PHX doesn't play defense?

[23]

They held Bruce Bowen, Fabricio Oberto, Robert Horry, Jacque Vaughn, Michael Finley, Beno Udrih and Francisco Elson to a collective 2-for-18 in 100 minutes played.


Shaq used to always say, the way to beat San Antonio is, let Duncan get his, and stop his teammates.

PHX remains top 10 in defensive efficiency. They finally played SA whom people continued to tout that they haven't beat.

Truth is San Antonio is doing well, but its being overshadowed by the fact that Dallas and PHX is doing so well. That speaks volumes about their two teams MVP candidates.


Anyhow, I figured its time to credit these guys for working on adding some defense to their game, even without a legit big man.

[Kruza]

Re: PHX doesn't play defense?

I always thought it was a mostly wrong thing to say the Suns don't play defense. They actually have very good perimeter defenders all around except for maybe Nash. However, the one aspect of their defense that had been exposed was their interior. But this has been solidified when Amare Stoudemire got back. And their overall interior D should be even better when Kurt Thomas gets back playing as well.

Anyway, I think this assumption has been way overblown because people tend to look at the PPG Allowed stat to quantify defensive prowess and nothing else. These people forget there are many more possessions in a typical Suns game than there are for other teams, which obviously means there are more defensive possessions for both teams that are playing (Suns vs. opponent). So the Suns would have to get more stops in every game they play than every other team in the league just to match other teams' Allowed PPG, let alone be among the league leaders in that category. And this is a truly unfair comparison.

Kruza

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: PHX doesn't play defense?

... and neither does Raja.

[23]

Re: PHX doesn't play defense?

Yes, uncle Raja is DPOY material

[ZB9]

Re: PHX doesn't play defense?

it was the 2nd road game in a back to back for the Spurs, while the Suns hadnt played in 3 days.

but it was still a very good win.

[Pointguard]

Re: PHX doesn't play defense?

Yes, uncle Raja is DPOY material

I doubt he cracks the top 5.

[23]

Re: PHX doesn't play defense?

Forget top 5, he is it!

[Quick6]

Re: PHX doesn't play defense?

it was the 2nd road game in a back to back for the Spurs, while the Suns hadnt played in 3 days.

but it was still a very good win.

LOL but when you don't count when a rusty Amare was coming back as the reason the Suns started bad, whatever man, just keep telling yourself the Suns aren't better than the Mavs and maybe even YOU'LL believe it one day. LOL 16 point win and you are acting like it was luck they won.

[ZB9]

Re: PHX doesn't play defense?

whatever man, just keep telling yourself the Suns aren't better than the Mavs and maybe even YOU'LL believe it one day. LOL 16 point win and you are acting like it was luck they won.

the Suns played the Spurs last night, not the Mavs.

both teams play in Texas, maybe that is why you are confused.

[Quick6]

Re: PHX doesn't play defense?

Dude i knew who they played and I know who they're better than.

[caliph79]

Re: PHX doesn't play defense?

it was the 2nd road game in a back to back for the Spurs, while the Suns hadnt played in 3 days.

but it was still a very good win.

*cough* excuse *cough*

[ZB9]

Re: PHX doesn't play defense?

*cough* excuse *cough*

congrats

Phoenix is now 1-6 overall against the top 4 teams in the west

[TheMatrix31]

Re: PHX doesn't play defense?

it was the 2nd road game in a back to back for the Spurs, while the Suns hadnt played in 3 days.<o></o>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
but it was still a very good win.

<o></o>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
Oh, so it's okay to use a back-to-back as an excuse that the Spurs lost and the Suns won.... but when it comes to an explanation about being "1-6" against Western Conference playoff teams or whatever number people keep spewing out, it's not acceptable?<o></o><o></o>
Phoenix played THREE STRAIGHT back-to-backs to START THE SEASON. THATS where most of those losses came, yet God forbid any of us Suns fans use that as an explanation.<o>
</o><o></o>
Let me refresh your memory....in case you forgot what I'm talking about.<o></o>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
October 31st, 2006: Suns @ Lakers (Loss, 106-114)
November 1st, 2006: Clippers @ Suns (Win, 112-104)<o></o>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
November 3rd, 2006: Jazz @ Suns (Loss, 108-104)<o></o>
November 4th, 2006: Suns @ Clippers (Loss, 114-108)<o></o>
<o></o>
November 8th, 2006: Suns @ Spurs (Loss, 111-106)<o></o>
November 9th, 2006: Mavericks @ Suns (Loss, 119-112)<o></o>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
You want to attribute the loss of a team even YOU hate, to a second night of a back-to-back? Try playing ELEVEN back-to-backs already, and it's February freakin' 3rd. And on the second nights of those back-to-backs, we have gone 7-4. One of those losses was against Utah, where we had a major lead, yet lost in overtime. Oh yeah, that game was without Steve Nash either. Do you see me or any other Suns fans making any excuses? No. <o>
</o><o></o>
And did we back down from the challenge against San Antonio? Hell no. We dug ourselves an early hole. We fought right back. We lost Raja Bell, already we didnt have Kurt Thomas. Two players who were brought in SPECIFICALLY to remedy our "defensive issues" against the Spurs. And before anyone goes off on some tangent about Kurt Thomas and Raja not mattering to our team, let me spare everyone the trouble and tell you that you won't know unless you watch the team night-in, night-out. Yet, How did we win last night? PURE DEFENSE. Held the Spurs under 90 points, scored nearly our own average, forced 18 turnovers while scoring 23 points off them. 38&#37; shooting, too. And how's about that, we actually crashed the boards last night! ENERGY, ENERGY, ENERGY. We cut the passing lanes off, forced those turnovers and converted them into easy points. If that's not true defense, then I don't know what is.


