Suns Fall Short in 4th, Succumb to Thunder 111-107
by Wil Cantrell on Feb 4, 2011 10:27 PM MST
in Phoenix Suns: Game Coverage
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PrintI'm going to go ahead and take off my journalist hat and put on my Suns fan hat. This was a soul crushing defeat. The Suns jumped out to a double digit lead over the Thunder and played with balls, grit, determination, and passion. But a series off awful calls by the officials and a cold 4th quarter offensively inevitably did them in tonight.
Vince Carter played 3 quarters of amazing basketball only to go cold when the squad needed him the most in the 4th. The Thunder went on a game clinching 10-3 run, outscoring the Suns 31-20 in the 4th. What should have been a hard fought victory turned into a another notch in the L column for your beloved Phoenix Suns. Jeff Green, Serge Ibaka and Russell Westbrook killed the Suns on this night. And while I don't enjoy tooting my own predictions, I have to admit that I called it when I said that that the key to a Suns victory was to let Kevin Durant get his while limiting the rest of the Thunder to chip in and do damage. Needless to say it didn't happen. The Thunder bench outscored the Suns 36-22, out-rebounded the Suns 18-13, and tallied a +56 to the Suns -66.
Depression
The Thunder neutralized Marcin Gortat to 3-10 shooting and a -16. The trio of Gortat/Frye/Pietrus was a combined 9-33 from the field. The real killer for the Thunder was Jeff Green, who capitalized on a plenty of wide open looks to total 28 points. Serge Ibaka hit 9 of his 10 attempts and deftly maneuvered for a handful of uncontested rebounds.
The Suns now sit in the 10 seed, 1.5 games behind Portland and Memphis with a sad 14-11 home record.
And if you were thinking you were alone bitching at your television about some of the calls that didn't go the Suns ways, the Suns beat writer, Mr. Paul Coro tweeted this to confirm your suspicions:
Bad David Guthrie call compounded by Ts for Nash and Hill. OKC ties it at 97 w/Durant going 2 of 4 on the FTs.
And then, just when you were contemplating ordering your Vince Carter jersey, this:
Carter was 11 for 16 before missing his last five shots. OKC 107-103 w/the ball and 32.6 seconds to go.
And there was me who noted:
Durant travels but foul called on Nash, WTF?
No there was no foul, and yes the call was awful.
What are you gonna do? Keep fighting. Can't blame the refs. The Suns could have made more shots in the 4th (5-18) and didn't do themselves any favors by allowing the Thunder 48 points in the paint.
The Bright Side:
It ain't the end of the world, right? The Suns are still in striking distance of that coveted 8th seed. There is still time right? Help me out here BSOTS world. This team proved tonight they can hang with a division leader. We can do this, there is hope, because there is this:
Marcin Gortat smashes against OKC (via outsidethenba)
[Note by Seth Pollack, 02/04/11 10:42 PM MST ]
Phoenix Suns Frustrated Over Questionable Calls In Late-Game Loss To Thunder - SB Nation Arizona
"It's hard enough guarding (Durant) one-on-one. He's a great player and I think the world of him as a player and as a person and I enjoy competing against him. It's certainly a challenge. He's a great scorer," Hill said. "He's an honest guy. He said on that play I didn't foul him."
Tons of other quotes in this story, including Nash talking about All-Star snub.
Audio
- Nash postgame 020411
- Hill postgame 020411
- Frye postgame 020411
- Gortat postgame 020411
- Carter postgame 020411
- Gentry postgame 020411
Game Notes
1st Qtr
- I like Vince's chances to D up on Sefalosha.
- Westbrook gets in the lane, misses, Thunder get the OReb and score. Not a good start.
- Vince posts up Thabo, spins, draws an iffy foul, and scores. OK
- Before the game I noticed Robin and Russell sharing a moment. They are buds apparently. Pac-10 thing? Both grew up playing in California. Shared comic book passion?
- Great start on defense. Up 18-8, 7:37. Interesting.
- Vince Carter. 11 points. Nice.
- This is Thabo's first game back from injury but still...
- Durant bait the old man into that foul. He's soooo good.
- Vince to the line. Be still my heart. Suns are going to him a lot early. Ride that pony!
- Not the prettiest hook shot, but Robin made it.
- Frye with a couple nice baskets in the paint. Thunder switching and Suns taking advantage in the paint.
- Robin got a solid 8 minutes of run.
- So much for the good defense. 33-29. 10 points for Durant.
- Ibaka and Durant blocking some shots up in here.
- 36-31, Suns
2nd Qtr
- Warrick getting some run. Lets seem some ENERGY!!
- Rare mistake from Zabian
- Suns 61% shooting in 1st qtr. Thunder 58.3%. D-FENCE!
- Gortat does pass well out the double teams. Good rotations though by OKC but Dudley hit the three anyway.
- 2nd foul on Gortat. Robin's going to get some extra minutes tonight.
- Maynor was working on that floater before the game. Work paid off.
- MP actually passed up a shot...unfortunately, he passed it to Warrick for a mid-range J. You know how that ends.
- 43-41, 7:49. Dowdell not exactly impressing.
- There you go, Hak. Jumped the screen and forced the turnover.
- Good job there by Z to force Maynor to foul him on the break.
- Jeff Green's three => Gentry timeout. 51-48, OKC. 5:00. Nash coming back in.
- I am no country music fan, but I do enjoy the Suns dancers in their little western get-ups. Nice touch.
- Robin, Grant, Steve and Channing back in.
- Robin's got his man sealed under the rim and Vince ignores him and drives it himself. He made it so the bad play is totally forgotten....except I wrote about it here.
- Like Robin's activity. Vince acts his way to an offensive call on Jeff Green.
- Channing Frye curling off a screen takes a pass from Vince and finishes w/ a nice lay up. I don't think I've EVER seen that. And really I never expected to see that.
- There are people in this world whose job is to go up on the catwalk high above the arena and drop sandwiches on people. I love this world.
- Vince now playing dumb. Ignores a long rebound and then has about the least effective close out on Harden ever.
- Gentry put Zabian in for defense and he fouls Westbrook on the jump shot.
- Damn, Lopez called for the foul w/ .7 sec on the clock. Tough one.
- 63-60. No much defense.
3rd Qtr
- Durant, Harden, Westbrook and Green all in double figures. Thunder shot 62.5%. Got to shut at least one of those guys down.
- That's a YouTube hightligh...Grant goes up, tips the lobs but Durant still finishes the play.
- Suns getting some open threes but not making a lick of them.
