Round 2 - The Phoenix Suns Host the Utah Jazz

by Eutychus on Feb 15, 2011 11:01 AM MST

While the Suns have had a day to sit back and solemnly reflect on a tough loss, the Utah Jazz have had 3. The last time the Jazz took the court it was against our same Phoenix suns on Friday who handed them a loss after overcoming a double-digit deficit in the second half.

Sadly, the Suns experienced the same fate on Sunday night as they saw their own double-digit lead fail them as well in the second half as they were handed their second loss in a row to the Sacramento Kings. Paul Westphal pwned Phoenix.

Paul Coro dejectedly tweeted - "The Suns have what no other team has - 2 losses to the Kings".

A sad but true reality, while it seemed like we were taking huge steps forward after Friday's victory over the Jazz - Sunday's loss to the Kings has really felt like we're taking just as many backwards. Square dancing won't get you anywhere in the NBA, the Suns must finish these last two games before the All-Star break in winning fashion to avoid perpetual stagnation at .500 or even worse, a plunge back into the negative realm.

Winning this week out will be no easy task though. We've got a rested, probably more organized and vengeance filled Utah team tonight - and then a hot Dirk-led Dallas Maverick squad ahead on Thursday.

Though the loss to Sacramento was a difficult one to swallow for both fans and players alike - there is a positive to be taken from it. The collective 'feeling' and attitude in the locker room after the game was one of shock, not surrender. Channing Frye best described the shift of perspective,

"The good thing we can take away from this is surprisingly when they were making all those those shots at the end, we were very uncomfortable," Frye said. "It wasn't like, 'OK, oh well.' It was like, 'We're not used to this. This is not how we play.' We made a lot of mistakes. We had a lead and we needed to continue to keep that lead and continue on the throttle. We let up a little bit and then they got some confidence."

Let's take a closer look at today's match-up. Jump it fools!

The Suns held a hard practice yesterday, everyone was suited up - even Goran Dragic, who went through a full practice including a scrimmage for the first time since his injury. Afterward he said he felt good physically and that he was surprised that his 'wind' was good too - when asked if he would play tonight he explained that it would be up to Aaron Nelson and Coach Gentry. My guess is that he will play, but there was a curious tweet from Paul Coro from practice concerning the same -

Read it like it is, but you can take it two ways - either he means Gentry is concerned that Dragic won't have his game-face and conditioning back quite yet after missing a few weeks and 7 games... or it means that Dragic really has some serious competition for his back-up spot. Whatever it means, Dowdell has been a great addition and a pleasant surprise for us over our last 10 games and I don't see anything wrong with putting a little pressure on the Dragon to bring his 'A' game to the table as he returns and hopes to help the team find a way to scratch themselves into the playoffs. Gortat has inspired Robin, why can't Dowdell inspire Goran?

MATCHUPS

Steve Nash - Derron Williams

Vince Carter - Raja Bell* [Gordon Hayward]

Grant Hill - CJ Miles

Channing Frye - Paul Millsap

Robin Lopez - Al Jefferson

*Raja Bell is listed as a game-time decision as well as Ronnie Price for the Jazz. Andrei Kirilenko will sit out due to a sprained ankle he suffered in Friday night's game. Memet Okur is also still out with back issues.

I'm interested to see if Raja Bell will play - if not, I'm not 100% sure who would get the start off the bench since CJ Miles is already projected to be in the line-up with Kirilenko out. If I had to guess I would say that rookie Gordon Haywood would get the nod since he seemed to play well on Friday against the Suns.

If Bell does play - I'm hoping we get to see what we were hoping to see on Friday, Grant Hill guarding Derron Williams. We tried to make this work on Friday but with Hill on Williams and CJ miles in for the injured Raja Bell, Steve Nash was having an incredibly hard time covering the much bigger and more physical Miles. He picked up 2 early fouls within the first 2 minutes of play and the Suns were forced to move Hill back to Miles and Nash back to Williams. It all could work if Raja Bell is playing - Steve can effectively stand out on the perimeter with him... there isn't really a threat of Bell posting up Nash so let's all hope that for our defense's sake Raja can be cleared to play his former team tonight.

Even if our ideal match-ups don't line up, I'm sure the Suns will be able to find the schemes and coverages to make it work like they did after the first quarter of Friday night's game.

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
Deron Williams	51	37.8	7.1	15.3	46.3	1.7	4.9	34.8	5.7	6.7	85.0	0.6	3.1	3.8	9.6	3.5	1.2	0.2	2.9	21.6
Paul Millsap	54	34.0	6.9	13.0	53.2	0.1	0.2	36.4	3.2	4.2	75.5	2.1	5.8	7.8	2.4	1.8	1.4	0.9	3.5	17.1
Al Jefferson	55	35.1	7.1	14.8	48.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.8	3.6	76.9	2.6	6.4	9.0	1.5	1.3	0.6	1.9	3.0	17.0
C.J. Miles	52	23.4	4.5	11.0	41.0	1.5	4.5	33.6	1.6	2.0	77.9	0.7	2.5	3.2	1.6	1.0	1.0	0.5	2.8	12.1
Andrei Kirilenko	50	32.2	3.8	8.4	45.7	0.6	1.6	37.0	3.4	4.3	78.5	1.6	4.0	5.6	2.9	1.8	1.3	1.3	1.8	11.6
Raja Bell	50	30.7	3.1	7.1	43.1	1.0	2.9	36.1	1.2	1.4	87.3	0.5	2.0	2.5	1.6	0.8	0.8	0.2	2.5	8.4
Mehmet Okur	13	12.9	1.7	4.8	35.5	0.4	1.2	31.3	1.2	1.5	75.0	0.7	1.6	2.3	1.5	0.5	0.3	0.3	1.4	4.9
Gordon Hayward	47	12.0	1.3	2.7	46.1	0.2	0.6	37.0	0.8	1.0	73.5	0.6	1.0	1.6	0.7	0.6	0.2	0.2	1.2	3.5
Earl Watson	53	16.0	1.3	3.1	41.4	0.3	0.9	30.6	0.6	1.0	62.7	0.6	1.4	2.1	3.0	1.1	0.7	0.2	1.6	3.4
Ronnie Price	53	11.3	1.2	3.3	36.7	0.3	1.1	28.6	0.4	0.5	77.8	0.3	0.6	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.6	0.1	1.7	3.2
Jeremy Evans	29	6.4	1.3	1.9	72.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.4	0.6	66.7	0.4	0.8	1.2	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.3	0.7	3.1
Kyrylo Fesenko	40	8.9	1.0	2.2	44.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.4	1.1	35.7	0.8	1.5	2.3	0.4	0.5	0.1	0.3	1.9	2.3
Francisco Elson	50	10.3	0.9	1.9	47.4	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.6	83.9	0.6	1.3	1.9	0.6	0.5	0.4	0.2	1.4	2.3

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Besides anxiously waiting to see how the team as a whole will respond to the bad loss on Sunday, and besides looking for the return of the Dragon, here are a few other things I'll be watching for.

Vince Carter - Everyday I step closer and closer to joining Scott Howard's CTLVCOF (Coalition to Light Vince Carter on Fire), his shot selection, his phobia of contact, his sloppy fourth-quarter play, his jovial attitude with EVERY SINGLE opposing team/player... it all gets on my nerves. I want to light him on fire. I keep thinking... man - if it's true and Vince is gonzo after this year, let's just bench the fool and play more Josh Childress.

But even like my hatred for Boris Diaw, as long as he's a member of the Suns I'll root for him and give him a new opportunity to improve my opinion of him on a game-to-game basis. I heard him in an interview after practice yesterday say that he was aware of his struggles and let-downs to the team in the 4th quarter and throughout games, and he said he took a vow after Sunday's game to get back to "being Vince"... whatever that means, I hope it means that he'll play well. That's all we can do is hope. Alvin Gentry commented as well about Vince, he said something to the effect of, "well when we traded Jason Richardson it was understood that Vince would be our scorer like JRich was, I need to trust him more and give him the opportunity to be that guy". Please don't Alvin.

For more on Vince Carter check out SBNationAZ and their post on him today.

Hakim Warrick - Dude loves to play against the Jazz. He's averageing 17 PPG against the Jazz this year. Let's see some more Hak like Hawk, as in Connie Hawkins like we saw on Friday.

Jared Dudley - Will he dunk tonight? I sure hope so - it seems like with every dunk (2) he's getting more and more confidence and more and more adrenaline goes into each so much that his last dunk was really impressive in the way he elevated and threw it down with one hand. What I liked the most was that he didn't laugh or immediately look to the Suns bench. He roared and looked angry - intense. It was a look like, "Get that Mutha$&#$%%$ monkey off my back - I can dunk".

What will you be looking for?

VALENTINES DAY ADVICE

For your amusement and in case you missed Mickael Pietrus' Twitter advice for Valentines day yesterday... here's the recap so you can take notes and try it out next year.

(I will not correct any spelling/grammar so you can fully take in the Pietrus experience)

"Here are my Top 10 tips for Valentines Days... ya ready?"

Save moeny : Take her out during Happy hour everything Half Price
If you short on cash, don't make a reservation, chances are the restaurant will already be booked.
Make sure you put the right name on the right card lol lol lol
if you have more than 1 valentine please make sure you check your phone in the bathroom
When your getting your Valentine day Gifts, make sure to purchase the same gift so you don't forget what you gave who. Lol lol
Good Tips - Hey Fellas there will be a lot of beautiful women tomorrow night, please keep your eyes on YOURS lol lol lol
Put a note on the light switch saying "turn me on instead I will light you up"
Have a plan B in case plan A goes South lol lol lol (you know what I'm talking about) lol
make sure to go to her house so you can leave when you choose lol lol (thinking about plan B)
If 1 tru 9 didn't work please don't feel bad, it didn't work for me either... Happy Valentines day everyone!!! MP

Gotta love it.

Here's to handing new head coach Tyrone Corbin his second straight loss. Welcome to the job coach.

LINKS

SBNationAZ - The Dark Seth Coverage

Jazz vs Suns coverage

Jazz vs Suns preview

SLC Dunk

26 - 26

Games Back: 10

Streak: Lost 1

Games Left: 30

[Note by Eutychus, 02/15/11 10:26 AM PST ]

Official word is that Goran Dragic WILL PLAY and Raja Bell is out. Jazz are down to pretty much 9 active players.

Tweet Comment 87 comments | 1 recs |

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Comments

I was busting up over the V-Day advice.

Pietrus is a funny dude.

Blogging Phoenix Suns basketball at Bright Side of the Sun twitter: @iamtrevorpaxton

by Trevor Paxton on Feb 15, 2011 11:05 AM MST reply actions

MP is such a ladies man

and hell yeah man, Dowdell isn’t just a warm body around…Dragic needs to figure out it permanently

Blogging Suns Basketball. Twitter: @willcantrellphx

by Wil Cantrell on Feb 15, 2011 12:38 PM MST up reply actions

Dowdell is going to steal

a lot of Dragic’s minutes, if Goran let’s down at all.

by Zentrified on Feb 15, 2011 3:38 PM MST up reply actions

After reading Coro's blog today

I’m leaning A LOT more to the idea that Dowdell will play only if Dragic is not in shape, not so much that Dowdell is beating him out for a spot.

Read for yourself – http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PaulCoro/118804

* It is the return of “The Dragon” tonight, or at least the Suns hope it is or Zabian Dowdell could get still get some run if Goran Dragic is not sharp. Dragic has missed the past seven games with a cut toe and the Suns went 5-2, blowing fourth-quarter leads in each of the losses.

Dragic went through a full practice Monday with five-on-five scrimmaging and said he is pain-free and in good condition.

“I can’t wait to play again,” Dragic said. “The foot is now OK. I don’t feel any pain, nothing, so I can’t wait. Maybe yesterday I was a little bit thinking about my toe but today was everything normal. I was cutting everything and running.”

Suns coach Alvin Gentry said Dragic, who last played on Jan. 28, will be able to play his usual minutes.

“Whatever minutes he earns, he’ll be able to play those,” Gentry said.

They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
Yeah, I Twitter - @Eutychus12

by Eutychus on Feb 15, 2011 3:42 PM MST up reply actions

His Valentine advice is somewhat offsensive.

And yet, I laughed.

