Suns are a flawed team. I fully expect Cassell and Livingston to have there way with Nash. Brand and Kaman should dominate inside.
The clippers need to execute the same game plan as the Lakers. Suns just played intense 7 game series while clippers were resting at home. I like Clippers to advance to the finals.
The clippers need to execute the same game plan as the Lakers. Suns just played intense 7 game series while clippers were resting at home. I like Clippers to advance to the finals.
Slowing the Suns down is easier said then done...they constantly attack and have shooters at every position. They may be flawed, but this team still won 54 games during the season.
Don't let that Lakers series fool you. The Lakers played out of their minds in their wins. Kwame Brown, Smush Parker, and Luke Walton all played above their potential. Even with the perfect games they played, they barely squeeked out wins. This was with Marion being non existant...that won't happen often.
When Marion played like himself and the Lakers played like themselves, we saw what happened. The Clippers won't have the same luxury of watching Marion disappear. He is back on track.
The Clippers led the league in least fast break points allowed and completely shut down the Nuggets running game. I don't think it will be nearly as easy to stop Phoenix because Phoenix has a team full of guys that can knock down 3's.
I have no doubt we will dominate inside which is half the battle in my opinion.
I love the Clippers in this series but was expecting to get +250 or higher. A little surprised at the low opening lines.
Don't let that Lakers series fool you. The Lakers played out of their minds in their wins. Kwame Brown, Smush Parker, and Luke Walton all played above their potential. Even with the perfect games they played, they barely squeeked out wins. This was with Marion being non existant...that won't happen often.
When Marion played like himself and the Lakers played like themselves, we saw what happened. The Clippers won't have the same luxury of watching Marion disappear. He is back on track.
The Clippers led the league in least fast break points allowed and completely shut down the Nuggets running game. I don't think it will be nearly as easy to stop Phoenix because Phoenix has a team full of guys that can knock down 3's.
I have no doubt we will dominate inside which is half the battle in my opinion.
I love the Clippers in this series but was expecting to get +250 or higher. A little surprised at the low opening lines.
The Suns were a long rebound and triple away from being eliminated to a the second worst team in the playoffs.
Marion was non existant b/c he was wasting all his time guarding Odom. + He was under the basket in the post which slowed him getting into transition.
I expect Brand to dominate. Just IMO.
Marion was non existant b/c he was wasting all his time guarding Odom. + He was under the basket in the post which slowed him getting into transition.
I expect Brand to dominate. Just IMO.
oldirtyku said:
Brand dominated in the regular season against the Suns and will do so again in the playoffs...they have no one that can guard him. But that doesn't always equal wins. I think the Suns know Brand will get his, but Brand will also have trouble stepping out and guarding his matchup outside.
Brand and Kaman sit in the paint and rebound and block shots. They have a difficult time stepping out on the perimeter and guarding quick players.
The Suns will counter with 3's for our post play.
It will be a great series.
Duke 1 said:
I agree about the value...I was pretty shocked to say the least when the line came out.
As a Clipper fan though, I do believe we have a shot in this series. We split during the regular season going 2-2 with each team winning once on the others floor. The most recent game on April 5th we won at Phoenix without Cassel.
We will have a chance in every game. I can't wait for the series to start.
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<TABLE style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Recap
Shot Chart
Play-by-Play
Box Score
Leaders
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Shot Chart
Play-by-Play
Box Score
Leaders
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD style="BACKGROUND: #fa0028; TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=14>LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS</TD></TR><TR class=colhead align=right><TD align=left>STARTERS</TD><TD width="5%">MIN</TD><TD noWrap width="7%">FGM-A</TD><TD width="7%">3PM-A</TD><TD width="7%">FTM-A</TD><TD width="6%">OREB</TD><TD width="6%">DREB</TD><TD width="6%">REB</TD><TD width="6%">AST</TD><TD width="6%">STL</TD><TD width="6%">BLK</TD><TD width="6%">TO</TD><TD width="6%">PF</TD><TD width="6%">PTS</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Elton Brand, PF</TD><TD>41</TD><TD>14-23</TD><TD>0-0</TD><TD>6-7</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>15</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>34</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Vladimir Radmanovic, PF</TD><TD>38</TD><TD>4-9</TD><TD>3-6</TD><TD>0-0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>11</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Chris Kaman, C</TD><TD>28</TD><TD>4-9</TD><TD>0-0</TD><TD>3-4</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>11</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Quinton Ross, SF</TD><TD>24</TD><TD>4-7</TD><TD>0-0</TD><TD>4-4</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>12</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Shaun Livingston, PG</TD><TD>36</TD><TD>5-10</TD><TD>0-0</TD><TD>2-4</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>13</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>12</TD></TR><TR class=colhead align=right><TD align=left>BENCH</TD><TD width="5%">MIN</TD><TD noWrap width="7%">FGM-A</TD><TD width="7%">3PM-A</TD><TD width="7%">FTM-A</TD><TD width="6%">OREB</TD><TD width="6%">DREB</TD><TD width="6%">REB</TD><TD width="6%">AST</TD><TD width="6%">STL</TD><TD width="6%">BLK</TD><TD width="6%">TO</TD><TD width="6%">PF</TD><TD width="6%">PTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Cuttino Mobley, SG</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>6-11</TD><TD>0-0</TD><TD>0-0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>12</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Corey