True...but what I mean by that is, unlike Phoenix, the play isnt always based off of Dirk, which is almost always the case with Nash. Yall have gotten better with Barbosa becoming a star, but Dallas can completely run through Terry, Howard, Stack, or even Harris when they need...all those players can create shots for themselves and others.
I wouldn't call it minor injuries. If it was just 1 player (Except Dirk, Terry, Howard) and everyone else was 100% than it would be 100%. Harris and George out last game and Damp out along with Dirk and Howard with ankle injuries in this game. Good news is I think San Antonio does matchup well with Phoenix as Duncan is the type of player that gives Phoenix the most trouble.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mavsfan1000 @ Apr 1 2007, 09:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I wouldn't call it minor injuries. If it was just 1 player (Except Dirk, Terry, Howard) and everyone else was 100% than it would be 100%. Harris and George out last game and Damp out along with Dirk and Howard with ankle injuries in this game. Good news is I think San Antonio does matchup well with Phoenix as Duncan is the type of player that gives Phoenix the most trouble.</div>Injuries happen though. You can't expect to be 100% in the playoffs. I said minor injuries compared to what happened to us with about 5 players with some type of injury last year. Dirk and Howard really weren't all that affected by their injuries. It really wasn't all that serious. Now if you lost one of your star players it would be serious. You guys have lucked out.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mavsfan1000 @ Apr 1 2007, 11:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I wouldn't call it minor injuries. If it was just 1 player (Except Dirk, Terry, Howard) and everyone else was 100% than it would be 100%. Harris and George out last game and Damp out along with Dirk and Howard with ankle injuries in this game. Good news is I think San Antonio does matchup well with Phoenix as Duncan is the type of player that gives Phoenix the most trouble.</div>Duncan doesn't give Phoenix much trouble. Amare OWNS Duncan in every one of their matchups when he is healthy. Ginobli seems to give Phoenix the most trouble on the Spurs. But with their aging lineup, shallowest bench in a few years, and an improved Phoenix team...I don't see SA knocking off Phoenix.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nitro1118 @ Apr 2 2007, 05:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Duncan doesn't give Phoenix much trouble. Amare OWNS Duncan in every one of their matchups when he is healthy. Ginobli seems to give Phoenix the most trouble on the Spurs. But with their aging lineup, shallowest bench in a few years, and an improved Phoenix team...I don't see SA knocking off Phoenix.</div>The difference is Phoenix has to double Duncan and San Antonio doesn't double Amare. What I remember in that series a couple years ago is Phoenix had to change their lineup to matchup with San Antonio which took away their biggest advantage against all the other teams. Hunter was forced to play center because Amare couldn't. San Antonio decided they would let Amare get his and slow everyone else down. They shut down Marion by putting Bowen on him and Parker usually cancels Nash out. Nash will definitely have problems with Parkers speed. Ginobili goes off because of all the attention Duncan gets.
^The Suns have to make the Conference Finals first.It's Dallas, and it's by a bit.Sure head to head, they match up well, and the games are a toss up...but it seems like the Suns "get up" to play the Mavs more than anyone else...per their what 5-4 record since their last win over Dallas?Dallas looked flat today, and just didn't seem to be clicking...I'm also not sure the Suns will be able to shoot at a 60% rate for an entire series over the Mavs, or the Spurs, and that's what they really need to advance IMO.I think the Spurs will be able to handle them in the 2nd round, and while that takes away a hell of a WCF like we had last year...as a Mavs fan, and I never thought I'd be saying this, I'd rather see the Spurs than the Suns.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mavsfan1000 @ Apr 2 2007, 12:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The difference is Phoenix has to double Duncan and San Antonio doesn't double Amare. What I remember in that series a couple years ago is Phoenix had to change their lineup to matchup with San Antonio which took away their biggest advantage against all the other teams. Hunter was forced to play center because Amare couldn't. San Antonio decided they would let Amare get his and slow everyone else down. They shut down Marion by putting Bowen on him and Parker usually cancels Nash out. Nash will definitely have problems with Parkers speed. Ginobili goes off because of all the attention Duncan gets.</div>Amare went for 37PPG to Duncan's 20PPG. Duncan wasn't a huge threat. This year the Suns have another mismatch with Diaw, and a better center in KT. That series they didn't have a healthy JJ, and Bowen is much slower laterally than he was back then. He won't keep up with marion on break or in that motion offense. The Spurs are slower and more shallow off bench than in 2005.Nash has problems with all PG's, especially JT, but they still win.
