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

[Emiliano]

It's weird how the defending champions are often not even considered to win given how the West is so tight this year.

That doesn't make any sense. With the West being so tight, it's inevitable that there are no clear cut favourites, even when it comes to the defending champions. Had this season been like previous years where the Spurs were one of two or three elite teams favoured to win it all, it would be much stranger if they weren't talked about as frontrunners to go all the way.

Given how close and unpredictable the West has been, it's not unusual that the Spurs aren't being touted as being head and shoulders above everyone else just because they are the defending champions. It's likely they'll establish themselves as the favourite as the Playoffs progress but right now, there are a lot of feasible scenarios.

And when the Spurs actually do win, many people put excuses such as the usual "They are so boring!" I'm sorry but if someone hates the Spurs then they don't appreciate good basketball.

But that assumes that there's only one form of "good basketball", dismissing anyone who doesn't care for the Spurs or favours another style of basketball as being ignorant. If any event, the mere fact the Spurs have been at the top of the league makes them "boring" to a lot of people who would prefer to see the underdog (or at least someone new) come out on top. If you're successful enough - as the Spurs are - you're bound to draw a lot of hatred and dislike. The underdog's popularity usually prevails.

I should have made myself clearer. Sorry about that. What I meant was that I constantly hear people say that this Spurs team is not as strong compared to the past championship seasons and it makes me wonder, how better can they get? You have H.O.F power forward who maybe one of the all-time greats at his position, a young point guard that is faster than anyone in the NBA, and an even better Manu compared to the last few years. Now I understand that the reason why this may be said is because of the age of the players but this has been said every year and the Spurs still manage to prove some people wrong. After all these championships, I still often see people say that they hate the Spurs.

Regarding the Spurs being "boring". Yes, it makes sense that people want underdogs to win, however the Spurs vs. Pistons finals (which many believed it was gonna be one of the most boring finals in history) was one hell of a series! Most prefer a game finishing 138 to 132 while others may prefer great defense and smarts. The Spurs won't give you 120 points a game but it's great basketball nonetheless. This year, the playoffs are showing GREAT basketball so looking forward to how it all turns out

[The Super 2]

I think that was suns win in 6. With amare, Shaq and Nash, The Suns win in a series. Parker not enough good against Nash, Duncan he will not succeed against Amare and Shaq.

[GoHornets]

What about Ginobili?

[Lamrock]

Suns in 6 will be hard after blowing game 1. Nash can't guard shit, and Bell can only have a flopping match with one of the Spurs two backcourt players.

Duncan can clearly succeed with Amare and Shaq. 40-15 = success.

[Emiliano]

Spurs are having an amazing 3rd quarter.....GREAT defense and finally other people instead of The Big Three are making shots!! 3 minutes left in quarter and Suns only made 2 points. Talk about shutting down the league's best offense!

[Lamrock]

The Suns aren't the league's best offense though.

Pitiful second half for the Suns so far. Its basically the last game except the Suns' first half cushion was a lot smaller, and the Suns played even worse.

4-3 prediction can still work if it all goes to homecourt.

[Emiliano]

One word. DEFENSE. Great game!! Spurs win by six
Couldn't be happier, a great game by the Tony, Manu and Duncan yet again! Very happy that the bench woke up in the second half or else we would have been toast!
Spurs lead 2-0!! LET'S GO SPURS!!!!!!!!!!!!

[L10]

Spurs are 2-0. It seems tough to beat the defending champs

[Lamrock]

The Spurs out-flopped the Suns. Lets hope the Hornets, Lakers and/or Celtics put up a good fight and maybe prevent us from another shitty playoffs ending in another Spurs title.

[mvpshaq32]

What about Ginobili?

The flopper? Jesus Christ, he flopped twice in one possession when he bumped off Nash and then again in mid-air when Bell deflected the ball.
I just can't watch this series anymore....

[Chaser7]

Damn, I really hope the Suns can make a 2004 Laker like recovery against the Spurs... (Lakers fell behind 0-2, then won the next 4 in a row, 1st 2 games were in SA)

[Emiliano]

What about Ginobili?

The flopper? Jesus Christ, he flopped twice in one possession when he bumped off Nash and then again in mid-air when Bell deflected the ball.
I just can't watch this series anymore....

Then don't. It's kinda tiring to hear this flopping issue so often. For God's sake the Suns flop just as much but because they are not the Spurs then nothing is said. Kirilenko had the biggest flop of the playoffs at the end of the Rockets-Jazz game and do people say anything?
Give it a break... They are playing great basketball but if there is one play where there is flop then it's unwatchable? Come on...

[Chaser7]

Well
A) Kirilenko isn't really on the Suns, so I don't see how you can connect that with "the Suns flop just as much" lol
B) Kirilenko did flop though, I'll argee with you there, Scola mighta pushed him a bit, but Kirilenko acted as if he got knocked off a balance beam...
C) Tim Duncan does his stupid "How did I not get a call?" face every time he gets touched- slightly irritating..
D) Manu does like to sell it a bit, you have to admit..

[Dean]

Its gamesmanship (sp?). Your in the NBA Playoffs, you have a chance to mark a foul on an opposing player, while getting possession for your team. Why wouldnt you?

[Iceman_44]

I've pretty much avoided commenting on this series...however, I feel that I must say certain things:

One thing all great championship have had is great defenders. Every great team has been built on lock down gritty defenders who play very physical. The 1980s bad-boy piston were notorious for their physical play. The 90s bulls had guys like Rodman & Pippen, not too mention Jordan (who won Defensive player). The spurs championship teams had Robinson, Elie, Duncan, Avery, & Bowen. The modern pistons that beat the Lakers was full of defenders at virtually every spot.