- Feels like the Suns are getting away from taking advantage of the mismatches in the paint and just taking jumpers...and missing them all
- Nash has just three points. Come on, Westbrook isn't that good.
- Frye rolls and the pick and roll instead of pops on the pick and pop. This is a very unusual game for him.
- Gortat in for Robin. 69-69. 6 min.
- Pretty impressive move by Green in the post against Frye. I thought Frye defended him well.
- Nash feeds Gortat in the front of the rim but b/c he's not explosive enough, the time it took him to gather and go up, Ibaka was able to recover and block the dunk.
- Then Nash finds Gortat on a nice side pick and roll for a dunk...running and off one leg.
- Kiss Cam back...better than Fist Pump cam? I guess so...
- Charge taken by Carter. I'm told that's his third in three games. Props given.
- 27 points for Vince too. This is probably is best game so far as a Sun.
- Pretty lazy defense by Westbrook on that screen but Nash missed the shot and bailed him out.
- Now the threes are falling. 80-74. Thunder packing it on the Gortat rolls open up the corners.
- People come on, don't get greedy. You are NOT going to hit that half-court shot. Take the three...or even the free throw.
- Serge Ibaka should be in the dunk contest...
- Nash arguing that he was pushed out of bounds on the baseline. He gets that call a LOT. Not this time.
- Suddenly the whistles are blowing like it's a parade of hot girls walking across the court in front of a crowd full of construction workers.
- Wow, what a block from Frye on Harden!
- That got some people fired up!
- Suns get two offensive rebounds through sheer determination. That's the kind of play people will pay to see.
- 87-80. I'm impressed.
4th Qtr
- Zabian time...wish that inspired more confidence....and Z drives and turns it over.
- Jeff Green is having a great game. Thunder on a 6-0 run over the last one minute.
- Gentry took the ball out of Z's hands and has Dudley running point.
- 88-88
- Z hits a J. Suns now in zone defense.
- Great block by MP. 92-88 after Maynor misses on of those floaters I mentioned about 90 minutes ago.
- Durant back in for Ibaka. Nash coming in as well at the 8:00 mark. 92-88. Gentry not willing to gamble on Z any more.
- Quick middle pick and roll in transition catches Thunder napping. Gordunk.
- OH HELL NO!!! Kiss Cam AND Fist Pump Cam. I am going to have to speak with someone about this!
- Green misses a wide open three. Sometimes lucky beats good.
- Apparently Russell Westbrook finger gunz are less deadly than Gilbert's
- 97-93, Suns.
- Live by the Vince. Die by the Vince.
- Iffy call on Hill foul on Durant and Suns get two T's for ageing. One for Hill and the other on...Nash? Gentry? Carter? Me?
- 97-97, 4:07. Crowd at least fired up.
- Nash forces refs to call a 5th foul on Ibaka. They might not have wanted to call it but Nash gave them no choice.
- Two FTAs for Nash b/c despite that outrage, the Thunder are in the penalty and the Suns are not.
- 102-99
- Ibaka can hit a turnaround from 10 feet? Really?
- 103-102, OKC w/ Gortat at the line for two. He Lou's it. 1-1.
- Ibaka flies in for the tip-back off Westbrooks miss. Box out?
- Suns go to the zone. Harden misses a wide open corner three. 105-103, OKC. 1:00
- Carter misses a go-to guy shot. Mr. Not So Clutch...I guess.
- Westbrook hits his. 107-103.
- And another shot for Carter. I know he has 33 points but...well...
- Suns force a turnover on the in-bound pass and get Nash a layup. 105-107, 16 sec. Life?
- Well, looks like Durant traveled but got bailed out w/ a Nash foul call.
- 109-105, 14 sec. Suns ball.
- Out of the time out the Suns end up with basically nothing. That will do it.
121 comments
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I am so sad money
"It's nice to feel good at 32. I don't feel old. I don't feel like this is getting harder. I feel like this is getting easier, if anything." Steve Nash
Why you sad 2NASHTY?
STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!
Wow! I did not know he could get sad.
Get happy! 8 seed is still within reach!
There's something you better understand about me, 'cause it's important and one day your life may depend on it. I am definitely a madman with a box!
I was talkin to this girl right and she asks me if the suns suck I say ya then she says go lakers and tells me Steve Nash is stupid looking.
I almost took a swing at her
by Migonads on Feb 4, 2011 10:30 PM MST via mobile reply actions
dude whats wrong with you?
you should have kicked her in the gnards
Blogging Suns Basketball. Twitter: @willcantrellphx
by Wil Cantrell on Feb 4, 2011 10:34 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs
+1 to migonads for putting team loyalty ahead of his gonads
I’d have laughed and said “Yeah, Nash looks like a character from Dragon Ball Z” and “Isn’t Kobe the greatest?”
As one who lived in enemy territory for 20 years, I figure you can always argue about basketball after breakfast, if you catch my drift.
by suns68 on Feb 5, 2011 9:45 AM MST via mobile up reply actions
There's time, Wil!
Free J-Chill. It’s about freakin’ time. Pietrus is a black hole on offense and his defense isn’t quite what I thought it’d be considering his rep. Bust out the Fro and let him wreak havoc.
"Yes the game threads have more mood swings than a coked up pregnant woman but you have to admit, it’s always a fun ride." - NashMV3
"I know...The Suns are like a drunk bi-sexual girl. You just have no idea what she is going to do." - TheRza82
Pietrus' best defensive possession that Isaw was him getting beat off the dribble but recovering in time to block the shot.
If that’s the best he can do on defense, get Chilly in there. He can do that also. ANd he wouldn’t take stupid shots on offense.
Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!
And go Shawn Watson and Barney Cotton! Seriously, leave Lincoln. Now.
Super Bowl here we come!
Honestly, you could say the same about Chilly… Pietrus did have some nice hustle plays though. Chilly hustles too. Chill will get his chance, don’t worry. Right now Gentry is giving Pietrus the opportunity. Josh just has to wait his turn.
Don't trade Dudley!
Some people are just like slinkys, they're good for nothing
yet can still manage to put a smile on your face
when pushing them down a flight of stairs.
I just pray he doesn't develope an attitude sitting at the end of the bench...
I know Gentry could find a way to give himjust a few of VC minutes…
STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!
stay positive evryone
we are just 2 and 1/2 game away to number 8.
could have been 1 and half
ughh
Never Fear. Grant Hill is Here.
Haha.
ESPN just showed the game on the bottom line and listed VC’s stats, including him going 1-7 in the 4th. Guess ESPN isn’t quite as clueless as I thought.
Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!
