Put On Your Shades, The Suns Are Coming!

Discussion in 'Los Angeles Clippers' started by PhxSunsFan4Life, May 6, 2006.

  1. eddyboy

    eddyboy JBB JustBBall Member

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    Lessons from game 3 ARE:

    We learned a few things...Firstly the Clips aren't quite as good as they looked in game 2, and the Suns are not quite as terrible as in game 2. And we learned that Shawn is still in there somewhere.

    X-factor = Tim Thomas.

    Game 3 was the most fun to watch (for a Suns fan at least}. The adjustments on both sides were interesting...Small edge to the Suns.

    Now we'll see if home court can work its mojo or not..Great series, great teams....depth will increasingly be the issue throughout the playoffs.

    Series = too close to call
    Go Suns...!
     
  2. Shapecity

    Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

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    Here we go, must win game for the Clippers.
     
  3. Shapecity

    Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

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    Here we go, must win game for the Clippers.
     
  4. Shapecity

    Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

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    Must win for the Clippers, so far it doesn't look promising.
     
  5. Shapecity

    Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

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    Clippers must win, doesn't look good early on.
     
  6. Shapecity

    Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

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    Interesting game last night, the Clippers didn't have Kaman the entire game. He hurt his right shoulder, and could miss Game 5 as well.

    The Clippers used a 4-guard lineup for a majority of the game with Cassell-Livingston-Mobley-Maggette-Brand on the floor. This lineup was able to outscore the Phoenix small ball lineup and got both Marion and Thomas into early foul trouble.

    Whoever Steve Nash was guarding would force Nash to defend in the post. This wore Nash down and he wasn't nearly as effective in this game. The Clippers put a lot of pressure on him all game long and it disrupted the Suns rhythm on the perimeter. Raja Bell was the only player on Phoenix making 3pointers.

    The Suns still managed to comeback and cut the Clippers lead from 6 points, to just 1 point on a Barbosa 3pointer. However, Elton Brand made a cluth fade away jumper and Cassell hit the daggar 3pointer to put the game out of reach.

    Phoenix is unbelievable with their ability to get back in a game. Having a double digit lead against them with 5 minutes left isn't much for them to overcome.

    I'm predicting this series goes the entire 7 games, but I'm not sure who wins Game 7.
     
  7. Bobcats

    Bobcats JBB JustBBall Member

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    Playing small ball against Phoenix isn't a good idea. I'm loving this series, it is now D'Antoni's turn to counter Dunleavys adjustments. I expect Phoenix to take game 5, LA to take game 6, and then it's a tossup for game 7 IMO.
     
  8. og15

    og15 JBB *********

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    What I want is for LA to take both game 5 and game 6 and put an end to this scare. Go Clippers.

    Game 4 was good. Again the Clips defended extremely well, but they let the Suns in at the end. The thing with the Suns is that they have so many weapons it's hard to get blowouts on them. Brand and Cassell were able to step up and ice the game though.
     
  9. Henacy

    Henacy JBB The Man like Sam

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    The way the Clippers defend in the opening quarter tonight will ultimately determine whether they win tonight as well as the series, imo. The reason I say that is because if the Clippers dont defend well in the first quarter and they let guys like Barbosa, Bell, Thomas and Marion get into a comfortable rythem and let the Suns put up 30points or better, I dont think they(the Clippers) can hang at that pace on the road. Thomas, Babosa etc are all going to feel alot more comfort shooting the basketball at home compared to LA, so the 40% shooting wont happen in PHX, but I think the Clippers if they are willing to work can still make things difficult. PHX has proven in this series that if you force them out their comfort zone and make them put the ball on the floor against solid D, they will turn the ball over, even Nash. And also you can control the backboards against them, so those are the areas that the Clippers have to exploit, if they want this big victory on the road. I think that if they dont win tonight, even if it goes 7, they more then likely arent going to win the series. At the end of game 4, you could see that certain guys were hestiant and feeling the pressure. And that was just them trying to tie the series at home, so imagine the pressure guys are going to feel trying to close out a 50 win team on their court. Its going to be hard for this inexpereinced Clipper team to do even with Sammy's veteran leadership and the edge they have in the post with Brand, Clips need to get it done in 6.
     
  10. unbeliever

    unbeliever JBB JustBBall Member

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    Man, I think I have an ulcer after watching that game. Hell I feel like I played 40mins. And really, despite the ups and downs, it was kind of an ugly and poorly played game in a lot of respects. There were even some questionable calls from the refs thrown in to make it worse.

    That said, I'm glad the Suns stuck it out and won more or less cleanly in the 2nd OT.
     
  11. PhxSunsFan4Life

    PhxSunsFan4Life JBB JustBBall Member

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    <div class="quote_poster">Quoting TimmyDMVP:</div><div class="quote_post">Either way suns arent making the finals</div>

    They have a lot better chance than the Spurs! LMAO!
     
