Is it safe to say that the Suns and Mavs are no longer part of the "Big 3?"

Joey Bungle

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#26
Oh, Mavs lose 3 straight, including agianst Rockets at home without Yao, & Suns lost again today at home to Utah after Nuggets did a great defensive number on them.:)

until the Hornets win a play-off series they arent even in the "big 8"

write off Dallas and the Suns at your own peril.there is a huge difference between shitty regular season games in feb/mar and the play-offs and both of those teams have that play-off experience behind them.
 

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jerry springer

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#27
Oh, Mavs lose 3 straight, including agianst Rockets at home without Yao, & Suns lost again today at home to Utah after Nuggets did a great defensive number on them.:)
so let me get this straight.It was the nuggets defense that beat the Suns in Utah?
 
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#28
I think the Suns are cactus and possibly won't even make the playoffs.

Marion just gave them so much - like I said when the trade occurred, I have no idea why didn't do the STAT for Garnett trade with Minny in the off-season, because Garnett/Marion/Nash is a perfect fit and improves them defensively being that Garnett, unlike Amare, can actually play good defense.

Shaq and Nash don't mesh, and now that they've lost Marion there isn't a single decent defender on the team. They were already getting torched by opposing point guards, and now they're going to be getting torched by any half decent swingman in the league, and there's a stack of them out West (McGrady, Kobe, Ginobli for starters).

I think Phoenix have made a huge mistake - but either way, they weren't going to do anything WITH Marion anyway.

With Dallas it isn't as simple - I'm not sold on the move, but this gives them some kind of running game - which might be a reaction to the way they got burned by Golden State last year. I don't think they're better, but I DO think they have another element to their gameplan now.

Honestly, I think GSW are flying under the radar - they have a pretty easy schedule and I'd back them to knock out either the Mavs or Suns in a playoff series at the moment.

But the big three now is quite clearly San Antonio, LA and Utah with the Hornets right there as well depending on how they stand up in the playoffs. Cant wait to see Chris Paul in the playoffs either.
 

celtic_pride

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#29
To be fair, The Suns probably had to trade Marion, cause clearly he and Stoudamire weren't getting along, and there was bad team chemestry problems, however they should have gotten something much better for him IMHO.

Still i wouldn't count the suns out yet, although it's not looking good right now, they should make the playoffs comfortably and who knows from there ??
 
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#30
To be honest, I'd be much more confident if/when the Celtics play the Lakers in the finals, instead of the Spurs ..

I just think Boston have the pieces to cover Kobe and Gasol etc, but Timmy D and Parker and the other trophy hardened Spurs would be a much tougher proposition IMHO ...
Don't forget the fact that Boston has absolutely thrashed the Lakers both times they've played this season.

Boston won't beat Spurs in the Finals imo - the Spurs just have too good a mix of players to go down to Boston.

That's assuming either team gets there though - I remember a couple years back when the Kings acquired Artest and they still had Bonzi Wells, they absolutely brutalised the Spurs backcourt by playing big physical guards.

That's why I think Detroit is the real sleeper team - the Spurs role players have gotten a bit too old, but definitely good enough to make it to the finals - whereas the Pistons have re-tooled their bench a bit and have a good mix of youth, and the "Big Four" of the Pistons are still in their prime.

I'm calling it now, Detroit Pistons 2008 NBA CHampions.
 

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super_phaser

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#40
After the great additions of Kyle Korver to Utah and Gasol to the lakers, the Suns and Mavs panicked.

They traded away their title hopes with desperations moves, bringing in guys at are mid 30's and a shadow of their former selves. Neither player is a good fit for their current teams

Thats the difference. Korver is perfect for Utah, and Gasol fits well at L.A.


Suns and Mavs - no shot at the title
 

Look2Me4Guidance

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#41
After the great additions of Kyle Korver to Utah and Gasol to the lakers, the Suns and Mavs panicked.

They traded away their title hopes with desperations moves, bringing in guys at are mid 30's and a shadow of their former selves. Neither plays for their current teams

Thats the difference. Korver is perfect for Utah, and Gasol fits well at L.A.


Suns and Mavs - no shot at the title
Does Club: Unlisted have a shot?
 

super_phaser

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#42
I think the Lakers, and Jazz could be promoted to being the new "Western Big 3" along with the Spurs.

.

Absolutrly spot on

The Lakers, Jazz and Spurs are the big 3

One of these teams will win the West. Everyone else is just wasting their time.

You will also notice that these three clubs also made very smart acquisitions -

Jazz - Korver
Lakers - Gasol
Spurs - Thomas and Stoudamire


This is a far cry from the terrible trades thet Phoenix and Dallas engineered.
 
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#45
It amuses me all these people writing the Suns off. I never really rated the Mavs a chance, simply because it's pretty clear they aren't real happy with AJ, so they could have traded for just about anyone and I don't think it would have made much difference.

The Suns however, will be quite happy for everyone to write them off. I don't think they'd be wanting to give away too many secrets prior to the playoffs anyway, but they are a better chance of winning one now were before they traded for Shaq. Mark my words, if Steve Nash can keep his fitness up, they'll still be there when the whips are cracking at the end. They won't go out in the first round thats for sure.
 

Look2Me4Guidance

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#46
It amuses me all these people writing the Suns off. I never really rated the Mavs a chance, simply because it's pretty clear they aren't real happy with AJ, so they could have traded for just about anyone and I don't think it would have made much difference.

The Suns however, will be quite happy for everyone to write them off. I don't think they'd be wanting to give away too many secrets prior to the playoffs anyway, but they are a better chance of winning one now were before they traded for Shaq. Mark my words, if Steve Nash can keep his fitness up, they'll still be there when the whips are cracking at the end. They won't go out in the first round thats for sure.

This man speaks the truth.
 

super_phaser

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#47
Yet another hater who will be made a believer.
Not a hater at all. I love Shaq. One of my favotire all time players

At his peak, he was probbaly my favorite player to watch just for his sheer power inside

Of course, the year is now 2008 and he resembles Oliver Miller more than Shaquille O'Neal
 
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