<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span> April 5, 2007 - 9:30 pm ET<span style="color:#FF0000">Game on TNT</span></div><span style="color:#6600CC">Phoenix Suns</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">(56-18)</span><span style="color:#FF6600">PG</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Steve Nash</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">SG</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Raja Bell</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">SF</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Shawn Marion</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">PF</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Kurt Thomas</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">C</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Amare Stoudemire</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw, James Jones</span><span style="color:#000000">San Antonio Spurs</span> <span style="color:#999999">(46-19)</span><span style="color:#999999">PG</span> <span style="color:#000000">Tony Parker</span> <span style="color:#999999">SG</span> <span style="color:#000000">Brent Barry</span> <span style="color:#999999">SF</span> <span style="color:#000000">Bruce Bowen</span> <span style="color:#999999">PF</span> <span style="color:#000000">Tim Duncan</span> <span style="color:#999999">C</span> <span style="color:#000000">Francisco Elson</span><span style="color:#999999">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#000000">Manu Ginobili, Michael Finley, Fabricio Oberto, Matt Bonner, Jacque Vaughn</span> Injury Report<span style="color:#999999">SA:</span> <span style="color:#000000">Robert Horry is doubtful (abdominal contusion)</span> Who To Watch Out For<span style="color:#6600CC">Steve Nash</span><span style="color:#FF6600">Season Stats: 18.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 11.6 apg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Amare Stoudemire</span><span style="color:#FF6600">Season Stats: 20.7 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 1.3 bpg</span><span style="color:#FF6600">As A Starter: 21.5 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 1.3 bpg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Shawn Marion</span><span style="color:#FF6600">Season Stats: 17.5 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 1.7 apg, 2.0 spg, 1.6 bpg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Leandro Barbosa</span><span style="color:#FF6600">Season Stats: 17.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 4.1 apg</span><span style="color:#000000">Tim Duncan</span><span style="color:#999999">Season Stats: 20.0 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 3.4 apg, 2.3 bpg</span><span style="color:#000000">Tony Parker</span><span style="color:#999999">Season Stats: 18.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 5.6 apg</span><span style="color:#000000">Manu Ginobili</span><span style="color:#999999">Season Stats: 16.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.5 spg</span><span style="color:#999999">Off the Bench: 16.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.2 spg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Phoenix's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Kurt Thomas</span><span style="color:#FF6600">Season Stats: 4.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Thomas is a big body, he moves his feet, he is a good rebounder, and a solid defender. It would be nice to see Kurt have a nice defensive impact against Tim Duncan.</span><span style="color:#000000">San Antonio's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#000000">Francisco Elson</span><span style="color:#999999">Season Stats: 4.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg</span><span style="color:#999999">As A Starter: 5.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg</span><span style="color:#000000">Amare and Diaw is a very athletic front line. Elson is also a very athletic center, it would be nice to see him make a nice impact on this game. On the average night, he wouldn't have to run as much as he will be tonight, but he has the length and athleticism to do it. He needs to really make sure he helps out on the defensive end tonight.</span> <div align="center">Key Matchup vs. <span style="color:#6600CC">Amare Stoudemire</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#000000">Tim Duncan</span></div><span style="color:#000000">One of the most explosive bigs this league has seen in a while vs. most likely the best PF to ever play this game. These two have had some great matchups. We'll see if that can continue tonight.</span> CelticBalla's Extra Thoughts/NotesMore than likely the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals matchup. I am so excited for this game! CelticBalla's PredictionI say San Antonio wins this one at home, and Ginobili has a big offensive night.
Damn ... I would hate rooting for either team... both teams have effective big guys ... and small guys ... but spurs lack the middle men ... gaurds .... imhoI guess Ginoboli its up to you....The enemy of my enemy is friend but if both are my enemy who is my friend?The problem will dallas is that .... if Spurs win they can say that we beat one of the best teams in the NBA .... who happened to beat the Mavericks twice in a row ....If the Suns beat the Spurs .... they can get a serious boost .... for their title run ....I guess ima gonna bite the bullet and go for the ...Spurs
Thank you for starting this. This is going to be great to watch..the individual match-ups are very nice and whatever the outcome it should fuel some great debate before the playoffs.I thought Barbs was starting though.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ASUFan22 @ Apr 5 2007, 09:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I thought Barbs was starting though.</div>I'm not sure who will be starting, I just put down what I thought would be best for Phoenix. I don't think going small like that would be the best decision. I know Shawn Marion is a very versatile defender, I know he can handle a lot of 4's, but this is Tim Duncan. He's 7 feet tall, he's in a center's body. I don't think starting Marion at the 4 would be the best decision, who knows how it will turn out.