  12. PhxSunsFan4Life

    PhxSunsFan4Life JBB JustBBall Member

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    The Suns are unbelievable! This is one of the proudest moments for me as a Suns fan. Through all the injuries and everything else that gets put on the Suns, they find a way to win. Steve Nash is clearly not himself, and we still won a 2OT game. Just amazing. Dallas vs. Phoenix is going to be a heck of a Western Conference Final assuming they both close out. I predict the Suns in 6 because both teams are tired after that one, and the team who loses that game has to be down in the dumps. To finish, I have a lot of respect for the Clippers. They sure play hard.


    P.S. Where the **** was Mobley in that game?
     
  13. Bobcats

    Bobcats JBB JustBBall Member

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    I stayed up until 2:15 am last night, and it was worth it. That was a hell of a game, my jaw dropped when Bell hit that 3 pointer.
     
  14. Shapecity

    Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

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    Great game last night. Once again I have to point the finger at Mike Dunleavy. Putting in a rookie, Daniel Ewing in the game to guard the Suns hottest scorer in the series. What the hell is he thinking? Either Q-Ross or Livingston should have been defending Raja Bell.

    The Clippers always get themselves in trouble when they go away from Elton Brand in the post.

    I think the Clippers bounce back in Game 6, but the Suns are going to be tough to beat at home. Their fans really get into the game and energize the team and you can just see them shooting with a lot more confidence on their court.

    Whoever advances, will they have anything left for Dallas?
     
  15. Henacy

    Henacy JBB The Man like Sam

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    <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Great game last night. Once again I have to point the finger at Mike Dunleavy. Putting in a rookie, Daniel Ewing in the game to guard the Suns hottest scorer in the series. What the hell is he thinking? Either Q-Ross or Livingston should have been defending Raja Bell.</div>

    Not only that but his game plan to start the third quarter also was a killer, he try to force feed Maggette against Nash coming out of the half and that took the Clippers out of their normal sets and they ended up taking some bad shots to start the 2nd half and thats how they got down 19. Dunlevy in certain ways is over coaching, I know this series is surpose to be a so-called chess match but sometimes you have to just let your players play and play to their strenght and I think Mike D'tino(mis-spell) is doing a better job of that in late game situations l

    <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Clippers always get themselves in trouble when they go away from Elton Brand in the post.</div>

    Exactly every trip should be ran thru Brand in the post and once PHX figures that out you go to pick and roll with Cassell and brand for a while then go back to post up of Brand. But to be trying to run plays for Maggette and Kaman isnt to their strenght. Maggette if Nash is on him needs to make him work by slashing to the basket and offensive boards not thru 1 on 1 in the post because you know PHX is going to double that and imo, Maggette isnt a good passer against the double. And Kaman he just got to beat people up on both backboards.

    <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I think the Clippers bounce back in Game 6, but the Suns are going to be tough to beat at home. Their fans really get into the game and energize the team and you can just see them shooting with a lot more confidence on their court.

    Whoever advances, will they have anything left for Dallas?</div>
    I wouldnt exactly count the Spurs out just yet, I think if Pop can figure out Devin Harris, maybe not to stop him but limit some of his penetration they still have a shot. All the experience still favors them. I dont trust Dirk to step up huge in a big close out situation late in the game...but the difference from Dallas this year compared to past years(maybe minus the Van Exel, year) is that Terry brings them the heart to close out this series. But I still thing the Spurs got a little something left.

    As far as PHX or LA moving on, its hard to believe that either team would have a whole lot left...but when cats get closer and closer to that crown all the injures and fatigue in someways gets thrown out the window, guys are playing pure will...I think a big factor then injuy or fatigue for both of these teams is the fact that niether of these teams matchup well with the winner of the other series(actually in this case especailly Dallas), Steve Nash cant guard nobody on Dallas' perimeter, neither can Cassell, so its going to be hard to hide both teams worst defenders like they have been able to at times in this series. Also from a Clippers stand point, they havent faced anyone like Dirk yet in the playoffs, they dont really have anyone that really can matchup with him from a defense standpoint. Teams usually put a quality defensive small-forward on him like what Bowen is doing with the Spurs but as he figures out Bowen, I think its going to make it that much tougher on the Clippers because Ross would be the guy they would try to put on him. The only thing that I could think of that the Clippers could do, is maybe put a guy like James Singleton, but he hasnt played that much during the post season. But he has the strenght to be phsyical with Dirk but still have the pemeter quickness to step out and guard him 23 feet from the basket. Phx might matchup with Dirk a little better because of Marion...but I think Stackhouse would be the problem for them, Bell cant guard him because Bell's best asset seems to be the fact that he can get pshyical with key perimeter guys but Stackhouse is a bit stronger. Anyway, I just jump way to far ahead.
     
  16. Brasco

    Brasco JBB JustBBall Member

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    Sam casell? what was up with that 8 second violation why was he taking so much time getting up? he wasn't even being swarmed.
     

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