The new Suns are a slow team!! - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

endrity · 03-09-2008, 05:16 PM

After watching them a couple of times, and after seeing them beat the Spurs today it's clear to me that the new Shaq led Suns are a slow team. Their best pace is not a fast one. How ironic that they have beaten Celtics and Spurs in slow games, but Philly, LA, and Jazz have run them out of the gym. In order to beat them, you have to run them. Coaches around the league will be readjusting their strategy on the fly against them now. It will be very interesting to see them against GS later on this week.

Dtownsfinest · 03-09-2008, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by endrity

After watching them a couple of times, and after seeing them beat the Spurs today it's clear to me that the new Shaq led Suns are a slow team. Their best pace is not a fast one. How ironic that they have beaten Celtics and Spurs in slow games, but Philly, LA, and Jazz have run them out of the gym. In order to beat them, you have to run them. Coaches around the league will be readjusting their strategy on the fly against them now. It will be very interesting to see them against GS later on this week.

I think me and you have watched two totally different games today. They're half-court team when Shaq is there but they still run just not for the whole game like they once did. But once Shaq hits that bench they're going 100mph and they did that today even with Grant Hill out there. I think now the Suns have the best of both worlds. They aren't where they did to be in the half-court game yet but when they get where they need to be they'll be able to run with any team in this league and play a half court game with any team in this league. Not too many teams can say that. I think the Spurs are the only team that can claim that title.

endrity · 03-09-2008, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dtownsfinest

I think me and you have watched two totally different games today. They're half-court team when Shaq is there but they still run just not for the whole game like they once did. But once Shaq hits that bench they're going 100mph and they did that today even with Grant Hill out there. I think now the Suns have the best of both worlds. They aren't where they did to be in the half-court game yet but when they get where they need to be they'll be able to run with any team in this league and play a half court game with any team in this league. Not too many teams can say that. I think the Spurs are the only team that can claim that title.

See I think with the loss of Marion they are not nearly as effective running. He was the second most important player for their system after Nash. And the problem now is that if they speed up the game they are so vulnerable in defense it's pathetic, and that's what all those high scoring games have shown. They have no perimeter defense at all, Raja is way over the hill. They are much better playing a slower game I think.

Janett_Reno · 03-09-2008, 05:57 PM

Both of you have very good points i think. Marion looks bad with the Heat. He looked great with Nash and he could fly up and down, play defense and get easy dunks from Nash. They had the problem of beating the Spurs. They got Shaq for one team and one team alone, the Spurs. The Spurs are going to make you stand still and play a half court grind game. Phx knows this and they got Shaq.

This does help them against the Spurs but i doubt they can beat them in a series but i might be wrong. We did the same thing, to the point we could compete and even beat the Spurs or atleast we was even with them. What Phx and Dallas forgot about was the west has gotten so so good it is not just the Spurs anymore. It is about 8 or 9 teams that can beat you or beat anyone. They don't play one style anymore. Shaq had a big game and was probably the difference today.

The scarry part. The Spurs shot a lousy 35% and let's give credit to Phx but they only lose by 7 shooting 35% and Shaq having a big game. This is why the Spurs are who they are. It is scarry when you can win titles shooting 30% or 55% or anywhere in between.

This was a big win for Phx but it's sure going to be hard to get thru the west with so many different styles, so many different good teams and so much talent on about 9 teams, in the west. Barbosa, Diaw and Giricek need to pick it up and especially Diaw and Barbosa and take some mins and stress off those main core players because like us, they are not young. Those three players i mentioned are so important to try to fill in with things that Marion did.

endrity · 03-09-2008, 06:00 PM

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endrity · 03-09-2008, 06:01 PM

^ The new West will kill these Suns. They have yet to win a fast pace game. They too are in search of an identity.

You are right about the Spurs. Even when the are playing like shit, they still took the Suns to the wire. Had the Suns not gotten some favourable calls in the end, the Spurs very well might win this game.

Janett_Reno · 03-09-2008, 06:12 PM

I'm a big time Dallas fan but what gets me is i have seen the Spurs play defensive games and win scorring 65 points and then i have seen them play run and gun and against Phx at Phx in excitting games where they beat Phx in ot or 2 ot's where they scorred like 130 or 140 points. It was nothing but up and down offense.

Pop will normally not let them run and gun Phx style all game and take Duncan out of the game plan but this is scarry because they can play that way. Plus Bowen at how ever old he is, plays defense on the perimeter and puts pressure on us and teams. Phx needs to be deeper and i think it will be hard for them to get thru all the west because they will have to play a good series to win the first round. I am not saying they aren't good because i feel they are but i just don't think they can hold out and like you said, beat the running teams anymore. That is not a given for them anymore.

They need Marion for those running teams and when they face the Lakers and Spurs and even the Mavs, stick Shaq in the middle and play grind ball with the Spurs but they do not have the luxury of having Marion and Diaw or others are not stepping up and filling those shoes.

endrity · 03-09-2008, 06:20 PM

Well the Lakers are one of the fastest teams in the league now. They are actually average/bad defensively so they try to outrun you, similiar to the Jazz.

Shaq is going to totally innefective against them. And if AJ allows Kidd to run, Shaq will be useless against us as well. One of the secrets about the way SA plays Phx is that they always understood that against a running team, you can get easy baskets in transition as well. We have to do it too now.

Janett_Reno · 03-09-2008, 06:31 PM

I agree with you. Phx will have a tough time matching up with the Lakers. They have so many, they gang up on you rebounding and they can also run.

You are right on Avery letting Kidd get the ball up the court and making Shaq move and run up and down. It kills me to watch the Spurs and see how many easy baskets they get and it is brilliant of pop and they usually really turn your mistakes into points and easy baskets. If we can learn to do this, it will really help us.

The Jazz would be so hard to beat if they could win on the road. They do have a good team and can play different ways. They are scarry watching them play at home and probably look like the best team in the west, when playing at home or atleast up with the Spurs and Lakers but they will have to learn to win away also. It will be interesting as i feel the west is wide open.

I know the Lakers and Spurs are very good but it looks as if almost any team 1 thru 8 can compete with the other. It should be a good playoffs.