And go Shawn Watson and Barney Cotton! Seriously, leave Lincoln. Now.
Super Bowl here we come!
i hate ESPN
period.
Blogging Suns Basketball. Twitter: @willcantrellphx
by Wil Cantrell on Feb 4, 2011 10:57 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs
race to 8
memphis next 5 @ rockets, vs lakers, @ OKC, vs bucks vs denver
portland next 5 @ cleveland, vs chicago, @ toronto @ detroit, @ minesota
phoenix @GSW, vs GSW, @UTAH, VS sACRAMENTO VS UTAH
Never Fear. Grant Hill is Here.
Oh fuck Portland's easy stretch.
The team they have to worry about is Chicago. Those are all winnable games. Memphis has the hardest stretch. Suns, let’s do this. Abuse those struggling Jazz!
"Yes the game threads have more mood swings than a coked up pregnant woman but you have to admit, it’s always a fun ride." - NashMV3
"I know...The Suns are like a drunk bi-sexual girl. You just have no idea what she is going to do." - TheRza82
Deron Williams is back :-(
Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!
And go Shawn Watson and Barney Cotton! Seriously, leave Lincoln. Now.
Super Bowl here we come!
Courtesy of JR Smith.
I saw that tussle. Must’ve awoken D-Will.
"Yes the game threads have more mood swings than a coked up pregnant woman but you have to admit, it’s always a fun ride." - NashMV3
"I know...The Suns are like a drunk bi-sexual girl. You just have no idea what she is going to do." - TheRza82
JR Smith is a punk.
That was in no way a basketball play.
Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!
And go Shawn Watson and Barney Cotton! Seriously, leave Lincoln. Now.
Super Bowl here we come!
yea he tryed to pull him down by the back
at the end of that play, anyone that tries to injure someone is a piece of shit in my opinion.
I felt that way about him before the play anyway,
but this just solidifies it.
Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!
And go Shawn Watson and Barney Cotton! Seriously, leave Lincoln. Now.
Super Bowl here we come!
hopefully memphis will win just one game
hopefully cleveland make a miracle and win it. and hopefully portland struggle on the road
portland pls give me a 2-3
suns. uhhhhh give me 4-1…………………………………!
Never Fear. Grant Hill is Here.
by sun_equalizer on Feb 4, 2011 10:53 PM MST up reply actions
just got to stay close...
Denver or Utah may also still be vulnerable but with Deron W back Utah looks much better 2night.
things i didnt say
i think lopez played very well
i think dowdell should be signed for the remainder of the season-he should push goran to play better and more consistently
i no longer think the season is lost. f C webber and his BS free Nash chant (and F me and my trade Nash post)
i still dont like VC much, but its great to see him have a game (that is until the 4th)
i dont like scott howard, but his tweets are entertaining
why cant eutychus get on the thread when he’s not got preview and recap duties?
where is alex laugan?
where is sunsfanfromboston? (ha ha ha )
keify, you lil slut get back on board. I know the Brits are quitters, but you shoudln’t have quit on the suns so early
mmmmmmmmm thats about all….
Blogging Suns Basketball. Twitter: @willcantrellphx
by Wil Cantrell on Feb 4, 2011 11:03 PM MST up reply actions 9 recs
Yep, I agree with most of that.
Except I do like Scott Howard. Shhh, don’t tell anyone.
That was a rough one, Wil. Some positive signs, but moral victories do suck. Let’s sweep the Warriors so I can have some bragging rights, at least!
"In this world a man must either be anvil or hammer."
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
by East Bay Ray on Feb 4, 2011 11:07 PM MST up reply actions
howards one of those guys youd like to punch in the face, but after 6 or 7 beers he'd
be fun to have around.
Blogging Suns Basketball. Twitter: @willcantrellphx
by Wil Cantrell on Feb 4, 2011 11:17 PM MST up reply actions
WTF.
I’m fun after like 4 beers.
Founder of the Coalition to Light Vince Carter On Fire (CTLVCOF)
RIP Seasons of Discontent
by Scott Howard on Feb 5, 2011 12:39 AM MST up reply actions
Every time Vince misses a shot, I hear your voice in my head, Scott. WTF???
GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!!!!
"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
"In the long run the pessimist may be proved right, but the optimist has a better time on the trip."
good thoughts..
I only hope this loss doesn’t demoralize them.. As long as these guys don’t lose their spirit, it’ll be fun to watch..nash still great, same for Hill and Dudley.
Interesting to see how Gorpez develops…and Frye. Can Dragic get back his effectiveness?
Of the Jekyll and Hyde VC who shows Up??
Well said, Wil.
"Yes the game threads have more mood swings than a coked up pregnant woman but you have to admit, it’s always a fun ride." - NashMV3
"I know...The Suns are like a drunk bi-sexual girl. You just have no idea what she is going to do." - TheRza82
lol
I was yelling at my TV then so frustrated I couldn’t even come back to BSotS after a cameo.
Frankly, I loved this game. I was frustrated in a very good way. The Suns are angry and gelling and getting geared up for a run. Whether that will translate to wins, I don’t know. They still can’t score at the end of the 4th. But at least they are geared up. Check out all those quotes in Seth’s article linked above. The whole lot of them are great.
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
by Alex Laugan on Feb 5, 2011 7:13 AM MST up reply actions 1 recs
Very disappointing loss...
I hate to blame the refs when we lose, but I would be remiss if I excluded them from blame…they own a BIG part of this one.
As well as Carter played through most of the game, he sure knows how to make me forget about all the positives by chunking up misguided and untimely missed threes down the stretch! I think we need to keep Carter on the bench in the 4th from now on, and go with Dudley instead.
A little disappointed with Gortat’s play tonight. 3 of 9 shooting and totaling only 10pts 8rbs in 27 min is not getting it done. To his credit, he was fouled on a few of those misses, some called some not (and he did have an AWESOME dunk on Durant). But still, he needs to be consistent and play a bigger role in these close games. He needs to establish himself as a low post threat…I know he has the ability, but he must continue to get better.
This team is still a work in progress…We are still handcuffed with players that just don’t fit, like Carter and Hakim, and others whom are still developing or trying to find their rhythm. I think this team still has a legit shot to make the playoffs, and I have seen improvement. We just need to keep playing hard and hope for a strong finish.
by 7footer on Feb 4, 2011 11:39 PM MST via mobile reply actions
Agreed.
Can’t blame carter for taking that last 3. He was WIDE FUCKIN OPEN. He needs to take that shot. If he would pass it up he should be called Michael Peaches.
