Game Thread: Phoenix Suns at Memphis Grizzlies

by Dan @ Bright Side Of The Sun on Apr 3, 2007 8:40 AM MDT in Phoenix Suns News

You play the best team (record-wise) in the league on Sunday. Then you go to Memphis and play the the worst team (record-wise) in the league on Tuesday. The Suns obviously had their "A" game on Sunday but they were playing a good team. What kind of game will they bring against a bad team? Will they lower themselves to the level of the Grizzlies? Will they blow out the best record in the league on game and then have a close game against the worst record in the league? I don't think they will. I think the Suns have found their groove again and could very easily win out the rest of the season. What I really hope happens is the Suns win a few more games, the Spurs lose a couple more games and the Suns clinch the 2nd spot in the West with about 3-4 games left. Once that happens, I would expect that Mike D'Antoni will rest his starters in the last few games - still playing them but only for about 24-25 minutes just to keep their rhythm.

Keys to tonight's game:

Let Amare shoot - As was proven again in the Dallas game on Sunday, teams do not have a way to stop Amare when his mid-range jumper is going. So the Suns should try to get him more confidence in the jumper without affecting the flow of their style of play.
Don't have another "Dallas let-down" - I honestly think the Suns thought they couldn't be beat after their win against Dallas last time. And they come out and were humbled by some of the worst teams in the league. I don't expect that to happen again this time.
Run - Just run the ball. Remember who they are and why they won so many games. And keep playing that way.

What are your keys?

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Comments

Some fodder for a diary I don't have time to write

I'd love to fire off a nasty response to Hollinger's latest chat which somebody cut/pasted and posted to phxsuns.net. However, I don't have time right now--too busy with work. To summarize this nonsense, Hollinger repeatedly takes jabs at Nash, and later launches one toward Amare. I'm cool with Hollinger saying Dirk is the MVP this year over Nash. Heck, I've been saying the same thing myself (only because of Dallas and their 96 Bulls-like season). But Hollinger claims Dirk is "in a different class" than Nash, and that's just wrong! (And no, he doesn't mean it the way Suns fans believe it, he means Dirk is awesome above all, whille Nash is merely "great"). Then after saying that, he jabs at Amare too--as in Amare's not as good as Nash (which also makes him "way below Dirk" in Hollinger's screwy way of thinking). Anyway, like I said, I don't have time to respond to this with the venom it deserves, so somebody else feel free to have a go at it. Click on the link above, and note the bolded sections.

by TexSUN on Apr 3, 2007 8:58 AM MDT reply actions

Just ignore

Hey TexSun,

I don't have time to read the article right now (got to go to work) but I will read it tonight, only because you posted the link.

I would not get riled up over stupid comments by Mav supporters. They will play these games like those @#$% on azcentral.com. I would just ignore them; they are not worth giving our attention to. Let our boys do the talking in the games, particularly against the Mavs- if they are not already humbled by what happened last two times they played the Suns.

by Vash01 @ Bright Side Of The Sun on Apr 3, 2007 9:44 AM MDT up reply actions

Actually...

John Hollinger is a writer for ESPN, as in supposed to be unbiased, not a Mavs fan. He's the guy who judges everything by stats only.

And I enjoy ranting, or having you noticed that yet? :)

by TexSUN on Apr 3, 2007 10:08 AM MDT up reply actions

Hollinger

OK, I took a look at what this guy has to say. He is clearly drunk. He is saying that (paraphrasing) Dirk single handedly beat/whipped the Suns in the playoffs last year. A very close 4-2 series that almost started 2-0 is hardly a whipping. We all know that if Raja was not injured, the Suns would have won game 6 (and possibly earlier games too). The Suns with Nash have never lost a game 7, and they had a decent shot at the series. All of this was done without STAT, KT and finally without Bell.

If he thinks Dirk is a better player than Nash, he obviously has different criteria to define 'better'. Since he has not defined them in this article, I would just waive it as a different opinion. He does give Nash credit for staying in shape at age 33, so he is not completely biased against him. However, when it comes to key points, he clearly favors Dirk.

