away David West. I don't think Amare will be guarding him. Ootah - Boozer and Okur are also just too much for Amare to handle. And since Okur has a knack for lobbing up 3s away from the bucket, Shaq will probably on Boozer. And they NEED help against Carlos Boozer. So they're better against 3 teams and better equipped to defend halfcourt sets. If Shaq stays healthy, not a bad trade. Still, it almost feels like they sold their souls. I miss the old Suns.
You forgot Denver..a team the Suns struggle with now and then. They have no one to guard the trio of A.I./J.R./Melo - Bell has to cover A.I or J.R., while Hill is probably going to have to guard Melo unless they feel Nash is in trouble if has to guard either A.I. or J.R.....and mistakenly put him on Melo to let Hill and Bell keep Denver's backcourt out of the paint. Marion was underrated.
The Suns are no longer the Suns we used to know. I'm perplexed why D'Antoni would have wanted this trade to go down. Marion must have really been a cancer in the locker room.
That loss to the Pistons out in the desert is definitely a statement for this point in the season. This is the danger of making major moves to your team in mid season. Shaq had better find a way to find his fountain of youth elixir and quick or else, one the Lakers will take the pacific division and the Suns will no longer be considered an elite team in the WC! Agree, I think the Suns though the move was logical, will kick themselves for a long time on this trade. With Marion, we flat out could not beat the Suns. They just outran us into submission. Now, we may be able to return the favor ...
Nah, I didn't forget. denVAR is ranked 9th right now. You're right about AI/JR/Suckerpunch, but I just don't think they're that good a team. If you add Ron Artest to the mix, we'll talk. I also didn't mention GS. I don't think they're any better or worse against GS. Shaq and Amare will do a decent job of shutting down the paint to Nellieball.
From what I read, it was the owner Robert Sarver's original idea, he talked about it with Steve Kerr and he went along with it, then they talked to Mike D'antoni about it and he initially was against it then was talked into it. I can tell from his body language in the Pistons blowout when he was walking to the lockerroom at half time that he second guessing this whole idea. Marion was going to opt out after this year, the Suns told him in the beginning of the season they weren't going offer him an extension.
The Shaq experiment is going to take time. Way too early to call this a failure already. Yes, they got blown out by Detroit. We also killed NO but I'm not ready to hoist the championship trophy yet. Plenty of season left, people.
I hope the Rockets draw them in the first round, because they appear more beatable than have in a long time. Right now they appear out of sync, but I didn't see the Boston game. Detroit just killed them.
And Phx handled Boston the game before. And Detroit looked like crud earlier in the week. Hard to make too much of anything in a single game right now.
