I know I am going to get so much critzicim from Laker and Kings fans but be open minded. I think it is very possible the Suns can win the division. Think about it, the lakers are weak from losing more than half of the line up, and the kings just are ummm well not that great of a team in terms of if they lose bibby or pete/vince(maybe) they well lose composure and break down. Alright take ur best shot
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting SunWarrior:</div><div class="quote_post">I know I am going to get so much critzicim from Laker and Kings fans but be open minded. I think it is very possible the Suns can win the division. Think about it, the lakers are weak from losing more than half of the line up, and the kings just are ummm well not that great of a team in terms of if they lose bibby or pete/vince(maybe) they well lose composure and break down. Alright take ur best shot </div> No way. I don't see the Suns making the playoffs. You don't go from one of the worst teams in the NBA to a playoff team in the West simply by adding Nash and Richardson. Those two players don't make that big of a difference. Also, like PapaGrande said, they need a Center. How can you win in the West without a dominant big man? It's just not going to happen. The Kings and Lakers are way too strong.
Kings are the team to beat not the Lakers. Enuff of the underestimating crap Lakers wont make the post season this year
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Voodoo Child:</div><div class="quote_post">No way. I don't see the Suns making the playoffs. You don't go from one of the worst teams in the NBA to a playoff team in the West simply by adding Nash and Richardson. Those two players don't make that big of a difference. Also, like PapaGrande said, they need a Center. How can you win in the West without a dominant big man? It's just not going to happen. The Kings and Lakers are way too strong.</div> It's also hard to go from playoff team to one of the worst team in the NBA in one season with the same team, but the Suns managed to do it last year. The thing about last year was that the Suns started to switch to Amare as the go-to-guy on offense, but then the injuries came up. That's when the Suns suffered and when Amare came back it was just too late to make any kind of run. That's also when the Suns realized it was too late to make a run and traded Steph and relied on a rookie point guard to run the show. With Amare's prospects for a healthy season looking better, a point guard that fits almost perfectly with the team, more guard depth/trade bait for a big man, I can see where one can make an argument that the Suns can win the division especially considering that the Pacific Division went from one of the strongest in the NBA to possibly one of the weakest.
Suns main problems last year were injuries, Amare missed alot of time which really hurt their chemistry and their results. They needed a point guard who can run the offense and be a great leader to get their young guys going. Steve Nash was the person they were looking for, believe It or not he is the type of player who can turn around a franchise purely down to the way he plays. He helped do it in Dallas, who knows how good those Dallas players would of been had Nash not been there to pass them the rock. Dirk's career was helped alot by the great passes and open looks from Nash. Richardson adds depth to their guard rotation, good shooter who loves to run and attack the rim. Suits the Suns's fast pace system. They should make the playoffs, I expect anywhere from 5-8 finish for Phoenix this year. They are too talented not to make it. People talk about them needing a center, which is true but not having one won't mean they can't have a very good season. They still have Amare Stoudmaire inside to go to, who will likely be a 20 and 10 player next season, they at least have one big man to go to in the post. Many teams in this league don't have a cente eitherr. The Suns starting center will likely be Jake Voskuhl, who will give them 6 and 5 which isn't terrible....there are other teams with far less options in the frontcourt. Phoenix will still remain a good rebounding team with Marion and Amare both getting around 10 rebounds a game each, Richardson is a good rebounder for his position, As is Nash. They could win the pacific division, with Divac gone the Kings do lose alot of leadership. Who knows If C-webb can stay heathly the whole year. They did very well without him before but that was with Divac there, could the Kings get away with Greg Ostertag giving them consistant minutes as Webber's replacement in the starting 5? I doubt it. Lakers will be a decent team but It remains to be seen If Kobe can live up to expections and actually lead a team. He has been able to hide behind Shaq for many years, he will now finally be tested this year to be the franchise player.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting SunWarrior:</div><div class="quote_post">Kings are the team to beat not the Lakers. Enuff of the underestimating crap Lakers wont make the post season this year</div> Haha theese people dont have brains we have the best team in our division how are we not going to make the playoffs even if we get 2nd in our division we make the playoffs so how would you excpect us not to make the playoffs oh unless youre Suns can put together a miracle.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting SunWarrior:</div><div class="quote_post">I know I am going to get so much critzicim from Laker and Kings fans but be open minded. I think it is very possible the Suns can win the division. Think about it, the lakers are weak from losing more than half of the line up, and the kings just are ummm well not that great of a team in terms of if they lose bibby or pete/vince(maybe) they well lose composure and break down. Alright take ur best shot </div> Now that I've gotten that out of my system, you are joking right? The Mavs couldn't win their division, and there nash was teamed up with better players (granted they had to deal with the spurs.....). Still, I kinda see what you mean, because Nash is a better pg than Marbury, and they made the Playoffs with Steph. However, the Kings will now have a frontcourt of Webber (pending injury ) and Miller (assuming they dont do something stupid like start Ostertag). The Suns cant contend with that. The Suns could very well beat out the Lakers, but not the Kings.
I can see the Suns winning the division. Im not sure how everyone on the Lakers will get along and they are not better than the suns. The kings might be losing Peja who IMO is there best player during the season especially last year when Webb was injured. Nash is better than bibby. Q-rich and JJ are better than Christie, Marion is a better overall player than peja. Amare is very good but who knows how good Webb will be this year. Brad Miller wont be doing much. There are not that many good Cs in the west now except Ming and the suns are better than the Rockets IMO. And Rasho nesterovic. And there not even Dominant yet.
