Phoenix Suns For Real?

[JimMurray]

They have Steve Nash, so they are bound to drop off at some point.

This doesn't make any sense.[/quote]

Yes it does.

[raptorforlife88]

Yes it does.

Only if you're mentally incapacitated.

Without Steve Nash the Suns would suck. He's basically won three games himself this year and has been dominant.

Just asking but do you have any proof to back up that statement? Like any at all?

[RaisingArizona]

How can the run n gun work? In 2005, Joe Johnson, Amare Stoudemire not playing in the playoffs. I'm sure they would have made the different.

2007= The fix was in and Amar'e and Boris Diaw were suspended for nothing.

Both series were competitive as hell but those were legit reasons for losing.

All you naysayers sound like the typical ESPN "analysis". Get your sports info elsewhere please.

Oh and those saying Nash has slowed down check his box score for the game. I'll give it to you here so you don't have to resort back to the ESPN bias boards.

Nash, 21 points, 20 assists.

[DEEP3CL]

You obviously were not around RealGM during PHX last contending status. In fact, alot of Suns fans that were once here are not here any longer. There is history here and no, the Clippers are not really relevant to my point.

started lurking during the year of the Shaq and joined soon after so maybe im missing something

Yeah a whole lot...........but you seem level headed and knowledgeable and I can respect that. Some of the past fans they had, well lets just say they dug their own grave out of RealGM.

Believe it or not most Laker fans have a mutual respect for the Suns, problem is we don't see the reciprocation.

[RaisingArizona]

You obviously were not around RealGM during PHX last contending status. In fact, alot of Suns fans that were once here are not here any longer. There is history here and no, the Clippers are not really relevant to my point.

started lurking during the year of the Shaq and joined soon after so maybe im missing something

Yeah a whole lot...........but you seem level headed and knowledgeable and I can respect that. Some of the past fans they had, well lets just say they dug their own grave out of RealGM.

Believe it or not most Laker fans have a mutual respect for the Suns, problem is we don't see the reciprocation.

Please, spare us all. Laker fans are always on their high horse boasting about their championships acting like they actually played a role in acquiring all those titles with the showtime lakers.

[Anklebreaker702]

Suns fans, it's good to see you guys showing up for a renewed rivalry. We'll see what happens on Thursday.

[rsavaj]

7-1! I don't know anybody in our own fanbase who expected this, let alone non-Suns fans. I'm just going to enjoy riding the wave while it lasts

[Jimmy76]

Suns fans, it's good to see you guys showing up for a renewed rivalry. We'll see what happens on Thursday.

If Pau is back i dont like our chances if not I think we could be looking at a good game

We're also terrible back to back it seems so not looking forward to a possible blowout

[DEEP3CL]

Please, spare us all. Laker fans are always on their high horse boasting about their championships acting like they actually played a role in acquiring all those titles with the showtime lakers.

Are you serious? So I guess you think every Laker fan now days didn't see the Showtime Lakers? Well I've seen them win every title except the 1972 title. 9 out of 10 ain't bad.

I don't know what your gripe is about with the, "acting like they actually played a role in acquiring all those titles with the showtime lakers." Unless you have actual proof that some Laker fans didn't see when they won titles..........this quote of yours is pretty senseless. I mean I don't even know where you're trying to go with that.

Secondly I was responding to Jimmy76 in a friendly manner and you come spewing some crazy crap talking Laker fans and championships. There was no mention on my part about championships what so ever. What you're doing is letting your personal feelings creep out.

[pross]

I was going to create another thread, but noticed 50% of them were on the Suns anyway.

What's the most 20/20 games a player has had in one season? I'm sure Wilt had a lot, so we might exclude him.

[Shuttlesworth]

Suns fans, it's good to see you guys showing up for a renewed rivalry. We'll see what happens on Thursday.

As long as its a nail-biter I'll be fine.

Good luck!

[the_warden]

I like the guy who says Gentry doesn't play the bench, then, upon being proven wrong, says, "I don't care about your bench." You go, girl!