I blame him for taking the earlier two 3’s though, he didn’t even try driving at the baket…
I kinda saw this coming for Gortat and I don’t mean him playing darn awful. OKC is just a very tough team for him. The guys at the 4 and 5 are much smaller and drag him out of the paint on defense. That’s why he was always late coming off help D. Also – their 3 and 4 guys rebound really well and the rest of suns (I mean Pietrus/Carter/Warrick/Frye) completely forget to box out. Almost every time OKC had an off rebound Gortat had a guy on his back and someone elses guy jumping over him. He missed all his mid-range shots – that also made him very insecure. He stopped shooting and they too a step back, so he couldn’t drive… Overall I think he will play a much better game against Warriors. Still, he almost had a double double…
I also don’t like some of the pieces. Can’t blame Carter though. He did what he could, nodoby had any better ideas. Nash seemed lost in the final minutes…
Feed the cutter!!!
by Piotr Szczesniak on Feb 5, 2011 5:20 AM MST up reply actions
chunking up misguided and untimely missed threes down the stretch
those were designed and he was wide open. he just missed them.
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
Yeah, I think most were...
Buy the one shot that really made me shake my head was when we were on a semi fast break and still had the lead with about 4min to go…Carter catches the ball and immediately shoots the three about three feet behind the line when none of our team had even made it back in transition to give us a shot at the offensive rebound.
I remember saying what an awful shot that was, and how we didn’t take our time to find the best option or use any clock. O think VC took about two more threes after that which were designed by Gentry, so I don’t blame him for shooting those (only for missing :-).
by 7footer on Feb 5, 2011 8:40 AM MST via mobile up reply actions
we were on a semi fast break and still had the lead with about 4min to go…Carter catches the ball and immediately shoots the three about three feet behind the line when none of our team had even made it back in transition to give us a shot at the offensive rebound
Durant did the exact same thing. Shooters do this.
I’m just saying that Carter was not the problem last night. Sure he missed some shots at the end, but the Suns would not have had the lead if not for his 30 points in the first 3 quarters.
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
And it was a bad shot for Durant as well...
At the time, we were holding on to a very slight lead…We need to use the clock and work the ball inside to get a high percentage shot, or at least wait until we have a chance at grabbing an offensive board.
Carter is a shooter, and I realize that he also had the hot hand for most of the game…But the reason we have such a problem holding onto leads in the 4th is because we still don’t seem to know how to slow the game down and run half-court offense with high percentage shots. In crunch time, I’d much rather look to score a three point play by driving in the lane and getting an and-1, then shooting low percentage shots without using up hardly any clock.
by 7footer on Feb 5, 2011 11:53 AM MST via mobile up reply actions
unfortunately
Carter can’t create those open looks for Nash like Nash can for Carter…
I would have like to have seen Carter drive on at least one of them. Can’t remember which, but he caught the ball curling off a screen and had a wide open lane to drive to the basket w/ only Durant hanging out near the low post. Instead he just pulled up and fired.
You hate to go here, but they made the big shots and the Suns didn’t. That happens sometimes but on balance it’s talent thing. W/o JRich and Hedo, there just aren’t guys you can really count on to hit those late threes when the defense collapses.
It is what it is
Raising Arizona Sports at SB Nation Arizona twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Feb 5, 2011 10:01 AM MST up reply actions
Exactly...
Carter needed to drive into the lane on a few occasions but instead elected for the jump shot. Not only did OKC make the big shots, but they also got to the line quite a bit in the 4th and made us pay.
by 7footer on Feb 5, 2011 11:56 AM MST via mobile up reply actions
stupid referees
stupid referees – win game for Thunders
why Frye play so many minutes?
play more Warrick, Frye sucks
if Frye is a Hoover, then Warrick is a Dyson by comparison.
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
i propose a banhammer for this comment
discipline can make you a better person if you just let it.
NYC Suns Fan!!!
One more thing..
We’ve covered this, and WIll highlighted this in the recap, but look at the box score, Dowdell -13 in 13 mins. Pietrus -11 in 13 mins. Every starter with a decent +… Lopez +14, Hill +10, Nash +9….Its just too much to expect the starters to overcome that.
We need to shore up the bench..obviously…the numbers weren’t much better with Goran in there. Why not just call GSW and see what we can do to get Lou back, they don’t need him or use him, maybe they can use Warrick or our trade exemption or something? Why not do that? Warrick for Lou seems doable with some pieces thrown in.
I would also try to get Barbosa but don’t think there is much support for that here.
To me even w/o Amare and Jrich we are getting fairly similar results out of these starters more or less, wth the rotating contributions for Fyre, VC, Gorpez and the consistent play of Nash and Hill. we just need some semblance of last years bench performance. why not try to at least restore the role players that clearly proved they had a tremendous chemistry?
The thing is when you lose the star power, you will definitely struggle down the stretch without obvious go to guys. but if the starters aren’t getting the boost of the mostly exceptional and lead increasing play of the bench that is just asking too much from them.
I would totally use the rest of the TPE to get Lou back or just trade Warrick for him, but I think Lou hurt is his wrist pretty bad and we’ve all seen how even just one little, hurt finger has impacted Chill’s game.
Don't trade Dudley!
Some people are just like slinkys, they're good for nothing
yet can still manage to put a smile on your face
when pushing them down a flight of stairs.
Dowdell and Pietrus were noticeably horrible.
Founder of the Coalition to Light Vince Carter On Fire (CTLVCOF)
RIP Seasons of Discontent
by Scott Howard on Feb 5, 2011 12:35 AM MST up reply actions
I don't think Dowdell was horrible, the offense just stalled when he came in
Not all his fault… a lot to ask of a undrafted rookie. Pietrus on the other hand…..
+1
dowdell had some key plays and was being agressive
"It's nice to feel good at 32. I don't feel old. I don't feel like this is getting harder. I feel like this is getting easier, if anything." Steve Nash
Zabian just kind of is what he is
I’d like him as a third string PG but too much of him is not a good thing.
Founder of the Coalition to Light Vince Carter On Fire (CTLVCOF)
RIP Seasons of Discontent
by Scott Howard on Feb 5, 2011 12:31 PM MST up reply actions
agreed
he won’t be carrying the team but I’m glad they picked him up now that goran is down
"It's nice to feel good at 32. I don't feel old. I don't feel like this is getting harder. I feel like this is getting easier, if anything." Steve Nash
Perhaps I'm just biased,
but I really think the Zabian love is a tad premature. For sure, I’m glad he’s here with Goran being out. That’s good timing. That being said though, I don’t think he should be signed to a full year contract.
