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Energy Solutions consumes yet another NBA team, 109-97

Sloan_energy_solutions_motel_medium

 

Energy Solutions Center is now 32-1 since December 2007.  After a slow start, the Utah Jazz won each of the last three quarters and the game after going a pathetic 1-4 on a East Coast road trip.  Although AK47 and Harpring were back for the game, the Jazz were headless without D-Will.  They were also without long bomber, all-star substitute Mehmet Okur, but it just didn't matter.

What is it about Utah at home?  Is it the clean living?  Is it the rims?  Can anything explain a 32-1 home record, 1-4 road record out east without Deron Williams followed by the thrashing the Suns got?

Star-divide

 

Rebounds were the story of the game, as the Suns marginally outshot the Jazz, but gave up 21 possessions in the rebounding category. Amare and Shaq combined for 9 of the Suns' 26 rebounds.  You better believe team rebounding drills should be back on the practice menu.

While turnovers were under control (12 for the Suns to 10 for the Jazz), fouls were a big problem for the Suns.  Nash and Barnes had 5, Bell and ONeal had 4.  Give Amar'e the shiny gold star for only having two, but he pulled some D'Antoni Defensive moves to do it, falling back out of a play to avoid a foul as a player came in for a dunk.

I still contend that the team needs to get better at playing tough and dirty, but doing so more discretely.  Many of the calls were attempts to do what the Jazz or Spurs do, but they were fouls committed so obviously the refs felt compelled to call them.

Offensively, the Jazz seemed more crisp in their ball movement, cranking out 28 assists to the Suns' 19.  Nash got his and Shaq got 5 off of some nice feeds from the post to cutters under the basket.

Some of our team looked shockingly old.  Shaq was the worst.  At one point, AK47 blocked a Shaq dunk twice in a row and the Jazz eventually got the ball.  Shaq was blocked three times in all, all on dunks and couldn't get more than 1 rebound in 32 minutes.  Blocked!  Blocked twice!  Blocked three times!?!?!   1 rebound!?!?   Wishing Shaq got that suspension after all?   The plus/minus says it all:  32 minutes, -29 points.  No player is even close.  Grant Hill is second in the ignominous column with -13. 

In short, an understaffed Jazz team channeling the evil energy of clean SLC living outhustled a possibly tired Suns team on the second leg of a back-2-back.

The body count is rising at Energy Solutions.  Need a Jazz exorcist.

0 recs  |  Comment 16 comments

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Sometimes I don’t think I’ll ever understand this team.

by Azreous on Nov 18, 2008 2:25 AM MST reply actions   0 recs

It was a fatigue loss.

I think our schedule finally go to us last night. Shaq couldn’t even jump. Amare didn’t know where the ball was in the forth quarter (literally). And nobody could seem to move on defense (at all). But 6 out of 10 games on the road to start the season with 3 sets of back to backs in the first 10 games. Against 4-5 of the top 10 teams in the NBA. I think any team would be tired. We really got the short end of the stick this year as far as schedule goes. I’m proud of our guys fighting through and I think it will work to our advantage come the end of the season.

"We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time." - Vince Lombardi

by antiw0rm on Nov 18, 2008 8:02 AM MST reply actions   1 recs

Even worse

We had 4 sets of back to backs in the first 12 games. Lakers have played only 8 games so far with 2 back to backs and have 10 homes games out of their first 15. That road game against the Clippers really must have taken it out of them (L.A. that is)!

by TwinnerA on Nov 18, 2008 3:38 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Better now then later

I haven’t done a full blown schedule analysis but I am guess that some month later we will have fewer games then them

by Phoenix Stan on Nov 18, 2008 4:00 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Also the good news.

Beyond being destroyed by hustle.

The turnovers where down. which considering the fatigue and what comes with fatigue you would think that they would go up. And even though visibly exhausted we still played at a winning level until the 4th quarter.

"We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time." - Vince Lombardi

by antiw0rm on Nov 18, 2008 8:07 AM MST reply actions   0 recs

No panic

Like I said yesterday. Bad game. No shame. Just hope they bring it on Thursday.

by SueB on Nov 18, 2008 8:32 AM MST reply actions   1 recs

Yup

I totally agree. The Jazz were coming off a few losses and they really wanted it.

The Suns on the other hand looked tired after Sunday’s game.

I do agree w/ those that question why we didn’t see more Lopez and AmundSun though.

by Phoenix Stan on Nov 18, 2008 8:44 AM MST up reply actions   1 recs

heard that

big games against the lakers, I hope Lopen and Amundson get some playing time. I think a focused Lopez and Amundson can really do well against a big line.

If we can beat the Lakers, only N.O will be left on the list of teams that I’d really like to beat at least once this season.

by be-the-ball on Nov 18, 2008 8:46 AM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Rebounds/Bench Points

I don’t have the stats in front of me but I think we were out-rebounded by 20 or something like that. Utah’s bench points also were about 40 higher than us. Yikes.

Hopefully LB is doing okay. He would’ve helped us scoring wise last night.

Would’ve liked to see Louis and Robin play more.

It's Ba-Nash. It's a no brainer.

by Suns Ben on Nov 18, 2008 8:46 AM MST reply actions   0 recs

Definitely Lopez ... even Singletary!

I definitely agree that Porter should’ve recognized the futility of continuing to go to Shaq. The big man just looked tired and out of it. The Big Bird could’ve added a spark and gotten some solid minutes. Ditto for Singletary when Nash was saddled with foul trouble. Even though I’m a Goran fan – and he did have some good hustle plays last night – Sean adds a slightly different dimension. Plus, maybe HE could’ve hit a 3! :)

Amare kept the Suns in the game for a long time, and it’s just too bad his big game was wasted.

by SueB on Nov 18, 2008 9:17 AM MST reply actions   0 recs

Great Photshop work btw

I love Sloan in that turtle neck w/ the scary smile…he haunts my nightmares

by Phoenix Stan on Nov 18, 2008 3:36 PM MST reply actions   0 recs

thx! =)

Window Closed? Shit, just break it then.

by ZonaFlash on Nov 18, 2008 5:39 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Lol, the picture is really good.

Shaq didn’t attempt to dunk on all 3 times he got blocked. I remember one of them was a layup and one was his trademarked ugly hook shot with no arc. If he hooked it like Kareem then Kirilenko wouldn’t have reached it, and even if he did, it would be a goaltend. It’s much easier to block guys who shoot with no arc whatsoever and take a full bend to jump 5 inches. Worse part of it was that on all 3 of those attempts, it should have been a bump and grind and pivot-and-dunk move. Especially on the ugly-hook that made “block of the night”. There was no one within eight feet of him at the right side of the low post, yet he went to the middle instead of going right. Inexplicable. Bah.

by felixthm on Nov 18, 2008 11:33 PM MST reply actions   0 recs

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