Game Coverage
Richardson, Stoudemire Lead Suns to Big Win Versus Unbeaten Celtics
by Wil Cantrell on Nov 6, 2009 9:53 PM MST
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"Compete on the Boards" was written on the chalk board in the Suns locker room before the game. Not only did the Suns compete on the boards, they actually won against the undefeated Boston Celtics in Boston Friday night, 110-103.
Jason Richardson played a monster game, leading the way in scoring for the Suns with 34. Richardson had to have been motivated by his 0 for in Orlando. Tonight he made up for the zeroes all over the floor in TD Garden, including 6-7 from three point range.
Richardson played a complete game tonight. He mad Ray Allen a non-factor, holding the Celtics guard to 16 points. But J-Rich wasn't satisfied just bombing away from outside, he drove to the hoop, posted up Allen, and even battled for rebounds, leading the team with 10. He even made free throws which hasn't been a given the past two games for the Suns.
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Game Thread: Suns vs Celtics
by Phoenix Stan on Nov 6, 2009 5:15 PM MST
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Game Preview: Suns @ Boston (Will Tacos Happen?)
by Phoenix Stan on Nov 6, 2009 11:03 AM MST
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One of my favorite terms in baseball lore is the Mendoza Line. For the Suns this season we have the Taco Line.
If the Suns score 99 points you win (yes, you!) two free tacos. This applies to both home AND away games.
Ed Note: I would link to the page on Suns.com that shows this promotion along with lots of other promotions but the NBA doesn't allow that.
Two free 182 calorie snacks aside, the Taco Line provides a very meaningful measure for the Suns likely success. New defensive and rebounding focus is nice but this team needs to score the ball to win games and stay happy.
The C's are holding teams to a measly 81 points per game and the Suns are averaging a league 2nd best 111 ppg (link to stats page not allowed) .
I am so confident that the 99 point mark is the key in this game that I promise to both buy and eat two tacos if the Suns don't score 99 point and still manage to win the game. I am laying it all on the line here.
Keys to Crossing the Taco Line:
- To reach the Taco Line it is going to take more than zero combined points from Grant Hill and Jason Richardson and after two bad shooting games, I am looking for Frye to light it up again.
- The Nash - Rondo tussle is always fun if by "fun" you enjoy seeing Rondo drive by Nash repeatedly and use those freakishly long arms to disrupt Steve's passes.
- Amare and KG have had some nice battles in the past if by "nice battles" you mean that one game that one time where Amare scored 28 points and actual pushed KG around and not this other time where he had 3 points.
Seriously now, this game is going to be a tough win just like winning in Orlando was always a long-shot. That doesn't excuse a blow out and getting absolutely torched in the 3rd quarter.
Tonight the Suns are better rested after barely playing on Wednesday so I am looking for a full 110% effort and a competitive game. And if they are able to find a way to beat the Celtics vaunted defense and reach the Taco Line you never know...
Be sure to check out CelticsBlog
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Suns Hope for Undefeated Season Ends in Orlando
by Wil Cantrell on Nov 4, 2009 10:56 PM MST
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We all saw this coming from far away. The cards were stacked against our beloved Suns from the opening tip. They clawed their way to victory in a rugged game last night in Miami. Tonight they were up against one of the best teams in the league, the Orlando Magic. Only an astounding effort could have put the Suns over the top tonight and while Amare Stoudemire did his best, putting up 25 points and 14 rebounds, the rest of the Suns couldn't follow his lead.
Perhaps tonight the Suns were simply tired. Or perhaps we have seen our first glimpse of one of the Sun's potential Achilles heals already: age. For the second night in a row the Suns rebounding leader, Grant Hill looked tired.
Steve Nash wasn't much of a factor as well as the Suns bigs found themselves in foul trouble early on and fell behind an angry Magic squad that dropped a game in Detroit they should have won the night before.
Funny thing was, for much of the game, Dwight Howard wasn't his dominant self. Howard did manage to put up 25 points, but finished the first half with a technical foul, 3 personals, and only 2 rebounds while the Magic led 56-52.
