What team other than the Spurs (in the West) scares you?

[Biclops]

I think alot of people would agree that the biggest obstacle for the Suns to reach the NBA finals would be the Spurs

Im just curious to see what other team in the playoff scares you

I would personally not want to play the Mavericks. They are a much better defensive team since AJ became head coach. They are much like the Suns in a way that almost all five players can score anytime on the floor. And they have a deep bench (Stackhouse, Daniels, Van Horn, Harris)

If we actually do play then (i think we might hit them in the 2nd round) i think the key would be how well Marion can defend Nowitzki (if i remember it right, he has a hard time against marion)

All in all, dallas is the team i would be weary of playing in the playoff

Anyone have any other team ?

 

[Chaplin]

I'm also leary of Dallas, but if we beat them in a 7-game series, it would go a very long way for our confidence.

 

[Amare32]

Dallas

good size, depth, a superstar, and a real center plus a good defensive coach

 

[arthurracoon]

Mavs

 

[George O'Brien]

I agree. I wonder how many people realize the Mavs are only 2.5 games behind the Spurs in the Southwest Division.

The real key for the Suns would be hitting their three pointers and defense. In their Feb 17 loss to the Mavs, the Suns shot only 9 of 29 for three while shooting 51.5% inside the arc. At the same time, the Mavs shot the lights out, 53.6% including 53.3% for three.

The Mavs are playing better now, so the Suns would have to play at the top of their game to win that series.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Dallas without a doubt

 

[PhxGametime]

What's the record against the Mavs? I just don't think Nowitzki or Van Horn can guard Amare Stoudemire... but that's probably the next team. Going with Van Horn IMO gives the Suns a shot to play Marion on both guys at PF and keeping Stoudemire at center more than say the Spurs, where Hunter should play more... I doubt with so many wings, that Van Horn plays the 3. Nowitzki and Van Horn alongside each other, should give the Suns an edge outside of foul trouble. Both are jumpshooters...

 

[JCSunsfan]

Teams in the west that I would least like to play in the playoffs. In this order

1. San Antonio
2. Houston
3. Dallas
4. Denver
5. Sonics
6. Memphis
7. Sacramento

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Ill go off your list and make my own.

1.) SA - no brainer
2.) Mavs - Multi headed attack. Hard to plan defense for. Johnson has them playing respectable D. Their 7th man could go off for 30 points.
3.) Houston - TMAC can win 1 game on his own. Easy to strategize against though. Van Gundy's offense is predictable.
4.) Denver - Not afraid of them. They just cannot hang with us this year I think. If Camby is healthy then he can give Amare fits, but their perimeter D leaves a lot to ask for.
5.) Seattle - Vlad being out hurts them bad.
6.) Memphis - Good perimeter defenders, no real answer for Amare. Blanced offense, good coaching. Just can't put it together every night.
7.) Sacto - No respect for them. Even if Miller, Peja and Jackson are healthy, not sure how the blending will be.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Interesting how similar our lists are--just a switch of Dallas and Houston.

To me, Ming is the factor. Amare seems to have something personal to prove with Ming and goes right at him. Ming fouls but doesn't get called, Amare get frustrated, game gets ugly.

Dallas is scary too, but Houston more.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

I just don't see Ming as a big deal. I think the Suns can neutralize him on offense. Like you said, Amare has to learn not to make it personal. He would likely have a subpar series against Houston, and would need to let people like JJ take over game at times.

If he was willing to do that, I think we would handle them easy. It is a big If though.

 

[myrondizzo]

Like you said, Amare has to learn not to make it personal.

i dont think he takes it personal i think he just wants a poster of him and yao that would be a top seller.and the best way to do that is to dunk on him.

 

[jibikao]

I love both Dirk and Nash... I don't want to see them matchup.

I am leaning towards Suns because Nash is a Canadian (and so am I) and if Suns can win it this year, this will prove all the people out there who think running teams can't win. Mavs has become more and more of a traditional team so I root for Suns!!

Go Suns!!!!

 

[MigratingOsprey]

I think the Mavs are the team to beat in the west, with the suns and SA right behind them

I've been watching a lot of Dallas games and here is why they scare me:

Explosive offensive options, nothing new, maybe not as explosive as the past, but the type of offense they are playing seems more consistent now with the sets

defense - if you haven't noticed they are really locking down on teams and swarming to the ball ... they are using defense to setup offense .... just playing intense ball

depth - this bench can put up 40 ppg any night ... that is tough to compensate for, especially as teams start to wear down over the course of the playoffs

diversity - they can go inside, outside, wherever

experience - most players have had playoff disapointment on this team, but at least know what to expect

and finally in close games they aren't afraid ... recently as games have gotten tight, they don't panic and they don't take stupid shots ... they work their offense, stay patient and make baskets

in one game on 3 straight trips terry, nowitzki and stackhouse all hit tough jumpers over very good defense at the end of the shotclock .... it was just cold and a way to preserve the league

this isn't Sacramento where in the crunch you knew they would fold, or a barkely team where you knew he was going to force a bad shot

these guys are icey and that is what finally sold me

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

i dont think he takes it personal i think he just wants a poster of him and yao that would be a top seller.and the best way to do that is to dunk on him.

