759 replies to this topic

[hunter]

Playing stellar so far without Marion and without Shaq, unexpectedly!! Wow. 100+ points w/o Marion in 3 straight games, and Amare is fucking shit up all over the stats.

Quotes from Shaq after his first practice:

• On his first practice: "A lot of running. This is something very different for me. I'll just have to get in tune to what everybody is doing. When you talk about being a great team, everybody has to be on the same page. I don't want to be the one who slows us up, even half a millisecond."


• On the Suns' system: "This system involves a lot of moment. The other one was just standing - pound, pound, pound. I think it's going to be good for me playing the open game with the greatest point guard and one of the greatest power forwards to play the game."


• On his conditioning: "It was terrible. I haven't done anything in a month. But I'm in pretty good shape so it'll probably take me a few more days to get into 'em. The good thing about these guys here is they tell me when I'm comfortable, when I'm at 100 percent, I can join them. But I'm going to be out here working hard every day, working out two times a day at 24 Hour Fitness, just try to get out there with my new teammates."


• On his injured hip: "I felt a little bit. We're going to go in there and do some treatment. It's feeling better than it did before. I'm really comfortable with alternative-style treatments that we're doing."


• On when might play: "I don't want to say. I want to get my wind to at least 75-80 percent and I want to be in tune to the offense so I'm going to be going over the offense every day. I'm going to be watching films. I'm not going to rush anything. This is already a fine-tuned machine. Any little negative kink could throw it off. I don't want to be the negative kink. So I want to step in like I've been with this team the last three years. I have to make sure everything's right."


• On the practice: "It was different. It was very intense. I learned a lot. I had fun. Now, I can see why they can go at the pace they play at. When you just do short bursts like this, then you can save it all for the games. I look to have a lot of energy for the people here in Phoenix who are expecting a lot out of me. I expect them to continue to be loud and get a little more louder. It's going to be a fun journey for all of us."

[guitarduane]

(A couple of sidenotes ... Marion actually put the kibosh on the Suns getting Garnett over the summer. Also, did anyone know that Oliver Miller played briefly for the Harlem Globetrotters - wow!)

actually, i believe minn. put the kibosh on that trade by requesting amare instead of marion. i remember marion saying he didn't want to go to minn. or boston, but it was irrelevant, because those teams would only talk trade if amare was in the deal and the suns said no way.

[eraser]

I think the key to getting the most out of Shaq will be figuring out how to slice up his minutes.

Between physical considerations (both keeping up and just being aware of a body that's been playing NBA ball for 16 years) and foul trouble, you'd figure that Shaq is going to put in something like 30-35 minutes per game.

actually, i believe minn. put the kibosh on that trade by requesting amare instead of marion. i remember marion saying he didn't want to go to minn. or boston, but it was irrelevant, because those teams would only talk trade if amare was in the deal and the suns said no way.

Ah! Thanks for noting that / clarifying ... yeah, that would've been a horrible trade to have included Amare.

[hunter]

I think Shaq will be putting in around 25 max, 20 most likely per game. Who knows though. Wed or Thu (thu most likely) we'll know

[capharnaum]

to clarify:
it was reported that the suns offered amare for kg straight up
and minnesota wanted nothing to do with that trade.
too selfish with potentially bad knees down the road

i still don't like this trade i'm very skeptical
especially when we get a beat up 38 year old
on the books for $20 mil in a couple of years
at least if they don't get the championship
nobody will be able to say
"why didn't they make a move before the playoffs?"

[guitarduane]

what's up in dallas? 5 players (4 if you don't count stackhouse and you probably shouldn't), 3 million and 2 first round draft picks for kidd and one player no one knows!?! i guess since a few of the contracts are expiring, the money works out. seems like dallas gave up a lot for kidd. i'm not saying kidd isn't good, but i don't think he is the missing piece in dallas. i guess it's another "wait and see".

is this going to be the best post-season for the west ever? i think so.

[The Real Jeffrey Lebowski]

what's up in dallas? 5 players (4 if you don't count stackhouse and you probably shouldn't), 3 million and 2 first round draft picks for kidd and one player no one knows!?! i guess since a few of the contracts are expiring, the money works out. seems like dallas gave up a lot for kidd. i'm not saying kidd isn't good, but i don't think he is the missing piece in dallas. i guess it's another "wait and see".

is this going to be the best post-season for the west ever? i think so.

I don't know - it worked so well the first time he was there...

[jesse]

what's up in dallas? 5 players (4 if you don't count stackhouse and you probably shouldn't), 3 million and 2 first round draft picks for kidd and one player no one knows!?! i guess since a few of the contracts are expiring, the money works out. seems like dallas gave up a lot for kidd. i'm not saying kidd isn't good, but i don't think he is the missing piece in dallas. i guess it's another "wait and see".

is this going to be the best post-season for the west ever? i think so.

I don't know - it worked so well the first time he was there...

yeah, cause dallas was a really good team the first time he was there.

man, the mavs are my favorite team. and i really don't like this trade.
but stackhouse should (more than likely) be back on dallas after 30 days.
i just hate giving up devin harris.

also, the best post-season for the west was two years ago. lots of game 7s and good matchups.
this year should be interesting.

[hunter]

even if the trade is approved, stackhouse wouldn't be allowed to be on the playoff roster, from what i've heard. diop sucks.

[jesse]

even if the trade is approved, stackhouse wouldn't be allowed to be on the playoff roster, from what i've heard. diop sucks.

sources?

because that is not what i have heard anywhere. in fact, that wouldn't even make sense.

[The Real Jeffrey Lebowski]

D'oh!

I like Dirk, but you can keep the rest of those clowns. Kidd, Stackhouse, George - it doesn't matter, none of them are going anywhere. Mark Cuban is a shit head, and definitely somewhere in my top five list of people I never want to see get a ring in professional sports. And if I'm proven to be wrong and they do manage to win (or make it out of the first round of the playoffs again), I'll be happy to eat my words.



Go Suns.

[jesse]

the only reason i don't like cuban is because he let steve nash go.
dallas probably would have won a championship if they still had nash.

[Danosaur]

the only reason i don't like cuban is because he let steve nash go.
dallas probably would have won a championship if they still had nash.

hmmm i doubt that. Nash was not a good fit for that team...part of what maks Nash so good now is the players he plays with. Besides Dirk on the Mavs i would argue there isn't really anyone else that is much of a threat...maybe Finley...wait..does Finley still play for the Mavs?

[jesse]

the only reason i don't like cuban is because he let steve nash go.
dallas probably would have won a championship if they still had nash.

hmmm i doubt that. Nash was not a good fit for that team...part of what maks Nash so good now is the players he plays with. Besides Dirk on the Mavs i would argue there isn't really anyone else that is much of a threat...maybe Finley...wait..does Finley still play for the Mavs?

finley hasn't played on the mavs for a few years.

and not a good fit? they won 60 games and went to the western conference finals with nash.

[Danosaur]

the only reason i don't like cuban is because he let steve nash go.
dallas probably would have won a championship if they still had nash.

hmmm i doubt that. Nash was not a good fit for that team...part of what maks Nash so good now is the players he plays with. Besides Dirk on the Mavs i would argue there isn't really anyone else that is much of a threat...maybe Finley...wait..does Finley still play for the Mavs?

finley hasn't played on the mavs for a few years.

and not a good fit? they won 60 games and went to the western conference finals with nash.

so then why did they get rid of him...the team nash is on now has a much higher quality of players...we will see how Shaq adds to this though an if he will help ut or slw down the suns style