......So to recap, 1-6 against the Top 4 teams in the West. We just beat one, we would've had another against the same team had someone been able to knock down ONE FREE THROW.

Against another, We lost an 18 point lead ON OPENING NIGHT. Against their "arena-mates", we lost a well-contested game.

Against your team, we lost one game cleanly but closely, and another one by one freakin' jumpshot.

Oh, yeah, and we lost two games with huge leads, one of them being on the "second night of a back-to-back" without the 2x League MVP, in OVERTIME.

I just can't believe that you think the Suns won't be able to hang in the playoffs or "down the stretch" or "when it counts" or whatever other cute little phrase you wanna come up with, due to those losses. You're acting as if we got murdered by 40 points each and every loss. Don't tell me we can't "hang with the real big boys" just because of the few things that went wrong in those losses. The fact of the matter is, the Suns just set a record for going the longest without losing by double digits. 46 games. Wanna know what team held the previous record at 45 games? The 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls.

But I can sit here and make the excuse that we were playing back-to-backs and were not in rhythm due to it being the beginning of the season and all of that stuff, but who cares? I can sit here and make all the sense I'm making, but again, what good is it really going to do? It's going to fall on deaf ears. All I know is, if we can't use that to explain, then no one else should ever be allowed to.




<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->

[ZB9]

Re: PHX doesn't play defense?

<o></o>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
Oh, so it's okay to use a back-to-back as an excuse that the Spurs lost and the Suns won.... but when it comes to an explanation about being "1-6" against Western Conference playoff teams or whatever number people keep spewing out, it's not acceptable?<o></o><o></o>
Phoenix played THREE STRAIGHT back-to-backs to START THE SEASON. THATS where most of those losses came, yet God forbid any of us Suns fans use that as an explanation.<o>
</o><o></o>
Let me refresh your memory....in case you forgot what I'm talking about.<o></o>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
October 31st, 2006: Suns @ Lakers (Loss, 106-114)
November 1st, 2006: Clippers @ Suns (Win, 112-104)<o></o>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
November 3rd, 2006: Jazz @ Suns (Loss, 108-104)<o></o>
November 4th, 2006: Suns @ Clippers (Loss, 114-108)<o></o>
<o></o>
November 8th, 2006: Suns @ Spurs (Loss, 111-106)<o></o>
November 9th, 2006: Mavericks @ Suns (Loss, 119-112)<o></o>
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o></o>
You want to attribute the loss of a team even YOU hate, to a second night of a back-to-back? Try playing ELEVEN back-to-backs already, and it's February freakin' 3rd. And on the second nights of those back-to-backs, we have gone 7-4. One of those losses was against Utah, where we had a major lead, yet lost in overtime. Oh yeah, that game was without Steve Nash either. Do you see me or any other Suns fans making any excuses? No. <o>
</o><o></o>
And did we back down from the challenge against San Antonio? Hell no. We dug ourselves an early hole. We fought right back. We lost Raja Bell, already we didnt have Kurt Thomas. Two players who were brought in SPECIFICALLY to remedy our "defensive issues" against the Spurs. And before anyone goes off on some tangent about Kurt Thomas and Raja not mattering to our team, let me spare everyone the trouble and tell you that you won't know unless you watch the team night-in, night-out. Yet, How did we win last night? PURE DEFENSE. Held the Spurs under 90 points, scored nearly our own average, forced 18 turnovers while scoring 23 points off them. 38&#37; shooting, too. And how's about that, we actually crashed the boards last night! ENERGY, ENERGY, ENERGY. We cut the passing lanes off, forced those turnovers and converted them into easy points. If that's not true defense, then I don't know what is.


......So to recap, 1-6 against the Top 4 teams in the West. We just beat one, we would've had another against the same team had someone been able to knock down ONE FREE THROW.

Against another, We lost an 18 point lead ON OPENING NIGHT. Against their "arena-mates", we lost a well-contested game.

Against your team, we lost one game cleanly but closely, and another one by one freakin' jumpshot.

Oh, yeah, and we lost two games with huge leads, one of them being on the "second night of a back-to-back" without the 2x League MVP, in OVERTIME.

I just can't believe that you think the Suns won't be able to hang in the playoffs or "down the stretch" or "when it counts" or whatever other cute little phrase you wanna come up with, due to those losses. You're acting as if we got murdered by 40 points each and every loss. Don't tell me we can't "hang with the real big boys" just because of the few things that went wrong in those losses. The fact of the matter is, the Suns just set a record for going the longest without losing by double digits. 46 games. Wanna know what team held the previous record at 45 games? The 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls.

But I can sit here and make the excuse that we were playing back-to-backs and were not in rhythm due to it being the beginning of the season and all of that stuff, but who cares? I can sit here and make all the sense I'm making, but again, what good is it really going to do? It's going to fall on deaf ears. All I know is, if we can't use that to explain, then no one else should ever be allowed to.




<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->

lol who's making excuses?

btw, Dallas is 10-0 in 2nd games of back to backs this season. but i digress

[caliph79]

Re: PHX doesn't play defense?

Apparently sarcasm is something you haven't learned about yet.