If a Spurs - Suns series occurs during the second round the winner will be decided by who imposes their pace on the other team. San Antonio loves to play a slow game and play through Duncan. While Pheonix loves running and Nash's ability to always find the open man. Chances are Pheonix would make it a running match and we know that San Antonio's aging roster can not keep up with them. It would also force them to take Duncan off the floor leaving Tony Parker to create offense for everyone else. It would be a very interesting series.
Kurt Thomas isn't a better center. He still slows down that Suns team. Like I said the point total doesn't show how effective Duncan was. He was getting doubled constantly and passing out to the open player or passing to a player which eventually finds the open player which is a lot of times Ginobili. I'm sure Popovich will use that same strategy and allow Amare to go off while slowing everyone else down rather than vice versa. Terry is not as good of a take the player off the dribble kind of player as Parker is. Nash is a smart defender but not the most talented and athletic defender and this is where Parker can exploit Nash. How is Phoenix any more dangerous with Diaw rather than Joe Johnson?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GArenas @ Apr 2 2007, 05:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>It would also force them to take Duncan off the floor leaving Tony Parker to create offense for everyone else. It would be a very interesting series.</div>You don't think Duncan can run the floor?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mavsfan1000 @ Apr 2 2007, 12:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Kurt Thomas isn't a better center. He still slows down that Suns team. Like I said the point total doesn't show how effective Duncan was. He was getting doubled constantly and passing out to the open player or passing to a player which eventually finds the open player which is a lot of times Ginobili. I'm sure Popovich will use that same strategy and allow Amare to go off while slowing everyone else down rather than vice versa. Terry is not as good of a take the player off the dribble kind of player as Parker is. Nash is a smart defender but not the most talented and athletic defender and this is where Parker can exploit Nash. How is Phoenix any more dangerous with Diaw rather than Joe Johnson?</div>Yes, Duncan was doubled and that opens up the lanes for everyone else, but he wasn't a dominant force in that series, and he was severely outplayed by Amare.Pop's plan wasn't to let Amare go off and to contain everyone else, it was to slow down the tempo and run selectively if great oppertunity is given.JJ wasn't even healthy in that series vs the Spurs. But, what makes Diaw so effective is he takes the bigs out to the perimeter, and as you saw last year vs the Mavs, that opens up the middle for himself and others. They have enough shooters to compensate for what JJ offered to the team, but Diaw is a specialty and more valuable to their success.As I said, this years Suns team is considerably better than the 04-05 team. They are better offensively, and defensively they are much better. The Spurs are slower and have a more shallow bench than they had 2 years back. I don't see them taking out the Suns.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mavsfan1000 @ Apr 1 2007, 10:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Kurt Thomas isn't a better center. He still slows down that Suns team. Like I said the point total doesn't show how effective Duncan was. He was getting doubled constantly and passing out to the open player or passing to a player which eventually finds the open player which is a lot of times Ginobili. I'm sure Popovich will use that same strategy and allow Amare to go off while slowing everyone else down rather than vice versa. Terry is not as good of a take the player off the dribble kind of player as Parker is. Nash is a smart defender but not the most talented and athletic defender and this is where Parker can exploit Nash. How is Phoenix any more dangerous with Diaw rather than Joe Johnson?</div>That is true but Nash rarely ever guards Parker that task belongs to Marion. Nash would/will guard Bruce Bowen.