Again, obviously I’m biased.
"If the Suns can shock the world
Goran Dragic is the name."
by Dragic_is_Magic on Feb 5, 2011 1:26 PM MST up reply actions
signing him
is not going to take anything from Goran…he’s here as insurance in case of injury but mostly to play in practice so they can go five – on – five without need Nash to wear himself out.
Basically, Nash rests during those parts of practice while Dragic runs one side and Zabian the other.
No one thinks Zabian is a “threat” to Goran.
Raising Arizona Sports at SB Nation Arizona twitter: @sethpo
Phew.
That’s good to know.
"If the Suns can shock the world
Goran Dragic is the name."
by Dragic_is_Magic on Feb 5, 2011 2:16 PM MST up reply actions
Ya, the bench was the biggest issue for me
I think Eddie said in the broadcast that they looked like a bunch of Jr. High kids all running towards to ball and on the same side of the court, it was awful watching them struggle.
Really one of their worst performances of the year as a unit...
If they had just played mediocre, we’d have won…We need these guys to step up.
STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!
We've got a pretty solid core of bench players normally
Dragon, Duds, and Gortat, if we can have two other guys “step up” and claim the other two spots then I think our bench will be in good shape continuity-wise. Hopefully that happens sooner rather than later.
We don't need them to play great...
we just need them to be good consistently…So far, it’s been a hit or miss…I thdo think they will get it together in time…
STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!
Agreed.
It’s all about the consistency. If they can know what to expect every night, then they can plan around that.
"If the Suns can shock the world
Goran Dragic is the name."
by Dragic_is_Magic on Feb 5, 2011 1:27 PM MST up reply actions
Run the press
The bench needs a “thing”. Last year it was hustle. This year it is ineptitube.
Run the press and just see what happens.
I know it borders on sacrilege to criticize Nash and Hill
And they’re two of my favorite people in the basketball universe.
But their twin technicals tonight did not help the team.
Setting aside the fact that this was a very close game and it spotted the opponents an easy two points:
The bigger issue is that when Nash and Hill are the team leaders and when they lose composure, the rest of the team does too.
With some squads, a well-placed tech or two gets everybody fired up. That doesn’t appear to be the case with this group.
Instead of getting motivated, they seem to get angry and lose focus and start missing shots and forgetting to box out. And tonight’s not the first time I’ve noticed that.
The best revenge for bad officiating is to win the game in spite of it, and I think the coach should be the only one to ever get T’ed up for arguing calls. That’s part of HIS job description.
by suns68 on Feb 5, 2011 12:04 AM MST via mobile reply actions 2 recs
Hill
agreed…saying that as a team captain, he can’t afford to get T’d up right there.
Earlier in the game Nash argued a non-call along the baseline. He thought he was pushed but was called out of bounds. He wasn’t T’d up there but he reportedly threw some nasty words towards the ref.
That’s the kind of thing that’s going to earn you no love later in the game.
Raising Arizona Sports at SB Nation Arizona twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Feb 5, 2011 12:34 AM MST up reply actions
Unfortunately, even though we'd like to think otherwise...
it’s human nature to hold grudges…Refs or no…Our leaders Nash & Grant gotta be beyond cussing out the refs…
STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!
but nash and hill
are human as well, yes it was a mistake… those were some SHIT calls
"It's nice to feel good at 32. I don't feel old. I don't feel like this is getting harder. I feel like this is getting easier, if anything." Steve Nash
I am justt saying that T's gotta be strategically employed...
That wasn’t strategic….
STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!
their techs didn't set a good example
but KD missed his second two free throws so it’s not like they affected the game THAT much, I would have liked to see them not get the t’s and just have durant miss two free throws, lol but you gotta look on the bright side right?
but Durant
made the other 2 free throws, which he shouldn’t have had at all. The whole problem was good defense by Hill resulting in 4 free throws by Durant. Any points at all is a negative.
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
I was commenting
more on the Technical foul aspect of the situation, but you’re right…unfortunately it’s something we’re going to see again, any time we play a superstar they’re gonna get the calls.
Mickael Pietrus is like super super super horrible
He can’t even stay on the court for a few minutes without causing damage.
Founder of the Coalition to Light Vince Carter On Fire (CTLVCOF)
RIP Seasons of Discontent
by Scott Howard on Feb 5, 2011 12:37 AM MST reply actions 1 recs
He was the stink bomb the Magic left us in that trade?
"In this world a man must either be anvil or hammer."
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
by East Bay Ray on Feb 5, 2011 12:44 AM MST up reply actions
I don't even think they realized how much of a gunner he is...
STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!
Doesn't even have a bunch of cool tattoos
Founder of the Coalition to Light Vince Carter On Fire (CTLVCOF)
RIP Seasons of Discontent
by Scott Howard on Feb 5, 2011 12:24 PM MST up reply actions
that's what need!
neck tatoos
"It's nice to feel good at 32. I don't feel old. I don't feel like this is getting harder. I feel like this is getting easier, if anything." Steve Nash
Yes.
Is there a particular reason that he is suddenly getting minutes again? One day, he’s on the bench. Next day, he’s getting regular minutes?
I’d rather see J-Chill.
"If the Suns can shock the world
Goran Dragic is the name."
by Dragic_is_Magic on Feb 5, 2011 1:28 PM MST up reply actions
the feeling is
that he doesn’t spread the floor…even when MP isn’t hitting his shots he’s at least in the corner and based on reputation teams will guard him. He will also probably go through a streak of making a bunch of shots. That’s who he is. The team also likes his toughness and moxy. In other words, he doesn’t play French.
But, I kind of want to see Chill get those minutes as well.
Raising Arizona Sports at SB Nation Arizona twitter: @sethpo
this was a good team we played
and we played them tough, this isnt a moral victory, but it shows that we can consistanly play games where we can win it every time. first time we can say that since the trade.. so good stuff
@ Seth
and the asterisk remains…
Have to agree with you on how premature the praise was. OKC was very beatable and we couldn’t take advantage…
Still a work in progress…
Feed the cutter!!!
by Piotr Szczesniak on Feb 5, 2011 5:23 AM MST reply actions
Gortat/Lopez
Lopez played well tonight, while Gortat was hit and miss. I found a couple of things interesting:
1) OKC changed their defense to handle the p-n-r better, which left shooters open. And they specifically mentioned Gortat as the reason. So as bad as he is (or, we think he is), he’s causing other teams to adjust mid-game. That’s nice. Of course, the adjustment worked, so now its up to nash/gortat to figure out how to beat the adjustment (or up to the shooters to make the resultant open shots).
