So after 17 games

hunterxaz · Post #1 » by **hunterxaz** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 12:16 am

Suns are 14-3.

Nobody in the media thought we'd be here. I know a lot of fans didn't think we'd be here. Nobody even picked us to be in the playoffs... we were sitting at #9 (which is leaps and bounds better than 10-15). But look at us now...

This means something, right? The fact we're winning?

We're 6-0 at home. 8-3 on the road. This means something, right?

If so, then why does everyone still think we're a fluke? Almost 20 games into the season, 1/4th of the way, and we're still considered to be chumps? You stack up two great teams like the Suns and Lakers, the Suns and Magic, and they're going to lose. We lost to a Hornets team, which we should have by rights won -- what if we then were 15-2 now? Would we then be legit? No, because we lost to the Lakers and Magic, Finals teams...

But I don't buy into that. I think our teams as it stands with how we've been simply dominating the teams that we -could not do- last season, means something. I think our wins mean that we're back in contention for an NBA title. We have the coach. We have the players. We have the bench. Most importantly, we have the heart and desire.

Now, we face an incredibly tough stretch in the NBA in December by ANY definition. Our schedule is simply insane. Hands down the toughest in the NBA. It's not unrealistic to think we're going to end up 8-8, but I think we could end it 11-5, or even better. Just because we're playing tough teams, doesn't mean we're going to lose them by default. We should approach any game as if we can win them, because with the way we've been playing... we can. January is a lot lighter, and so is February. We can make a really good push and end up well off by then...

I mean, what do you guys think? Aren't you tired of being dumped on by the entire NBA and 90% of their fans? (Pretty much anyone who isn't a Suns fan?)

Is it spite, that we're #1 after everyone thought we'd blow? Jealousy? Legitimate criticism? You know after we were 4-0, I can understand thinking it's a fluke. But almost 20 games into the season, and we still suck? Come on...

PHXfan85 · Post #2 » by **PHXfan85** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 12:21 am

Dude's on drugs, lock this ish up!

(flyin under the radar)

hunterxaz · Post #3 » by **hunterxaz** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 12:26 am

I'm all about flying under the radar, but give credit where credit is due. This is mostly in regards to the fans of the NBA, because I know nobody who plays in the NBA takes any game for granted... esp. teams like the Lakers and Suns who are fierce competitors. They go out to play every game with 110% (except against NOH last week) and it shows...

Face it though, if we're going to go all the way we may do it any way we can. I don't want any excuses at the end of the season apart from "We were just outplayed by a better team." We've always done well under pressure and chasing a trophy, we had some unfortunate losses on our way, but that doesn't mean we never were not meant to be Champions.

MaryvalesFinest · Post #4 » by **MaryvalesFinest** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 12:36 am

Before the season started I would have been happy to see if the Suns just made the playoffs but this is an added bonus, going 14-3 while being the NBA team to play the most road games so far.

hunterxaz · Post #5 » by **hunterxaz** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 12:39 am

MaryvalesFinest wrote:Before the season started I would have been happy to see if the Suns just made the playoffs but this is an added bonus, going 14-3 while being the NBA team to play the most road games so far.

I think that's pretty much where we all were at. The coaching change last season and losing Amare, Bell, and Diaw made it hurt to be a fan, but missing the playoffs was the worst. It's a sad position to be at, especially after leading the league for so long... but we're back up on top now.

Mr. Sun · Post #6 » by **Mr. Sun** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 12:51 am

It will only mean something once we have a record with elite teams (and I don't mean on b2b games against them).

hunterxaz · Post #7 » by **hunterxaz** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 12:58 am

I disagree. It's important to beat any team you can, but the games I blame them least for losing is against the elite teams. Now, I also like the approach of seeing how another elite team can come up against the Suns -- it's their job to beat us, not our job to beat them. We can beat anyone. We're #1 in the NBA. We're the team to beat. So far, only 3 teams have done that, out of the 17 we've played.

Especially since every single game matters in the West.

PHXfan85 · Post #8 » by **PHXfan85** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 1:15 am

Is your Lakers date off?

Ya it's on the 6th

Jimmy76 · Post #9 » by **Jimmy76** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 2:17 am

PHXfan85 wrote:Dude's on drugs, lock this ish up!

(flyin under the radar)

Seriously Suns are having a terrible year!

(project under the radar commenced)

DaDragicShow · Post #10 » by **DaDragicShow** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 3:06 am

Id be shocked if we don't win a championship this year.

Post #11 » by **tsherkin** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 3:15 am

I'm a little surprised at the start. Not shocked, but a little surprised. Pleasantly so, where Nash's health and aging game are concerned. I think the beautiful thing about Nash is that he relies so little on athleticism and it makes his offense age gracefully, which is fun to see.

