# Will the Suns finish #1?



## G-Force (Jan 4, 2005)

The Suns have a 1.5 game lead over the Spurs, the only team that could catch them. Dallas is five games back, but like the Suns, only have four game left to play in the regular season. Whattaya think, are the Suns going to hang on and finish with the best record in the West?

Will they also finish with the best overall record in the NBA? It has come to a three way race between the Suns, the Spurs and Heat.

G-Force


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## Tersk (Apr 9, 2004)

Hopefully the Suns get it...


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

I am pretty sure we will get the #1 spot. For one, so we can beat the Mavs after we win, and wthen we get home court. :laugh:


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## ChristopherJ (Aug 10, 2004)

*Phoenix's last 4 games*:

Fri 15 vs. LA Clippers 7:00 PM 
Sat 16 vs. Sacramento 7:00 PM 
Mon 18 vs. Denver 7:00 PM 
Wed 20 @ Sacramento 7:30 PM 


*San Antonio's last 3 games:*

Sat 16 vs. Memphis 5:30 PM 
Mon 18 @ Memphis 5:00 PM 
Wed 20 @ Minnesota 5:00 PM 

Both teams have tough games so it's really tough to say if Phoenix will get the 1 seed. I think the Suns go 3-1. Even if San Antonio wins out then we would still get it. It will be intersting too see what happens but atleast we hold are own destiny.


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## jibikao (Nov 14, 2004)

Fri 15 vs. LA Clippers 7:00 PM
Sat 16 vs. Sacramento 7:00 PM 

Ouch.. back-to-back against the Kings? Damn. They are playing pretty well recently and I am sure they have something to prove after Amare's "controversial" block. (spelling?)

We should go 3-1. If that happens, then we still win even if Spurs won all remaining 3 games.


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

The good thing is that we have 3 of the last 4 at home, but like jibikao mentioned, back to back vs the kings. That should hurt, I wouldn't be surprised if we lose. Too bad, I want that new wins record.


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## G-Force (Jan 4, 2005)

I figure that the Suns will indeed finish with the best overall record. That will come in handy during the playoffs, but then the Suns do a pretty good job of winning on the road as well.


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## mavsmania41 (Mar 27, 2005)

Most likely congrats ona good season, hope to hook up with you guys in the second round and have a aheck of a series. And I wish NAshy nothing but the best.


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

mavsmania41 said:


> Most likely congrats ona good season, hope to hook up with you guys in the second round and have a aheck of a series. And I wish NAshy nothing but the best.


Thanks for that. Hooking up with the Mavs in the 2nd round would be awesome. That would be one great series, that of course we come on top of. :biggrin:


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## DaUnbreakableKinG (Jun 28, 2003)

I'm sure they will. They just gotta win another game in Sactown and they will have the #1 spot.


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## mavsmania41 (Mar 27, 2005)

You guys very welll could beat us I just think the key is gonna be Nash. He does slow down a little come playoff time. I do notice you guys keep his minutes down. I think yall are gonna be a matchup nightmare with your other 4 guys.I think we can stick Josh Howard On Richardson But Dirk is really gonna have to try to play shawn Marion good for us to have a chance. Damp needs to take advantage of his Strength on the block against Amare but Im sure Amare will take advantage of Damp from the outside. Then Finley and Joe Johnson is a tosh up. But I think we can expose Nash we do know his weaknesses. And we will try to post him up and wear him down. But for to have a chance we gotta be able to do some of this. Also one last quickk thought If Marion guards Dirk he is gonna give Dirk Trouble so Dirk is really gonna have to be able to pass out of the double. Thats also really big and the way the refs call the game can be big as well.


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## tempe85 (Jan 7, 2005)

mavsmania41 said:


> But I think we can expose Nash we do know his weaknesses.


The sweet thing is who better to know the weaknesses of Mavs players than their former point guard for 5 years. And guess what? He's going to tell all his buddies on the Suns. :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:


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## mavsmania41 (Mar 27, 2005)

we have a lot of new faces from last years team and the Defense is way different then last years becasue of the personal we have.


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## tempe85 (Jan 7, 2005)

mavsmania41 said:


> we have a lot of new faces from last years team and the Defense is way different then last years becasue of the personal we have.


The key players are the same including Nowitzki and Finley. Nash probably knows Nowitzki better than any player in the league.


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## mavsmania41 (Mar 27, 2005)

Im telling you that Nash Nowitzki pick and roll was great to watch but no we make the extra pass. And terry will crack down on Nash defensively and NAsh gets eating alive agianst point guards that penatrate into the paint. I ahve yet to see you guys play a full game of defense maybe in spurts but to win championships you must play consistent defense. Yall are capable of playing it but lets see it.


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## mavsmania41 (Mar 27, 2005)

I use to love the Mavs High full throttle offense score 120 points a game it was great to watch. But we would still lose because we couldnt play a lick of defense. id rather score maybe a little over a 100 or 95 points and be able to win. I know a wins a win. But I think you really gotta be able to play conventional basketball to win a tittle. Your Smallball is great but come playoff time you gotta have the defense come playoff time. That would be something to see the Suns win the title. Best of luck to you guys and thanks for letting me post on your board.


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## tempe85 (Jan 7, 2005)

mavsmania41 said:


> I use to love the Mavs High full throttle offense score 120 points a game it was great to watch. But we would still lose because we couldnt play a lick of defense. id rather score maybe a little over a 100 or 95 points and be able to win. I know a wins a win. But I think you really gotta be able to play conventional basketball to win a tittle. Your Smallball is great but come playoff time you gotta have the defense come playoff time. That would be something to see the Suns win the title. Best of luck to you guys and thanks for letting me post on your board.


