http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nba/teams/20080123/80x60/sas.gif -VS- http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nba/teams/20080123/80x60/pho.gif

San Antonio
(56-26) (34-7 home/ 22-19 road)

Phoenix
(55-27) (30-11 home/25-16 road)

Regular Season Series: Phoenix wins 3 - 1
Dec 17: Phoenix 100, at San Antonio 95
Jan 31: San Antonio 84, at Phoenix 81
Mar 9: at Phoenix 94, San Antonio 87
Apr 9: Phoenix 96, at San Antonio 79


Series Schedule
San Antonio wins 4-1
1. Apr 19: at San Antonio 117, Phoenix 115 (2OT)
2. Apr 22: at San Antonio 102, Phoenix 96
3. Apr 25: San Antonio 115, at Phoenix 97
4. Apr 27: at Phoenix 105, San Antonio 86
5. Apr 29: at San Antonio 92, Phoenix 87

Pheonix has looked very impressive against SA since they got Shaq. Very nice that Kerr gets to see how his trade worked out in the opening round of the playoffs.

In their 3 wins, they didn't even reach 100 once.

Of course, playoffs are an entirely different beast, but they at least look capable of going on the road and winning a tight, low scoring (by their standards) game.

As much as I'd like them to lose early and put a quick end to the DONE project, I think Parker's penetration gets the Spurs past the Suns.

As hard as it will be for me to do, I'll be pulling for the Suns to avenge last year's "David Stern Special".

At least the Suns bench is much, much better than the Spurs bench, IMO.

I hope they at least take the series to 6 or 7 games to further wear out the old men.

I'm tired of Suns fans bitching about the series with SA last year. Yeah, they should be pissed off, but they should really be upset with their team for blowing the game they didn't have Stoudemire for (Game 5). Up double digits in the 4th, I believe.

Either way, I'll be pulling for PHX too (and I NEVER do that). I want to see Suns-Hornets in the 2nd round.

I think Marion's defense would have been huge in this series, fwiw.

I think Parker's penetration gets the Spurs past the Suns.
:little tony:

Well played.

I like San Antonio in 6.

This team is built to take the spurs out. Suns in 6.

im rooting for the suns just cuz i really want to see shaq/ kobe playoff. i love the drama.

I actually think Suns-Lakers might be the WCF, but that means Phoenix would have to beat NO in the 2nd round and the Hornets pwn them.

If he isn't the biggest key, Grant Hill has to be one of them IMO.

I hated the Suns when they had Marion, but I've been warming up to them as of late. Not that I'm a fan or anything, it's just at the point where I'm not rooting against them because I dislike him. I'm even rooting for them in some cases, like in this series.

I hated the Suns when they had Marion, but I've been warming up to them as of late. Not that I'm a fan or anything, it's just at the point where I'm not rooting against them because I dislike him. I'm even rooting for them in some cases, like in this series.

^Shaq fan

^Obsessed with the Spurs.

this game looks like all the reg season matchups since shaq got to phx. his presence has made every single guy on phx better.

if horry hip checked nash this year, nahs would probably stab him, and then while horry was dealing with the stabbing shaq and amare would probably come out with clubs and beat on him. then boris diaw would mace him in the eyes.

phx is a likeable team now that theyre not so 'lil buddy' ish.

I'm convinced beating the spurs has replaced winning the championship as the #1 obsession in Phoenix.

They don't care what happens after this. They just want to beat the spurs once.

I don't like Duncan, but I admire the fact he plays his best in the playoffs, like the greatest PF they say he is.

If the Suns aren't the biggest whiners in the league, I don't know who is.

The spurs resorting to hack-a-shaq. Wow.

Well, it worked...lol.

I am rooting for Steve Nash...Satan must be freezing.

I'm just tired of the Spurs.

tIm DuNcaN iS dAt GuY

Shaq just got his revenge there.

