Playoffs and full strength

[Treesquid PhD]

Of course D'Antoni made JJ break his face! Don't you see, if the Suns/D'Antoni had moved JJ for a bunch of also rans w/ bloated contracts, JJ wouldn't have been on the Suns to break his face, but instead the Suns would've had superstar level players like Sharif Abdul Rahim.

Or, if he would've cut JJs minutes in half, and given the remainder of them to Paul Shirley and Steven Hunter, then surely it would've lowered JJs chances of breaking his face (never mind it would've also lowered the Suns scoring and winning, but shhhh). Or if they could've kept Keon Clark or Brevin Knight, then surely we'd be counting our titles by now.

If only the Suns would learn to move All Star/All NBA players for guys like Al Horford, Mike Bibby, Ron Artest, Louis Scola, Corey Maggette, etc., then the Suns would be winners for sure!

Don't forget Michael Olowokandi, I don't know why we don't have him on the team and why we aren't running the O through him.

 

[Lorenzo]

It's not a cheap shot when Kobe kept elbowing Raja in the face and the referees do not make a call. It's called frontier justice in my book. Actually, IMO, Raja has toned down his game too much after this incident. I can't stand it now when Raja is all nice, nice with Kobe. There is one thing I have noticed about Raja while he has played in Phoenix... he is an enforcer not a goon. He will only repay what an opposing player is dishing out.

I agree, but kobe didn't make a football tackle on him. I was at that game and didn't see kobe do something that would warrant that. sure it was physical.....both kobe and raja are as physical as it gets when you talk about an offensive vs. defensive matchup at that position. but being physical and getting hit in the heat of the moment doesn't warrant losing control and tackling a guy. again it's okay if raja does it......but not if horry does. IMO they are both similiar players. I wouldn't call raja a goon type anymore either. he is a starter now and very intregal to what the suns do. but he has let his emotions get the best of him over the years. horry has been a starter in this league and has played a vital role for the teams that he played with. he may not be at the level he once was and maybe that's what caused him to lose control in that game last year. but he hasn't only made a living in this league being a goon. the guy has been a good offensive, defensive, and lockeroom presence his entire career.

 

[msdundee]

As far as the Suns being soft, again, they didn't back down when it happened, in fact, Nash got in Horry's face and caused a "confrontation" so that when Amare and Boris went to check on things they got suspended.

If I'm remembering right, it was actually Raja who ran over and got in Horry's face and Horry threw up the forearm (which factored into upping his suspension to two games). Nash was about to go at him, but Javie grabbed him and said "He's outta here" -- meaning Horry.

I don't think Horry was caught up in emotion. I don't for a minute believe his claim that it was an unintentional move and Nash flopped, and I don't think anybody else believed it either. The timing and the circumstances make me think it was a very deliberate "tactic" and I seriously doubt that it was all his own idea. On the Spurs roster, Horry's a very expendable player. Unfortunately, it worked.

 

[Mainstreet]

Lorenzotexan, I know just were a Mavs fan but have you expanded your fan base to all the Texas teams or just the Mavs and the Spurs? I'm not trying to quibble here but I remember you as a solid Mavs fan. The Mavs were more tolerable to me than the Spurs.

 

[Lorenzo]

If I'm remembering right, it was actually Raja who ran over and got in Horry's face and Horry threw up the forearm (which factored into upping his suspension to two games). Nash was about to go at him, but Javie grabbed him and said "He's outta here" -- meaning Horry.

I don't think Horry was caught up in emotion. I don't for a minute believe his claim that it was an unintentional move and Nash flopped, and I don't think anybody else believed it either. The timing and the circumstances make me think it was a very deliberate "tactic" and I seriously doubt that it was all his own idea. On the Spurs roster, Horry's a very expendable player. Unfortunately, it worked.

I don't think it can be proven regardless. it could of been his own choice. nash has never been a guy to go back at someone physically. he may get up and say something. but I've never seen him strike a guy in retaliation after the whistle. I've seen him foul a guy during a game out of frustration. but I've never seen him fight. bell came to his aid and got in horry's face. bell will not back down from an altercation.....neither will horry. he bit stackhouse a couple of years ago. some guys are just hard nosed like that. stack is that way too. It was a cheap hard foul no doubt. but if everyone kept their cool nothing should have come out of it other than horry getting suspended. of corse it didn't happen that way.

