HawkPL
05-10-2006, 04:04 PM
3-0 yesterday, back over the mendoza line after being down 15 units in the playoffs lol
nba playoff wednesday:
Phoenix -4-------- 2 Units
haven't decided on NJ/MIA game yet. lean towards the under.
--I like the Suns on their home floor. I understand all the talk how the Clippers will slow it down, and use their height advantage in rebounding and pounding it down low. Thing is, thats every teams gameplan against the Suns, this isn't anything new. The Suns will always be outrebounded as well, that doesn't make any difference.
Suns are 3-1 ATS and SU against the Clippers the last 4 meetings.
-- The Suns outscored the Clippers in the paint in game 1. Diaw, Barbosa, these guys are incredibly difficult to defend.
Elton Brand, they displayed the stat the other night in the game, scores 70% of his points on mid-range jumpers and outside of the paint. He scored 40 points on 80% shooting the other night, its not like he can play any better and impact the game more than he did in game 1.
Every team in the league tries to pound it inside and slow down the tempo to slow down the Suns. It is pretty difficult.
Suns are the highest scoring team in the league, highest scoring team on their home floor, best free throw shooting team, and make the most 3's per game. It's hard to do.
When the Suns lost 3 games against the Lakers, I have a hard time believing it had so much to do with the Lakers master gameplan as much as it had to do with an unexperienced Barbosa, Diaw, Jones... guys like that just not playing and shooting that well. Hell, even Nash didn't shoot that great in a couple of the Suns losses. It wasn't because Smooch Parker and Vujusic were on him like a glove, cuz they weren't. He just flat out missed some bunnies and open jumpers.
I do believe the Clippers will TRY to slow it down, TRY. They still defensively on the road are 12th in the league, giving up 98.1 PPG. The suns score 109 PPG at home.
Also, The Suns automatically will outscore the Clippers from behind the arc and at the free throw line. Phoenix on an off night is going to drill 9 3's, while the Clippers on a GREAT night will hit 6 or 7. At the free throw line, The Suns are the best in the league at 82%... the clippers on a good night will shoot in the 70's. The Suns have a clear scoring advantage from these 2 areas in every game.
The Clippers have to defend the 3 point line... and when they do, athletically they don't matchup, they have height, but they aren't as athletic to defend these guys... with Diaw, Barbosa, nash... those 3 will just drive the lane and either get a layup... or kick it backout to Thomas or someone else for an open 3.
It's a nightmare matchup for any team IMO. While the Clippers have this big height advantage, what good does that do them defensively against a 3 point shooting team? All it does is allow them to score points inside, which they were outscored in game 1 inside, and the Suns really don't care about that anyway since they just try to outscore you.
I just can't imagine how frustrating it has to be to play that perfectly, 59% from the floor and still get beat.
I still believe they only way you slow down Phoenix's offense is pray that they just don't shoot the ball well. You don't stop them IMO, but they could just flat out not shoot well, that happens to all shooters.
Too much momentum and rhythm right now at home.
I'll take the 4 points, have the Suns take the 2-0 lead.
Good Luck
nba playoff wednesday:
Phoenix -4-------- 2 Units
haven't decided on NJ/MIA game yet. lean towards the under.
--I like the Suns on their home floor. I understand all the talk how the Clippers will slow it down, and use their height advantage in rebounding and pounding it down low. Thing is, thats every teams gameplan against the Suns, this isn't anything new. The Suns will always be outrebounded as well, that doesn't make any difference.
Suns are 3-1 ATS and SU against the Clippers the last 4 meetings.
-- The Suns outscored the Clippers in the paint in game 1. Diaw, Barbosa, these guys are incredibly difficult to defend.
Elton Brand, they displayed the stat the other night in the game, scores 70% of his points on mid-range jumpers and outside of the paint. He scored 40 points on 80% shooting the other night, its not like he can play any better and impact the game more than he did in game 1.
Every team in the league tries to pound it inside and slow down the tempo to slow down the Suns. It is pretty difficult.
Suns are the highest scoring team in the league, highest scoring team on their home floor, best free throw shooting team, and make the most 3's per game. It's hard to do.
When the Suns lost 3 games against the Lakers, I have a hard time believing it had so much to do with the Lakers master gameplan as much as it had to do with an unexperienced Barbosa, Diaw, Jones... guys like that just not playing and shooting that well. Hell, even Nash didn't shoot that great in a couple of the Suns losses. It wasn't because Smooch Parker and Vujusic were on him like a glove, cuz they weren't. He just flat out missed some bunnies and open jumpers.
I do believe the Clippers will TRY to slow it down, TRY. They still defensively on the road are 12th in the league, giving up 98.1 PPG. The suns score 109 PPG at home.
Also, The Suns automatically will outscore the Clippers from behind the arc and at the free throw line. Phoenix on an off night is going to drill 9 3's, while the Clippers on a GREAT night will hit 6 or 7. At the free throw line, The Suns are the best in the league at 82%... the clippers on a good night will shoot in the 70's. The Suns have a clear scoring advantage from these 2 areas in every game.
The Clippers have to defend the 3 point line... and when they do, athletically they don't matchup, they have height, but they aren't as athletic to defend these guys... with Diaw, Barbosa, nash... those 3 will just drive the lane and either get a layup... or kick it backout to Thomas or someone else for an open 3.
It's a nightmare matchup for any team IMO. While the Clippers have this big height advantage, what good does that do them defensively against a 3 point shooting team? All it does is allow them to score points inside, which they were outscored in game 1 inside, and the Suns really don't care about that anyway since they just try to outscore you.
I just can't imagine how frustrating it has to be to play that perfectly, 59% from the floor and still get beat.
I still believe they only way you slow down Phoenix's offense is pray that they just don't shoot the ball well. You don't stop them IMO, but they could just flat out not shoot well, that happens to all shooters.
Too much momentum and rhythm right now at home.
I'll take the 4 points, have the Suns take the 2-0 lead.
Good Luck