2) To the untrained eye, the adjustment appeared to be trapping Nash further out on the court. Gortat rolled open easy enough, but he caught the ball about 3 steps from the rim instead of 2, and there was a help defender under the basket. He was forced to decide between a dribble, a pass or an open jumper. Most of the time, he passed it which is what OKC wanted.
3) I’m thinking that, as far as current skillset, Robin would have handled that situation better. He can make open jumpers/standstills and is more creative on the drive/finish. Yet, I’m sure Gentry prefers Gortat in there for rebounding on the other end. And, if Robin WERE in there, then maybe OKC doesn’t have to switch to that defense in the first place.
Tough call right now. Suns have to figure out how to adjust.
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
A frustrating loss, no doubt...
But it garnered some postives for me…
1) It’s obvious to me that Nash is an all-star this year whether he was selected or not…The team has better body language when he is out on the court
2), Our team is coming together…A few weeks ago, this would have been like 120-89 OKC,…Not perfect, but much better chemistry…
3) For the first time all season, I thin this team can compete with any other team…Showed some grit out there and passion for a change…I like it…
4) Scott Howard is still Scott Howard…
STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!
Sun God, I humbly ask for optimism
For who shall ask, shalt thou receive.
I’m losing hope, thy Sun God.
Well, I'm not discouraged.
This was a good object lesson for Gortat and his development. Seth has been beating this drum for a few weeks – he has some holes in his game, and they were exposed The good thing is, he made some of the adjustments in-game last night, and the other adjustments he needs to make are ones he is certainly capable of making, like not rushing uncontested jump shots.
I thought Frye played an awesome defensive game. 41 minutes, and his motor was still going. He was bad from three, but most of that was early – but he’s adding some wrinkles inside, and he had 5 offensive rebounds – 9 total.
Dudley should have had more minutes. Pietrus should have had less. Dowdell played well, I thought, but he did make some mistakes. I blame Peaches for the runs against the second team, though. When he’s cold, he’s a real momentum killer.
It should be obvious by now that this team isn’t going to do anything the easy way. They’ve pushed it to the brink at every opportunity this year, missing every chance to close the gap until it’s almost too late, and then surprising us. I don’t expect anything different for the rest of the year, but the good news is, if we make the playoffs, we’ll be on a roll. And frankly, Vince choking the 4th quarter probably makes a deadline move involving him more likely, so I’m kind of OK with it. I’m not blaming VC, but I don’t like him any better. While he’s on the team, we’ll go the way he goes, and I can do without that. I’d much rather have seen Steve take those late threes, but oh, well.
Not a moral victory, but an immoral loss. Freaking refs. Still, we have to make shots – it’s the best way to take the game out of the ref’s hands, and we didn’t. They’re a very good team – we should have been better than them last night.
"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
"In the long run the pessimist may be proved right, but the optimist has a better time on the trip."
by haremoor on Feb 5, 2011 9:08 AM MST up reply actions 1 recs
Complaining about calls is something for losers
Play better and win. This team is going no where. But thats a good thing, with its age it needs some youth and high draft picks.
"The world is full of idiots and I am the world" ... Sleepy Freud 12/08
by skeptic von urquell on Feb 5, 2011 9:35 AM MST reply actions
but the Calls were so so so horribleeeeeeeeee
as a lot of ppl said b4 me here, im not usually one to blame the refs either, but COME ON
Complaing about refs, umps, etc.. is part of the game...
I try not to indulge too much, but it is there…People get get up in the emotion of the game and refs are human-ergo, they will make mistakes…
Just a fact of life…
We try not to focus on the res a lot here on BSOTS, but the obvious is the obvious…
STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!
Rec'd anyway, for content.
"In this world a man must either be anvil or hammer."
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
by East Bay Ray on Feb 5, 2011 10:15 AM MST up reply actions
No, the refs are losers.
Don't trade Dudley!
Some people are just like slinkys, they're good for nothing
yet can still manage to put a smile on your face
when pushing them down a flight of stairs.
well said butthead
"The world is full of idiots and I am the world" ... Sleepy Freud 12/08
by skeptic von urquell on Feb 5, 2011 4:26 PM MST up reply actions
This is where the trade has hurt us.
In the 4th quarter. Long term, it was a good trade to shed Hedo’s contract and reel in the Hammer, but I gotta believe that between JRich and Hedo, one of them would’ve nailed a big shot down the stretch.
I smell like the vault. I'm so PAID.
by RMason on Feb 5, 2011 10:15 AM MST via mobile reply actions
Would really like to see Childress get Pietrus' minutes.
The problem with the second team is that they look helter-skelter and skittish, and those are the worst qualitites of Pietrus. His defense is solid, although I think he’s a little overrated at that end. He doesn’t look like a dependable lockdown guy to me. His offense, meanwhile, is terrible for our team. All he does is chuck 3s, seemingly with no rhyme or reason, which kills any rhythm the second team is able to establish.
I suppose it’s true that he has more range than Childress and can stretch the defense better (though Pietrus is shooting a putrid .286 from 3 for us), but I’m sure Childress’ superior basketball IQ and ability to play within himself would serve the stability of the second unit better than Pietrus’ loose cannon act. Childress at least realizes his limitations as a shooter so doesn’t keep firing away.
"In this world a man must either be anvil or hammer."
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
In essence, Childress plays to his strengths
and is very Grant Hill-like in terms of skills. We really could use him in the 2nd unit. His BBIQ is so much higher.
"Yes the game threads have more mood swings than a coked up pregnant woman but you have to admit, it’s always a fun ride." - NashMV3
"I know...The Suns are like a drunk bi-sexual girl. You just have no idea what she is going to do." - TheRza82
If Childress' shooting was just a little better.
He’s shooting .539 this year, but mostly on shots that are close to the basket. He rarely attempts long range shots and defenses can pretty much leave him open at the 3 point line with no worry as he’s not made even one 3 point shot this season. Of course, he hasn’t played a lot of minutes (553), but a wing player with 0 made 3 pointers? Still, I’d rather have him in there than Pietrus.
"In this world a man must either be anvil or hammer."
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
by East Bay Ray on Feb 5, 2011 11:01 AM MST up reply actions
I am starting to see why a player with Pietrus' ability can't stick with a tema...
Dude frustrates the hell out of a coach with his erratic play…
STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!
There's also the splint on his thumb.
When he played, he had that on, so he probably felt it was best not to shoot with a broken thumb. His shot isn’t awful. He can make his FTs at the very least.