I can’t wait for the game tonight. Feels like a good day for a Suns win. :)
I hope Gordon Hayward gets a lot of minutes but doesn’t play good so I don’t have to be mad at him like I was with Omri Casspi and Beno Udrih.

"If the Suns can shock the world
Goran Dragic is the name."

by Dragic_is_Magic on Feb 15, 2011 11:16 AM MST via mobile reply actions

True.. I was a lil upset over the whole

women belong in the kitchen one. Yet I still laugh whatever..

I think you'll find that I'm universally recognized as a mature and responsible adult.

by Aztiramtempe on Feb 15, 2011 2:19 PM MST up reply actions

MP's advice was

Terrible when it made sense.
Mostly nonsense.

by Zentrified on Feb 15, 2011 3:38 PM MST up reply actions

But it was funny...

STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!

by Daryl Ray on Feb 15, 2011 5:45 PM MST up reply actions

So glad to hear someone else

express their distaste for Boris Diaw. What a lazy piece of crap he was. Like a taller, mopier Eeyore.

by PaxRomanAClef on Feb 15, 2011 11:20 AM MST reply actions

Yeah - I wanted to like him so bad

but his truffle-loving self couldn’t win me over.

What i really didn’t like about him was his passivity in the lane. When he would get the ball deep in the paint with a good look at the rim – 9 times out of 10 he would kick it out. That was so frustrating.

They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
Yeah, I Twitter - @Eutychus12

by Eutychus on Feb 15, 2011 11:23 AM MST up reply actions

I think what killed me

was that he showed occasional sparks of aggression, of violence toward the rim, and then the moment would pass and he’d be back on the Seine with a baguette in his mind. He never could dedicate himself to actually giving a damn.

by PaxRomanAClef on Feb 15, 2011 11:33 AM MST up reply actions

Speaking of Diaw,

the offensive Pietrus Valentine’s Day advice reminded me of Boris Diaw’s comment that, “I don’t date American women, I have them.” Given Tony Parker’s indiscretion, I’m beginning to think that all french NBA players are chauvinists. Or maybe they’re just more open about it because if you say offensive things with an accent you generally get more of a pass.

Want epic? Go to Bright Side of the Sun threads. We're more Homer than homer.

by Will Slaven on Feb 15, 2011 12:48 PM MST up reply actions

What's funny is

Diaw hit on a friend of mine at a club in Scottsdale and she shot him down. So it would seem he is not only chauvinistic but mistaken.

by PaxRomanAClef on Feb 15, 2011 1:51 PM MST up reply actions

Peaches is a joker

I don’t think he meant any of it.
I don’t live in America but I thought you don’t have to be politcally correct all the time if you are just cracking a joke…

Feed the cutter!!!

by Piotr Szczesniak on Feb 15, 2011 3:08 PM MST up reply actions

I'm with you - that's why I put it up there

They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
Yeah, I Twitter - @Eutychus12

by Eutychus on Feb 15, 2011 3:38 PM MST up reply actions

It might have worked

if MP had more mastery over the English language than George W.

by Zentrified on Feb 15, 2011 3:40 PM MST up reply actions

I think his lack of english skills make it even more amusing

They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
Yeah, I Twitter - @Eutychus12

by Eutychus on Feb 15, 2011 3:42 PM MST up reply actions

A lot of starch on the board here...

MP was downright hilarious…

STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!

by Daryl Ray on Feb 15, 2011 5:47 PM MST up reply actions

thanks - I was starting to worry

They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
Yeah, I Twitter - @Eutychus12

by Eutychus on Feb 15, 2011 7:09 PM MST up reply actions

Dude's still one of my favorite players.

Steve Nash, the league's MVP, is a longhaired Canadian who spoke out against the war in Iraq and reads The Communist Manifesto. Quentin Richardson declared after a game-winning shot that it "was like Hamlet. It was a suspense thriller, and I killed them at the end." Amare Stoudemire, when asked to comment on a 22-point third quarter against the Kings, said, "I've got a tendency to jump over some guys' heads and throw it down."

by rsavaj on Feb 15, 2011 3:10 PM MST up reply actions

finally

there’s been so much Boris love in Phoenix for so long

Mmmmm ... Guinness

by JSun on Feb 15, 2011 3:19 PM MST up reply actions

Goran will be back!

