Zatronn1 wrote:
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The Suns wouldn't have won the title with Marion anyways. It hasn't worked the past 3 years, so it was time to try something different.
Heh, that was kind of my point. They would have gotten to the playoffs and lost partway in again if they hadn't made the trade. That's why I see this trade as kind of a bust if they don't at LEAST make the finals. They could have gotten that for nothing. Such an obviously short term trade with such high expectations is what seems so risky to me. Makes for a good playoff time news story to follow though, I'll give them that.
The Dallas news is sad, but hey... if the Rockets can win 20 without their star, maybe the Mavs can win 10! heh
It would be considered a bust if we didn't make it past the 2nd round. Which is where we exited last year. They haven't made it to the finals yet, and haven't been to the WCF in 2 years, so I fail to see how if they don't win it all this year makes it a failed trade. We've got "the core" now for AT LEAST 2 years. There's more time, but it's definitely running short.
Anyhow, article about yesterdays blown officiating:
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After the game, Grant Hill was sitting in front of his locker with his right hand bandaged up with ice.
It's the hand that he previously sprained and the pain has lingered to some degree, especially when he falls and braces himself. In Monday's game, he aggravated it taking a charge. It was a good one too, getting in front of Rodney Stuckey in the second quarter to get the charge.
"So was Steve's," Hill said. "I think Steve's was better."
There were a bunch of calls the Suns were upset about after Monday's loss in Detroit. But the Nash blocking call on Chauncey Billups' overtime 3-point play and a no-call on Shaquille O'Neal's miss late in regulation were at the top of the list.
O'Neal's no-call was obviously blown. He was clearly hit across the face by Antonio McDyess, who even said he was trying to foul him, and Stuckey got O'Neal across his left arm simultaneously. But the reality is who knows if that gets Phoenix a point or two. O'Neal is a 50-50 proposition at the free throw line, even if he always makes the assertion that he makes them when they count. Heck, Hill even missed both free throws on a trip. So it's hard to say if that call would've changed the outcome, although O'Neal did end up committing a foul at the other end on Billups, allowing Detroit to tie the game with 1:31 to go.
The Nash call was more critical. The Suns saw many plenty of views and rewinds of the call for their assertion that Nash deserved a charging call on Billups on the play. At the least, he clearly was outside the circle. Whether he moved under Billups too late could be for some debate.
The game was probably over when the last debated call came up. Phoenix was down four when it decided to get a stop rather than foul. Billups missed a driving layup with and Amare Stoudemire had the rebound with about 15 seconds to go when Bell and McDyess got tangled up and went down. Instead of Phoenix going for a quick score and a foul, Bell was called for a loose ball foul that disqualified him.
"A loss like that, we were pretty PO'd," said Bell, who made sure to say something to the officials after the game before leaving the court. "We were pretty upset to lose like that."