Well, it was more of a I'm pretty sure it's Barbosa because that's what I read in the paper. We've been really good with Barbosa starting and I think they want to see if they can make it an uptempo game quickly. Amare guards Duncan and Elson is no offensive threat.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ASUFan22 @ Apr 5 2007, 08:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Well, it was more of a I'm pretty sure it's Barbosa because that's what I read in the paper. We've been really good with Barbosa starting and I think they want to see if they can make it an uptempo game quickly. Amare guards Duncan and Elson is no offensive threat.</div>Barbosa would be a good choice to start
Nice gameday thread. This game is going to be great. These 2 teams are playing the best basketball in the league right now. GO SUNS!!!
I am shocked right now. First of all, I'm shocked that the Suns only have 37 points at the half, and secondly - San Antonio controlled the pace of that first half and STILL trail by 1. Just one point, whatever, but the Spurs NEED to capitalize on this if they are going to win this game. They did what they wanted to do to start the game (sort of), which was control the pace of the game early. They did that, but they made their own boneheaded mistakes and didn't capitalize on the offensive end. When you slow the Suns down like this, you HAVE to convert on the offensive end.My X-Factor, Kurt Thomas, did an excellent job on Tim Duncan in the tail end of that 2nd quarter, by the way.
Yeah, Suns aren't scoring much and that's partially due to Amare having his first bad game against the Spurs in I don't know how long. We'll need him to score some more if we're going to have a chance. The Spurs are playing pretty well so far, but if they can't score themselves they won't win. I expect at least 6 min. of the Suns on big scoring run so they'll have to keep up. Duncan has played great, but Kurt is doing his job on defense. This is what we brought him in for and he's been great and already has 5 rebounds in 9 minutes. Raja is getting his shot in and I'm thankful for that because he has been 25% of the offense.
Kurt Thomas has slowed down the game as expected. Bowen did a good job on Nash in the first half and the spurs bigs are quick enough on switches to bother Nash on his shots and contest him at the basket.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mavsfan1000 @ Apr 5 2007, 08:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Kurt Thomas has slowed down the game as expected. Bowen did a good job on Nash in the first half and the spurs bigs are quick enough on switches to bother Nash on his shots and contest him at the basket.</div>No...the Spurs have slowed it down smart one. The offense is never slowed down with him in against anyone else besides the Spurs and Lakers. He's only played 9 minutes anyway...the game has been slow after the first few minutes.Edit: He came in after the game was already slowed down. What he does is he allows us to play in a slower game with his defense and rebounding inside.
The suns can't play a slower game so their only hope is to go fast. They will not beat the spurs or the mavs at this tempo. Therefore they need to stay small with Marion at PF and Stoudemire at C. The spurs still have the suns number I feel with the matchups.
I don't know why they aren't giving Amare post ups. if you are going to play this slow, then that's what you need.
Well, he's had more opportunities than anyone else on the team, but is shooting less than 33%.Spurs did what they needed to do. It's not looking good, but I'm not worried yet. If the Suns can overcome 10 in 50 seconds they still have a chance with 17 min.
Wow, Diaw on Duncan? Nowitzki is one thing, but a strong post up guy like Duncan against someone who avoids contact? Amare has only 3 fouls so they should at least put him on Duncan, because he has size at least and did a decent job last time.66% FT shooting? Not the norm...they need to make them this quarter.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ASUFan22 @ Apr 5 2007, 08:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Wow, Diaw on Duncan? Nowitzki is one thing, but a strong post up guy like Duncan against someone who avoids contact? Amare has only 3 fouls so they should at least put him on Duncan, because he has size at least and did a decent job last time.66% FT shooting? Not the norm...they need to make them this quarter.</div>D'Antoni's thinking that if the Suns allow Duncan to score at will on Diaw in the 1st 7 seconds of the shot clock that it will somehow help the Suns offense wake up :ranting:
Horrible gameplan by the Suns. To their credit, most of the shots they were missing, they usually make. I think this game will give the Suns a lot to look at before the 2nd round.
What stuff besides putting Diaw on Duncan?They whipped us tonight though, totally outplayed us. It's a good loss to learn from because we saw everything that could go wrong, go wrong. I just hope now that we can keep the #2 seed. We'll need it in the 2nd round because it'll be hell playing in San Antonio 4 times. The rest of the schedule isn't that tough so I'm sure that they could pull off a 6-2, 7-1 record and keep the 2nd seed. One thing though...it seemed like they totally dominated the entire game...the Suns had less than 3 minutes of playing their normal offense, but even then they almost pulled it off. The Spurs played well enough to win by 30, but if the Suns stayed on their run for one more minute they would have the game so hopefully they can make some adjustments, have a quick first round and get the job done. And Amare had his worst game against the Spurs since..3-4 years ago? That won't happen for more than 1 game in the series.Also, the Suns brought in Kurt for the Spurs specifically...when the Spurs make it a slow-down game and Kurt is playing great it's kind of stupid to play him 14 minutes. He played over 20 minutes last season and the Suns were still the highest scoring team in the league and the defense was far better with than without him. I really think having him would've helped so I hope they notice that.I'll have as many excuses as I want ballerman...just returning the favor for the no credit given to Phoenix for their last win. :happy0144:
