NBA Playoffs 2008: (3) Spurs vs. (6) Suns

[Cartar]

It´s just opposite what I felt at last game, Suns is dominating, although Nash and Stoudemire hasn´t had a good game.

[Lamrock]

The two of you who picked Spurs in 5 must be thrilled right now.

San Antonio gave that game to Phoenix. With all due respect to Raja Bell and Boris Diaw's 2006-esque performances, San Antonio let them win, and now the Spurs get to finish them off at home.

[Andrew]

Just ban the Hack-a-Whoever thing. It just sucks. Might be a good method, but so is punching the other team's best player and hope he retaliates and gets suspènded.

I'd like to see them extend the restrictions so that the tactic cannot be used in the final two minutes of any quarter, not just the fourth (which I actually thought was the case already). That way, teams can still use the tactic if they want to take their chances but there's enough of a restriction to prevent games turning into a farce.

[L10]

Spurs are now in the 2nd round!! The Suns wasted lots of chances to win the game!
San Antonio will now face the Hornets I think someone need to create a new poll for that game

[Chaser7]

God damnit. They really need to get rid of the Hack-a-Shaq loophole. There is no way you should be allowed to foul someone who doesn't have the ball without stricter consequences. It should be like an intentionally foul. Emiliano- it isn't a brilliant strategy, Popovich didn't come up with it, he's just exploiting a stupid rule. Really, that's not how basketball should be played.

Spurs have won enough, Steve Nash deserves to win a title before his career is over...

[Emiliano]

Emiliano- it isn't a brilliant strategy, Popovich didn't come up with it, he's just exploiting a stupid rule. Really, that's not how basketball should be played.

What I meant by "brilliant" is not the fact that it's a great rule. I think it shouldn't be allowed. By "great strategy" I meant that since there is a rule that allows it, Popovich did a great job on using it to their advantage.

[Andrew]

As ugly as Hack-a-Shaq may be, I have to agree there. As long as the rules facilitate it, a team would be fgolish not to try and utilise it. It's the same as the soft three point play call when players drive the lane, drop a shoulder into the defense to create the contact and complete a layup. I don't much care for it as the offensive player dropping their shoulder should be at least a non-call or even an offensive foul but as long as they're giving away that call, you can't fault players for trying it.

Ideally the rules should be enforced in a way that minimises the effectiveness of such strategies or eliminates them altogether but that's at the league's discretion. Teams and players are just taking advantage of what they're being given.

As for the series, it's a tremendous disappointment for the Suns. Not to take anything away from the Spurs but with the way Phoenix blew leads and bungled the first two games, they could have been the ones up 3-1 heading into Game 5.