You know full well the Mavs should have gone to the title a couple years ago if Nowitzki hadn't gotten injured. Freak stuff like that happens but it doesn't prove that style doesn't work.

And another thing Dallas never had a post presence like Amare Stoudemire. Stoudemire would have put your team over the top I guarentee that because he can simply dominate around the rim. Also they never had a candidate for defensive player of the year like we do in Shawn Marion. Heck Johnson is probably a better defender than any of the Mavs on that team. They played a traditional lineup which the Suns don't play (and even Nowitzki at center made them more traditional than the Suns who play a PF at 6-7 and C at 6-10). The differences between the teams are quite substantial. 

By the way do you ever watch baseball? Billy Beane's A's have lost every time in the first round in the playoffs but it doesn't prove that Moneyball doesn't work, all it proves is that the playoffs can be a little unpredictable. But the more times you make it the better chance it'll finally pay off.


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## mavsmania41 (Mar 27, 2005)

well sure But I really think the Kings would have had us if Webber hadnt a went down the Series before that but you are right about that year the teams that played a up tempo style were a matchup problem for San Antonio that year. Back in 2002-2003 that was a heck of a season. In my heart I still go for those teams that run the up tempo.


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## mavsmania41 (Mar 27, 2005)

we had Raja Bell as our best defender and by the way Josh Howard will be 2nd team Nba Defense most likely. and the mavs this year are in the top 10 of the nba in defensive categories such as 3 pt % opponet feild goal percentage, steals, PPG and rebounds. And we have a nice rotation but i give you credit for making your bench a little deeper since the start of the season.Yeah but the A's payroll is small compared to teh big spenders but look at the Yankeys this year so far losing record. its like a 180 in the american league this season. My rangers arnt getting the hitting we are used to man.


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## The Main Man (Aug 10, 2004)

Suns are #12 in fg% allowed, with .444. #8 Dallas has .438

Suns are #2 in 3 point fg% defense with .331. Dallas is #1 with .326.

Suns are #9 in blocks with 5.5 per game. Dallas is #7 with 5.7 per game

Dallas does have a 1.5 spg advantage though.


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## mavsmania41 (Mar 27, 2005)

Nash is gonna take you guys are far as you guys can go so I would just say hang on for teh ride its gonna be a wild one.


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## tempe85 (Jan 7, 2005)

The Main Man said:


> Suns are #12 in fg% allowed, with .444. #8 Dallas has .438
> 
> Suns are #2 in 3 point fg% defense with .331. Dallas is #1 with .326.
> 
> ...


I think one of the most amazing things about the Suns #2 ranking in 3 point FG% defense is that their opponents shoot the 3rd most threes against them then against any team in the league. The Suns meanwhile have the best 3 point percentage offensive team in the league while shooting over 200 more than second place Seattle (who shoot only 36% compared to the Suns 39%). 

Another interesting stat: The Suns rank #1 in the league in allowing the least FT's. Which means a lot less freebies. They also rank #1 in the league in PPS allowed.


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## mavsmania41 (Mar 27, 2005)

Tempe 85 loved talking basketball with you come to the mavs board anytime and talk basketball if you like. I hope to see any of you guys come playoff time.


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## DaUnbreakableKinG (Jun 28, 2003)

The Main Man said:


> Suns are #12 in fg% allowed, with .444. #8 Dallas has .438
> 
> Suns are #2 in 3 point fg% defense with .331. Dallas is #1 with .326.
> 
> ...


So Dallas is better defensively huh. Almost same.


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## tempe85 (Jan 7, 2005)

DaUnbreakableKinG said:


> So Dallas is better defensively huh. Almost same.


To be fair Dallas is better defensively than us in the defensive efficiency index (a very good indication of how good a defense is). We're by no means terrible but they're pretty good and I have to give them credit for that (one of the top 7 teams I believe). Those stats The Main Man showed us are true in that the Suns come close to the Mavs in many areas on D but here is one of the biggest deficiencies the Suns have compared to the Mavs: Allowing offensive boards. The Mavs are very good at not allowing second chance points while we're honestly pretty darn rotten at it (though as seen by our recent defensive upswing that's an area we've gotten better in... but for the season we're among the last in the league). This is probably the biggest reason the Mavs rank higher at defensive efficiency and rightfully so (it's a very important statistic). 

However here comes what I believe counteracts the offensive board stat. Our offense is our defense. We play a small lineup and we will obviously get outrebouded by a great margin (if it wasn't for Superman Marion it'd be a lot worse... thank goodness for him). However it's the same small lineup that causes fits for other teams on their defensive end. Most centers simply cannot stop Amare and PF's are simply not quick enough to catch Marion. So it's this counterbalance, in one respect we lose and in one respect we gain. However it's this counterbalance that I believe in the end helps us a great deal. We gain a lot more at the offensive end then we lose at the defensive end, giving us this economic productivity surplus. This is why we still maintain the second best scoring margin in the game, which is a very good indication of how good a team is.


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

Yes we are officially #1!!!!!!!!!!:laugh: But it don't mean nothing if we don't win the championship.


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## momocult45 (Apr 16, 2005)

the suns will be the number one team this year behind the amazing feats of SHAWN "THE MATRIX" MARION a.k.a the reaper....ask jonathan bender....see what happens to potential when your within an 8 foot radius of him


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