Re: Dallas has no answer for Amare Stoudemire! As a lot of you probably know, the Phoenix Suns did not have Amare Stoudemire last year who is the most dominate player on the team. When people bring up last years series as an example to compare the two teams (Greg Anthony), is it really fair to use that as an example as to why the Mavs are a better team? Honestly, I don't think it is and I don't know how you could even argue against that. The Suns took the Mavs to 6 games without Amare, a healthy Kurt Thomas, and healthy Raja Bell. To tell you the truth, thats pretty damn impressive that they could hang with them and even get past the first round without Amare.Well, the Mavs had no answer for him 2 seasons ago and what makes you think they do now? They have Diop and Dampier. In my opinion, I don't think either one of those guys can defend against him and really, all they can do is foul him and he is a very good free throw shooter.What I am trying to say here is, the Mavs can't stop Amare come playoff time assuming we will play each other in the WC finals. If the Mavs can't stop him, then they can't beat the Suns. Simple as that. Also, Amare is only getting BETTER. He isn't at 100% yet but when he gets there, it will be scary. He is now blocking more shots, defending better, shooting/making mid-range jump-shots, and making better dessions. So, basicly, what I am saying is, in a 7 game series, the Mavs won't be able to stop him and like I said, if they can't stop him, they can't win.Plain and Simple.God Bless,Kris
Re: Dallas has no answer for Amare Stoudemire! OMG, at least ASUfan has some sense.If you can't compare last years WCF to this year, then you can't compare last year's Dallas' team to this year's.While PHX does have Amare back, the Mavs are leaps and bounds better this year, and way better at severl psitions.Go somewhere else with that crap.
Re: Dallas has no answer for Amare Stoudemire! <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SteveNash4MVP @ Mar 6 2007, 06:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>and of course, this is coming from a Mavs fan...</div>Just like the Amare comment is coming from a Suns fan..."Your team is basically unstoppable, blah, blah, blah"
Re: Dallas has no answer for Amare Stoudemire! The suns also have no answer for Dirk or Josh Howard...
Re: Dallas has no answer for Amare Stoudemire! and I don't think you guys have an answer for dirk. You got good defenders but nobody who can really stop dirk.
Re: Dallas has no answer for Amare Stoudemire! It's tough to comapre the 2 teams since only once in the past 2 seasons have they faced at full strength, and it ended in a Dirk game winning fadeaway.Do the Mavs have an answer for Amare? No, but Suns don't have an answer for Dirk or Terry. In a 7 game series, it will depend on the role players and if Howard can match what Nash's other stars do.
Re: Dallas has no answer for Amare Stoudemire! Well, Raja Bell can guard Terry.Marion can stop Howard if they they match up which I beileve they will.Diaw has no shot against Dirk but the Suns would probably double team but that will lead to an open shot...
Re: Dallas has no answer for Amare Stoudemire! Wow, the homerism knows NO bounds does it?Bell is good, but Terry, if his shot is on, won't be stopped by him.Howard can stop Marion as much as Marion can stop Howard.And if you double team Dirk, that leaves a VERY talented guy open just like doubling Amare does.
Re: Dallas has no answer for Amare Stoudemire! <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SteveNash4MVP @ Mar 7 2007, 12:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Marion can stop Howard if they they match up which I beileve they will.</div> Marion has never had luck with Howard. Howard owns Marion in all the meetings against each other.
Re: Dallas has no answer for Amare Stoudemire! <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SteveNash4MVP @ Mar 6 2007, 07:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Well, Raja Bell can guard Terry.Marion can stop Howard if they they match up which I beileve they will.Diaw has no shot against Dirk but the Suns would probably double team but that will lead to an open shot...</div>In a series, Raja would guard Howard, Marion would guard Dirk, and Nash would be on Terry. It is POSSIBLE that Suns could go a bit big and put Amare on Dirk, KT on whoever the Mavs big man is, Marion on Howard, Raja on Terry, and Nash on Harris (assuming he is starting). But the Suns have never done this with the Mavs, so I don't know if D'Antoni would do this. I think Amare is long enough and athletic enough to do as good of a job as Marion does on Dirk, but we shall see.mavsfan-Marion always guards Dirk, not Howard.
Re: Dallas has no answer for Amare Stoudemire! <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nitro1118 @ Mar 6 2007, 05:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>In a series, Raja would guard Howard, Marion would guard Dirk, and Nash would be on Terry. It is POSSIBLE that Suns could go a bit big and put Amare on Dirk, KT on whoever the Mavs big man is, Marion on Howard, Raja on Terry, and Nash on Harris (assuming he is starting). But the Suns have never done this with the Mavs, so I don't know if D'Antoni would do this. I think Amare is long enough and athletic enough to do as good of a job as Marion does on Dirk, but we shall see.mavsfan-Marion always guards Dirk, not Howard.</div>Yeah, I think Amare COULD guard Dirk and do a good job since he is so big. No one can block his shot and Amare is the only person that could or atleast put a hand in the face.If they try this, it might work but D'antoni is weird about trying new things.
Re: Dallas has no answer for Amare Stoudemire! I know what can stop dirk...a baseball bat. HELLO, Tonya Harding, where are you? What's that? You're boxing?
Re: Dallas has no answer for Amare Stoudemire! I hate stupid homers. The Suns still don't play defense, thats all I need to know.