Shaq RAPED Manu, legally. I love when a guy gets his hand on the ball before the offensive player even starts to bring the ball up for a shot. Complete ownership.

at 88-90
Nash finds a wide open Amare under the hoop for an And 1 play.
That is why the Shaq trade works, Shaq cut off the helpside to Amare.
Then on the other side, Shaq blocks a SAS drive, and sends Pheonix on a fast break to put them up 93-90

Shaq is moving very well laterally.

Time for someone to body check Nash into the scorer's table.

Do you foul?

last gasp time for the spurs.

Do you foul?

With 20 seconds left? No way.

...

old man finley hit a huge shot.

Epic.

Two games in and I'm loving it.

It's Nash's game to win or lose now.

Terrible. Worthless possession.

...or they could give it to Barbosa and watch him clank a prayer shot.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Fuck this shit, I'm taking over

the best playoffs of all time is off to an amazing start.

i think calling the spurs 'done' may have been a little premature. but i've got the suns this series, and am definitly rooting for them.

funny, last year parker was playing like the best pg in the league. this year hes been quiet. no fire. he and manu should be owning this series.

Nash is destroying.

Nash is ass-raping the spurs. Things have officially changed.

Only going to get better. NO and Dallas is gonna be solid, and even the Rockets-Jazz should be decent.

Man, even I could have blocked that attempt by Duncan, it was slow and completely telegraphed.

the best playoffs of all time is off to an amazing start.

i think calling the spurs 'done' may have been a little premature. but i've got the suns this series, and am definitly rooting for them.

funny, last year parker was playing like the best pg in the league. this year hes been quiet. no fire. he and manu should be owning this series.

SA would have lost this one in a laugher if Timmy wasn't being Timmy.

Stoudemire knows he's allowed to take a jumpshot right?

Wow, offensive foul and Stoudemire has fouled out. That's kinda significant.

now or never for the suns. They aren't going to survive another 5 minutes without Amare.

Wow, offensive foul and Stoudemire has fouled out. That's kinda significant.:cogent:

HOLY FUCK DUNCAN IS CLUTCH.

FUCK THAT SHIT

Best PF ever, I'm finally convinced. That is unbelievable.

A Golden fucking god, that dude.

Ok, this is a little ridiculous.

Suns score here or the game is pretty much over.

oh boy.

Seriously, when game 1 of the first round is an instant classic, you know you're going to have an exciting postseason. Jebus.

the kstat is always wrong theory suggests the suns win this one in 3rd ot.

time to place a wager?

Popavich needs 3 Korean slave children following behind him to carry those enormous balls. A set 3 point play for Tim Duncan in the playoffs against your current rival?

the kstat is always wrong theory suggests the suns win this one in 3rd ot.

Tell that to Davidson.

2 overtimes...fucking sweet.

The Suns need a miracle now.

That, or Shaq to throw himself back about 8 years.

DIAW???!!!! WTF ARE YOU GOING TO DIAW FOR???? D'ANTONIO IS A FUCKING RETARD!

grant passes to boris over nash?

DIAW???!!!! WTF ARE YOU GOING TO DIAW FOR???? D'ANTONIO IS A FUCKING RETARD!

Grant isn't even a clutch passer.

Geez, whatever happened to putting the ball in the hands of your best player in these situations? SA did it, and look what happened.

I shoulda expected this from Timmy, he's pwnage in 2K.

JUST BE DONE ALREADY!

LOL Duncan hitting a three will be my new signature.

Shaq is of no use when you're trying to protect the rim from Ginobili...

lol, Shaq on the ground and none of the Suns know what to do when th ball is at the hoop.

Shaq is of no use when you're trying to protect the rim from Ginobili...

Except when he blocks the shit out of Manu in regulation.

SA are getting layups like it's warm ups.

Diaw has zero clue.

Tony and Little Tony are out.

...and on his 5th moving screen of overtime, Thomas finally gets busted.

Missed?

Diaw has zero clue.


Not really his fault. Kurt was bulldozing him out of the lane.

