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Fade to Black (SAS wins 4-2)
Posted on May 19th, 2007 by Hersey.
Categories: .
The Spurs ended the Suns’ season 114-106.
I didn’t see the game but I did hear it on the radio while driving to Austin where I’m writing this post. I was tempted to swing by the arena and see if I could get a ticket but with my destination only 70 miles away- I drove on. The Spurs radio crew described the action and I listened as the Suns’ promising season faded into a second-round loss.
The big question now is what’s next. While everyone knew the series was ruined and pretty much over after the suspensions, we held out hope the Suns could recover and force an even strength Game 7. That didn’t happen and I am officially done watching basketball this season. While I had fun blogging and following my team, this has to be one of the worst NBA seasons on record, regardless of how the playoffs turn out.
The two best teams had nightmare playoff runs, the defending champ was a trainwreck, the league’s poster boy coasted through the season and yet his team got one of the easiest playoff draws ever, the most interesting player was hurt in the last month of the regular season, the refs seemed to get worse and the commissioner let his power go to his head.
I would like to write something substantial about this season but it would be a waste of words. I had to get NBA League Pass to watch my team play this year because I moved 99 miles away from PHX. Watching well over 200 basketball games has soured me on the NBA and the depressing end to the Suns and Spurs series was the icing on the shit cake.
So what do the Suns do now? We’ll never know if they could have beaten the Spurs straight up because they didn’t have the chance. The fact is the team is over the luxury tax number and they have big money tied up in their frontline. They potentially have three first round picks in the upcoming draft. The draft lottery drawing on Tuesday will be closely watched by the organization and fans and that pick could play a key role in the club’s future plans.
This current roster has really only had one shot at it because Amare Stoudemire was out last year. However, Nash and Marion have had three chances and it is highly possible that we hear plenty of trade talk this off-season as the high speed attack hasn’t stayed healthy or gotten the breaks needed to win a championship. The question the front office must answer is do they want to be an entertaining, profitable team who doesn’t win in the post season or do they want to pay for a championship by loading their roster with stars?
We’ll hear about Kevin Garnett, Rashard Lewis, mid-level exceptions and all the stuff that comes up in the off-season. The team is flawed and they need more size, guys who can create their own shot and depth that Coach D’Antoni can trust. For whatever reason, none of the free agent signings contributed anything this season regardless of how talented they may have been. More executives and coaches will continue to leave the organization this offseason and I find it hard to believe that D’Antoni won’t become the sole target of deserved criticism for burning out his players. While he wasn’t outcoached in this series, he was outcoached this season by Greg Popovich. The Spurs rested their stars all year and got supreme effort from throwaway role players. When the Suns cranked up the defense, they weren’t able to contain the Spurs stars and lost because of it.
The Suns core group got all the minutes and while explosive and full of heart- they didn’t have enough to bring it home. While we hope the trajectory of the Sacramento Kings doesn’t befall this team, it’s unlikely they will remain intact after tonight’s loss.
Great season Phoenix Suns but you cannot save the NBA.
Thuggery Wins, Fans Lose
Posted on May 16th, 2007 by Hersey.
Categories: .
Amare and Boris out a game. Horry out two.
Tell the league what you think.
2-2
Posted on May 15th, 2007 by Hersey.
Categories: .
What was Game 4?
Was it the key win? Was it a season or roster defining win?
We’ll only know as this epic series delivers it’s fantastic finish.
Something happened in the fourth quarter of Game 4. The Suns became the team we’ve grown to love… and want them to be.
They got stops. Marion was everywhere.
They hit shots. Would you want anyone other than Nash leading a comeback when a game gets wild?
They won in San Antonio. The end of that game has given the NBA the biggest crisis they’ve faced this decade.
Do they suspend a 1st Team All NBA player for a pivotal game of a playoff series because he walked toward an MVP teammate who was slammed into the scorers’ table.