It really gets too me when people say the spurs FLOP...
But first lets get certain things out of the way.
1) I Agree, Tim Duncan acts like he has never committed a foul in his life.
2) The Phoenix series last year negatively changed the public perception of the
Spurs, mostly due to Phoenix players complaining.
3) Not all people like slow-down, fundamentally-sound basketball.
4) The general public would rather see games of 100+.
5) Spurs don't have the mass appeal of stars. We have no Lebron James, no Nash, No Iverson. We have Duncan, Finley, & *insert Foreign Guy here*. No guy who are gonna dunk on you and then stick out his toungue in mid-air or give those Shaq-One-Liners diss at the opposing team. No KG whos gonna jump on top of the scorers table and scream or clap his hands.

Having said that, I think the public really gets the wrong impression of what the Spurs are about. I follow my Team for the Pre-season + 82 games + Playoffs.... For over 10 years. What the spurs are about is: slow-down games that focus on defense & fundamentals. I really regret that other NBA fans have seen a few spurs games and make assumptions. "Manu flops all the time", "Bowen is a dirty-Player", etc. But this is no different from what others teams do. For one Nash is quite an Actor himself.

Additionally something I cannot stand is when loosing teams cry foul. For example SUNS Fans. When they complain that the Refs or David Stern is interfering. Whatever it is, they find some miraculous reason and blame it on that. Sometimes you really just have to face it that some other team has your number. It happens. Spurs/Sacramento really couldn't beat the Lakers during their 3-peat. Knicks couldn't beat the Bulls.

I can't mention how many times Manu & Tony parker drive the lane and end up massacred by the opposing big man. Manu is constantly cut up, bruised and injured, Watching game two, I saw parker get hit so many times. Spurs are a physical team, they would rather drive, take charges and take contact, as opposed to standing around on defense or taking long range shots. These guys are simply willing to do the dirty work that most superstars simply won't do.

[Sauru]

2) The Phoenix series last year negatively changed the public perception of the
Spurs, mostly due to Phoenix players complaining.


Additionally something I cannot stand is when loosing teams cry foul. For example SUNS Fans. When they complain that the Refs or David Stern is interfering.

the spurs kinda hurt thier own image with stupid shit like the horry foul on nash


also the suns probably more than any team ever have a right to blame it on the ref


all in all though i thought the spurs played great defense last night and had the suns completly out of sync in the 3rd quarter. they were tossing the ball around like 5 kids on the playground who never stepped on the court before

[Matt]

Somebody send out an SOS for Barbosa because he's doing exactly diddly squat again in the post season

[jonthefon]

Everyone will feel like their team got screwed by the ref. Just that when calls do go your team's way, you never notice it.

People have seen this, right?

Phoenix has to win their games at home. Doesn't look like they're going to take two in San Antonio unless everything suddenly clicks.

Dirk's flop was just as awesome as the Kirilenko one. He managed to dive after "contact", though I suspect it was just to get away from Chandler faster. (I remember watching it and thinking: "What...the...hell."

Flopping should just become a part of the NBA. I'd laugh my ass off as I watch grown men dive onto the ground thirty times a game in attempts to draw fouls. Or better, when someone flops, Mr. T pops out...

[Sauru]

flopping should not become part of the game, they need to do whatever they can to stop it.

[Cartar]

Doesn´t Euroleague has rules about flopping, I think in there were like this: you can get techincal for flopping, both offensive and defensive. This should be used in NBA also.

[Emiliano]

Well
A) Kirilenko isn't really on the Suns, so I don't see how you can connect that with "the Suns flop just as much" lol
B) Kirilenko did flop though, I'll argee with you there, Scola mighta pushed him a bit, but Kirilenko acted as if he got knocked off a balance beam...
C) Tim Duncan does his stupid "How did I not get a call?" face every time he gets touched- slightly irritating..
D) Manu does like to sell it a bit, you have to admit..

A) I never said Kirilenko was on the Suns. I'm comparing how everybody flops the same and not just one team.

B) Scola did not do anything to him. Kirilenko flopped. Why? It's the playoffs and like Dean said, why wouldn't someone try to give the opposing team a foul and you get to keep possesion, specially at the end of that game.

C) That's very true. Yet who doesn't?? Come on, every player acts like if they just went bankrupt after every foul called on them or no-call when they have the ball. It's not only Tim Duncan, it's most of the NBA.

D) Again...everybody likes to sell it, everybody flops. There...

[Lamrock]

Hey, have you noticed that everyone whose favorite player isn't Manu Ginobili thinks he is a flopper. Sure, everybody flops sometimes, but Manu does it on EVERY SINGLE POSSESSION. Often times people flop because they are actually fouled and want the refs to notice, but Manu just does it no matter the circumstances.

[jonthefon]

Sauru, suggesting the "flopping being part of the game" part was a joke .

Manu's reputation as a flopper is much greater than those who do the occasional tumble (i.e. Kirilenko). Just as Laimbeer and Divac and even Stockton built over the years.

[Emiliano]

Hey, have you noticed that everyone whose favorite player isn't Manu Ginobili thinks he is a flopper. Sure, everybody flops sometimes, but Manu does it on EVERY SINGLE POSSESSION. Often times people flop because they are actually fouled and want the refs to notice, but Manu just does it no matter the circumstances.

Wait wait...I never said he didn't flop. Make sure you read my posts first. And no, he does not flop at EVERY POSSESSION. I recommend you watch some Spurs game first before just making that assumption.

[Lamrock]

Haha, go watch some games. I love that little talking point. Maybe if YOU watched some Spurs games, you would realize he does. I watch plenty of Spurs games (they are on TV quite a lot) and almost every possession (when Manu is on the floor... i.e. after 30 seconds) ran through Manu, he flops. Its just disgusting.

Watch some games man. Maybe you'll realize that not everybody flops.