What you are forgetting is that a huge part of the Kings' success is because of their chemistry. Putting Nash with all those people doesn't mean that the Suns will be a good team. Remember what happened with the Lakers?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Voodoo Child:</div><div class="quote_post">No way. I don't see the Suns making the playoffs. You don't go from one of the worst teams in the NBA to a playoff team in the West simply by adding Nash and Richardson. Those two players don't make that big of a difference. Also, like PapaGrande said, they need a Center. How can you win in the West without a dominant big man? It's just not going to happen. The Kings and Lakers are way too strong.</div> cough nuggets cough***
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Jurassic:</div><div class="quote_post">What you are forgetting is that a huge part of the Kings' success is because of their chemistry. Putting Nash with all those people doesn't mean that the Suns will be a good team. Remember what happened with the Lakers?</div> YEA THEY WENT TO THE NBA FINALS!
I dont see the Suns making the playoffs either...they are extremely weak in the frontcourt in a frontcourt-heavy West...they have an abundance of swingmen but they all do the same thing and nothing else (run and jump)...they have no true backup if Nash succumbs to injury...no pure shooting except for Jacobsen, which wont matter cuz he wont be seein minutes behind JJ, Q-Rich or Marion anyway...just too many weaknesses, and to think they'll WIN the division??? No way...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Tripl3:</div><div class="quote_post">I dont see the Suns making the playoffs either...they are extremely weak in the frontcourt in a frontcourt-heavy West...they have an abundance of swingmen but they all do the same thing and nothing else (run and jump)...they have no true backup if Nash succumbs to injury...no pure shooting except for Jacobsen, which wont matter cuz he wont be seein minutes behind JJ, Q-Rich or Marion anyway...just too many weaknesses, and to think they'll WIN the division??? No way...</div> I agree with you for the most part, but the Suns DO have shooters. They will have one very good one in Nash too, so Jacobsen isn't the only shooter they have. Nash will be their main threat from outside, but Q and Marion can hit their threes on a fairly good note also. I don't think they'll be good enough to make the playoffs either, but I think it'll only have to do with their inability to play defense.
The great thing about this suns team is its a team for the future. Will we make the west conf finals? Probably not.... Will we make the Playoffs...hell ya. If you look at all of the teams I think the suns have a decent chance to be in the bottom 4 in the playoffs. I think if the suns can make #5 and play the Nuggests /Grizzs in the first round they may get an upset Of course this is all wishfull thinking...haha
How can you ever consider a frontcourt weak when you have Amare Stoudmaire and Shawn Marion in it? I fail to see that. Just because they don't have an all-star center doesn't mean their frontcourt is weak. The Suns have the most talent in the pacific and could very well win the division but It all depends on team chemistry. They certainly have the pieces to do so. Sacramento will be the favourites as they have the best TEAM in that division, all depends If the Webber/Peja rivarly continues through the season.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AllNet:</div><div class="quote_post">How can you ever consider a frontcourt weak when you have Amare Stoudmaire and Shawn Marion in it? I fail to see that. Just because they don't have an all-star center doesn't mean their frontcourt is weak. The Suns have the most talent in the pacific and could very well win the division but It all depends on team chemistry. They certainly have the pieces to do so. Sacramento will be the favourites as they have the best TEAM in that division, all depends If the Webber/Peja rivarly continues through the season.</div> I agree about Sac town. However, look at Peja's playoff records. He is horrible in the playoffs..I mean bad. If he falls off the map again...the suns will be able to beat them. Plus, i really like the matchup of webber against amare. I'm sure webber will have some tricks for amare but...amare will punish webber with his speed and strength. At the guard spot its a toss up because I think Nash and Bibby cancel each other out. However, bobby jacksons is a great guard and i don't know if our 2nd guard will be able to handle him. Your right about most of the front court problems...the suns are kinda weak there....Hmmm...hopefully the suns can figure something out.
bazman <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Tripl3:</div><div class="quote_post">I dont see the Suns making the playoffs either...they are extremely weak in the frontcourt in a frontcourt-heavy West...they have an abundance of swingmen but they all do the same thing and nothing else (run and jump)...they have no true backup if Nash succumbs to injury...no pure shooting except for Jacobsen, which wont matter cuz he wont be seein minutes behind JJ, Q-Rich or Marion anyway...just too many weaknesses, and to think they'll WIN the division??? No way...</div> EXTREMELY WEAK IN THE FRONCOURS i dont think so! u would think 2 olympians with extreme athletic ability such as Marion and STAT. a all-star and a rookie of the year, future all star and soon 2 be gold medalist lol. what a joke u been. i have been a suns fan forever and with 2 all star forward like that with jj nash( all star) and richrdson 17 ppg 7 reb, peniding a trade for centre they will be starring a field of all stars. threre coaching staff is also very good and THEY will win the division and be scarring teams in the playoffs just u wait
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting SunWarrior:</div><div class="quote_post">Thats the spirit Baz, Go get um tiger</div> thanks mate, i was born in phoenix and have played basketball and watched basketball players 4 12 years and the phoenix suns with their proud history will not have a losing season 4 a long long time. This may be untrue but i believe the suns r THE future of the NBA and they are gonna make a hell of a run playoff time this year