It was efforts from Ryan Who? Anderson, (20 points, 10 rebounds), the infamous Matt Barnes, (13 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists), and Jameer Nelson (16 points and 10 assists) that did much of the damage for the Magic.
Oh and let us not forget the Suns helped out with cold shooting: (45% FG, 31% 3PT), and for the second night in a row, hovered near 50% from the free throw line for much of the night, finishing at 65%.
But enough of the negative. There was some good that came out of tonight's game besides Stoudemire's performance: the bench once again proved solid, even before garbage time:
- Goran Dragic once again played well, adding 15 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds
- Jared Dudley scored 17, and played like his usual junkyard self
- Earl Clark saw action and looked confident, going 4-6 from the field and pulling down 5 boards
- There was a T-Griff sighting HEY-OH!!
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Game Thread: Suns vs Magic
by Phoenix Stan on Nov 4, 2009 4:30 PM MST
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Preview: Suns vs Magic (Forget about that Dwight Guy)
by Phoenix Stan on Nov 4, 2009 11:27 AM MST
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With all the focus (understandably) on that big guy in the middle with fancy muscles and jumping and what not, I want to turn our collective heads and give a cough out to the point guard match-up in tonight's game.
On one side we have the Hot Older YMCA White Guy Actress who is dominating and on the other side the young guy who's not so shabby her himself.
From NBA.com, lets check the tale of the tape...
Not even close. So lets not get all bent out of shape worrying about how many Frye's Howard might eat tonight. This is a team effort and for the time being our team is being driven by the best in the league.
There, I said it.
Right now Steve Nash is the best point guard in the league.
Suck it, Chris Paul and your 1-3 Hornets. Chew on that Deron Williams and your 1-3 Jazz.
Quick, someone stop me before I declare this Suns team the best ever and a lock for the 2009/10 NBA Championship after going 4-0....
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Nash, Defense Spark Suns Victory in Miami
by Wil Cantrell on Nov 3, 2009 11:09 PM MST
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At Suns Media Day a couple months back, Steve Nash was asked how he felt. The 36 year old point guard looked down and thought for a moment, then replied with a smile: "joyous." The joyous Steve Nash led the Suns with 30 points in a hard fought come-from-behind victory against the Miami Heat tonight, 104-96. While going 4-5 from three-point range, Nash also became the Suns All-Time 3-point leader.
The Suns looked sloppy and fell behind early during a 17-1 Miami run in the first half but managed to keep things close until Nash caught fire and the defense tightened in the second half. While Amare Stoudemire, Jared Dudley, and Louis Amundson scrapped for rebounds and blocked shots, Grant Hill, Jason Richardson and company held Dwayne Wade to a meager 23 points. After the game, Stoudemire quipped, "the guys are really taking defense to heart." It is easy to believe Sun Tzu after his words followed a gutsy team performance. From a fan's perspective it doesn't get any more exciting than watching your team fight back from a deficit and show so much fire in doing so. Seeing Jared Dudley scream in delight after scoring a hard fought basket warms my heart and makes me want to be ORNG.
The bench played excellent tonight including Jarron Collins, whose box line doesn't do him justice. The guy played tough and didn't hurt us. The rest of the rotation played inspired, aggressive basketball:
- Louis Amundson: 10 points, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks
- Jared Dudley: 8 points and 3 boards
- Goran Dragic was solid in 11 minutes of play with no (zero) turnovers and a nice take to the hoop
Grant Hill struggled from the field going 2-11, yet managed a double double with 10 points and 12 boards, nicely complimenting Stoudemire's 11 rebound, 3 blocked shot performance. While everyone contributed in this victory, it was Nash's 25 point second half that led the way to an improbable win. For a half the Suns looked destined to give this game to the Heat, shooting nearly 40% from the field and 50% from the free throw line. Dwayne Wade picked apart the defense while Jermaine O'Neal and an oddly athletic looking Quentin Richardson buoyed the Heat offense.
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Game Thread: Suns vs Heat
by Phoenix Stan on Nov 3, 2009 5:00 PM MST
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371 comments
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