First off you're immensely WRONG, I NEVER said Gentry doesn't play his bench. I said only 2 guys are getting decent run. Do you understand the difference between decent run and minimal playing time? That's what the rest have been getting from what I've been seeing from the box scores.

Gentry is playing his starters more than the bench. The only bench guys getting decent run is Barbosa and Dudley.

This is my exact quote............what is so damn hard to understand from that.

Who gets decent run on the Lakers?

By your definition, it's just the starters + Odom, right? I think most people would disagree with however you're defining "decent run."

[DEEP3CL]

Who gets decent run on the Lakers?

By your definition, it's just the starters + Odom, right? I think most people would disagree with however you're defining "decent run."

Phil doesn't have an exact rotation, but on most nights yes Odom will still have like 30 plus minutes, but at least others will play some like 12-16 minutes. Going on the box scores I saw from other Suns games outside of Dudley and Barbosa, the others get less than they do. Like tonight Barbosa got 21 and Dudley got 22.......after that Dragic got 10 Amundson got 8 and Collins 2 (actually 1:58) now you call that decent run? I don't.

[the_warden]

Phil doesn't have an exact rotation, but on most nights yes Odom will still have like 30 plus minutes, but at least others will play some like 12-16 minutes. Going on the box scores I saw from other Suns games outside of Dudley and Barbosa, the others get less than they do. Like tonight Barbosa got 21 and Dudley got 22.......after that Dragic got 10 Amundson got 8 and Collins 2 (actually 1:58) now you call that decent run? I don't.

Your counterexample is one game?

Look at the averages: Dragic and Amundson are both playing about 15 minutes a game. That means four Suns bench players are averaging 14+ minutes a game. On the Lakers? 2. The Lakers have four players playing over 37 minutes a game; the Suns have zero.

It is painfully obvious the Suns are using their bench much more than they used to, and the fact that you're resorting to showing what happened in one particular game underscores the weakness of your argument.

[pross]

Phil doesn't have an exact rotation, but on most nights yes Odom will still have like 30 plus minutes, but at least others will play some like 12-16 minutes. Going on the box scores I saw from other Suns games outside of Dudley and Barbosa, the others get less than they do. Like tonight Barbosa got 21 and Dudley got 22.......after that Dragic got 10 Amundson got 8 and Collins 2 (actually 1:58) now you call that decent run? I don't.

Your counterexample is one game?

Look at the averages: Dragic and Amundson are both playing about 15 minutes a game. That means four Suns bench players are averaging 14+ minutes a game. On the Lakers? 2. The Lakers have four players playing over 37 minutes a game; the Suns have zero.

It is painfully obvious the Suns are using their bench much more than they used to, and the fact that you're resorting to showing what happened in one particular game underscores the weakness of your argument.

OWNED!!

[DEEP3CL]

Phil doesn't have an exact rotation, but on most nights yes Odom will still have like 30 plus minutes, but at least others will play some like 12-16 minutes. Going on the box scores I saw from other Suns games outside of Dudley and Barbosa, the others get less than they do. Like tonight Barbosa got 21 and Dudley got 22.......after that Dragic got 10 Amundson got 8 and Collins 2 (actually 1:58) now you call that decent run? I don't.

Your counterexample is one game?

Look at the averages: Dragic and Amundson are both playing about 15 minutes a game. That means four Suns bench players are averaging 14+ minutes a game. On the Lakers? 2. The Lakers have four players playing over 37 minutes a game; the Suns have zero.

It is painfully obvious the Suns are using their bench much more than they used to, and the fact that you're resorting to showing what happened in one particular game underscores the weakness of your argument.

Those players are averaging those minutes because we've had injuries, of course it's going to be a spike in their minutes as opposed to the bench guys. I'm not saying the Suns aren't using their bench, but it obvious the same 2 guys are getting a majority of the minutes.

And technically the Lakers only have 2 guys over 37, that's Bynum and Kobe. Artest and LO are barely at 37. Big difference of being over

[The Skyhook]

Is Nash trying to capture his 3rd MVP award?