Dirk is a very good player; I just don't think he is in the same class as Nash. I don't think any of the current players is, because Steve Nash is unique. Others are just scorers or rebounders or blockers (or a combination of 2 out of 3). Nash is a leader and the best clutch player right now. (Nash, are you listening? Bring that championship trophy home and hold it before Mr.Hollinger).

by Vash01 @ Bright Side Of The Sun on Apr 3, 2007 10:57 PM MDT up reply actions

Hollinger's ratings

Hollinger goes solely by player effenciency rating (PER) when trying to determine who is the better player. His PER for Nash is a lot lower than Dirk, and therefore, under the Hollinger system, Dirk is the bettter player. Which is a very myopic way of looking at it if you're trying to decide who is most valuable to his team. But Hollinger didn't even offer a peep about PER while proclaiming "Dirk is in a different class [above] Nash". He just said it like anyone reading would automatically agree with him. And using last season's "butt-whipping" of the Amare-less, KT-less (and in the end, mostly even Raja-less) Suns to support his argument is ridiculous. Especially since he didn't also mention the "butt-whipping" the JJ-less Suns gave the Mavericks the year before. Anyway, you probably said it best--the guy is drunk.

by TexSUN on Apr 4, 2007 7:45 AM MDT up reply actions

For every naysayer...

At least this guy likes the Suns.

by TexSUN on Apr 3, 2007 10:56 AM MDT up reply actions

Kick it into 6th Gear Suns

Well like you Dan I'm convinced that our boys have turned a new leaf and are ready to kick ass again. Hopefully they'll be encouraged by the fact that the Spurs are far too close for comfort. Agree as well that STAT needs to be allowed to get that jumper goin more often. In all the games i've gone to this season (lol one) and those i've watched, every time STAT gets a good look from like 12-18 ft out he drains it like it's non of his business. I remember 2 seasons ago that when STAT tried to take those shots i'd cringe, but now........different story. On that note i'd also like to see KT come in for a while tonight, he's jumper that used to be spot on before his injury is still off, and God knows we need that shot back. Overall though i'm expecting a nice win tonight, but our boys CANT play down to the level of Memphis. Shame on them if they do, but as I said I have faith.

"Ultimate excellence lies not in winning every battle, but in defeating your enemy without ever fighting." Sun Tzu

by Turambar on Apr 3, 2007 9:26 AM MDT reply actions

I agree

Dan, I too agree that our boys have turned a corner. I think they have learned from their past mistakes and they won't let it happen again, esp. with SA breathing down their neck.

I don't expect a Sunday like performance; it was pure magic. I expect a solid game from the Suns with a well fought but relatively easy victory.

Amare has been unbelievable this season, and I hope he continues to improve and create headaches for the opposing teams.

I would like to see KT back. I am disappointed that he is not in the 7 man rotation. We need his rebounding against some teams in particular- I am thinking SA. It will be good to get him warmed up against Memphis.

by Vash01 @ Bright Side Of The Sun on Apr 3, 2007 9:41 AM MDT reply actions

How about

going along the lines with the April Fool's Day joke from Sunday? I'd go from 1-5, Banks, Barbs, Junior, Marion, and Diaw and run Memphis into the ground. You've got a group of guys right there that each has something to prove. I seriously think we can win with that lineup.

If not, it's hard to beat having Nash, Amare, and Bell coming off the bench. Crazy? yeah probably, but while the hell not?

by AZSEAfan @ Bright Side Of The Sun on Apr 3, 2007 1:34 PM MDT reply actions

This is a gamethread?

I look to my left , and the 20 yr old Sanyo sez the fourth quarter is about to begin , yet there are.............NO posts describing any events that happened in the game.

I know the Governator's California commercial is rivetingly entertaining , and you're all literally glued to your own sets...or maybe you've all been taken by the Rapture...which means all the Suns , their fans , the broadcast team and technical support , all the attending fans and I are hellbound.

When Paxson went to the top of the key I knew we were dead.

by Jesus Nash on Apr 3, 2007 7:54 PM MDT reply actions

Game thread

Sorry, I don't post much during games, because I find when I do, I usually end up missing the best play of the game because my nose was buried in the laptop at just the wrong moment.

by TexSUN on Apr 3, 2007 8:51 PM MDT up reply actions

To Borrow From Insufferable Youth..

