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

[Emiliano]

The way you are talking is making it seem as if Manu was the reason why flopping happens. I watch all Spurs games, don't tell me you have watched more because you will be very wrong. It's kinda ignorant of you to say Manu flops on every possession, I mean it sounds like you don't even watch the guy play.

Again, I am NOT saying Manu does not flop, but you saying that he flops in EVERY possession is being ignorant. Not everybody flops? You are telling me that out of all the players in the NBA nobody has ever flopped?? Do you actually think that??

[Chaser7]

He didn't say that, he said "Not everybody flops".. That doesn't mean no one else in the NBA flops it means not every single player in the NBA flops. Regardless of whether Manu flops basically ever position, do you really not consider him one of the biggest floppers in the NBA?

[mvpshaq32]

I honestly believe the Spurs are the most plentiful in floppers other than every other team. Couldn't find any Oberto ones though.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=8ukde193ivM
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fEef1T_lqwA
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-NAfMfQMCHg
I watched that game, but I'm still not sure if Stoudemire did that on purpose or he tripped because the ref blocked the view.

[mvpshaq32]

I honestly believe the Spurs are the most plentiful in floppers other than every other team. Couldn't find any Oberto ones though.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=8ukde193ivM
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fEef1T_lqwA
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-NAfMfQMCHg
I watched that game, but I'm still not sure if Stoudemire did that on purpose or he tripped because the ref blocked the view.

[Chaser7]

I think Amare tripped there.. lol you actually thought that was flop in that last one? Lololol. Wow.

The first two are hilarious. Ginobili literally runs into Bonzi who is just standing there and falls over hahaha

[Emiliano]

do you really not consider him one of the biggest floppers in the NBA?

Manu flops. I never denied it and throughout this whole thread I NEVER said he didn't. Whether he is or he isn't the biggest flopper in the NBA, that is your opinion. There is a thin line between foul and flop so if you guys want to get a paper and pen and start keeping flops as a stat, then be my guests...that would be impossible so good luck with that. It's funny how you guys think I'm defending Manu when all I'm doing is stating the obvious.

[Matthew]

I honestly believe the Spurs are the most plentiful in floppers other than every other team. Couldn't find any Oberto ones though.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=8ukde193ivM
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fEef1T_lqwA
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-NAfMfQMCHg
I watched that game, but I'm still not sure if Stoudemire did that on purpose or he tripped because the ref blocked the view.

You forgot this one: http://youtube.com/watch?v=xNN9ZiH38fs&feature=related

[Chaser7]

do you really not consider him one of the biggest floppers in the NBA?

Manu flops. I never denied it and throughout this whole thread I NEVER said he didn't. Whether he is or he isn't the biggest flopper in the NBA, that is your opinion. There is a thin line between foul and flop so if you guys want to get a paper and pen and start keeping flops as a stat, then be my guests...that would be impossible so good luck with that. It's funny how you guys think I'm defending Manu when all I'm doing is stating the obvious.

Again.. you missed the question. Do you think he is one of the biggest floppers in the NBA? Please don't say "I didn't say he doesn't flop." again, because you keep misinterpreting things...

[Emiliano]

How? Read what I wrote, how can you tell? Is flopping is a stat? How do you want me to answer that question if it is based on opinion? If a question is based on opinion, then there is no right or wrong answer. READ what I wrote. I wrote: "Whether he is or he isn't the biggest flopper in the NBA, that is your opinion" and my opinion is no.

This is getting out of hand. I won't and don't want to change your opinions and nobody will change mine so let's just drop this conversation and talk about the actual series instead of 'flopping'. It is really getting tiring.

[joejam999]

I hope the suns can come back and win this thing. If I have to watch Tim Layin and the Spurs in the finals one more time im gona puke.

[Andrew]

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

Before the season, the Spurs were generally favoured to repeat and once we get deeper into the postseason and the contenders outlast the pretenders, it's likely that the Spurs will reclaim that status should they advance. As far as people hating/disliking the Spurs, that comes down to dislike of the individual players for whatever reason and the simple fact that if you're successful enough, people will get sick of you and dislike/hate you simply because you're that good. That's an element of human nature that won't be extinguished anytime soon.

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

I would argue that the first four games of the 2005 NBA Finals between the Spurs and Pistons were boring to the fan with no allegiance to either team, not due to the style of play but because they were all double digit wins that each team won fairly comfortably. However, the series really picked up with the overtime thriller that was Game 5, the excitement of Game 6 forcing a decisive Game 7 and then the suspense and drama of Game 7 itself.