[SportsWorld]

Is Nash trying to capture his 3rd MVP award?

Not going to happen. He's having a great season but he's not even on the same level as Carmelo, LeBron, Kobe, and Wade.

[Christine-In-AZ]

DEEP3CL,

For what it's worth, there are some Suns fans that respect and appreciate the Lakers organizational greatness. IMHO the LA Lakers are the "Yankees" of the NBA and have had to achieve this dynasty status within the confines of a salary capped league ...major kudos!

Over the years, the Suns have made it a habit to be "pretty good" a hell of a lotta of the time, but that's half-assed I'll admit. I don't know what specifically PHX management could've done better, but it would (and still could be) great for LA-PHX rivalry sake if the Suns could'da won a title or more like the Spurs. That we could better play the role of Red Sox to you guys. Ya think we would've won one by now...0 for 41, sorry.

I go back to the '70 playoffs when the Suns had a 3-1 lead on the Lakers in the 1st round (we know how that ended).

Having lost (not sure of the number) the first 5 or 6 series to LA it was EXTREMELY gratifying to win a few series in a row, but no cigar in the end for my Suns. WTF is the secret, Lakers?

Returns on this season are tiny, but (I'll admit) unexpectedly the Suns might just be rising up again. Given my druthers, I prefer the Lakers being the top dog to try and take down ...a classic Goliath to slay. How's that for passive aggressive?

Arrrg! Hate your success especially with a lot of it coming at the Suns expense, but (unlike most Suns fans) I'll concede, the Lakers are a model franchise.

It'd be nice to knock out the Spurs for once, but that'sa a whole other story.

[DEEP3CL]

DEEP3CL,

For what it's worth, there are some Suns fans that respect and appreciate the Lakers organizational greatness. IMHO the LA Lakers are the "Yankees" of the NBA and have had to achieve this dynasty status within the confines of a salary capped league ...major kudos!

Over the years, the Suns have made it a habit to be "pretty good" a hell of a lotta of the time, but that's half-assed I'll admit. I don't know what specifically PHX management could've done better, but it would (and still could be) great for LA-PHX rivalry sake if the Suns could'da won a title or more like the Spurs. That we could better play the role of Red Sox to you guys. Ya think we would've won one by now...0 for 41, sorry.

I go back to the '70 playoffs when the Suns had a 3-1 lead on the Lakers in the 1st round (we know how that ended).

Having lost (not sure of the number) the first 5 or 6 series to LA it was EXTREMELY gratifying to win a few series in a row, but no cigar in the end for my Suns. WTF is the secret, Lakers?

Returns on this season are tiny, but (I'll admit) unexpectedly the Suns might just be rising up again. Given my druthers, I prefer the Lakers being the top dog to try and take down ...a classic Goliath to slay. How's that for passive aggressive?

Arrrg! Hate your success especially with a lot of it coming at the Suns expense, but (unlike most Suns fans) I'll concede, the Lakers are a model franchise.

It'd be nice to knock out the Spurs for once, but that'sa a whole other story.

I can respect that, nice post. Yeah it's no real rhyme or reason why things have happened the way they have during the history between the Lakers and Suns. Those 2 back to back 1st round KO's left a bad taste in the younger generation mouths, but even a vet like me didn't like it only because I've seen most of what you brought up.

For me and during the whole 3 decades I've been watching the NBA, it's only been about beating the Celtics, Spurs,Blazers and the Suns.......just based on the strength of each rivalry. I can't speak for every Laker fan, but I think the root of so called "sticking" it to the Suns now has a lot to do with the perceived notion of how the Suns brass viewed the Lakers at that time. You know the whole book thing and stuff the Laker organization found out about it.

Bottom line is the Suns are always a formidable opponent the Lakers have to deal with, and it looks like it's coming back around again only this time both teams are good. Which will lead to some explosive games down the line, much like our fan base anticipates with the Blazers.