** NBA Conference Finals ** - Page 61

AZplaya · #**601** 06-01-2006, 07:52 PM

Every time the Sun's have played the Heat, Shaq has gotten run out of the gym. For those who think Shaq would be fine playing at Phoenix's pace clearly haven't watched much basketball. Shaq would be a huge liability in a series against PHX. Also, I can't remember a game in the past 2 years where Shaq put up more than 30 against PHX, so why all of the sudden will he be a 50+ points per game threat?

teamdonkey · #**602** 06-01-2006, 08:02 PM

-to clear up my posts last night: if Amare Stoudamire walked into the locker room tonight at 100%, the Suns are better no question. But if he and Kurt Thomas had been healthy all season, Diaw/Bell/Barbosa/Tim Thomas aren't nearly the players they are right now, due to fewer minutes and a much smaller role in the offense. The longer these playoffs go on, the more i think THIS phoenix team is very close to as good as what they would have been with everyone healthy. Amare being out may end up being a big plus for the Suns in the long run.

-IF we see a Suns/Heat final: the Lakers gave the Suns fits... not because they're better or match up well, but because Phil Jackson is a hell of a coach and found ways to neutralize them. Pat Riley would probably be very similar. This, home court, and the fact the not-very-deep Suns will have played three 7 game series in a row might even lead to the Heat going up 2-0. But i wouldn't be suprised if the Suns take the next 4. The Heat aren't used to playing the Suns tempo and don't have the personnel to do it. Tim Thomas defending Shaq is a mismatch, but i think Shaq defending Tim Thomas is even worse... so much so they might be forced to zone up, which is suicide against the Suns. Shaq, Zo, Payton, all too old to do well in an uptempo series like this, and DWade can't outscore the Suns by himself.

IMO the Heat would much rather see the Mavs.

srjunkacct · #**603** 06-01-2006, 08:03 PM

Craig Sager is wearing a turquoise suit.

I just typed this post on my braille keyboard.

Ryan Beal · #**604** 06-01-2006, 08:17 PM

I'll take a wild stab at predicting the final score of this game five:

Mavs win 106 - 94

srjunkacct · #**605** 06-01-2006, 08:19 PM

While interviewing Tayshaun Prince, the TNT crew just made Reggie Miller watch The Block. I haven't laughed that hard in months.

Phoenix1010 · #**606** 06-01-2006, 09:22 PM

Wow. Monster quarter for Dallas there.

Schwartzy61 · #**607** 06-01-2006, 09:39 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Every time the Sun's have played the Heat, Shaq has gotten run out of the gym. For those who think Shaq would be fine playing at Phoenix's pace clearly haven't watched much basketball. Shaq would be a huge liability in a series against PHX. Also, I can't remember a game in the past 2 years where Shaq put up more than 30 against PHX, so why all of the sudden will he be a 50+ points per game threat?

[/ QUOTE ]

2004/2005 he averaged 29.5 points in two games vs. PHX, so at least one game he had 30+ points...

THey haven't seen "playoff" Shaq yet either. He is a much different player in the playoffs than he has been during the regular season.

Hell Kwame Brown went from 7.4 ppg in the regular season to 12.9ppg in the playoffs vs. the lack of interior defense from Phoenix.

I could see Shaq and Wade averaging 75 points between the two of 'em and only needing 35 points from the other 6-7 guys in the rotation...

And as far as matchups go, the Heat don't matchup well with either team left in the Western Conference, the Heat wanted the Spurs or the Clippers in the Finals, DAL and PHX are both a little too much on the perimeter than Miami can probalby handle. But that's not to say they will just be run out of the gym, seems like a few of you think the Suns are impossible to defend, this is a team that was on the brink of elimination vs. the Lakers of all teams. They will have played a 7 game series every time. They haven't been that much better than any of the teams they've played thus far. They've been able to do just enough to advance, and eventually that comes back to bite you in the ass.

Bulldog · #**608** 06-01-2006, 09:59 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[snip] Chris Kaman. And it's funny because he's just like Shaq on defense, except younger and more mobile [/snip]

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow.

I'm done arguing with you.

Bulldog · #**609** 06-01-2006, 10:00 PM

[ QUOTE ]
-to clear up my posts last night: if Amare Stoudamire walked into the locker room tonight at 100%, the Suns are better no question. But if he and Kurt Thomas had been healthy all season, Diaw/Bell/Barbosa/Tim Thomas aren't nearly the players they are right now, due to fewer minutes and a much smaller role in the offense. The longer these playoffs go on, the more i think THIS phoenix team is very close to as good as what they would have been with everyone healthy. Amare being out may end up being a big plus for the Suns in the long run.

-IF we see a Suns/Heat final: the Lakers gave the Suns fits... not because they're better or match up well, but because Phil Jackson is a hell of a coach and found ways to neutralize them. Pat Riley would probably be very similar. This, home court, and the fact the not-very-deep Suns will have played three 7 game series in a row might even lead to the Heat going up 2-0. But i wouldn't be suprised if the Suns take the next 4. The Heat aren't used to playing the Suns tempo and don't have the personnel to do it. Tim Thomas defending Shaq is a mismatch, but i think Shaq defending Tim Thomas is even worse... so much so they might be forced to zone up, which is suicide against the Suns. Shaq, Zo, Payton, all too old to do well in an uptempo series like this, and DWade can't outscore the Suns by himself.

IMO the Heat would much rather see the Mavs.

[/ QUOTE ]

What makes everyone so sure the Suns will be able to dictate the tempo? The Lakers played several games with them in the 90s.

Phoenix1010 · #**610** 06-01-2006, 10:09 PM

Same. /Ignored.