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Around SBN: Super Bowl XLVI: Eli Manning And The Meaning Of 'Elite'

Kerr doing Spurs a favor

After reading parts of Jack McCallum's book Seven Seconds or Less I realized something, we as fans were witnesses to something that was almost as powerful as the rivalries of old.

What the two have to do with each other maybe closer that you think, given that SSOL system brought about a major change in the NBA and created a phenomena that only Jordan, Magic, and Bird could have brought about, after my quick scanning I began to appreciate more and more what I had witnessed.

The idea of getting down the court in transition as fast as possible is not solely the invention of Mike D'antoni, it was around long before he ever grabbed a clip board or even laced up his shoes, basketball icons have been preaching it ever since the Celtics were established, well maybe not that long but close to it. In fact the idea of the whole run and gun originated in Rhode Island and was called Run-and-Shoot, but that's a different post, it was none other than Red Auerbach who perfected it with HOFer Bob Cousy running the show.

Since then there have been very few great teams that have not in some way incorporated this style into their way of playing, yes they scored less points then today but that has more to do with the invention of the shot clock and three point line than anything else, the Celtics teams of old, the Showtime Gang run by Magic Johnson, and even the Bulls to some extent. All had this in common they were unstoppable in transition, fast and, pleasing to the eye, it's no coincidence that the climax of the NBA's long storyline has been during those era's dominated by those teams, fact was they were entertaining to watch and they won two great combinations.

The revolution that was so innovative was actually a renaissance of basketball genius it had been done before but we now dedicated fans had never seen it before and up until that point were less than casual, not until a borderline all-star point guard who's expiration date seemed to be well in site and a coach who had already been once fired, did we become more than just passers-by we became real fans. 

It was D'antoni like Auerbach and Nash like Cousy who orchestrated this style to perfection and gave us a glimpse of real basketball, the question in my mind at least is not whether the style is successful but whether the players can or are available to make it successful.

It seemed Phoenix had added all the right pieces with a young core and a veteran leader, they were going to take this league by storm, and for three seasons they did. While playing the ultimate game of what ifs we might be talking about a small dynasty in which during the 2005-2006 conference semi-finals against the Mavericks the Suns had won or how the Suns beat the Spurs at home in game four of the 2006-2007 playoffs something this Suns group had never done, and how that was the turning point on their way to winning the series and facing the Cavaliers who they almost certainly would have beaten.

Instead we face the reality that Amare Stoudemire had season ending surgery keeping him from the Dallas series and the gut wrenching suspension of none other than Stoudemire and maybe much worse Boris Diaw.

With that ended an small entire era of life changing basketball that changed the game itself, brought fame to the unknowns and greatness to the formerly mediocre. It brought about new fans who relished the opportunity to see their team play the Run' n Gun' Suns, until 2007-2008 season when the first piece of the power supply was bartered by an outsider who's idea of success was watching others achieve it and riding their coattails, and never again would we see the great style played in this transcendent way again.

So lets say one last good-bye to our era of Run' n Gun' as it goes away back into the vault, what we now may know is that it was bigger than the Suns and we may not see it again for a long time.

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It’ll come back eventually, as fads are wont to. Good post (even if it wasn’t PTR exclusive), and welcome.

Straight from the No-Stat Zone to your computer!
Dunkin' Cheerleaders

by LatinD on Jun 28, 2009 9:09 AM CDT reply actions  

Welcome!

And goodbye Suns.

Hi, my name is Ed, and I despise the Lakers.

by Ed (dfjmed) on Jun 28, 2009 10:59 AM CDT reply actions  

Not so fast

The Spurs beat the Clevland in ‘07 by using their stellar defense to shut down LeBron while simultaneously challenging the Cav’s 3 point shooters. It was the fact that the defense was starting the fast breaks that got Tony so many transition buckets and enhanced his series performance to the point that he received Finals MVP. Defense is what won that series.

Don’t be so sure that Phoenix’s defense would have been able to pull that trick off, or (failing that) that their offense could’ve outscored CLE with LeBron running wild.

I want my Manu

by J.R. Wilco on Jun 28, 2009 12:23 PM CDT reply actions  

It’s not that SSOL isn’t effective, but…

D’Antoni didn’t care about defense. Those all-time great teams you mentioned also preached defense. Without defense, I’m not so sure Phoenix gets past Utah in ‘07, even if they managed to beat the Spurs. And they almost certainly would not have dominated Cleveland, as JRW mentioned above. You can’t win championships by ignoring one end of the floor.

Bring back Bruce, and free James Gist!
Pounding the Rock - where RJ happens.

by Tim C. on Jun 28, 2009 12:50 PM CDT reply actions  

indeed, gotta have some defense. i know suns fans always say that their defense was underrated, but they had only 2 people who were above average in defense (bell and shawn marion), the rest were pretty shitty and clueless on defense, and had no cohesion

What the Bowen giveth Horry taketh away. --LatinD (2008 Playoffs Round 2, Game 1)

the Spurs do not defeat you so much as they grind you into tiny shards of psychological wreckage.
-the Denver Post

by Hamer_SpursFan on Jun 28, 2009 1:33 PM CDT up reply actions  

Let’s see here … shifty, clueless with no cohesion … who does that remind me of?

I want my Manu

by J.R. Wilco on Jun 28, 2009 2:53 PM CDT up reply actions  

Umm, i believe he said shitty, not shifty.

I'm comfortable winning -- Emmanuel Ginobili

by pollackj on Jun 29, 2009 3:26 AM CDT up reply actions   2 recs

+8946019065196

for sheer awesomeness.

Bring back Bruce, and free James Gist!
Pounding the Rock - where RJ happens.

by Tim C. on Jun 29, 2009 9:16 AM CDT up reply actions  

That’s hilarious. Apparently, someone added a V-chip to my brain without my knowing it. I completely read “shifty” where it wasn’t.

On the other hand, now I have a ready-built euphemism for use at anytime.

I want my Manu

by J.R. Wilco on Jun 29, 2009 9:53 AM CDT up reply actions  

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