Regardless of how you see it, you have to admit the NBA is at fault for this dilemma. The ‘leaving the bench rule’ was created for the Knicks guard Greg Anthony’s (now annoying nightly on ESPN) brawl-inducing attack on Suns guard Kevin Johnson (while Anthony was in street clothes). Four seasons later the Knicks would lose a playoff series they lead 3-1 due to multiple suspensions from a Game 5 brawl where Charlie Ward was bodyslammed into the crowd.
The NBA just went through this three years ago where Richard Jeffferson (Nets) and Ron Artest (Indiana) got different results when leaving the bench during altercations. Fact is, the NBA will lose fans if they suspend Diaw and Stoudemire and the Suns suffer a stiffer penalty than San Antonio. An excessive hard foul has created a controversy in their showcase series.
If you only read hoops blogs, you know this has become the DVR series. Not only because it is possibly the best matchup we’ll see- everyone is rewatching the game and plays to look for fouls that aren’t being called. Everyone has turned into Mark Cuban.
All the Cubanites felt some vindication when Joey Crawford got Sterned and had to miss the playoffs for making himself the star of a Sunday afternoon showdown. He tossed Duncan for glaring and laughing and sent a message to the world hasn’t gotten til now. Duncan is refereed on a level beyond any other player in the NBA because he is so active in both ends of the floor. Yet he still tries to intimidate officials. So now there’s a potential beef with the Spurs and the refs because of Crawford’s heavy suspension.
For all the snide comments from fans, Stoudemire stirred the pot by saying the Spurs played dirty. It called attention to the guy who has the highest profile job in this series- Bruce Bowen, who is guarding Steve Nash.
So now you have millions of people testing out the slow-motion on the remote. You have sports writers talking about whining and chippyness. You have the Phoenix Suns trying to keep their cool only to see the hoarse Mike D’Antoni watching the scoreboard- hoping the refs can keep up. You have the San Antonio Spurs trying to slow down one of the best offenses in the last 10 years and trying to work the officials for a little more leeway.
In the ebb and flow of Game 4, the Suns found a way. We saw the Steve Nash that wouldn’t let the team lose, like the classic in Dallas. We saw the Shawn Marion that makes a play in every frame of crunch time. We saw the Amare Stoudemire that can’t settle on a nickname because he’s breaking people off like leprosy.
We saw Robert Horry cross the line.
All the complaining would be seen as normal whining without that foul. Stoudemire’s quote wouldn’t be so annoyingly prophetic without that foul. All the chippy plays would be seen as great playoff basketball without that foul. The Suns steal a win in San Antonio without that foul.
Now Game 4 becomes something else. The web, talk radio, youtube. The fallout from a few seconds of the most pivotal 2.5 hours of the season could become a nightmare that ruins a series that showcases the BEST things about basketball. Instead it could just become another instance of the NBA putting it’s foot down and squashing something that is a byproduct of inconsistent officiating. Somewhere Joey Crawford is glaring at a bowl of ice cream then laughing at it.
Spurs win slugfest (SAS 2-1)
Posted on May 14th, 2007 by Hersey.
Categories: .
With the long buildup between games and all the talk about dirty play, it was clear Game 3 would set the tone for the rest of the series. In a physical game, the Spurs got big performances from their big three and wore down the Suns in 108-101 victory.
The Suns started well. After Amare Stoudemire picked up his second late in the first quarter, the Suns got a boost from Boris Diaw off the bench. Boris looked to score and found some success inside. Raja Bell got a couple good looks from three. Leandro Barbosa bounced back from a couple bad plays with an and1 to end the quarter and the Suns hit 30 and had a five point lead.
The Suns pushed the lead up to 10 in the second as the Spurs continued to shoot poorly and Raja Bell stayed hot. However that lead was in spite of Nash not hitting a shot, Stoudemire sitting in foul trouble, Kurt Thomas struggling on offense and Leandro Barbosa looking rattled. The Spurs despite missing jumpers, had Tim Duncan dominating and Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili getting warm with drives to the basket. As the Spurs turned up the intensity, the Suns began to fade. Nash was trapped every time he penetrated into the lane and he was goaded into turnovers. The Spurs ended the second on a 16-5 run and took a two-point lead into halftime.
