http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0226yao.html

Too bad. They're the only Texas team I (sorta) like these days.

I have mixed feeling about this deal... What do you guys think?

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PaulCoro/18007

1.  The Shaq trade hasn't played out yet.  
   
2.  Who would've kept Jones shooting 33%?  
   
3.  $16 million is a lot of money to pay for a one-dimensional 35 year old big man.  
   
4.  After the way Diaw played in 06, anyone would have given him that contract.  
   
5.  Eddie House disappeared toward the end of the season, and appeared spent.

OK, moment over.

Memphis is first to the board, but only once. Suns offense picking up where it left off on Sunday so far, which is not good news. Fortunately, the Grizzlies aren't doing much better and only lead by 2.

Meanwhile, Memphis announcers ponder the MVP advantage on that call.

Here's my first prediction for the Shaq era: CP3 will pass Nash for the assist lead this season. JKidd might too. And will might be a good thing--it means other Suns (e.g., Shaq) are setting up the offense instead of it all relying on one guy.

Got back just in time to see a nice dunk by Amare. Diaw at the line, hits one shaqs the other. 16-14, Suns.

All tied up at 21.

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies are shooting 40% (good) but have 6 more attempts (bad). Four turnovers plus allowing three offensive rebounds would be the reason for that.

Here's another interesting stat: Mike Conley has six assists. That's more than the entire Suns team. We have five. So my earlier statement that it's good for Nash to lag in assists only holds if other players on the team ARE actually making the plays.

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies tie it up with the three.

...and the Grizzlies announcers show they have no clue about Suns history.

OK, Shaq may make the Suns "better" (still up for debate), but one thing I think we can say right now is he does NOT make them more fun to watch.

Meanwhile, Nash+Amare for the third time makes it 50-42.

Awkward-looking at always, but the darn things went in!

The Suns are now up 59-45. In other words, the score is looking a lot more Suns-like now, and Nash finally has as many assists as Conley (6).

Suns get the stop, though and Shaq goes back to the line yet again.

1. Suns broke 60 points for a half while holding their opponent to less than that.
   
2. Suns shot 55% and held Grizzlies to 43%.
   
3. Suns "only" got out-rebounded by three.
   
4. Six turnovers, about the average for the season.
   
5. 15 fouls by the Grizzlies and Shaq has gone an amazing 4-6 from the line.
   
6. Steve Nash is halfway to his assist average (for the first time in the Shaq era).

1. 2-of-10 from three. Raja and LB are the main culprits (0-3 for Raja, 1-4 for LB).
   
2. Grizzlies are 5-17 from three (42%).
   
3. Most of the turnovers have come off steals, and hence increasing the odds of a score by the Grizzlies. 11 more shot attempts for the Grizzlies than the Suns.

Shaq pads his rebounding stats a couple of times before finally dunking in the putback.

....nope. But we get the rebound, and Amare ends up with a poster (announcers words).

Meanwhile, Amare goes to the bench with foul #4. too bad.

...Pass to Shaq gets intercepted though, and the Grizzlies go to the line.

Way WAY too much Juan Carlos Navarro. Six three-pointers in 10 tries.

...meanwhile Diaw breaks the 100 mark. giving the Suns a four-point lead.

...but LB with the morale-crushing three. 106-101.

Meanwhile, Hill gets inside for the easy one at the rim. 111-103.

...but Raja continues to play fourth-quarter assassin with yet another three. 119-110.

Amare with the post-game interview. Nothing particularly interesting there, just the standard "we picked up the defense in the fourth quarter", etc, and yet another mention of how nice it is to play at his natural position.

I'm going to delay posting the recap a bit. I want to go back and rewatch some of this first, because it's kind of hard to keep up with the visuals when you're typing comments at the same time. I'll put it up later tonight.

In the meantime, thanks everyone who followed along and chimed in. We'll do it again tomorrow.

Have a good night everyone!