..."It's All Good."
And entirely understandable that folk don't live here during games...but it is fun to trade observations and exclamations and exhortations and condemnations during the contest.

When Paxson went to the top of the key I knew we were dead.

by Jesus Nash on Apr 4, 2007 1:31 AM MDT up reply actions

We don't talk much during the game...

I am trying to teach my son about the game while we're watching so I have my hands full there...We usually use the game thread to talk about the game before it and then we have another post to re-hash the game. maybe next year we'll have enough people to talk about the game while it's happening! :-)

by Dan @ Bright Side Of The Sun on Apr 3, 2007 9:20 PM MDT reply actions

That's beautiful!

It's just a great thing to be able to pass on your understanding and passion for the game. Hope he grabs it and runs like hell!

When Paxson went to the top of the key I knew we were dead.

by Jesus Nash on Apr 4, 2007 1:33 AM MDT up reply actions

Game threads

are tough with basketball because of the non-stop action. On the other hand, baseball game threads can get rediculously long due to all of the breaks throughout the game.

At Lookout Landing (the Mariners SB site), there were over 700 posts during last night's game thread. That's a bit tough to look over the next day.

Way to pull the game out guys! Ugly, but a W nonetheless.

by AZSEAfan @ Bright Side Of The Sun on Apr 4, 2007 10:58 AM MDT up reply actions

BTW..

No Grading the Game from me this time. I'm too tired, and the game didn't impress me enough to force my brain cells to come up with something to write about. No, I'm not mad at the team again. But I said something spectacular would have to happen before I'd write anymore diaries until I get back from my trip, and a 5-point win over the Grizzlies doesn't qualify. Not to say there weren't some nice performances (Nash's perfect shooting and 17 assists, etc), but I needed to see something extraordinary, like 20+ assists from Nash or 40+ points from Amare, etc. to inspire me to write tonight. So I'll "see" everyone in the sidebar when I get back.

by TexSUN on Apr 3, 2007 9:31 PM MDT reply actions

I would have given 'C'

Even though you did not post the grading thread, I thought the Suns once again showed that they play at the level of the team they are playing. They could have lost this game and what an embarrassment that would have been, after they beat Dallas!

I did not get to see the game, except for the last 5-6 min. but I listened to most of it on my radio (first at work, later in the car). Somehow I missed the ugly parts. The first half did not sound that bad. The Suns should have led this team by 20 points at the end of the 3rd Q. Instead, they were fighting to win the game. Once again they were saved by their leader Steve Nash. How can anyone not be excited by 100% shooting (FG and FT)? I think he is just amazing. He may not win the MVP trophy this year but I know there are people out there that marvel at what he does.

I am going to give the Suns a 'C' grade because they did not show much progress. They did not learn from their mistakes from the past, and they put me through this stressful time when they did not need to.

by Vash01 @ Bright Side Of The Sun on Apr 3, 2007 11:03 PM MDT reply actions

Amare deserves credit too

I got a little carried away, praising Nash. He certainly led the team well, but without Amare's 27 points it could have been a long night for the Suns. I am not sure why LB did not score much in the second half; he had 20 points in the first.

Good to see James Jones 3-point shot is back!

by Vash01 @ Bright Side Of The Sun on Apr 4, 2007 1:35 AM MDT up reply actions

Nash's shooting

Nash's shooting was indeed impressive...BUT nothing he hasn't done before (on more than four shots). To make me write a diary on this particular night (one where I'd gotten only a couple hours of sleep the night before), I needed to see something so amazing from someone that it likely wasn't going to happen again this season, or at least not very often (e.g., 20+ assists, 20+ rebounds, triple doubles, etc).

by TexSUN on Apr 4, 2007 7:27 AM MDT up reply actions

Oops!

I should have read what Elias had to say before posting that last comment. Didn't realize that perfect shooting in conjunction with 17 assists had only been done a couple of times before, and never on more shots than Nash took, apparently. So ok, fine. I posted a quick diary for Nash and his shooting perfection. That should be sufficient to remove the bad Karma I created by posting the above. :)

by TexSUN on Apr 4, 2007 8:20 AM MDT up reply actions