In the third, the Spurs surged ahead and the officials lost control. Stoudemire picked up two cheap fouls on a seemingly clean block and a flop by Oberto away from the ball. Nash was kneed in the balls by Bowen. In a key sequence, Spurs hit three straight three-pointers to turn a four-point deficit into a five-point lead. The first came when Raja Bell gave some quick help defense and Brent Barry fired a quick, long three. Marion fumbles away a sure dunk. Bowen hits a corner three. Nash rattles out a three. Marion blocks a Parker layup. Duncan clearly fouls Marion on a layup, no call. Bowen hits a corner three.
The Suns would cut the lead to one but then Manu Ginobili took over. After getting hit in the eye by Shawn Marion on a no call, he briefly left to get the bleeding stopped. Ginobili scored the last 10 points of the quarter to put the Spurs up 80-72.
In the fourth, the Suns could get no closer than six thanks to Duncan (33 pts, 19 reb, 4 blk). He hit bank shot after bank shot facing single coverage, scoring 13 in the fourth. In a key sequence with the Suns down six with 90 seconds to go, the Spurs brought back Finley. To me on my couch, the play is to lure a help defender off of Finley, who has (as I’ve written numerous time in this webspace) become a standstill jumpshooter. Parker drives at full speed, Nash helps off Finley, corner three. Ball game.
Positives
A little more balance from Marion (26 pts, 7 reb, 4 blk, 2 stl), who held Parker to two points in the second half.
Concerns
Raja Bell (12 pts) did not attempt a shot in the second half. Single coverage on Tim Duncan doesn’t work. 18-27 Free throw shooting.
Thoughts
I really don’t like to complain about officiating but as expected the Spurs got some homecooking. Their consistent physical style makes it hard officials to call every foul but some obvious calls were missed. With all the chatter and cheap shots on both sides, the officials clearly lost control of this game. Duncan should have fouled out in the third quarter. He committed three clear fouls during the pivotal 10-0 run. 1. On the fastbreak after Marion’s block of Tony Parker, he bodies and hits Marion across the arms on a layup, no call. 2. Nash has position on help defense takes clear charge, the exact same play as a charge called in Game 2, blocking foul on Nash. 3. Nash drives in for layup, Duncan pushed him in the back, no call and Tony Parker grabs the net with the ball still on the rim.
The Spurs bodied Nash on the perimeter and slapped at the ball whenever he entered the lane. Anyone who’s watched Dwyane Wade play knows, those are fouls. Why is it however that the 2-time MVP and highest profile point guard doesn’t get those calls? Thinking about it is frustrating because the Spurs don’t adjust and the referees don’t adjust. 5 on 8 means it’s the Phoenix Suns who have to adjust. Some possible adjustments:
1. Tim Duncan. Yes he laughed at the thought of this being a physical series. It’s not physical for him, no hard fouls on him and he’s getting away with murder inside. Single coverage isn’t working and he’s scoring 30 a game.
2. Speed. STAT, LB and Marion have a speed advantage and they all need easy buckets. The quick ball movement has given way to Nash creating all the half court offense. With the traps the Spurs are using, an extra pass will produce a good shot.
3. Find a way. Last season this team thrilled fans by finding a way to win again bigger, more physical teams. They showed heart and hit numerous clutch shots when the team was labeled as a finesse team that didn’t play defense. After a great season, the Spurs stand in the way. If the championship is the goal, they have to find a way to beat a team that is what they want to be.
4. Run
Suns unleash defense (Series tied 1-1)
Posted on May 10th, 2007 by Hersey.
Categories: .
After the messy Game 1 loss, the Suns responded strongly in Game 2 to even the series. Coach D’Antoni put Kurt Thomas into the starting lineup and it paid off big time. The team defense was vastly improved and the Suns pulled away for a 101-81 victory.