I am sure that is exactly what Amare is thinking about every time we play the rockets

 

[Cheesebeef]

Curious - there's ALL this talk about Dallas right now - but let me enlighten some of you to an interesting little fact - during this treak - they have played NO ONE impressive (save beating the Pistons in Detroit - that WAS impressive).

Besides that - they haven't beaten the Suns, the Spurs(when healthy), The Rockets or the Nuggets - all the teams - regardless of their seed - generally considered the best teams in the West.

It's easy to look impressive against the dregs of the league - Denver did it too - of course except when the played us and Houston - you know - good teams.

Sorry - just because Avery Johnson is a "defensive oriented coach" - whatever the hell that means - they've still got SIEVES out there as defenders - Stackhouse? Van Horn? Jason Terry? A broken down Finley?

Give me a break - Houston scares me more than Dallas. Dallas is Dallas - just like they are every year.

 

[elindholm]

Give me a break - Houston scares me more than Dallas. Dallas is Dallas - just like they are every year.

I basically agree. It's common for a team to play a little above themselves after a coaching change, and I think that's what's happening in Dallas.

Still, their defense has been reasonably good recently. Here is the eight-game winning streak:

vs. Orlando, the Mavericks gave up 105 points on .532 shooting
vs. San Antonio, 68 on .346
vs. Utah, 81 on .373
vs. Memphis, 89 on .415
at Seattle, 90 on .407
at Portland, 90 on .500
at L. A. Lakers, 112 on .442
vs. Seattle, 96 on .452

Even including the terrible effort against Orlando, that's 91.4 points per game allowed on roughly 43% shooting. You have to admit that's pretty good, and there are some decent offensive squads on that list.

I must admit that I feel some vindication, because I was very solidly in the Erick Dampier camp this summer and was nearly laughed off the board on several occasions because of it. He is a good player and is making a difference. His numbers are modest (8.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 27.3 minutes) and he's surely overpaid, but Dallas is a better defensive team now than they used to be, and not just since Johnson took over as coach.

But the bottom line is that I'm more worried about the Rockets. Ultimately, I think that Dallas's game is too similar to Phoenix's, even if the Mavericks are better defensively, and I don't see anyone beating the Suns at their own game. The Rockets will grind it out and clog the paint, and that is more likely to cause the Suns real trouble.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Ultimately, I think that Dallas's game is too similar to Phoenix's, even if the Mavericks are better defensively, and I don't see anyone beating the Suns at their own game. The Rockets will grind it out and clog the paint, and that is more likely to cause the Suns real trouble.

totally agree.

 

[Mainstreet]

A team that has alot of potential (if healthy) and scares me, is Sacramento. If Bobby Jackson and Brad Miller can return to their roster for the playoffs, this could be a very dangerous team (especially if they get past Seattle in the first round).

Their roster is deep and talented as any in the league. Again, the emphasis is if they get Miller and Jackson back and they are healthy. With Bibby at the Pg and the bangers and shooters they possess the potential is there for them to beat any team in a seven game series. I just hope this is not the year they put it all together.

I believe this team actually improved with the trade of Webber.

 

[Errntknght]

Right now the team that scares me is the one we are playing first... the others can wait their turn.

 

[wilycoyote24]

Teams that I'm scared of:

San Antonio
Houston

Teams that could possibly upset the Suns:

Dallas

Teams that are easy series wins:

Seattle
Denver
Memphis

 

[JCSunsfan]

Sorry - just because Avery Johnson is a "defensive oriented coach" - whatever the hell that means - they've still got SIEVES out there as defenders - Stackhouse? Van Horn? Jason Terry? A broken down Finley?.

Avery Johnson might be THE reason why the Mavs don't scare me as much as Houston. He never struck me as a good head coach type, and he's a rookie head coach without benefit of a training camp.

Also, the Mavs have the same weakness that they have always had. Aside from Damp, they are a perimeter team. The Suns inside presence with Amare is huge.

Ming is an inside presence, on both ends.

 

[Chaplin]

Ming is an inside presence, on both ends.

Until Yao Ming starts getting numbers akin to Shaquille O'Neal, he will be far from dominating.

 

[WaywardFan]

Ming is an inside presence, on both ends.

Okay, I so went another direction with this comment.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Until Yao Ming starts getting numbers akin to Shaquille O'Neal, he will be far from dominating.

who said anything about dominating? The guy IS a presence at both ends - but I think - for us - our style wears him out. Either way - if were playing well, we shouldn't lose 4 games to either one of those teams.