It's like both teams don't want to win this, yet they're playing like they do.

Not really his fault. Kurt was bulldozing him out of the lane.
I was talking about his offensive move (he was scared shitless at the top of the key), I don't have a problem with his defense there (getting plowed).

Shaq isnt much good out there if he's too scared to play defense.

I think the suns just blinked.

...as Glenn begins to weep.

once again, Diaw is the guy to take the crucial shot.

You know what I think is a good plan .... GOING TO DIAW ALL THE TIME!

It is sad to see Diaw trying to revert back to his 06 form. Just hang it up, fella.

Duncan's playoff career high is "only" 42? Could've fooled me.

Sweet. Lets see PHO run a play for Diaw at the arc to tie.

Is it Possible for Diaw to inbound the ball to himself?

Boarwris from Halfcort with 15 on the clock.

FUCK THE WORLD!!!

Shaq for 3 here would be great.

Diaw's shot here will go down in PHX's history as greater than Gar's shot in the 76 Finals.

There are no x's or o's on that board. It just reads in large letters, DIAW FOR THREE!!

Steve Nash, I'll be damned.

HOLY SHIT.

Manu Ginobili, I'll be damned...

And Glenn weeps.

GINOBLLLIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

I feel so bad for Nash right now.

Well, that's gotta suck if you're a Phoenix fan/player.

But for the person who isn't a fan of either team, great game!

I still think the Suns are going to win the series. Duncan is not going to score 40 every game.

Can't spell Duncan with DUN.

Well, that's gotta suck if you're a Phoenix fan/player.


Their fault for not even forcing Manu to take a jumper.

I still like PHX to win the series as well, but it appears that they won't be able to do it in less than 7...

how was there no help on ginobli?

it goes back to the shot clock violation in regulation near the end. the announcers nailed it. phx has bizarre mental lapses.

Tim Duncan is good.

40, 15, 3 blocks.

the kstat is always wrong theory suggests the suns win this one in 3rd ot.



DENIED.

I can't decide if the Spurs are the luckiest team ever or if the Suns are the most cursed team ever.

The Suns needed this game if they were going to win the series, I don't think they'll be able to overcome this one.

The Suns win this with Marion, IMO.

Glenn, if you love Marion so much why don't you marry him?

The Suns win this with Marion, IMO.

Yes, just like the other playoff games where Marion was just a huge factor against the Spurs...

If only they had Marion. San Antonio wouldn't know what to do.

pwnt

the injured marion? IMo this game isnt close if they have marion instead.

The Suns needed this game if they were going to win the series, I don't think they'll be able to overcome this one.

This game isn't really different than game 2 of the 2004 finals.

Superhuman shot from a great players sends it to OT. That's fine, but my money is on lightning not striking 4 times.

that shot did go back to that one duncan hit in 04. duncan is the best pf all time. it owuld seem that being clutch is in his bag of tricks also.

i think phx is fine for the series. they were the better team today, they just didnt close the door. they can still split phx, which is all they needed to do.

series dont start til a road team wins. even if phx loses game 2, they can still hold serve. everything i saw today said they were the better team.

without shaq nash balls up into the fatal position and sucks his thumb for the next two days. with shaq phx probably spends the next 48 hours at pool halls getting into 'roadhouse' style bar fights, show up for game 2 15 minutes into the game, hungover, and sitll win by 15.

phx aint gonna be denied this series.

Marion defends the opponent's best player in crunch time, regardless of position.

They certainly wouldn't have gotten the friendly escort to the basket that Snaq was giving them.

No worries, though, I'll take 2OTs for the Spurs anyday to help wear them down for their round 2 departure.