"Yes the game threads have more mood swings than a coked up pregnant woman but you have to admit, it’s always a fun ride." - NashMV3
"I know...The Suns are like a drunk bi-sexual girl. You just have no idea what she is going to do." - TheRza82
Chill shot 37 percent from 3 with the Hawks.
His finger injury really messed up his shooting this season but now that it is healed he can regain his former stroke. We could really use his agressive cuts to the paint and touch around the rim. Considering his great play against Durant (game winning steal) last time we played OKC I am really puzzled that he didn’t play last night. I know that Gentry wants to build chemistry by keeping a set rotation but it wouldn’t hurt to play Chill 15-20 minutes to rest Hill and Carter.
by gophoenixsuns on Feb 5, 2011 1:22 PM MST up reply actions
He's not really a shooter.
He has a good percentage because he doesn’t take many, and he waits for open looks. I too would like to see him in there, but he’s not reallt a shooter. He might be able to hit it well enough if we give him time, but we don’t know. Catch-22.
Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!
And go Shawn Watson and Barney Cotton! Seriously, leave Lincoln. Now.
Super Bowl here we come!
+1
Pietrus is awful offensively.
Founder of the Coalition to Light Vince Carter On Fire (CTLVCOF)
RIP Seasons of Discontent
by Scott Howard on Feb 5, 2011 11:52 AM MST up reply actions
Man, it just seems like 500 is so far away... Every time we get close, we suffer a defeat like this.
I mean, overall we played well…We just lost to the better team, it’s that simple. Now, we’re going to see what Gortat is truly capable of now that teams are actually prepping for him.
If we’re going to make the playoffs then we need Vince to keep up this level of play. I also thought Nash should have been more aggressive. I know Westbrook is one of, if not the best defensive point guard in the game but Nash is the best shooter ever in NBA history, he needs to be taking more than nine shots.
The bench lost this game with a combined negative 66 plus/minus.
Last year's Phoenix Suns team was like the show "Deadwood." A great thing that ended way too early.
Hang in there...
The season for the Suns will come around…and so will the bench
STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!
End of game thoughts
After watching the 4th quarter, I have to say I have even less sympathy for the “refs screwed us” argument. The goal tending call on Frye was 50/50 and even the foul on Durant by Hill was close enough that they could have gone either way and seemed consistent w/ how they were calling the game.
Obviously, the two quick T’s were more about about what had been said to the refs earlier in the game as opposed to that actual moment. Refs will warn guys but it seems like his trigger was ready to fire based on previous complaining.
The really bad call was obviously the Nash foul on Durant on the in-bound but honestly, if you are putting the game in the hands of the refs and relying on making a comeback by creating turnovers on two consecutive in-bounds plays then you are really reaching.
The plays that stand out on the defensive end were Ibaka’s tip-in OReb. Vince didn’t even attempt to put a body on him near the free throw line and so he was able to fly in uncontested while Frye, Gortat and I think Nash were all going for the ball. It was a great play by Ibaka as was his turnaround at the free throw line late in the shot clock.
On the offensive end, they went away from trying to get something going to the rim with Gortat (which tells you how much Gentry trusts him right now) and instead on three possessions ran Carter off screens to get him open looks.
The plays worked, but they resulted in jump shots. On one of them, Vince passed up a chance to drive. You can see here how much room he had to make a play
Raising Arizona Sports at SB Nation Arizona twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Feb 5, 2011 11:39 AM MST reply actions 2 recs
this seems to be a pattern
late in the fourth and they continue to die by the jumper.
"It's nice to feel good at 32. I don't feel old. I don't feel like this is getting harder. I feel like this is getting easier, if anything." Steve Nash
yes
and Gentry said today that he needs to do more to get opportunities in the paint w/ chances to get to the line
Working on full update from today’s chats
Raising Arizona Sports at SB Nation Arizona twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Feb 5, 2011 12:56 PM MST up reply actions
Sure, if we make 1 or 2 of those jumpshots (say, 4-13 rather than 2-13 between VC, Frye, and Gortat in the last few minutes), it's a different game.
The really bad call was obviously the Nash foul on Durant on the in-bound but honestly, if you are putting the game in the hands of the refs and relying on making a comeback by creating turnovers on two consecutive in-bounds plays then you are really reaching.
You’re right – we shouldn’t have been in that position – and we shouldn’t have counted on forcing the turnover. However, down 2 with 13.9 sec left, we did exactly that. I don’t know if we would have won, but I would have liked to see what would happen in a basketball sense, rather than a refereeing sense. I don’t know that they cost us the game – but they did screw us. As bad as getting a foul called from the other side of the floor is the guy who was standing right there and didn’t call either the foul or the travel. It was probably a grudge call, and Steve probably earned it – but it affected the outcome, and that’s sad.
"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
"In the long run the pessimist may be proved right, but the optimist has a better time on the trip."
by haremoor on Feb 5, 2011 1:06 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs
Far too true.
It almost brings the Joey Crawford and Tim Duncan situation back to mind. Steve is reacting a lot worse now than I’ve ever seen him react to calls before and I think the refs are getting tired of it. I guess they can only let it slide so long before it gets out of hand. In the end, Steve should’ve kept his cool. Those 2 Ts by Steve and Grant hurt us more than the BS foul call by the ref standing all the way across the court.
"Yes the game threads have more mood swings than a coked up pregnant woman but you have to admit, it’s always a fun ride." - NashMV3
"I know...The Suns are like a drunk bi-sexual girl. You just have no idea what she is going to do." - TheRza82
Steve has really let his frustration show on the court a lot this year...
I know it ain’t always easy when the team is playing like crap, but we gotta remain solid citizens in the face of adversity…We all know how some refs hold grudges…
STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!
Those last couple of minutes made me want to throw something heavy into my TV...
Lifelong Arizona Cardinals/Phoenix Suns/Chicago Bears fan [I have always lived in Arizona, dad is from Chicago].
by JoeCB1991 on Feb 5, 2011 11:40 AM MST via mobile reply actions
This is why I keep my flatscreen mounted high on the wall...
three and half quarters of Suns B-ball and T-Bird generally leaves me incaple of hurling heavy objects very far…
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 5, 2011 1:58 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs
Just a typical 4Q collapse
Why are we surprised? The team just can’t play solid ball in the last 3-4 minutes of games. They make mental mistakes, take poor shots (coaches design poor shots), and forget the fundamentals of defense (like blocking out).
Even when teams are down double digits they KNOW that they can come back against us. You would think that after so many games like this, Gentry would come up with something new.