The Suns came with some fire and went up 7-1. They stretched it to 13-5 before going ice cold. Nash was very aggressive in the first and Raja Bell got going with jumpers and moving well without the ball. The energy and hustle was there but the shots stopped falling. The difference with Kurt Thomas in the lineup was apparent because Duncan was guarded with single coverage. KT’s ability to body Duncan and disrupt his superior footwork forced him into some difficult off-balance shots.
The Spurs were up six heading into the second. Both teams had hit each other with scoring runs and Suns started the quarter with another- 11-2. Sparked by Raja Bell, who got fired up after a strange kicking call, got an and1 to get the crowd into the game. Diaw came in showing some life and looked to make plays in the post. Nash returned from his customary rest and took over the game. After the Spurs took a 33-32 lead, Nash had a hand in every PHX bucket til the halftime horn. He hit jumpers, got Stoudemire going, hit KT and Marion and the Suns got a 30 point quarter. Nash did lose Bowen in the corner right before the half so their lead was seven at the break.
With Nash controlling the game, the Suns defense was the story. KT didn’t shut down Duncan (Duncan still posted 29 points) but his effort, Shawn Marion’s work against Tony Parker and Raja Bell’s work against Finley and Ginobili were the pillars of solid team defense. Nash actually got Duncan in foul trouble. (Kinda amazing Duncan didn’t foul out because he hit STAT on several dunk attempts with no call. It’s the playoffs…) Freed from guarding Duncan, Stoudemire took over in the third quarter as he exploded for 15 of his 27 points. He attacked the rim and had a much better shooting night. With that total team effort, the Suns pulled away to a big win.
Positives
MVP performance from Nash (20 pts, 16 ast). Shawn Marion (5 pts, 10 reb, 3 blk, 1 stl) sacrificed his offense and was amazing on defense, helping hold Parker to 13 (5-14 FG). Boris (6 pts, 7 reb, 5 ast) was aggresive and made some good plays.
Concerns
Pat Burke missed his only shot.
Thoughts
Early in the season I wrote something about playing slower. When the Suns were struggling, they had new players to work into the lineup and Amare return to handle as well. The thought then was to work slowly to taking advantage of the defensive players and try to work efficiently on offense until everyone was in shape and comfy in the system. We’ve seen the Suns play like this before. When they have their customary energy with a keen focus- they are deadly.
Last night, Coach D’Antoni made a simple move replacing the cold shooting Jame Jones with the solid vet Kurt Thomas. The move paid off in several ways. KT’s presence seemed to be a confidence boost on defense and with his offensive game going, the Nash had a midrange option as well. In order to topple the Spurs, PHX has to get the most out of each matchup. Last season we saw Dallas find success with the quickness of Terry and Harris in the backcourt.
The Suns have to be efficient against the Spurs and after a slow start- they shot about 60% the rest of the game. Those shots were dunks, layups, midrange jumpers and got some free throws from the aggressive attack. Getting good looks against the Spurs is key and Nash was masterful in finding those looks. The Suns posted two 30 point quarters and played solid defense. Their effort showed the team has heart and responds to their leaders. Leadership guides superior talent to great results. In order to win, the leadership has to be on the floor. D’Antoni made the right moves after lauding the Suns’ talent. The veterans lead the way.
Spurs steal Game 1 (SAS 1-0)
Posted on May 8th, 2007 by Hersey.
Categories: .
Winning on the road is a necessity on the playoffs. I watched this game on the road, in Reno on my way home from my grandmother’s funeral. The Spurs outexecuted the Suns down the stretch and earned a 111-106 to steal homecourt advantage.
This recap will be short because I need sleep after all the driving.
The Suns looked good in the first half but Tony Parker started hot and continued drive and hit jumpers the whole game. A turning point came late in the half when Amare Stoudemire picked up his third foul on terrible call after a stop with six point lead. The Spurs finished with a spurt and the Suns were up two at the half. The Suns inexplicably came out flat in the third and the Spurs took an eight-point lead.