I’m so excited! Come on Goran! Make them remember why they love you! :)

"If the Suns can shock the world
Goran Dragic is the name."

by Dragic_is_Magic on Feb 15, 2011 11:58 AM MST via mobile reply actions

Lolz at the Valentine advice.

is impossible to pull off. As men, our eyes tend to wander even if we’re fully committed, no? Maybe that’s just me.

Anyways, we’re fortunate to not have Kirilenko play since his injury was what turned the tide in our favor in the last Jazz game. Unless we’ve regressed terribly, I’m expecting a win tonight. Hopefully losing to the Kings will inspire our team to play a bit harder. It’ll be interesting to see if Alvin goes to Goran early and whether or not we’ll see Z2D2 on the court with Goran.

We got this. Let’s go, Suns!

Everyone has a "Noooooooooooooo!!!!" moment. Use this for said moment:
http://nooooooooooooooo.com/

by NashMV3 on Feb 15, 2011 11:59 AM MST reply actions

Oops, I meant #6.

Everyone has a "Noooooooooooooo!!!!" moment. Use this for said moment:
http://nooooooooooooooo.com/

by NashMV3 on Feb 15, 2011 12:00 PM MST up reply actions

the Suns will finish the season with 50 plus wins.

keep the faith, friends.

Crashing the [message] boards from the heart of Spurs Nation, San Antonio, Texas. GO SUNS!

gruntledpainter on Twitter

by PHXgp on Feb 15, 2011 12:48 PM MST reply actions

doesn't 50 wins

mean we need a 24-6 pace for the rest of the season? I doubt we can keep that up, i also doubt we’ll need to to make the playoffs.

by DaveJD on Feb 15, 2011 1:15 PM MST up reply actions

Like they always say...

Don’t let the facts ruin a good story.

Bo Baggins!

by ajotanelsona on Feb 15, 2011 1:25 PM MST up reply actions

they may not need 24-6, but I am thinking they need 22-8..to be safe

possibly a little less if they are lucky, with a few teams (Denver and Utah?) really faltering..

In any event, they need a lot of wins to get there and can’t really afford more than a couple of home losses coming in. I would say that tonight is an absolute must win, and if they can also get the Dallas game as well, that would put them in pretty good shape, overall.

They have the opportunity, but will need a lot more consistency from multiple areas, to be safe. With some real out performance even 5th is not out of the question, but to get there, they can’t have any more games like Sunday.

by HarvMel on Feb 15, 2011 3:09 PM MST up reply actions

What's with the old fan favorites not playing against the Suns this year.

Apart from Amar’e, we haven’t had a chance to watch former Suns (Lou, Raja) because of injuries.

Want epic? Go to Bright Side of the Sun threads. We're more Homer than homer.

by Will Slaven on Feb 15, 2011 12:50 PM MST reply actions

I've got to work tonight

But I’ll be reading the thread(s) all the way through when I get home at midnight.
Go Suns!!

I just want them to win a title before I die!

by sunsfansince1980 on Feb 15, 2011 1:53 PM MST reply actions

Looking forward to this.

Utah’s fans are underrated for their ability to be dicks. They certainly don’t rise to the level of Lakers fans or even Celtics fans but the fans they bring to USAC are definitely on that second tier of douchetude.

I may have to do a douchey fan power rankings at some point (from what I’ve experienced at US Airways).

Founder of the Coalition to Light Vince Carter On Fire (CTLVCOF)
RIP Seasons of Discontent

by Scott Howard on Feb 15, 2011 2:06 PM MST reply actions 3 recs

Please do so

I’d love to read that! lol

"Basketball doesn't build character. It reveals it"

by PanamaSun on Feb 15, 2011 2:10 PM MST up reply actions

You have to do that!

That would make for an amazing read.

"If the Suns can shock the world
Goran Dragic is the name."

by Dragic_is_Magic on Feb 15, 2011 2:17 PM MST via mobile up reply actions

I'll do it....

But it’s going to have to be rated R. You wouldn’t believe some of the shit people will say in public.

Founder of the Coalition to Light Vince Carter On Fire (CTLVCOF)
RIP Seasons of Discontent

by Scott Howard on Feb 15, 2011 4:49 PM MST up reply actions

Phew, good thing im 17!

