Is it possible?

[mybloodisorange]

Over the last week or so we have seen a pattern emerge with the Suns losing streak. Play close for 3 quarters then drop the game in the last quarter. Now im not much of a conspiracy theorist but one or 2 games the Suns freeze up down the stretch-ok it happens. But 5 or 6 straight games? Is it possible they are tanking while trying to keep it respectable? The league frowns on tanking as paying customers attend every game but everyone knows it goes on just like back room deals etc etc. (ask Minnesota about Joe Smith). I'm not saying I think its happening, but you have to admit it is an interesting coincedence.

Do you think its possible?

If it is I bet the first couple were just outright losses (the crazy overtimes i believe); and the ones after are just throwing in the towel since they knew they were basically eliminated.

[YFZblu]

How can people follow Steve Nash's career closely yet still assume he's the type of player capable of tanking a game? Were you watching the Lakers game? The Suns want to win. The 4th quarter offensive woes have been going on for more than a few weeks.

So no, it's not an interesting coincidence at all. It just sucks.

[lilfishi22]

Tanking at our position (record-wise) is pretty much a waste of time and would do more damage (morale-wise) than it would do good.

[Dalerax]

Definitely not. I can't really see any professional basketball player deciding to purposefully lose games, especially players like Nash and Hill.

[KLEON]

The problem is the Suns don't have a closer. The only superstar on the team is Steve Nash and he's more of a facilitator who is surrounded by mediocre players. I don't think the Suns are tanking just look at the triple overtime game against the Lakers and the game against the Kings as perfect examples.

[Miklo]

Tanking at our position (record-wise) is pretty much a waste of time and would do more damage (morale-wise) than it would do good.

This...lots of people around here have different opinions on the definition of tanking methinks.

I personally wouldn't consider purposely losing 9 games in order to move up one spot in the late lottery "tanking". (note: it's not even moving up a pick, it's moving up literally 0.1% at our position, in lottery odds). Tanking in my eyes is the purposeful manipulation of games in order to make a significant splash in the draft lottery. As in, you gotta start early.

And yeah I also completely agree with those who say that Nash would never allow a team he's on to try to lose games.

[King4Day]

Not a chance in hell.
What would we be tanking for? To get the 12th or 13th pick? Not worth it.

[RunSunRun]

The problem is the Suns don't have a closer. The only superstar on the team is Steve Nash and he's more of a facilitator who is surrounded by mediocre players. I don't think the Suns are tanking just look at the triple overtime game against the Lakers and the game against the Kings as perfect examples.

Absolutely spot on, we don't have a closer anymore. Replacing Amare and JRich with streaky shooters in Frye and VC has led to this problem where we simply can't get any easy buckets in the 4th when teams clamp down and the refs usually swallow their whistles (unless its a foul call on us, )

Granted, Amare and JRich aren't the best closers in the league, but they are much better than what we have now.

[Mac1]

j rich is a streaky shooter..did you see his brilliant 2 points yesterday?

he has a lower % of 3 pointers made the carter and less in general. Carter is a pretty damn good 3 point shooter..he just never bothered with his mid range game which is average. carter is number 16 in all time 3 pointers made with a career 3.76 average.

thats good. whats NOT good is his love for contested off dribble fadeaway jumpers..the hardest shot in basketball..infact i can only think of 1 player that ever pulled those off consistently well and thats michael jordan.

J rich much like carter..his best years are behind him..and oddly enough if you compare what carter was doing in orlando ..carter was much better then j rich currently in both % and in points.

however gilbert arenas is the oldest 29 year old in the world.

[visions]

Granted, Amare and JRich aren't the best closers in the league, but they are much better than what we have now.

Maybe Amare on his own is not one of the best closers in the league but together with Nash the p 'n r was about as dependable a closing move late in the 4th as Kobe's fade away jump shot or a Wade drive to the basket.

[YFZblu]

Granted, Amare and JRich aren't the best closers in the league, but they are much better than what we have now.

Maybe Amare on his own is not one of the best closers in the league but together with Nash the p 'n r was about as dependable a closing move late in the 4th as Kobe's fade away jump shot or a Wade drive to the basket.

Not quite correct IMO. The PNR is run to open up options in the offense...It's an actual PLAY. Running ISO in the closing moments of a game is more of a coin flip, where a player like LeBron puts pressure on himself to make a spectacular play, or pressure on a ref to make a tough call...

I'd take a Nash/Amare PNR over a Kobe/Wade/LeBron iso any day of the week.

[visions]

Not quite correct IMO. The PNR is run to open up options in the offense...It's an actual PLAY. Running ISO in the closing moments of a game is more of a coin flip, where a player like LeBron puts pressure on himself to make a spectacular play, or pressure on a ref to make a tough call...

I'd take a Nash/Amare PNR over a Kobe/Wade/LeBron iso any day of the week.

So would I but what I meant was when we had Amare, we didn't have to think about what we were going to do or who was going to take the shot late in games. We just had to start off with a Nash/Amare p 'n r and if nothing came of that get it to the open shooter. Much like the Lakers know they will just run an iso for Kobe. In other words we had a "go to" move we could depend on to make something happen.

Now without this go to option, we seem to be lost at the end of games. We take so much time to develop a play, don't get anything going inside and don't get many open jump shots.

[charley barkles]

speaking of tanking... where did Kerrsed's tank go? i looked forward to that thing...

[TheJohnWallShow]

I dont think they are tanking purposely, but the fact that it was going to be a long shot to make the playoffs was probably in the back of a lot of their minds affecting their play. It was like when you get the wind knocked out of you in a fight, but still keep pressing to win the fight.