Suns vs. Clippers Game 1

[krocket]

Looks like game 7 will go to the Suns no doubt. Here's the pre-celebration thread! I say Suns in 6 for this series vs. the Clips!

[ak47num1]

How can you be so sure? :lol:

Did you see Kobe hit those crazy shots at the end? It is anything but guaranteed, IMHO.

[M.D.]

it will be an all Los Angeles semis, the games have been coming down to the wire and you know what kobe can do when its a 1 possession game.

[gei]

Kobe is a decent player, but you can't compare him to the reigning MVP, Steve Nash.

For those who would argue... think of this:

If you took Kobe Bryant out of the current Laker team, and put Steve Nash on the team instead... do you think the team would do better or worse? I think the team would definitely do better. Meaning, Steve Nash is the better player.

It's not really fair comparing the two. Sure Kobe has great skills, but as a team player, he isn't even in the same league as Nash.

[gilboman]

Kobe is a decent player, but you can't compare him to the reigning MVP, Steve Nash.

For those who would argue... think of this:

If you took Kobe Bryant out of the current Laker team, and put Steve Nash on the team instead... do you think the team would do better or worse? I think the team would definitely do better. Meaning, Steve Nash is the better player.



a lot worse. kobe has shown he is able to pass just as well as nash if not better in this series. kobe has outplayed nash by a huge margin in this series.

steve nash is a good PG, but he is nowhere near the all around player kobe is. not to mention steve nash doesnt have the killer instinct like kobe nor a next level like kobe or clutch performance like kobe.

[gei]

it will be an all Los Angeles semis, the games have been coming down to the wire and you know what kobe can do when its a 1 possession game.

Lakers barely scraped their way into the playoffs. Sure Kobe can knock down a few clutch shots at home.... but playing back in Phoenix, they have no chance.

[M.D.]

Lakers barely scraped their way into the playoffs. Sure Kobe can knock down a few clutch shots at home.... but playing back in Phoenix, they have no chance.
ok, they're the 7th seed which is not the last seed. A reminder that they won 2 out of their 3 games in phoenix..

[Kirilenko47]

I really hope the OP is right on his prediction. As exciting as a Lakers/Clippers series would be, I'm just more of a Suns fan right now. I'll still be rooting for the Clips in the 2nd round regardless of who they play. The Clips are my 2nd favourite team next to the Raps.

[botai]

Kobe is a decent player, but you can't compare him to the reigning MVP, Steve Nash.

For those who would argue... think of this:

If you took Kobe Bryant out of the current Laker team, and put Steve Nash on the team instead... do you think the team would do better or worse? I think the team would definitely do better. Meaning, Steve Nash is the better player.

It's not really fair comparing the two. Sure Kobe has great skills, but as a team player, he isn't even in the same league as Nash.

i think the only reason lakers are in the playoffs are because of well phil jackson and kobe....

if nash was in there... well they wouldn't be able to run the same offense as they do in phoenix because well lakers are not stacked with shooters.... phoenix strives with nash because of whole their team is buillt... not taking anything away from nash... but if you put nash on lets say... denver... then he'd help them out but they certainly wouldnt be at the same caliber as the suns

[FuNPoLiCe001]

a lot worse. kobe has shown he is able to pass just as well as nash if not better in this series. kobe has outplayed nash by a huge margin in this series.

steve nash is a good PG, but he is nowhere near the all around player kobe is. not to mention steve nash doesnt have the killer instinct like kobe nor a next level like kobe or clutch performance like kobe.

You seriously need to get off Kobe's pole. How exactly has Kobe outplayed Nash in this series? I completely agree that Kobe's the more complete and better all around player, but Nash hasn't had to guard anyone in this series because Smush Parker has been a non factor. Likewise, Kobe hasn't been asked to shut down anyone.

Have the Lakers demolished the Suns? Nope, every game has been excitingly close and the series is tied 3 all

Is he shutting down Nash? Nope, not guarding him

Is he putting up statistically superior numbers to Nash? Not really

Kobe's line: 28.5/5.8/6.7, 1.33 steals, 0.33 blocks, , 49.6% FG, 37% from 3, 5 TO's a game
Nash's line: 23.7/9.7/4, 0.33 steals, 0 blocks, 51.06% FG, 38.7% from 3, 3.5 TO's a game

I'd say that the Lakers were outplaying the Suns in games 1-4 not because Kobe was great, but because he stuck to Phil's game plan and his teammates stepped up. The Suns had and still have no answer for Odom and Brown in the inside, and they've dominated whenever they go to them.

