Comments on: The Fatal Fourth Quarter

By: Andy Buckdawg

Andy Buckdawg — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 14:02:43 +0000

I’d love Suns vs. Jazz in the playoffs. It would be unfortunate for Utah fans, but it’s a series I don’t doubt we’d win over the stretch.

So the Jazz had a lucky 4th quarter. It was just the right time for it. Had it been the 3rd, it would have still left time for a Suns rally. 7 out of 11 3′s in the 4th quarter isn’t going to happen for the Jazz every game, and the Suns biggest mistake was giving them the space to shoot them. Had they not taken a step back and played all too casual in the 4th, the Jazz would have been blown out, period.

The Sun’s post game and post defence has picked up dramatically with Lopez starting and Amare at SF, and to say Nash can’t run a half-court offence is naive at best, he most certainly can, given that they only run in transition now. A sloppy 4th by the Suns is the ONLY reason the Jazz walked away with the win here, and had just 1 or 2 of those 3′s missed, we’d certainly be looking at a different result.

By: Max

Max — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 04:08:49 +0000

I think coach Gentry has done a great job with the Suns. However, last night in the 4th qtr. the Suns just seemed to have left the building,with the exception of J.Rich. 18 Turnovers and still ahead? Suns did not rebound on either board and did not play defense in the 4th qtr. The entire game the Jazz also looked very out of “sink”. Had the Suns not just Quit playing in the 4th qtr. The Suns would have won by about 8 points. The Jazz did not get “hot” in the 4th, the Suns just seem to stop playing, no kind of competition against the Jazz. At the end of the 3rd qtr. with all those turn overs still ahead? They should have just made an announcement;Fans the Suns have left the building. They played fair the first three qtrs. except for all the turnovers. “need more practice in Catch and Pass”,I cannot believe the turnovers in one game in the NBA.Coach
wants to keep up their spirits by saying they did fair. Where was he when the 18 turnovers occured and then the 4th qtr. well he must have left the Gym with the team.Tweet at Cactusroundball.To get even out of the Pacific division, Suns have to show up for 4 qtrs. No putbacks, that had looked so good in early games did not exist last night, Amare went to sleep on the defense end. Jared looked like he was about to pass out, Frye no longer hitting his speciality and Defense for Frye? Please. Robin trys to play before he has the ball secure in his hands, then only can make a Basket IF he is underneath the goal. Suns need to get that young guy some help, like the Orlando Magic and the LA Lakers did for their big men. Robin cannot hit two feet from the basket, he seems to always hit the front rim and the ball bounces off. I would think he could see what he is doing and make that correction.But I have the Faith, that we will never see that kind of playing again. GO SUNS.

By: JOHN SERPE

JOHN SERPE — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:22:34 +0000

What real Suns fan can say we were ever anything but just hopeful to at least make the playoffs this season? Look, the Jazz are in my opinion one of 3, (Suns included) teams that are weak playoff contenders. The main reason in the Suns case is lack of consistency, whether holding a lead and/or having the team energy and concentration to finish. This has been a season long problem with the Suns and contributes to the lack of respect we get when Western playoff powers are mentioned. Personally, I believe the Jazz are one potential playoff team the Suns beat in a playoff series. Whatever the final 8 positions are you still have to go through the Lakers. Reality is a drag.

By: kineticpen

kineticpen — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:46:02 +0000

I believe the loss was a result of something even more simple. We missed our threes in the fourth and they made theirs. I thought the suns played great throughout the game. Furthermore, I thought we played pretty well in the fourth. 22 points for most NBA teams is a decent scoring quarter. The Jazz scoring 40 plus is comical. We are talking about a team that doesn’t even take that many threes in a game, and they end up hitting seven for eleven. I mean come on! There is way too much analyzing going on in this loss. It’s simple. The Jazz had a uncanny fourth quarter and we couldn’t match it. It happens. Any given night my friends, any given night.

By: jf2814

jf2814 — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:24:57 +0000

A “giant step forward for Utah”? Please. You act as if the Suns have owned the Jazz over the last few years, when the inverse is far closer to the truth.

The larger truth is this: Utah, while flawed positionally (lack a C with shot blocking ability and a consistent 2), are built for the playoffs. The Suns are not.

Utah are, as it was with Stockton and Malone, a halfcourt team that can also play a fullcourt, fastbreak game. The Suns are limited due to Nash’s selfsame limitations: he can’t run a halfcourt offense and, within that same schema, the Suns have no real post game.

You won’t beat a true halfcourt team in the playoffs with that.

You better hope that the Suns avoid Utah.

But then, after last season, perhaps the Suns’ giant step forward is just making the playoffs.