Re: Dallas has no answer for Amare Stoudemire! <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nitro1118 @ Mar 7 2007, 12:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>In a series, Raja would guard Howard, Marion would guard Dirk, and Nash would be on Terry. It is POSSIBLE that Suns could go a bit big and put Amare on Dirk, KT on whoever the Mavs big man is, Marion on Howard, Raja on Terry, and Nash on Harris (assuming he is starting). But the Suns have never done this with the Mavs, so I don't know if D'Antoni would do this. I think Amare is long enough and athletic enough to do as good of a job as Marion does on Dirk, but we shall see.mavsfan-Marion always guards Dirk, not Howard.</div>Diaw and Marion take turns guarding Dirk so far this year Marion and Bell take their turns on Howard. Neither succeeding. Having Kurt Thomas out there gives Dirk a free pass on defense. Diaw though will make Dirk work on defense.
Re: Dallas has no answer for Amare Stoudemire! <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mavsfan1000 @ Mar 6 2007, 07:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Diaw and Marion take turns guarding Dirk so far this year Marion and Bell take their turns on Howard. Neither succeeding. Having Kurt Thomas out there gives Dirk a free pass on defense. Diaw though will make Dirk work on defense.</div>And that is where the imbalance occurs and whether they are aiming for offensive or defensive mismatches. But KT can stretch D a bit and can hit open jumpers, it isn't like he is a non factor offensively or interrupts anything. He won't allow as much penetration from guys like terry, and him and Amare change shots.
Re: Dallas has no answer for Amare Stoudemire! I could have sworn D'antoni switched Marion on to Josh in game 2 because he was more worried about him than what Dirk was going to get away with anyways...
Re: Dallas has no answer for Amare Stoudemire! <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Marvinmartian @ Mar 6 2007, 05:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I could have sworn D'antoni switched Marion on to Josh in game 2 because he was more worried about him than what Dirk was going to get away with anyways...</div>He did put Marion on Howard, we had Tim Thomas then, but I think Marion will be on Dirk this time because they can't afford to have Amare pick up dumb fouls guarding Dirk and his pump fake. He's more useful inside anyway swatting shots.Lets add a new name, Dallas won't stop Steve Nash. The duos cancel eachother out in offensive production. Having Amare back is really big though for the Suns and I do think it'll make a difference, not as much as it would have last year though.
Re: Dallas has no answer for Amare Stoudemire! Okay, I think in a lot of ways, the Suns were HARDER to beat than they will be this year. Hear me out on this. Last year Amare was out and thus effected the way D'Antoni coached and what he put out on the floor. The Suns basically lost thier center and main points in the paint scorer. Enstead of replacing him with another guy like that on the roster, they signed Tim Thomas and just extended the floor. They brought out Erick Dampier and Diop on the defensive end and took the out of the paint and thier comfort zone. In this, the Suns got some big games by Thomas since he either a) made open three point shots that were given to him by the Maverick centers, or the Suns had much more open cutting lanes since Diop/Damp werent there. In a lot of ways, Amare is going to be a much easier player to guard for the Maverick centers than Tim Thomas was. Amare at least is going to be closer to the basket where Damp and Diop feel more comfortable. They also are more effective there since they A) are in prime rebouning position, clog up cutting lanes, and c) are able to block shots. This is why I think in a lot of ways that the Suns had a better chance last year. No one talks about this. I think that when the playoffs role around, this will be shown.Now in no way am I saying that Tim Thomas is better than Amare or that Amare isnt going to score on the Mavs. Its like this, would I rather have the Maverick centers gaurd Yao or Rashard Lewis? I would rather them take Yao even though he is a much better player than Lewis. Lewis though would be able to exploit them and take them out of thier comfort zone. Also, I know its been touched on by some of ya'll above me, but everyone is talking about the mismatchs that are in the Suns favour, but the Mavericks have much better mismatches in their favour. I've said it before, but the Suns are going to have to pick thier poison with two players this year. They are going to have to choose who they are going to let dominate the game. Marion cant guard both Dirk and Howard and Bell cant gaurd both Terry and Harris. Two of the four will have big series. Here is something else. The Mavericks offense is based on finding the mismatch and exploiting it. The Suns switch screens. This happened last year. I give some examples of this in the Spurs/Mavs series. Dirk was gaurded by Tony Parker on numerous occasions during games not because Coach Pop is an idiot and put him on Dirk, but rather because they switched screens when Harris and Dirk played the two man game. Either one of two things happened most of the time, either Dirk posted up Tony on the free throw line and scored or Harris drove right past Oberto or Horry and scored on a layup. This was no different in the Phoenix series. Now Harris didnt explode in this series like he did in the Spurs series, but he still was very effective. Nash got switched to Dirk on so many plays. He abused him or Barbosa. I'll take the Maverick mismatches over the Suns mismatches any day.
Re: Dallas has no answer for Amare Stoudemire! <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nitro1118 @ Mar 6 2007, 05:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>And that is where the imbalance occurs and whether they are aiming for offensive or defensive mismatches. But KT can stretch D a bit and can hit open jumpers, it isn't like he is a non factor offensively or interrupts anything. He won't allow as much penetration from guys like terry, and him and Amare change shots.</div>True, Kurt is usually automatic with the mid range shot so he can play some offense. He has struggled in the last few games because he just came back from his injury, but if Dirk doesn't attempt to guard him he will have that shot going in all day.