San Antonio's bench was not that great 2 years ago either. The suns were getting killed by the double teams. They worried about Duncan too much and it led to players like Ginobili going off. Amare was not double teamed meaning there was no else getting open shots consistently. Popovich doesn't want Amare to go off but if it was between letting Amare going off and letting everyone else go off than Pop chose to just let Amare get his. You can ask most spurs fans and they would agree. The suns still scored a lot but didn't shoot as high of a percentage as usual. I think the suns have gained ground on the spurs but I still would pick the spurs to win in 6 or 7 games. Diaw is still not as much of a threat as Joe Johnson. I don't know why you think he is. He can't shoot jumpers from outside. He is like a poor man's Amare Stoudemire and did not fit in well once Amare came back because they play a similar style.
Two years ago it was really a lack of options for the Suns that did them in. Joe Johnson's injury depleted an already empty bench forcing Jim Jackson into the rotation and the only "average" player left on the bench was Barbosa who was nowhere near as good as he is now. Quentin Richardson never even bothered to show up in the postseason and Bruce Bowen completely shut Marion down. It basically became the Spurs vs Nash & Amare.
If dirk acutlaly steps up and makes big shots like he did in last season's playoffs then mavs in 6. It really depends on who shines more, dirk or nash.
The Mavericks are still better. There was nothing the Mavs could do yesterday...the Suns just had their best offensive game of the year. They were unbelievable shooting the ball yesterday, Nash was terrific, Amare was fantastic, Leando Barbosa was amazing....everything was clicking for them.I still think the Mavs would win in a 7 game series. The Mavs bring alot of defensive intensity to the table to go along with a balanced and great offense.
For the question of the Mavericks and Suns, I am saying the Mavericks just like everyone else. They are a better rebounding team both offensively and defensively, they are a better defensive team, they can play any style that the occasion calls for whether it be half court, or open court basketball, and they have a deeper bench. They are a much more complete team than the Suns are in my opinion, and that is what will push them in a seven game series to win, as well as makes them a better team. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nitro1118 @ Apr 2 2007, 12:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Yes, Duncan was doubled and that opens up the lanes for everyone else, but he wasn't a dominant force in that series, and he was severely outplayed by Amare.</div>From a statistical standpoint your right, Duncan wasn't as much of a force as Amare was in that series. However, from a basketball stand point his drawing of double teams, and ability to pass out of those double teams made his impact on the series just as great as Amare's was. He was able to open up scoring for his teamates, made it easier for Parker and Ginobili to penetrate into the lane as Amare couldn't play any help defense during the series or rotate away from Duncan. He opened up alot more for his team, than Amare was able to open up for his team, which made his impact on the series just as great.
My pick between those two teams is.........The Lakers lol but on a serouis note ill say the Mavs....The Suns are a great team and I know because Ive seen them play in person at Verizon Center but I just think the Mavs have a slight advatange over them with there more deep bench...And I believe Avery Johnson is the better coach
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mavsfan1000 @ Apr 1 2007, 10:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The difference is Phoenix has to double Duncan and San Antonio doesn't double Amare. What I remember in that series a couple years ago is Phoenix had to change their lineup to matchup with San Antonio which took away their biggest advantage against all the other teams. Hunter was forced to play center because Amare couldn't. San Antonio decided they would let Amare get his and slow everyone else down. They shut down Marion by putting Bowen on him and Parker usually cancels Nash out. Nash will definitely have problems with Parkers speed. Ginobili goes off because of all the attention Duncan gets.</div>The Suns didn't need to double him in the last game. Amare did a good job on him one on one. He is a better defensive player than before but we'll have to see if he can do that again on Thursday. and the point is that Amare always outplays Duncan and kills the Spurs so it's not so smart to not double team him I think. You keep saying Kurt slows down the Suns but he really doesn't. There's always a rebounder that starts off their play and that's him and he always makes it back in time if they need him for a mid-range jumper or to set a pick. The Suns score just as efficiently and quickly with him.The Spurs are just not as good as they used to be and they are even slower with age. The Suns have more offensive options than before so I don't see the Spurs defense really doing much.