But the game last night, the suns got it going early in the 3rd and you could see his teammates tighten up a bit, and Kobe tried to put the team on his shoulders. He carried them and hit some ridiculous shots, but as great as he was, he couldn't beat the Suns by himself.

Now if Kobe comes back saturday, and I quote Bill Simmons:


Which reminds me, if Kobe doesn't completely eviscerate Bell in Game 7, everyone on the planet is banned from making any more Kobe-MJ comparisons. We all know that MJ would have dropped 55 on Bell, shut down Nash on the other end and disemboweled D'Antoni for good measure. Kobe, if you're going to steal MJ's fist clench/shake from Game 1 of the 1998 Finals without asking, you need to take this all the way. You cannot lose Game 7. You can't. Even if you're playing 4-on-5 and Jax keeps refusing to play Vujacic.

Then yeah, you can say that Kobe has outplayed Nash in this series. At this point however, it's a toss up. You could actually make a case that if anything Nash has shown that he's a superior leader to Kobe. Kobe played team ball, and they won. However, when Kobe decided to turn it up, lead the charge and win the game his teammates were unable to follow. Nash on the other hand not only turned it up himself, but got his teammates to kick it up a gear with him, and that's why we're going to have a game 7.

[gordholio]

I take the Suns over the LA Clippers. Nash will pull them through.

[Mintmaster]

i think the only reason lakers are in the playoffs are because of well phil jackson and kobe....

if nash was in there... well they wouldn't be able to run the same offense as they do in phoenix because well lakers are not stacked with shooters.... phoenix strives with nash because of whole their team is buillt... not taking anything away from nash... but if you put nash on lets say... denver... then he'd help them out but they certainly wouldnt be at the same caliber as the suns
Hindsight is 20/20, isn't it?

At the beginning of the season when it was announced that Stoudamire was out, people thought they'd barely squeak into the playoffs. The Lakers, though, were expected to make it, or at least make it close.

The Suns lost Q, Joe Johnson, Stoudamire, etc and had a bunch of no-names take their place. Look at Jim Jackson on the Lakers vs. last season with the Suns. Nash makes everybody better, period. D'Antoni and Nash created shooters, they didn't get stacked with them. Can you imagine Odom playing with Nash? He'd be friggin machine.

The Suns are without question an overacheiving team. They have such an enormous deficit in size, and even with Amare last year it hurt them badly against the Spurs. No other team in the league at their size is even close to their success. The Lakers are maybe slightly exceeding expectations, but no more. When Kobe give more responsibility to his teammates, it's questionable whether they're any worse off. His value to the success of the team pales in comparison to Nowitzki, Nash, LeBron, or Shaq.

[gordholio]

Hindsight is 20/20, isn't it?

At the beginning of the season when it was announced that Stoudamire was out, people thought they'd barely squeak into the playoffs. The Lakers, though, were expected to make it, or at least make it close.

The Suns lost Q, Joe Johnson, Stoudamire, etc and had a bunch of no-names take their place. Look at Jim Jackson on the Lakers vs. last season with the Suns. Nash makes everybody better, period. D'Antoni and Nash created shooters, they didn't get stacked with them. Can you imagine Odom playing with Nash? He'd be friggin machine.

The Suns are without question an overacheiving team. They have such an enormous deficit in size, and even with Amare last year it hurt them badly against the Spurs. No other team in the league at their size is even close to their success. The Lakers are maybe slightly exceeding expectations, but no more. When Kobe give more responsibility to his teammates, it's questionable whether they're any worse off. His value to the success of the team pales in comparison to Nowitzki, Nash, LeBron, or Shaq.

When it comes to size, Nash shows that it's not as important as some people make it. :)

[Hanniganite]

a lot worse. kobe has shown he is able to pass just as well as nash if not better in this series.


So? It's the fact that he's not doing it that makes him a poorer player. Sure he has the skills to score 50 but what's that do? Oh right, earn you a loss at home when you could've put away the team missing its best defender. Just because he has the ability to do so doesn't mean he's a good player. Lots of players have potential to do things but it's the ones that actually execute that matter. Lakers are a better team when the rapist is sharing the ball and the rest of the team contributes. And don't use the whole 'he has no decent teammates wah wah wah' excuse. The games they won this series has already proven what playing as a team can do.