Tim was so Tim in that game.

without shaq phx is the same old little buddy that gets slapped around, wedgied, bukdowed, and ultimately eliminated by a much tougher san an team.

marion is a good player but that phx team was flawed to the core. he may have helped situationally but without shaq that team would not be a legit contender.

btw, anyone see the bizarre twin tower parralel? the 2008 suns are a little similar to the 2003 spurs. ironic, because shaq is david robinson, amare is tim duncan, and tim duncan is shaq. history does repeat itself.

the nba commercials are phenomenal this year. the best thing, so far, probably is that the nba has yet to release the nba theme song (as faras i know). im really dreading when that is done. couldnt be worse than last year, though. maybe stern shocks the world and has the knew gnarles barkely song. how cool would that be. no oway stern ever gives a lttle love to the non baby boomer white man, though.

but the 2 faces are cool, jordan has a new good one out, and i like shaq the jockey one. pretty amusing idea, shaq being a jockey.

Yeah, the NBA commercials are good, but the NBA needs to make up their fucking mind. It's like, "are you caring or are you amazing?"

Marion defends the opponent's best player in crunch time, regardless of position.

I call bs, i've never seen him stay in front of Manu. He's a great defender but alot of PG's and SG's in this league would burn him hard. Manu gets to that basket no matter whose there and like wade he kicks his legs out so getting to the ball would have resulted in a whistle as he tumbled upon touch.

the nba commercials are phenomenal this year. the best thing, so far, probably is that the nba has yet to release the nba theme song (as faras i know). im really dreading when that is done.

Oh, it's there.

Def Leppard/Tim McGraw

Ouch, babe.

http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2008/0419/nba_g_ginobili_barry_412.jpg
MANLOVE

What did you think about that three Glenn?

2IpcSHk87uU

Marion would've blocked that IMO.

I could be involved in an entire conversation here without even logging in.

I'd like to talk to Ledezma sometime if one of you could arrange that.

What did you think about that three Glenn?


See post #108

Anybody notice Shaq trying to distract Duncan by whistling while he was on the FT line?

And Diaw is useless. PHX have tried to take advantage of the fact smaller guys are on him and the bum can't do shit.

SA playing pretty damn good

If Boris Diaw isn't on their roster, the Suns probably lead this series 2-0.

Listening to the post game I just have to wonder what kind of a world we live in where a guy can be 2xMVP with the tag "defensive liability" after his name.

Listening to the post game I just have to wonder what kind of a world we live in where a guy can be 2xMVP with the tag "defensive liability" after his name.


Larry Bird is a 3X MVP....

Magic is a 2xMVP

Bob McAdoo and Bob Cousy couldn't defend worth shit either, and the both won one...

Larry Bird is a 3X MVP....

I've watched Larry Bird, sir, and Steve Nash is no Larry Bird.

I've watched Larry Bird, sir, and Steve Nash is no Larry Bird.


Fact remains Bird couldn't stay in front of anybody either.

They hacked a shaq in the 3rd quarter?

tl;dw

DONE

DONE

The Suns?

Yes.

Thank you Steve Kerr!

tl;dw
Too long, didn't win?

Too late; didn't watch.

I was thinking of it more from a Suns point of view in game one.

The Spurs tried getting Barbosa suspended for touching Manu in Game 2.

The NBA (surprisingly) denied them.

They hacked a shaq in the 3rd quarter?

And the 2nd...

We might be more done than the Spurs Glennn.

Wow, what a disappointing series this is going to end up being. Steve Kerr's probably going to be back on TNT next season.

Major props to the Spurs though, this is the best I've seen them play in a while. They definitely don't look like a team that's done.

At least the Spurs aren't terribly myopic and all that shit.

PHX might win game 4, but there is no question that this one is OVAH.

Steve Kerr should have been fired the day he made the Shaq trade.

my money is on them losing even with marion. in fact losing harder. Glenn you're taking that angle because you think the more disciplined than us geezers in SA are done.

Nope, said it was a horrible deal from day 1.

Check the thread.

Nope, said it was a horrible deal from day 1.

Check the thread.
I'm too tired to check, take your word for it. But the spurs arent done and you're skating on thin ice.

I said I thought the Spurs weren't going to make the WCF.

Have they?

So by that logic 26 teams are 'done' every year? If done means not making the finals?