Maggette, GF</TD><TD>29</TD><TD>7-11</TD><TD>2-2</TD><TD>7-10</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>23</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Daniel Ewing, G</TD><TD>13</TD><TD>2-4</TD><TD>0-1</TD><TD>0-0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>4</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>James Singleton, F</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>0-0</TD><TD>0-0</TD><TD>0-0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>0</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Sam Cassell, PG</TD><TD style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=13>DNP HYPEREXTENDED RIGHT KNEE</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Walter McCarty, F</TD><TD style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=13>DNP COACH'S DECISION</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Zeljko Rebraca, C</TD><TD style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=13>DNP COACH'S DECISION</TD></TR><TR class=colhead align=right><TD align=left>TOTALS</TD><TD></TD><TD noWrap>FGM-A</TD><TD>3PM-A</TD><TD>FTM-A</TD><TD>OREB</TD><TD>DREB</TD><TD>REB</TD><TD>AST</TD><TD>STL</TD><TD>BLK</TD><TD>TO</TD><TD>PF</TD><TD>PTS</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD align=left colSpan=2></TD><TD>46-84</TD><TD>5-9</TD><TD>22-29</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>44</TD><TD>53</TD><TD>24</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>12</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>119</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD align=left colSpan=2></TD><TD>54.8%</TD><TD>55.6%</TD><TD>75.9%</TD><TD colSpan=9>Team TO (pts off): 12 (14)</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow><TD colSpan=14> </TD></TR><TR class=stathead><TD style="BACKGROUND: #23006a; TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=14>PHOENIX SUNS</TD></TR><TR class=colhead align=right><TD align=left>STARTERS</TD><TD width="5%">MIN</TD><TD noWrap width="7%">FGM-A</TD><TD width="7%">3PM-A</TD><TD width="7%">FTM-A</TD><TD width="6%">OREB</TD><TD width="6%">DREB</TD><TD width="6%">REB</TD><TD width="6%">AST</TD><TD width="6%">STL</TD><TD width="6%">BLK</TD><TD width="6%">TO</TD><TD width="6%">PF</TD><TD width="6%">PTS</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>James Jones, SF</TD><TD>19</TD><TD>1-4</TD><TD>1-2</TD><TD>0-0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>3</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Shawn Marion, F</TD><TD>42</TD><TD>6-17</TD><TD>0-3</TD><TD>4-4</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>15</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>16</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Boris Diaw, FC</TD><TD>39</TD><TD>12-15</TD><TD>0-0</TD><TD>0-1</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>7</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>24</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Raja Bell, SG</TD><TD>35</TD><TD>4-18</TD><TD>2-9</TD><TD>0-0</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>10</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Steve Nash, PG</TD><TD>32</TD><TD>4-11</TD><TD>1-4</TD><TD>0-1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>9</TD></TR><TR class=colhead align=right><TD align=left>BENCH</TD><TD width="5%">MIN</TD><TD noWrap width="7%">FGM-A</TD><TD width="7%">3PM-A</TD><TD width="7%">FTM-A</TD><TD width="6%">OREB</TD><TD width="6%">DREB</TD><TD width="6%">REB</TD><TD width="6%">AST</TD><TD width="6%">STL</TD><TD width="6%">BLK</TD><TD width="6%">TO</TD><TD width="6%">PF</TD><TD width="6%">PTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Tim Thomas, F</TD><TD>26</TD><TD>3-10</TD><TD>2-6</TD><TD>0-0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>8</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Leandro Barbosa, PG</TD><TD>32</TD><TD>6-12</TD><TD>3-4</TD><TD>4-4</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>19</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Eddie House, SG</TD><TD>15</TD><TD>6-13</TD><TD>4-9</TD><TD>0-0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>16</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Brian Grant, FC</TD><TD style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=13>DNP COACH'S DECISION</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Amare Stoudemire, FC</TD><TD style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=13>DNP KNEE INJURY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Nikoloz Tskitishvili, PF</TD><TD style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=13>DNP COACH'S DECISION</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD noWrap align=left>Pat Burke, FC</TD><TD style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=13>DNP COACH'S DECISION</TD></TR><TR class=colhead align=right><TD align=left>TOTALS</TD><TD></TD><TD noWrap>FGM-A</TD><TD>3PM-A</TD><TD>FTM-A</TD><TD>OREB</TD><TD>DREB</TD><TD>REB</TD><TD>AST</TD><TD>STL</TD><TD>BLK</TD><TD>TO</TD><TD>PF</TD><TD>PTS</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD align=left colSpan=2></TD><TD>42-100</TD><TD>13-37</TD><TD>8-10</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>27</TD><TD>38</TD><TD>20</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>20</TD><TD>105</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD align=left colSpan=2></TD><TD>42.0%</TD><TD>35.1%</TD><TD>80.0%</TD><TD colSpan=9>Team TO (pts off): 9 (7)</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow><TD colSpan=14> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Flagrant Fouls: None
Technicals: None
Officials: Eric Lewis , Joe Derosa , Mark Wunderlich
Attendance: 18,422
Time: 02:14
You match up the players, I would take Nash over Cassell in a boatrace type mismatch, I would take Bell over Mobley, I would take Diaw easily over Kaman, I would take Marion over Brand and gimme a break on the 5th one. A huge mismatch again for the Suns. Jones way better than Ross. Then on to the bench, and I give another edge to the suns here. Barbosa and Maggette a wash is being kind, i think Barbosa is the better player, and Livingston can't shoot making Thomas the better option for the suns as the 7th man type. Coaching is about a wash I would say and home court to the suns. To say they match up well with the Clippers is a huge understatement.