[babysham]

Regardless of who wins tomorrow night, this series has been one of the best first round series I've seen in a loooooong time...

[Gdog]

Phoenix will win...because Kobe will not be able to stick with the triangle...he's going to want to go 1 on 1 versus Bell and ruin it for the Lakers. The momentum has definately shifted to Phoenix right now...they are the confident bunch and the Lakers are playing scared, desperate basketball.

Nash deserves the MVP over Kobe. Nash has made his teammates better plus this year's numbers have improved from last year.

[Hanniganite]

Argh, the game's on the score which means I wont' be able to watch it....&^%$#@!

[spike-spiegel]

Argh, looks like NO CHANNEL in Canada will be showing game 7. WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

One of the best playoff series of recent memory and no game 7 to listen or watch?!?!?!?!?! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[FuNPoLiCe001]

The Score, Channel 72 is showing the game

Suns are owning right now

[spike-spiegel]

The Score, Channel 72 is showing the game

Suns are owning right now

I don't get the Score, I guess I'm SOL... Guess I'll go to my friend's house or somewhere

[FuNPoLiCe001]

Kobe's killing it, he's hitting some ridiculous, ridiculous 3's

[StarStrike]

Kobe's killing it, he's hitting some ridiculous, ridiculous 3's


Are the suns winning though? That's all I care about lol. Go Nash Go! :cheesygri

[NDman]

Are the suns winning though? That's all I care about lol. Go Nash Go! :cheesygri
Suns by 15 at the half. That's the way Phoenix was hoping it would be before the series started -- Kobe can shoot all day as long as he keeps his teammates cold. Phil Jackson took everyone by surprise by making Kobe the distributer and it worked nicely for the first 4 games, maybe the 5th even. But today, it's the Kobe show so far and the Lakers are trailing big. I still think Bell's clothline triggered that

[Gdog]

I can't wait to see Kobe's face when LA loses...GO PHX!!!

[Geologic]

This game's done.. Suns are up by 24 with 7 minutes left. Kobe's been cold in the second half.

[Gdog]

This game's done.. Suns are up by 24 with 7 minutes left. Kobe's been cold in the second half.

Did you see that pass from Nash to Thomas? DAYUM...the game is over...time to unsubscribe to this thread. Later boys and girls!

[Bargain_Junkie]

D*MN!!! It wasn't shown in Vancouver unless you have channel 54 :mad:

Oh well at least the Suns won.

Nice to hear that the cocky arrogant prick rapist Kobe's season is done.

[Kirilenko47]

There goes the chances to a "hallway series".
HAHAHAH, I'm loving it. The Suns made an incredible comeback from 3 down. Now, I wonder if they have any energy left to match up against the Clips. Kaman and Brand are going to be tough for the Suns' "bigs".

Anyways, I'm a Clippers fan so GO CLIPS! Clips in 6.

[FuNPoLiCe001]

I only caught the 1st half, but looking at the box score I think it's safe to say that the other Lakers choked. Kobe was on fire in the 1st half, but for some reason stopped shooting in the second. Maybe he realized that they weren't going to win, so he decided to stop shooting so people can't criticise him for being a gunner. After the 1st half I thought that maybe Kobe would just go nuts and drop 60 on the Suns and make a game out of it, but alas...
On the other hand, he may have been honestly trying to get his teammates involved...which would have been a very bad decision on his (or Phil's) part since they were clearly playing a little tight and not hitting anything. Personally I think this was due to
a) inexperience and therefore inability to perform under pressure
b) a season long of watching Kobe shoot and expecting Kobe to carry them. They switched it up at first and surprised the Suns. Then the Suns finally adapted, got their uptempo game going and that was it. Even in Game 6 when Kobe was carrying them and just hitting ridiculous shots, the other guys looked hesitant to shoot and were just standing around. Old habits are hard die hard I guess.

[Mintmaster]

What's up with no posts in here about today's Suns-Clippers game 1? :lol:

This was one crazy shootout. Brand was unstoppable (40 pts on 22 shots!!!), and I was sure LA would win. The he sits out for two minutes, and Phoenix goes on a 19-6 run. Nash was great, and the whole team was clicking.

Still, I'm pretty worried about their chances. I don't know if they can make any big adjustments to stop him. I sure hope so. It'll be tough when the Suns hit the road, but I suppose as long as they win at home, it won't matter.