The Suns rallied behind Leandro Barbosa (18 pts) at the end the third to setup a fourth quarter slugfest. There were 11 lead changes in the fourth quarter alone as neither team seemed to flinch. Parker (32 pts) continued to slice up the Suns’ defense. Shawn Marion got his shot going with a few easy pick n’ roll buckets and big three. This was looking like the battle of elites we were expecting and hoping the Suns could pull away and win.
The Suns defense which had been ok, started to lose shooters because of Parker and Duncan (33 pts, 16 reb, 3 blk). Horry and Finley hit a couple threes and it was clear the Spurs had all their weapons locked in. The key play of the fourth quarter happened with 2:53 left. Nash reached for Parker’s dribble and their heads collided. (Of course the foul is called after he motions that he is hurt.) Nash by far got the worst of it, with a large cut on his nose. Suns trainer Aaron tried to stop the bleeding without stiches with very little success. The cut continued to bleed and even though Nash was able to return to hit a game-tying three, he had to sit out a few crucial possessions where the Suns were unable to score in the final minutes. Leandro Barbosa and Amare Stoudemire looked a little tight and couldn’t convert plays with the game on the line. Stoudemire misses two shots at the rim and LB commited two bad fouls. As the Suns unraveled, the Spurs pulled out the win.
Positives
Nash (31 pts, 8 ast) set the tone and took what the defense gave him.
Concerns
Inability to make plays with the game on the line. Uneven energy and effort. Marion and Stoudemire seemingly forgot dunk attempts are better than floaters at the rim.
Thoughts
It may have been the sound in the sports book where I was watching but it seems like the Suns have a quiet crowd. It doesn’t help when the team starts the third with no energy against a team that capitalizes on mistakes. I was in Oakland when the Warriors upset the Mavericks and that crowd was a huge advantage. Sure the team had been bad for a long time but those fans made sure the team had energetic support. Even the people I was watching with were yelling at the TV.
The Suns fans seemed to be like the gamblers I was watching with in the casino. The ones who bet on the Suns had taken the over and the point spread. So they needed the Suns to win by five and for both teams to score over 100. The response to Suns baskets was celebratory but nothing close to passionate- even with money on the line. That’s how the Suns crowd seems to me. Unless the team is up by 25, they just aren’t a factor. Losing home-court advantage in this matchup may not be a big deal because the Spurs crowd might be worse. They have the same sober, methodical approach as their team- we’ll turn it on down the stretch.
This loss doesn’t mean the series is over but it highlights the importance of winning on the road. The Suns have to win a game in San Antonio if they are going to win this series. They have to put someone on Tony Parker who won’t concede numerous layups and has the quickness to stay with him and some strength to foul him hard (Marcus Banks?). Parker has killed the Suns this year with the drive and his jumper. Perhaps guarding like Shaq (different looks, using fouls) will help because Parker isn’t a playmaker, he’s a scorer.
This Spurs team is more reliant on their stars than their title teams. While Ginobili was held in check, Duncan and Parker had their way. Michael Finley has become a standstill jumpshooter but he was repeatedly left open. Defensive adjustments are necessary because the Suns need swarming defense to make the game chaotic and to setup chances to attack the Spurs in transition.
The Spurs are built upon executing against all attacks. Much like Dallas, they can play any way but they don’t have the athleticism to match the Suns in a full-court game. While Game 1 was high scoring, the Suns didn’t have the pace advantage nor the three-point shooting advantage they normally have. The Spurs lull teams to sleep by hanging around and then turning into a basketball clockwork orange in the final two minutes. The Suns didn’t have their leader on the court for much of crunch time. The Spurs smelled blood and pulled out the win.
Suns beat LA, Spurs await (PHX wins 4-1)
Posted on May 3rd, 2007 by Hersey.
Categories: .
The Suns took care of the Lakers 119-110 in Game 5 to claim the series.
Positives
PHX led wire to wire in a closeout game. Big nights from Stoudemire (27 pts, 16 reb, 2 stl) and Marion (26 pts, 10 reb, 3 stl, 2 blk)
Concerns
Not much, the Suns took care of business after knowing the Spurs clinched their series against Denver.
