Comments on: Reflections on a Rival: The Phoenix Suns

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By: Graydon Gordian

Graydon Gordian — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:37:52 +0000

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By: Pablo

Pablo — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 21:36:44 +0000

I had attended only one and unique NBA game in my life, a Suns@Spurs playoff in the Alamodome, near ‘96 or ‘97, during a short work trip to the US. Jason Kidd was playing for the Suns then, the Admiral and Little General for SA. So, being an Argentine, I started to be a SA’ fan even before knowing about Manu. I’d also started to consider the Suns as a rival. Years after I learned to consider them as the worst ever rival. They usually scared me, they were supposed to be able to beat us! and our victories were more sweet due to the rivalry. So, in certain way I’m a little sad seeing them falling down. We should ask Steve Kerr to improve his roster in order to feel the old emotions.

By: Will

Will — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:04:14 +0000

Re: the rivalry with the Suns, even if they didn’t beat the Spurs recently I’d say it still counts because of a) the number of close calls and b) the controversy (e.g. Horry’s foul on Nash or Stoudemire trash talk on Bowen). The rivalry with Dallas is probably easier to feel for people actually living in Texas (not my case!)

Re: defense, I’d say that “defense wins championships” is a better way of saying “no defense loses championships”. Of course a team still needs to score points to win (d’oh!) but it’s a reality that champions produce a great defensive effort (recently Spurs, Detroit, any team with Shaq). But I agree it’s claim that’s quite “intangible” (like Manu or Bowen being more important than their stats

By: David

David — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 04:39:18 +0000

Re: defense wins championships

Look at some numbers that debunk this. Left this off my last post.

http://kevinbroom.wordpress.com/2007/05/07/does-defense-win-championships/

By: David

David — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 04:35:52 +0000

“As we know, defense wins championships,…”

I’ve have never seen any proof of this assertion. Show me the numbers, the statistics. It’s just a cliche. You need to score more points than you give up to win a basketball game. It’s that simple.

By: Gianluca

Gianluca — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 04:19:38 +0000

Just because you meet often in the playoffs doesn’t make the match-up a rivalry..

The Lakers are a rivalry.. we’ve beaten them, they’ve beaten us.

The Mavs are a rivalry.. we’ve beaten them, they’ve beaten us.

The Suns have only beaten the Spurs once in the last 15 years (Duncan injured).

How many of the current Suns players were on that 2000 team?

By: ChillFAN

ChillFAN — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 04:16:05 +0000

You can lead a horse to water….As an Aggie who considers Tech and Texas both rivals, I don’t think its about records, but history. Think about it, if you had to choose one loss, would you rather the Spurs have lost against this past week, the Nets, Lakers, Jazz or Suns? And if you say, “no one” I know your a true Spurs fan.

By: InsideHoops.com

InsideHoops.com — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 04:11:49 +0000

The Suns need to decide if they’re really going for a championship right now, before it’s too late for Nash and Shaq, or not. And if so, they could use better role players.

By: Graydon Gordian

Graydon Gordian — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 03:32:15 +0000

In the last 17 years we have met 9 times in the playoffs. That is a rivalry that began before the Duncan era. I don’t know how I can make my point more clear.

By: Gianluca

Gianluca — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 03:25:34 +0000

*playoffs

By: Gianluca

Gianluca — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 03:25:01 +0000

In that case Portland & Houston (80’s-90’s), & Denver(70’s-80’s) are rivalries as well… what’s your point?

In the Duncan era, the Spurs have never lost to Phoenix when he is on the floor.

By: Graydon Gordian

Graydon Gordian — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 02:04:17 +0000

Gianluca,

Since 1992, the Spurs and Suns have met 9 times in the playoffs. The Suns have won 3 of those 9 meetings (1992, 1993, 2000). It is a rivalry.

By: Gianluca

Gianluca — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 01:53:40 +0000

Lakers are definitely a rival too.