(And have sat by some of the worst of the worst at Suns games…)

"If the Suns can shock the world
Goran Dragic is the name."

by Dragic_is_Magic on Feb 15, 2011 4:59 PM MST via mobile up reply actions

You'd have to write like 10 pages on Laker fans...

you sure you want to pain yourself with that torture?

They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
Yeah, I Twitter - @Eutychus12

by Eutychus on Feb 15, 2011 2:20 PM MST up reply actions

it's true

Laker fans carry a lot of excess douchebaggage

"Maybe I’m old school," Nash said, "but I signed a contract to play here and I want to honor it. I feel like I owe it to my teammates and the city and everybody to keep battling until they tell me it’s time to go." STEVE (God of Basketball) NASH

by 2NASHTY on Feb 15, 2011 5:50 PM MST up reply actions

douchetude

BSOTS Word of the Year.

by Zentrified on Feb 15, 2011 3:42 PM MST up reply actions

douchetastic

by HarvMel on Feb 15, 2011 4:02 PM MST up reply actions

The NBA...

Where Douchetude and Scott Howard happens…

STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!

by Daryl Ray on Feb 15, 2011 5:51 PM MST up reply actions

Oh

and I bet Warrick didn’t even make it to the basket on that picture.

"Basketball doesn't build character. It reveals it"

by PanamaSun on Feb 15, 2011 2:13 PM MST reply actions

Maybe he's attempting his patented awkward jump shot

which was working during that game. He actually had a very good night.

by Van2010 on Feb 15, 2011 2:22 PM MST up reply actions

That was his statue of liberty finger-roll a la Connie –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ughBO514dww

They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
Yeah, I Twitter - @Eutychus12

by Eutychus on Feb 15, 2011 2:30 PM MST up reply actions

I think he made that one. Thought he’d dunk it but he laid it in.

by Loyd on Feb 15, 2011 3:33 PM MST up reply actions

Hey, who warned me?

It’s not like that picture was porn or anything. It wasn’t even a hint of that… so wtf?

by Raptorel on Feb 15, 2011 2:17 PM MST reply actions

No let down tonight please

Fire up Suns lets make a run to the playoffs :)

by Sunderstruck on Feb 15, 2011 3:24 PM MST reply actions

Rec'd for coming closer to

joining the Coaltion to Light Vince Carter on Fire. This guy only cares about 2 things, not getting blamed for anything and getting his shots.

by Zentrified on Feb 15, 2011 3:36 PM MST reply actions

yeah. so the number 6 to 8 is pretty close. gotta make a lot of wins

Never Fear. Grant Hill is Here.

by sun_equalizer on Feb 15, 2011 3:41 PM MST reply actions

Question...

What do you think the possibility is of signing JRich back at a discounted rate after we dump VC after this season?

by NickyPinks on Feb 15, 2011 4:01 PM MST reply actions

Zero.

They didn’t even return his agents calls this season inquiring about an extension.

Trade Warrick!!!

by jc79 on Feb 15, 2011 5:00 PM MST up reply actions

An extension

requires the conversation to start somewhere in the ballpark of 14 mil a year, I think. So I’m not surprised the Suns didn’t get into negotiations.

Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun

by Alex Laugan on Feb 15, 2011 5:48 PM MST up reply actions

Yes, but you should still return the freakin call

to tell them that.

Trade Warrick!!!

by jc79 on Feb 15, 2011 6:02 PM MST up reply actions

you have personal knowledge

that the Suns refused/declined to even return a phone call to JRichs agent? If not personal knowledge, where exactly was this reported?

Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun

by Alex Laugan on Feb 15, 2011 10:21 PM MST up reply actions

Re: hating Diaw. You guys are kidding, right?

Or are you just too young or too old to remember 2006?

by suns68 on Feb 15, 2011 4:57 PM MST reply actions

I think he was a disappointment more than anything

He was awesome in 05-06 and I guess it’s not his fault he got a big contract without management knowing if he’d be able to work with Amar’e.

Founder of the Coalition to Light Vince Carter On Fire (CTLVCOF)
RIP Seasons of Discontent

by Scott Howard on Feb 15, 2011 5:01 PM MST up reply actions

That what you get when you like Mike D'Antoni play GM...

STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!

by Daryl Ray on Feb 15, 2011 5:50 PM MST up reply actions

He's the Eric Byrnes of the Suns

They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
Yeah, I Twitter - @Eutychus12

by Eutychus on Feb 15, 2011 7:10 PM MST up reply actions

To be honest, I totally loved him when he was here.

I went to so many games that year and bought a Diaw Suns jersey with France’s colors.
Now, I was about 12 years old and was an incredibly uneducated fan at the time. So…

"If the Suns can shock the world
Goran Dragic is the name."

by Dragic_is_Magic on Feb 15, 2011 5:02 PM MST via mobile up reply actions

Liking Diaw doesn't make you an uneducated fan lol

by rsavaj on Feb 15, 2011 5:16 PM MST up reply actions

Well I really didn't know too much then is what I mean, lol.

My basketball knowledge has come in more recent years.

"If the Suns can shock the world
Goran Dragic is the name."

by Dragic_is_Magic on Feb 15, 2011 5:20 PM MST via mobile up reply actions

I was 46...

And I felt the same way about him, although I didn’t buy the jersey :)

That injury-depleted, ragtag bunch may have been the greatest team of the Nash era.

What I liked about Diaw was that he didn’t worry about plan or position. Wherever they put him, he just played, whether it was taking on a seven foot center on the blocks or running the offense while Nash got his rest.

True, it was only one magical season, but it sure was fun.

by suns68 on Feb 15, 2011 5:35 PM MST up reply actions

What I liked about Diaw was that he didn’t worry about plan or position

until someone else took his position (left elbow) and became “the plan” instead. At that point, Diaw regressed markedly.

Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun

by Alex Laugan on Feb 15, 2011 5:49 PM MST up reply actions

Yeah. It made me sad that he and Amare couldn't coexist.

But of course, his inability to play outside his niche is not unique. Nash is a good example of this as well.

by rsavaj on Feb 15, 2011 6:04 PM MST up reply actions

Should be a good game

Suns are looking to regroup after that last loss and so is Utah. I think the Suns win this on again by 5+.

by frankieInAz on Feb 15, 2011 5:28 PM MST reply actions

Great preview, Eut...

The Valentines advice by MP was stupid…but hilarious…

Let’s go suns!!!

STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!

by Daryl Ray on Feb 15, 2011 5:53 PM MST reply actions

D-Wade's gonna hit 30+ points by halftime.

I wish the Pacers keep it close so he’ll hit 60 :P

by Loyd on Feb 15, 2011 5:54 PM MST reply actions

its close now

Never Fear. Grant Hill is Here.

by sun_equalizer on Feb 15, 2011 5:58 PM MST up reply actions

Cool! Miami’s 1st Qtr 22-pt lead evaporated in the 2nd Qtr.

by Loyd on Feb 15, 2011 6:10 PM MST up reply actions

Bell, Kirilenko and Price are all out tonight

Miles and Hayward are starting in their places.

I really, really hope the Suns don’t come out flat because the Jazz are short-handed and were easy to beat on Friday.

Please, please, Suns. Come out strong!

Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun

by Alex Laugan on Feb 15, 2011 6:01 PM MST reply actions

I'm refraining from drinking for a whole quarter to ensure a win...

It’s amazing the sacrifices we make to help this team along…

STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!

by Daryl Ray on Feb 15, 2011 6:03 PM MST up reply actions

I thought we played best when you were passed out?

Trade Warrick!!!

by jc79 on Feb 15, 2011 6:03 PM MST up reply actions

That had it's run...Gotta adapt with the times...

Deseprate times call for desperate measures…

STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!

by Daryl Ray on Feb 15, 2011 6:05 PM MST up reply actions

When I watch reruns of American Pickers

and tape the game on the dvr the Suns always lose but Pickers comes first.

They say that nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes perfect. I wish they'd make up their minds.
-- Wilt Chamberlain

by frankieInAz on Feb 15, 2011 6:21 PM MST up reply actions

Going to miss half of game :-(

Driving back from Tucson as I type..
Hopefully I get home & the team will be winning!!!!