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.

Ginobili isn't the only actor in the league but as far as Bowen being dirty, that's a reputation he brings upon himself. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, some of the incidents could be chalked up as accidents because he is a tenacious defender. However, the nature of some of the incidents are just too suspicious, sweeping his feet under airborne defenders, kicking opponents in the head and back. Some of the questionable incidents are difficult to put down to accidents and that's where the reputation comes from. If he is doing some of these things on purpose as many allege, then there's an easy way for him to avoid that tag; don't resort to those tactics.

[Emiliano]

Spurs up by 14 at halftime! Playing great basketball.
Now, how about that Hack-a-Shaq strategy huh?
It's really paying off! Now to the people that may think that it is cheating, it's not. It's completely allowed so don't hate a team for doing it, give the team props for using a great strategy

The Suns should do a Hack-a-Bowen, it would give almost the same results as Shaq.

[Lamrock]

No one is complaining about hack a Shaq dumbfuck. You can't compare flopping to hack-a-Shaq. Hack-a-Shaq actually has consequences, flopping is just making a mockery of the game.

[Emiliano]

Wait...woaw...is there a reason you are calling me a dumbfuck? What did I say to you?? What's up with that man??

[Emiliano]

You can't compare flopping to hack-a-Shaq. Hack-a-Shaq actually has consequences, flopping is just making a mockery of the game.

Where in my post did I compare it to flopping? WHERE?? Show me. Because I don't see it.

[L10]

Wow, 3-0, arent you enjoying this Lamrock?

[Iceman_44]

This series is over. 3-0
Tony comes up huge w/ 41 points & 12 assists.
Ultimately in the End it was the Suns lack of D which led to their demise.

Heres how I think the suns could improve:

-Fire D'antoni, his philosophy of run and gun will not work. You can outscore you opponents in the regular season and win games, but that will not work in the playoffs. Additionally their coach really has to lay down the law. He needs to sit down guys who don't perform and make them earn their minutes. He needs to keep Egos in check.
-Bring in a defensive coach, maybe Larry Brown?
-Teach Stoudemire some D, there is no reason why Stoudemire could not be a better defender. Guy is 6'10" & can jump out of the building. Bring in an assitant coach to develop stoudemire's post game and improve his shooting. Right now his offense is severely limited and makes him predictable.
-Spend some time in the season developing other guys, playing a 7 man rotation will not work.

[Lean]

I noticed that everytime the Spurs and the Suns meet in the Playoffs (in recent years), the Suns get whacked. Parker played a great game and the pick and roll plays were just great. Maybe the Shaq trade did the Suns no good.

I agree that flopping sucks most of the time. But last year's Eastern Finals between the Cavs and the Pistons show how much the officials (seemed to be) lopsided calls for the Cavaliers' favor. Especially that puss Varejao.

Game 3 shown Manu and Bell flopping around. Manu even lost the ball in the sidelines because of flopping.

[Skills]

Hmm, well now the Spurs can advance without Horry taking out Nash. Manu's flopping did help a bit though.
But aside that, you can't go wrong with Mr. Popovich. His team stays quiet in the regular season, but when in the playoffs.. they blow up!
Whoever the most-likely Spurs will face in the second round, (Mavs or Hornets) it should be a promising matchup.

[GoHornets]

I wondering what will happen to the Suns now. I mean, they failed.
I would like to see them to start rebuilding because with or without Shaq they can't do it.
Nash was horrible, at both ends of the floor.
Stoudemire only was there to score.
It's useless to score quickly if San Antonio is going to score anyway, and you're down by 20.
You can't win a ring scoring, you need to defend

[Sauru]

game 1 ruined the suns, they had that game won and they completly blew it. then to top it off then came out strong again in game 2 and yet again they blew it. overall great series for the spurs. be interesting to see who they actually face in the next round, will we get a great point guard match up or will we see dirk and duncan again

[Drex]

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.

[deihatein]

So Spurs are 3-0 . So much for my bet of Suns winning

[Lamrock]

lol @ the Suns leading by 20 already. Can they hold on to it?

[Emiliano]

Suns are kicking ass. From start of the half to end, it's been a one-team game. Seems like everything they throw up there goes in! At least Spurs have a 3-0 cushion but I would have liked them to come out strong on this game.