No need to twist everything around.

I said that I felt that the current group of Spurs was DONE winning championships. To help illustrate that, and in an attempt to be even more specific, I added that I didn't even think that they would make the WCF. I never said anything about what the criteria is for being considered DONE for any other team, I was just trying to quantify my opinion with an example and get on record with it.

You might be overthinking it.

So, in essence, you guys have the opportunity to nail me for being wrong on two different things:

1)They won't win another title
2)They won't even make the WCF

so whose more done, us or them?

so whose more done, us or them?

That's a good question.

One that I hadn't considered until last night.

As I recall, there were few if any who endorsed the shaq trade at the time. The crowd suffering from blockbuster envy wishing the pistons had made "bold" moves the way dallas and phoenix did was quite a bit larger.

I remember little to no discussion here this year about major roster shake ups.

At least not after the season started.

I remember little to no discussion here this year about major roster shake ups.

At least not after the season started.

Check the threads on the Kidd and Shaq trades.

OK, who got in the time machine to go back to 2005 and get Boris Diaw?

He's gone from worthless slug to team MVP in 2 games.

This is the funniest shit I've seen all month. Nobody on the spurs can stop Boris Diaw, and they've tried half the roster already.

This is exactly the kind of game Phoenix is built to lose. A tight game where you need to make critical stops down the stretch.

Man, the Spurs know how to play the refs better than any team I have EVER seen. Grabbing and pulling jerseys on defense and flopping and acting on offense...

Diaw just reminded everyone that he's Diaw.

and Doug Collins chimes in with ... "that's the same play they used for Diaw in game one of the WCF three years ago" ...

Ok Doug. Game one of a series they lost three years ago. Get some better material, please.

Stoudemire has done about as much as I have on offense in this 2nd half.

The Suns are hilarious.

Steve Nash, worst player ever to get the MVP. Worst. Ever.

That was some bush league coaching by Pop with all the hack-a-x in the first quarter.

Way to give your fans something entertaining to watch.

I don't care how successful you think that "strategy" might be, it's disrespectful to the game, especially in the first quarter.

Okay, time for my Hornets to shock the world.

I thought the Bobcats were your team.

Caught once again.

That was some bush league coaching by Pop with all the hack-a-x in the first quarter.

Way to give your fans something entertaining to watch.

I don't care how successful you think that "strategy" might be, it's disrespectful to the game, especially in the first quarter.

Okay, time for my Hornets to shock the world.

I agree that there's no "honor" in the hax strategy but allow me to play devil's advocate on the question...

If you're a spurs fan are you truly upset that your coach does whatever it takes for the playoff win?

The player with the garbage freethrow shooting shares at least equal blame. A pro that can't eke out 60% at the line is pretty pathetic. The rarity of the hax strategy has more to do with the fact that most professionals can hit enough free throws to negate it than with a lack of coaches who'd exploit it.

Lastly, the overall impact of it is a little overblown. Using the worst freethrow shooter in nba history, Ben Wallace as an example Hollinger pointed out that there's about a 15% difference in expected points per possession for Cleveland if Washington goes to hack-a-ben. An edge but not an overwhelming one.

I thought the Bobcats were your team.

They are my new #2 team, yes.

I predicted a Hornets/Celtics final, and since there is no conflict in pulling for the Hornets as a Pistons fan, I will do so.

I also am a Chris Paul fan and want to see him do well.

That was some bush league coaching by Pop with all the hack-a-x in the first quarter.

Way to give your fans something entertaining to watch.

I don't care how successful you think that "strategy" might be, it's disrespectful to the game, especially in the first quarter.

Okay, time for my Hornets to shock the world.

I actually have no problem with the hacking stuff. You're an NBA superstar and you can't hit 3/4 of your free throws? Shame on you. You get paid 20 million bucks a year to make baskets and you can't do that from 15 feet with no defense? You deserve to suffer.

And I felt that way about Ben too. Get in the gym and fix it.