I expect a lot of games like the one above. The Clippers will shoot a high percentage and pound the ball inside. We will have a ton more free throw attempts than Phoenix.
The Suns will live and die on the permiter shooting 3's. If they try and drive, they will not have near the success they had against the Lakers and other teams in the league.
The Suns will live and die on the permiter shooting 3's. If they try and drive, they will not have near the success they had against the Lakers and other teams in the league.
royalfan said:
:lolBIG:
Give them the edge where??? Basketball isn't played on 1 end of the floor and only outside the 3 point line.
Give me Kaman at center any day of the week over Diaw.
Brand and Marion might be a wash in some categories, but as far as toughness and a rebounding presence that will be needed at the PF spot, I'll take Brand.
Again, Jones is better offensively than Ross but Ross is a much better defender. As for a combo, give me Radmanovich/Ross over anything the Suns will put out there.
Mobley is a clown...you win the edge there no matter who is on the floor. But expect Maggette to make up for Mobley's weaknesses.
Cassell against Nash will be a key...Nash wins this battle obviously, but Cassell has to put up a fight. The X Factor is Livingston and he will be huge.
I'll take our matchups at almost every position when you factor in the bench. The only one that is a toss up is at the 2 guard simply because Barbosa coming off the bench is a stud. But is he better than Maggette??? I don't think so.
But let's look at the first 3 off the bench:
Maggette
Radmanovich
Livingston
You won't find a better 1-8 in basketball in my opinion.
I like the Clips here. I believe Brand & Kaman will take advantage of the Suns lack of size (due to injuries).
Sam is good enough to put it all together and knows how to lead & win.
:money8:
:money::toast:
Sam is good enough to put it all together and knows how to lead & win.
:money8:
:money::toast:
obviously, if it is a shootout, this plays into the suns favor. the reason this series price is so low is because the lakers supposedly exposed the suns weak interior game. remember, and listen to kobe's postgame comments, he thinks that the lakers played at their peak potential when they were up 3-1. in reality, the suns won this series (5-2) and really hit their stride the last 3 games. i like the clippers as a team, but they played a horrible, gutless, team in the nuggets. also cassell and mobley can become "cancers" to a team when things arent going well. i still like the suns in 6, and on value alone, the suns are a very good play for the series.
Clip Joint said:
I told you exactly where I think they have the edge. Each and every matchup they have the better basketball player. It isn't as simple as saying you would take Kaman over Diaw as a center. The suns don't play typical type ball. You honestly think, Kaman is better than Diaw as a basketball player? You honestly think Brand is a better basketball player than Marion? You honestly think Cassell can even flirt with Nash? You honestly think that Ross against Jones isn't a huge one in favore of the Suns? And you don't think that Barbosa and Thomas can at least wash out the Clippers bench? Which of these don't you agree with. Suns are the better team have the better players at each postion and the home court. By the way you said Brand is the better rebounding presence. I will take Marion to out rebound him in the series for up to 2000 if you want.
And what do you mean by saying you will take the Clippers matchup at every position when figuring in the bench? That is ludicrous. So you think that Cassell/Livingston is better than Nash/House? That is some funny shit. You think that Brand is better than Matrix? Some more funny stuff. Not to mention Phoenix dominates the two guard matchup. Only position clippers might be better is when Maggette is playing the three.
Why does Livingston look hesitant to shoot every Clippers game I've seen?? I know he's young but he looks shaky to me like he's trying so hard not to mess up. I think this maybe the difference in the series. Better hope the Clippers get maximum minutes out of Cassell. The Suns bench has the advantage here and may push them to the conference title.