I think you'll find that I'm universally recognized as a mature and responsible adult.

by Aztiramtempe on Feb 15, 2011 6:13 PM MST reply actions

Dude, I'm with you about Vince...

I want to like him, but I don’t see the kind of play that I know he is capable of.

by cryogenic_tone on Feb 15, 2011 6:19 PM MST reply actions

Wow, this vitaminwater commercial is the trippiest thing I've ever seen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBbRpQwLE6E&feature=relmfu

"Steve Nash still plays with the precision of a Swiss clock and the sweetness of Swiss chocolate." - EastBayRay

by PHXSunsRunNGun on Feb 15, 2011 6:24 PM MST reply actions

Go suns

the platinum rule

NO Gasol, NO Shaq equals NO Championship.

by Christian_33 on Feb 15, 2011 6:41 PM MST reply actions

note to d-will:

when your team is struggling, the way to handle it is to step up your game, take accountability, and rally your teammates. the way NOT to handle it is to alienate your hall of fame coach, force him out, then publicly wash your hands of the affair when talking to the media.

for a lesson on this, see: nash, steve.

Just remember what ol' Jack Burton does when the earth quakes, and the poison arrows fall from the sky, and the pillars of Heaven shake. Yeah, Jack Burton just looks that big ol' storm right square in the eye and he says, "Give me your best shot, pal. I can take it."

~Jack Burton, "Big Trouble in Little China"

by u_must_chill on Feb 15, 2011 6:49 PM MST reply actions

Or he could just jump off a cliff and never be heard from again.

Everyone has a "Noooooooooooooo!!!!" moment. Use this for said moment:
http://nooooooooooooooo.com/

by NashMV3 on Feb 15, 2011 6:51 PM MST up reply actions

Enough about Dwill...Coarh & player conflicts have been here forever...

Let’s Go Suns…!

STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!

by Daryl Ray on Feb 15, 2011 6:53 PM MST up reply actions

You're drunk already.

Huzzah.

Everyone has a "Noooooooooooooo!!!!" moment. Use this for said moment:
http://nooooooooooooooo.com/

by NashMV3 on Feb 15, 2011 6:56 PM MST up reply actions

Won't be in the game thread tonight, but I know the regulars will hold it down.

Goran’s return means DiM should be giddy and we won’t want to spoil that. Ray, you’re one of the ~~much older~~ more mature regulars in the game threads so please hold it down, won’t ya?

Sun God, keep drinking. You being sober for that 1 quarter may cause the Suns to set the record for worst quarter in NBA history. The Suns can’t have that and most importantly, I can’t have that.

Everyone has a "Noooooooooooooo!!!!" moment. Use this for said moment:
http://nooooooooooooooo.com/

by NashMV3 on Feb 15, 2011 6:50 PM MST reply actions

Be strong, young Paduan...be strong...

I sacrifice myself for the good of all…

STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!

by Daryl Ray on Feb 15, 2011 6:51 PM MST up reply actions

Where's the game thread?

by KnowGood on Feb 15, 2011 7:01 PM MST reply actions

I guess you'll have to settle for this until one of the staff guys post 1 up.

Lazy bastards.

Everyone has a "Noooooooooooooo!!!!" moment. Use this for said moment:
http://nooooooooooooooo.com/

by NashMV3 on Feb 15, 2011 7:02 PM MST up reply actions

I blame Alex.

Even though today is Eut’s.

Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!

Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl XLV Champions!!!!

by Omaha Sun on Feb 15, 2011 7:07 PM MST up reply actions

hey!

Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun

by Alex Laugan on Feb 15, 2011 10:23 PM MST up reply actions

I warned you.

If we lost to the Kings, I said I would blame you. We lost, therefore it is your fault.

Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!

Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl XLV Champions!!!!

by Omaha Sun on Feb 16, 2011 4:09 PM MST up reply actions

I hope Zabian still gets minutes tonight

Of course, I’d like to see some Chill out there too.

Oh, and I think we should have a new rule. NO CARTER IN THE 4Q AT ALL!!!! None whatsoever. Zero minutes logged in the 4th. I dont care if we’re up by 30. No Carter in the 4th.

by KnowGood on Feb 15, 2011 7:08 PM MST reply actions