It's a trend I believe they can break...
They have to break it in order to make the playoffs…It starts with Alvin as he has to stop going away from what has made them successfule the whole game. Form the foundation that help keeps the teams edge.
The Big guns on the team (VC, Nash) gotta be leaders on the court as well, not just the defacto name….In other words, will their team to victory.. If Nash is too tired to do this at the end of games, the Alvin’s gotta figure out ways to keep his minutes down throughout…
I know it is a little frustrating right now, because I feel everybody here believes they are capable of closing out games in very good fashion. I just htink it will take some minor adjustments and it can be accomplished…
STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!
Really would've liked to see Lopez close out this game
It’s like they’ve got a checklist and once they post him up a few times they stop looking for him.
Achievement is its own reward, pride obscures it.
it is in fact exactly like this and Gentry admitted as much…working on story now
Raising Arizona Sports at SB Nation Arizona twitter: @sethpo
Plus they were playing the Thunders
If anyone on the team or coaching staff pays attention to the scouting reports, I am sure that they would have known that OKC tends to close games in grand fashion. you would think that given our putrid record of closing out games and their great record that we would do something different.
They do the same thing over and over and over again and are dumbfounded when the results are the same.
Never seen Vince miss so much like that in the crunch time
Hi, I’m a long time Vince Carter fan. I’ve watched almost every single game he’s played in. Steve Nash is my favourite and Vince is second (used to be first until Nash exploded in Phoenix, and I’m in Canada).
I know carter’s clutchness has been questioned ever since he missed the two free throws last yr vs Boston, but he’s been clutch throughout his career. In the past, if the game was close and you had the ball in vince’s hands in the last 5 minutes, you’re relieved because most of the time, vince makes great plays every possession, and his team usually wins. He also has his fair share of buzzer beaters. I remember seeing his true fg% in the crunch time being one of the highest – higher than Kobe’s. Nash was also up there. I think the numbers were from his (upto) NJ days.
In Orlando, he really wasn’t given the opportunity to do his thing in the crunch. And I don’t know if his confidence is hurting (I hope not), but I haven’t seen all that many clutch performances from him since his NJ days.
Last night, I felt his pressure to perform for his new team and fans in the crunch. I think that got to him a little bit. You can blame the loss on Gentry for taking him out and not going to him once he came back – which could have increased the lead, or on the refs, but in the end, vince needed to perform at the end, and he failed.
I really hope he gets a few more chances to get his confidence/cockiness back.
What I wanted to say is this. In Orlando, he wasn’t really welcomed by his fans and he didn’t play all that well – just tried to fit in. Visiting BSotS, the atmosphere here feels a bit more positive (even with CTLVCOF) , to me at least. I don’t know him personally, but having watched him for so long, I think he really feeds off of fan support. He needs to hear fans go “oooh and aaah” at his moves. So, he may be a little more mentally fragile than other super stars, but He IS clutch and he will perform well with support from team and fans.
Good day.
as far as clutch stats
82games.com has some nice stats.
clutch = 4th quarter or overtime, less than 5 minutes left, neither team ahead by more than 5 points
There’s a reason Gentry says Carter needs to be his 4th quarter man.
http://www.82games.com/0910/CSORT11.HTM
In 09-10, Carter was 6th in the NBA in points per 48 minutes of “clutch” time (22% were assisted)
http://www.82games.com/0809/CSORT11.HTM
In 08-09, he was 17th in the NBA in points per 48 minutes of “clutch” time (25% assisted)
http://www.82games.com/CSORT11.HTM
in 07-08, he was 28th in the NBA (50% of the points were assisted. Kidd was his PG)
So, he does know how to score in the clutch. Hopefully, he will deliver a few times for the Suns this season.
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
he does know how to score in the clutch.
or he did know how….we’ll have to wait and see.
Three wide open opportunities in game where he was otherwise, hot is about as good as it gets. We’ll see if Gentry even gives him another chance.
Raising Arizona Sports at SB Nation Arizona twitter: @sethpo
Gentry would be stupid
not to give vince a lot more chances. Its simply a question of whether Vince believes in himself and the Suns enough to deliver.
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
I think you may be onto something...
When watching Vince, it almost seems like he is just going through the motions at times. There have been some games where I’ve seen him really turn it on, but many others where he looks completely uninspired.
I don’t think Vince has any issues with self-confidence, but I do believe he may not consider the Suns a worthy enough team to play at his highest level. Does he believe that this team can contend for a title? Probably not. Does he realize he is likely a one-season rental that will eventually be cut or traded? Probably so. Does this affect the effort he gives and his level of play? My guess would be that it does.
Now I’m not saying that Carter is not trying at all, or that he is purposefully sabotaging the team. But I do think he is not giving it 100% like we are used to seeing from our two other vets, Grant and Steve.
This is only my opinion and I have no evidence whatsoever to support it. Again, I don’t think he is intentionally trying to do this, if that is in fact what’s happening. I just think he subconsciously has difficulty giving it his all when he realizes he has very little to gain on a personal level by doing so. Just my thoughts…
Some good quotes
from Gentry here about late game situations, Pietrus’ play along w/ updates on Dragic and Dowdell and some chatter about Lopez v Gortat.
Raising Arizona Sports at SB Nation Arizona twitter: @sethpo
Good stuff, Seth...
I’m glad Gentry at least recognizes this…Fixing it is another matter altogether…I will think positive and believe they can get it done…
STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!
And binge drink whilst doing that, yes?
"Yes the game threads have more mood swings than a coked up pregnant woman but you have to admit, it’s always a fun ride." - NashMV3
"I know...The Suns are like a drunk bi-sexual girl. You just have no idea what she is going to do." - TheRza82
better to binge drink and be positive...
than binge drink and pass out in despair…
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 5, 2011 3:06 PM MST up reply actions 2 recs
Damn straight.
Cheers to binge drinking and positivity. Clink, mothafucka, clink.
"Yes the game threads have more mood swings than a coked up pregnant woman but you have to admit, it’s always a fun ride." - NashMV3
"I know...The Suns are like a drunk bi-sexual girl. You just have no idea what she is going to do." - TheRza82
Ah...to the things we truly enjoy in life...
STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!
wait a drinking thread
Clink indeed motha fuckas… Clink indeed
"It's nice to feel good at 32. I don't feel old. I don't feel like this is getting harder. I feel like this is getting easier, if anything." Steve Nash
win or go home...
hmmm….an innovative concept….
STAT may be gone but the Suns will rise....! BTW, If positivity is a crime, I plead guilty by reason of T-Bird...!
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