OT: Simmons weighs in on the Diesel Moving to PHO

[LLJ]

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It what sense do you mean they cant be compared to San Antonio?
Meaning that they wont win a championship, or saying San Antonio is on a different level? I dont understand

Someone here compared the Suns to SA, in that they can play different styles. I'm just not sure the Suns can play the halfcourt, grind it out style. I see nothing on the team that leads me to believe they will be able to defend on anything approaching an elite level. Adding Shaq is not going to make them much better defensively, and some would argue losing Marion's defence is much more costly since he's the only guy on the team who can defend at anything resembling a 1st or 2nd All Defensive Team level.

[thebossman]

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Someone here compared the Suns to SA, in that they can play different styles. I'm just not sure the Suns can play the halfcourt, grind it out style. I see nothing on the team that leads me to believe they will be able to defend on anything approaching an elite level. Adding Shaq is not going to make them much better defensively, and some would argue losing Marion's defence is much more costly since he's the only guy on the team who can defend at anything resembling a 1st or 2nd All Defensive Team level.

Okay i understand, but you got to remember they porbably would have beat San Antonio last playoffs but that suspension to Amare and (Raja?) kinda screwed them. So they had them beat or close to it.
It could be compensated by having a bigger linup.

[LLJ]

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Okay i understand, but you got to remember they porbably would have beat San Antonio last playoffs but that suspension to Amare and (Raja?) kinda screwed them. So they had them beat or close to it.
It could be compensated by having a bigger linup.

Possibly, yes. Probably? I had San Antonio pegged to win the series last year and even before the suspension I still think San Antonio was controlling the series.

[Shaazzam]

Possibly, yes. Probably? I had San Antonio pegged to win the series last year and even before the suspension I still think San Antonio was controlling the series.

Me too.

But I was the one that brought up SA I believe, and I don't necessarily disagree with what you are saying about them adding Shaq and questioning whether he can help their defence. I just think it's safe to say that with how their roster was constructed there is no way that they could grind it out in the half court sets.

They would have gotten stomped, and I completely agree with the notion that they needed someone to help galvanize them.

Offensively, I think that they add to their options by adding another area of the floor that they can operate from.

It may not be perfect, and it may not work out, but I like the chance they took.

[sh00n]

You can't double anyone anymore on Phoenix. If Shaq stays healthy, they're unstoppable. The things I'd do to see a Lakers/Suns WFC. . .

[tnugget]

Shaq in orlando was Shaq Attack!
he then became..
Shaq in tinseltown
then it was..
Shaq in Black
now it will be...
Shaq breaks his back!

Suns blow up the team summer of 08, Raptors sign steve nash and get amare for calderon and bargnani
:D

[RingItUp!]

You can't double anyone anymore on Phoenix. If Shaq stays healthy, they're unstoppable. The things I'd do to see a Lakers/Suns WFC. . .

I don't see how the Suns become anymore un-double-team-able than the Lakers.

[The_Hater]

Simmons does bring up a couple of different points that I overlooked at the time of the deal.

That said, I still think he's dead wrong. Maybe Phoenix needed to trade Marion but they didn't come close to getting fair value for the guy. We'll find out.

[McFurious1]

[quote="LLJ"]-= original quote snipped =-
Shaq has been on a downward decline since the beginning of the 2005 playoffs. That was the year they WON the title, remember? He had an awful playoff series, one of his worst statistically. If he couldn't get revved up that year, what makes you think he'll regain his "old" form 2 years later?[/quote]

Nash & Amare

2008 Suns > 2005 Heat

[sh00n]

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I don't see how the Suns become anymore un-double-team-able than the Lakers.

Never said they weren't, but if you were to compare the two, look at who Shaq and Amare have to kick out to in comparison to Pau and Bynum.

Nash, Barbosa > Fisher, Vujacic
Bell < Kobe
Hill > Odom

Not to mention Nash is a better playmaker. Lakers have Kobe so anything is possible, but I still think Amare and Shaq will be a bigger threat than Pau and Bynum. They're so much bigger and aggressive than them, too.

Both teams are a force once they're completely healthy; that's my dream match up for the playoffs this year.

[bychai]

Mmm Pho...

[RingItUp!]

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Never said they weren't, but if you were to compare the two, look at who Shaq and Amare have to kick out to in comparison to Pau and Bynum.

Nash, Barbosa > Fisher, Vujacic
Bell < Kobe
Hill > Odom

Not to mention Nash is a better playmaker. Lakers have Kobe so anything is possible, but I still think Amare and Shaq will be a bigger threat than Pau and Bynum. They're so much bigger and aggressive than them, too.

Both teams are a force once they're completely healthy; that's my dream match up for the playoffs this year.

You're right: both teams will be forces.

Have you watched the Lakers at all so far? They've been KILLING teams. That starting 5 even without Bynum is dynamite:

Fischer
Kobe
Radmanovic
Odom
Gasol

Shift Radmanovic to the bench, and have him, Farmar, Vujacic, Turiaf and Walton coming off in support... that's a great starting line-up and a great bench filled with role players.

Fisher/Farmar
Kobe/Vujacic
Odom/Walton
Gasol/Radmanovic
Bynum/Turiaf

That looks like a 10 player rotation without holes. Maybe Bynum and Gasol aren't as physical as Amare/Shaq and Duncan/Oberto, but they still aren't bad defensively and will undoubtedly hold their own on the glass. Who are they matched up against in the Suns?

Nash/Strawberry
Bell/Barbosa
Hill/Piatkowski?
Amare/Diaw
Shaq/Skinner

Dynamite starting lineup.. but that bench is paper thin. I think, especially on the perimeter, the Lakers match up well defensively. Fisher on Nash, Kobe on Bell or Barbosa, and Odom on Hill. Gasol and Bynum will need help in the paint, but remember all those defenses that PJ ran in Chicago? I think this Lakers lineup gives him the chance to do that again.



The only thing I know for sure is that the West's playoffs are going to be ridiculous this season. I'm excited already.

[Komodo]

Good read.

Go Suns Go!

[Barraketh]

The suns have had success with a short bench though - I still remember that Mavs - Suns series from '06 when they were playing Amare, Nash, Marion, Diaw, Thomas and Barbosa over 30min a game, James Jones got another 20 minutes and no one else even touched the floor. They'll do the same here - Barbosa will backup Nash and Bell, and Diaw will backup everyone in the frontcourt.

[Boogie!]

shaq isn't willing to admit steve nash is the mvp of this team. kind of worries me. i still think they're gonna win the ship though.

[Shaazzam]

shaq isn't willing to admit steve nash is the mvp of this team. kind of worries me. i still think they're gonna win the ship though.

Quick question, because I haven't seen the clip at all, just read comments about it, so I could be out too lunch on this one because of a lack of context.

Is it possible that Shaq is simply looking to boost Amare up so he will be more receptive to what Shaq has to say?

I don't think Nash needs any ego stroking, but he is dying to win a ring. I doubt he really cares if Shaq is bigging up Amare. Actually, if it will make Amare be even more of a force I'm sure he'd be tickled.

Amare seems to be a bit of an interesting cat when it comes to managing his ego, and for the Shaq daddy to continue to assure Amare of his place, it will might allow Shaq's message to be better heard when he needs to rip, cajole or correct the young fella. Remember, Shaq has said that Amare is going to be his project, and this type of reinforcement early on may pay dividends down the road.