I would be shocked to see Phoenix win a title because they still aren't very good on D and remain worse than they were in that respect under D'Antoni (for the absence of great individual defenders, not the difference in coaching, of course), and their intense vulnerability to post game and rebounding.

BUT, this is a team that has the same kind of feel as the WCF teams, and that is a special thing.

hunterxaz · Post #12 » by **hunterxaz** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 3:22 am

The Suns have always been in a position to win a title based on their offense -- excepting last year of course. They just had some unlucky breaks and refs betting on games, affecting the outcomes. Losing Amare, Boris/Stat suspensions, SA Spurs winning a series due to Refs betting, Joe Johnson gone for the series, etc. These can happen to any team, but the difference is, had they NOT happened to us, we likely would have a championship right now.

The good part about having such a smoking start is that it gives us time to get better while still winning games we would have otherwise lost last year, while fighting tooth and nail to get into the playoffs.

PS: When Nash is playing better than he's ever played, I wouldn't even call his age into question. It's irrelevant -- he's simply the #1 PG in the league -- again.

Post #13 » by **tsherkin** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 3:38 am

It's possible, don't get me wrong.

And yes, Nash is definitely looking absolutely amazing this year. Not that he hasn't, previously, but he looks blooming spectacular this year.

Injuries happen to every team, so that's not really an excuse upon which one can fall back. The suspensions were dicey, of course, so that year is a big asterisk. In 2008, they had no chance, they got totally destroyed by San Antonio. And of course, last year they missed the playoffs (though if Gentry had coached the whole season instead of Porter, it might have been different).

Phoenix has had windows of opportunity a couple of times, and this year is another.

But what do you expect to happen in a lengthy series against the Lakers? Bynum, Kobe and Gasol are going to work the Suns over hardcore in the post, and will Phoenix's 3pt shooting be able to hold up over 7 games against that kind of high-efficiency offensive attack?

That's why I don't see Phoenix winning a title, or getting out of the West. In the East, if Boston, Cleveland or Orlando makes it (and is relatively healthy), I see a fairly similar result.

Those are two big question marks, because rebounding, defense and post play are hallmarks of NBA title squads, with few exceptions.

Post #14 » by **tsherkin** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 3:40 am

On the positive side, which is where I meant to go with posting in this thread...

The Suns look like they're as good as they ever were, or better, on offense. If there's going to be a year to be healthy and make some noise, I hope this is the one.

hunterxaz · Post #15 » by **hunterxaz** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 3:43 am

I am not sure how we'd fare, but I know if we play our best ball, we can bust anybodys ass. We won't face Lakers in playoffs immediately, Spurs may be a chance if we end up in a top 4 and they're a bottom 4, but who knows. That's so far off. We can take the Spurs though, they're pretty old and injured, definitely not the same defensive, grind-it-out, slow-it-down squad that won their last title.

Lakers are the team to beat. We'll have to see how we play against them next week. Us at their court again on a back-to-back will be a major ball-check.

Post #16 » by **tsherkin** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 3:54 am

hunterxaz wrote:I am not sure how we'd fare, but I know if we play our best ball, we can bust anybodys ass. We won't face Lakers in playoffs immediately, Spurs may be a chance if we end up in a top 4 and they're a bottom 4, but who knows. That's so far off. We can take the Spurs though, they're pretty old and injured, definitely not the same defensive, grind-it-out, slow-it-down squad that won their last title.

I'm not worried about the Spurs; they don't look that good. They're hitting their stride, but they don't have the same kind of defensive presence as in years past. They're merely above-average this year. They're winning because in conjunction with that, they're top-5 in offense this year.

Lakers are the team to beat. We'll have to see how we play against them next week. Us at their court again on a back-to-back will be a major ball-check.

I don't think it much matters if it's us or them on the end of the back to back. They have too many weapons for them all to go cold over the course of a series in the playoffs when Kobe and Phil scent blood.

impulsenine · Post #17 » by **impulsenine** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 3:55 am

We're being called a fluke for one very simple reason: The Suns have been a great regular-season team for the franchise's entire existence, but it has translated to two losing efforts in the Finals.

I am enjoying this for what it is - an unexpectedly good record, and the high of seeing Ws all over our calendar. I'm not going to look forward to the championship or even a promising playoff run until we've beaten LA like a redneck's bad dog.

hunterxaz · Post #18 » by **hunterxaz** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 4:04 am

Well maybe when we make it to the playoffs someone else can take out the Lakers for us and we'll have an easy run through the playoffs to the finals.

Jimmy76 · Post #19 » by **Jimmy76** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 4:04 am

im hoping we get the 2 or 3 seed so we can cross our fingers that the 4,5 seed knocks out the Lakers

Post #20 » by **tsherkin** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 4:05 am

I think a WCF appearance, successful or not, would be a great testament to Steve Nash's ability to lead a team. And that if Amare Stoudemire was paired with a real center who just rebounded, ran and defended, than this team would win a title in a second.