Thoughts
The Suns face their true nemesis in the San Antonio Spurs. They are the defensive match for their offensive brilliance. San Antonio’s big three- Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili- are matchup nightmares and it’s the reason the Suns acquired solid defenders like Raja Bell and Kurt Thomas. Phoenix is better and deeper than they were two years ago but that won’t make this series any easier. The focus they showed in late season matchups with Dallas will have to there in this series. San Antonio won’t beat themselves. It takes speed, good ball movement and active defense to beat them. The Spurs are older but their championship core is intact and capable of dominating a game and a series. This one will be tough but I feel the Suns have the talent to win. What they’ll need though is hustle and desire which wanes at times and of course that’s when the Spurs take advantage.
Suns stars shine in Hollywood (PHX 3-1)
Posted on April 30th, 2007 by Hersey.
Categories: .
It’s been a long three days since the Suns loss in Game 3. NBA heads and Suns players were surprised by the low energy response to the desperate and scrappy Lakers. The two most vocal Suns were Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire. They both had monster games in a 113-100 victory to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.
During the buildup after Game 3, Amare made it clear that he was bothered by his foul trouble, the Suns play and all the praise being heaped on Kwame Brown. Much like Game 3, the Suns set the pace early. The lane was open and Nash took advantage getting seven assists off dunks and layups for Stoudemire and Marion. The Suns posted 33 points in the quarter but the Lakers looked ready to play as well.
The teams both made runs in a hotly contested second quarter. It looked like the Suns were about to fall victim to some Staples ref magic because it appeared Kobe would never be called for a fall. The Lakers got some bench help from Maurice Evans, who hit a couple threes to help the Lakers take a brief lead. Nash came back and got things under control. He dished seven more assists including a couple more gems to STAT for jams and a key dish to Marion for a layup before the half. The Suns’ big three set the tone. Nash had 15 assists at the break, Amare had 16 and 12 and Shawn Marion had 10 and six and there were plenty of highlights.
The Suns pulled away in the second half behind continued brilliance from Nash, decent defense on Kobe and cold shooting from the Lakers. The second half became a watch to see if Nash would break Magic Johnson’s playoff game assist record. Nash finished with 17 points and 23 assists, one short of the record. STAT (27 pts, 21 reb, 2 stl, 1 blk) played angry and dominated the paint on both ends. Shawn Marion (22 pts, 11 reb, 2 stl) played much better and finished at the rim (missed too many free throws though).
The numbers were good all around but the effort was clearly better in a game where the Lakers played hard but were never in control. Nash controlled this game from start to finish. Nash, Matrix and STAT refused to let the team put up another subpar effort and they took a death grip on the series.
Positives
Not enough can be said of the superstar efforts from Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire.
Concerns
Raja’s defensive effort has taken away from his offensive impact. Not getting many looks is making it easier for Kobe to float. Not for much longer though…
Thoughts
I expected the Suns to bounce back and for STAT to bring his ‘A’ game- but today was pretty amazing. It’s taken me forever to write this post because there were some many pictures to choose from and the game was dominated by Nash and STAT. This was the kind of game that showed the Suns can win a championship. They have two guys who can completely control a game. In watching these other series, it comes down to matchups and star performances. Nash was killing the Lakers so they threw some effective traps at him. Nash’s response was shredding their defense in near record-setting fashion. Most of his assists were for layups and dunks.
Stoudemire was annoyed with his foul trouble and the praise for Kwame Brown’s effectiveness in the last game. He responded with a huge game and grabbed every rebound in sight. That’s the Stoudemire we want to see facing Tim Duncan in the next round. Seeing how the Suns improved from a setback, I’m encouraged as contemplate what may await in the second round. Whatever defensive schemes the next opponent throws at them, I think Nash will figure it out and find the appropriate weapon. Miami is out and Dallas is struggling because they haven’t found the answer for speedy and athletic opponents. The Suns have those strengths and the veteran moxie of the best leader in the NBA. Today helped solidify Nash as THE player to be reckoned with this postseason.