 

[Lorenzo]

Lorenzotexan, I know just were a Mavs fan but have you expanded your fan base to all the Texas teams or just the Mavs and the Spurs? I'm not trying to quibble here but I remember you as a solid Mavs fan. The Mavs were more tolerable to me than the Spurs.

NO WAY. I dislike the spurs more than any team. and they have a lot of fans in south texas. but I'm a north texas guy. I do have a lot of respect for the spurs. and the spurs are obviously hated here for good reason......like the rockets were back in the 90's. I'm just trying to take a neutral approach. I think the suns got screwed in the suspension. but if they kept their cool(like so many other teams did in hard foul playoff situations last year) nothing would of come of that.

 

[Mainstreet]

NO WAY. I dislike the spurs more than any team. and they have a lot of fans in south texas. but I'm a north texas guy. I do have a lot of respect for the spurs. and the spurs are obviously hated here for good reason......like the rockets were back in the 90's. I'm just trying to take a neutral approach. I think the suns got screwed in the suspension. but if they kept their cool(like so many other teams did in hard foul playoff situations last year) nothing would of come of that.

I'm glad. I was worried that you had wandered over to the dark side. Some time we will need to talk about the Mavs. I haven't followed them much although I know they will be there in the playoffs.

 

[Lorenzo]

I'm glad. I was worried that you had wandered over to the dark side. Some time we will need to talk about the Mavs. I haven't followed them much although I know they will be there in the playoffs.

no way. I hate the spurs and will never cheer for them. they've won enough. it's time for another team like DALLAS or phoenix to win it all. i think both teams have a shot this year(against the spurs). the problem is the WC is getting better overall. tell me a team you want to face in the first round. NOT GS lol!
as far as the mavs they had a slow start. but their defense has picked it up over the last 10 games or so. not great all of the time, but much more consistent. like the suns they have great jump shooters and call fall in love with shooting even when they are cold. that's the biggest concern for me. but harris has taken a major step forward this year. that guy is shooting much better and teams can't keep him out of the paint. dirk and howard are playing well too especially when they attack.

 

[Mainstreet]

no way. I hate the spurs and will never cheer for them. they've won enough. it's time for another team like DALLAS or phoenix to win it all. i think both teams have a shot this year(against the spurs). the problem is the WC is getting better overall. tell me a team you want to face in the first round. NOT GS lol!
as far as the mavs they had a slow start. but their defense has picked it up over the last 10 games or so. not great all of the time, but much more consistent. like the suns they have great jump shooters and call fall in love with shooting even when they are cold. that's the biggest concern for me. but harris has taken a major step forward this year. that guy is shooting much better and teams can't keep him out of the paint. dirk and howard are playing well too especially when they attack.

I fear the Mavs as much as any team. They are always a tough match-up for the Suns. You're right. The Western Conference is solid, ten teams deep. There will be two very good teams that will not make the playoffs. How tough is that?

 

[Lorenzo]

I fear the Mavs as much as any team. They are always a tough match-up for the Suns. You're right. The Western Conference is solid, ten teams deep. There will be two very good teams that will not make the playoffs. How tough is that?

yes. I think people forget how young the mavs are. somehow they have guys that are improving every year. howard, harris are obvious....as both those guys keep improving their outside shot(which was their weakness). but dirk finds a way to improve his game still. I actually think he is playing better defense this year than he ever has. He isn't the best one on one defender, but he looks better. and he is making it tough on guards who come into the paint. at least he's contesting shots consistently. I think avery playing him less mins is helping him in that regard. he isn't being asked to score as much and is taking less shots. but I don't think that's a bad thing. He is much better than he was before....at setting up other guys. he is playing double teams much better. doubling dirk is playing with fire now that he has improved his passing.....especially when you look at all of the offensive firepower they have. I also like this year's bench. different guys step up almost every night. tonight it was hassle guarding kobe. he didn't stop him, but he certainly didn't let kobe get comfortable in the 2nd half in paticular.
I feel the same about the suns. the mavs-suns matchup is a fun one to watch. I think it would go 7 and I don't know which team would win. that's my honest unbiased feeling. when you look at their games over the last few years it's almost been 50-50. and you are right. the west has so many good teams. the east is getting better too.....with a lot of good youth. but the east has about 3 no more than 4 teams that I would fear. and really the only teams i think are capable of winning a title is boston-detroit. I honestly think the west will win it though. but if the celtics continue their winning ways in the east come playoff time....they will have a rested advantage over their WC foe.