6-8 espn experts have climbed on the spurs wagon. hollinger and legler have suns in 7.


http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2010/matchup/_/teams/spurs-suns

Another HEATED Rivalry. Maybe Bonner will check the Canadian in the boards this time. PHX hate for SA is strong. It will be a Blood Bath.

If the Spurs could beat the Suns in round 2 and the Lakers in Round 3, I almost wouldn't even care about the Finals. We already would have smashed our 3 biggest rivals on our way to the top.

Another great rivalry here, folks. Expect to see some intense basketball.

However,

Phoenix does not have the defense to hang with San Antonio. Spurs fans should look forward to advancing.

Will Duncan be able to keep up in this series? He looks like he is really running out of juice.

this is going to be a fun series to watch!

quote:

---

Phoenix does not have the defense to hang with San Antonio.

---

shinerz....was this ever in question?

the real question is can the spurs defense hang with Phoenix? obviously Gentry wants the Suns to run run run. Grant Hill needs to score in transition, Jason Richardson thrives off the 3 pointer and can get hot fast. the suns is the offense in question.

but it doesnt matter, the spurs are in their head. jrich cant even finish a dunk against them when the game's on the line. i promise you the suns are worried about the spurs.

quote:

---

the real question is can the spurs defense hang with Phoenix? obviously Gentry wants the Suns to run run run. Grant Hill needs to score in transition, Jason Richardson thrives off the 3 pointer and can get hot fast. the suns is the offense in question.

---

People say this every time the Spurs and Suns play. Sometimes the Spurs run them out of the building, sometimes they control the tempo, but no matter how they play it the Spurs, at least in the past, are simply better. I think that trend will continue this year.

Nash will be gimpy too which will affect their wanting to run. Will they be able to keep up with the 3 Spurs guards is more logical right now.

Spurs will need to find a way to slow down the 3s by Phoenix. Defense Defense Defense

Turn Nash into a scorer and shut down Richardson. Blair should get more minutes and if there ever was a series for RJeff to break out this is it. Spurs win in 5 because the Suns are weak minded with a bad coach.

No one has ever been more consistently wrong about the Spurs over the years than Tim Legler.

we's ready

<<Will Duncan be able to keep up in this series? He looks like he is really running out of juice.
>>


I'm hoping that was simply b/c he played three over-40-minute-games vs. Dallas and that the 4 days rest will allow him to recuperate. He looked tired some in the regular season too when ever he played (what is for him) heavy minutes.

I expect to see more of Keith Bogans in this series. Phoenix has more talent on the wing and up top than Dallas.

Dallas was a tougher assignment than Phx.

I think Dallas had more weapons outside than Phoenix.

Nash/Barbaro/Richardson. vs Dirk/Kidd/Butler/Marion/Barea/RoddyB

Dallas is certainly a deeper team. Phoenix has a legit post player that Dallas doesn't have, but the Spurs have done well to let Amare/Nash score and shut down everyone else.

I consider Nash, Hill and Richardson to be far superior to any 3 Dallas could put on the floor in the 3 "small" positions.

From a purely offensive standpoint,

Nash >>> Kidd
Richardson = Butler
Hill >> Marion

Dirk doesn't count because he was almost always being guarded by a big.

Plus the Spurs will have to single cover more since Phoenix almost never puts a Dampier or a Haywood on the floor. Between the pick-and-roll with Nash/Amare and the spot-up shooters, SA is going to have to be on their toes around the arc; I think moreso than in the last series.

[This message has been edited by MassAggie97 (edited 5/3/2010 11:46a).]

Grant Hill averaged 11.3/5.5 on 48% shooting to Marion's 12.0/6.3 on 51% shooting. Granted (HA!) Hill is a better outside shooter and passer, I think Marion is still the superior defender.

Barbaro regressed quite a bit this year. He put up career lows in rebounds, assists, FG% and 3FG% by a significant margin.

I agree the Spurs will have to single cover more in the game than the last, but I don't think that will be as big a deal. Remember, they are running the two headed monster of Jared Dudley/Jarron Collins at center for ~35mpg and that was against Portland. We have significantly better post presence with Duncan/Dice/DeJuan than Portland does with TheMarcus/Camby/Juwan Howard.

[This message has been edited by Guitarsoup (edited 5/3/2010 11:55a).]

Richardson has been playing better than Butler all season, and definitely in the playoffs.

I'm speaking only from an offense standpoint. Numbers aside, I don't think there can be any argument about the fact that Hill's game is more polished and more dangerous than Marion's. SA has shown over the years how you can neutralize Marion just by putting a body on him. Hell you can completely take him out of a series by putting Bruce Bowen on him. But I digress.

The names on the back of the jerseys have changed quite a bit, but I expect to see the same old thing in this series. The Spurs will stay home on Phoenix's outside guys and turn the Suns into a 2-man team. Nash/Amare will put up ridiculous numbers, but somehow find a way to lose.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Richardson lay an egg against a good defensive team like SA.

Just my $0.02.

This is true. Hill obviously has the advantage in intangibles, passing and creating. But you still have to respect Marion. I just don't think the distance is that great. Keep a man on Hill and dont let him get an open shot and he won't be driving past anyone.

apparently robin lopez has made some progress and could be active

Just one less three point shooter on the floor if that's the case.

under 205 tonight

Im going to take a shot on Spurs +4 tonight. Public and favs have been killing it opening round, its bound to turn around sometime.

Can't wait for Steve "Ol' 47" Nash to cash out in the game's last minute as he tends to do with the Spurs. Dude is money -- clanged shot, pass out of bounds, stupid turnover, running into Horry's hip, running into Parker's head, etc.

quote:

---

Hill obviously has the advantage in intangibles, passing and creating. But you still have to respect Marion. I just don't think the distance is that great.

---

are you stuck in 2006? shawn marion isn't on the suns...

quote:

---

are you stuck in 2006? shawn marion isn't on the suns...

---

Thanks genius. If you could follow a simple conversation, we were discussing the matchup differences the Spurs have to face from the series against the Mavericks to the series against the Suns.

Sorry I made that so complicated.