Game Thread: Phoenix Suns vs Detroit Pistons

by Dan on Mar 16, 2007 11:40 AM MDT in Suns News Comment 7 comments

The Suns come off one of the biggest games of the season and can't let up at all because they are playing the best team in the East - the Detroit Pistons.

Amare Stoudemire is coming off of a breakout game (can you have several breakout games in one season?) and the Suns are liable to have a bit of a letdown after getting up so high for the previous game.

They are at home tonight so the crowd should be able to pick them up a little if they get down. However, even if they do let off a little bit in the game I still expect them to win the game. Detroit is a good team but can't run if the Suns really push the ball.

After the last game, I think any game would seem a little anti-climactic. But if the Suns want to keep up with Dallas and wait for them to hopefully make a mistake in a few more games so they can get the #1 seed, the Suns need to play out the rest of the year almost flawlessly. I still don't think they will get the #1 seed but it would be sad to not get it because they just didn't play hard enough in the last 20 games.

Your thoughts on the game?

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Opportunity Time

Well with the Suns within striking Distance of the Mavs for the #1 seed, i sure as hell hope our Suns can really rev up their play to get said spot. Which brings me back to tonight's game. Sure the Suns could be drained after the Dallas game (emotionally that is) but they gotta come in reallize that they still have a very real chance to take the #1 from Dallas. Thus i expect the Suns to play hard tonight, and they should pull off a W. Now granted it wont be easy, especially if we dont improve our rebounding, which almost killed us against the Mavs. Tonight should be fun though GO SUNS!!!!

by Turambar on Mar 16, 2007 12:15 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Looking forward to it.....

....although I am a bit apprehensive that they may have a let down tonight. On the radio the announcers were debating which of the two upcoming games the Suns would lose. One picked Detroit, the other picked Denver. Neither was brave enough to say they will win BOTH! As for myself, I am afraid to predict a win for the Suns at ANY time, for reasons I mentioned in another thread. However, I do hope they win tonight because I will be there, cheering them on.

by Vash01 on Mar 16, 2007 3:46 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

My one-word review of this game

Bleh.

Enough said. Next?

by TexSUN on Mar 16, 2007 10:23 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I never expected this!

I knew the Suns would have difficulty, coming off an emotional win against Dallas, but I never expected a blow out.

The Suns looked tired even in the first quarter, although the scores were not too bad. Once they let Detroit into the game, the Pistons just did not miss an opportunity and the Suns just could not shoot. Amare and Steve still made some great buckets but the Suns never controlled the game the way we are used to seeing. Detroit caught them at a bad time (for the Suns) and benefitted. They will lose to Dallas on Sunday.

Dallas had its own problems coming off the 2OT game but they only had to beat the Boston Celtics. The dice just did not roll the Suns' way. They had to play a Detroit team that was hot.

The most disgusting thing about the game was the Detroit fans in the arena made their presence known in the worst possible way, right from the word go. Three of them sat 2 rows ahead of me and their behavior was very irritating. They were drunk and loud. With about 4 minutes to go, fans started leaving. One of these idiots went over to the rails where fans were walking out and started taunting them. He actually threw some 'liquid' on me. YUK!!!! I don't know if it was beer or his sweat. I had to stop at the rest room to wash myself off.

It was an ugly game. Every team has a bad game once in a while. The Mavs had theirs against GSW. If Detroit makes it to the NBA finals and if they play the Suns, it will not be a repeat of this game. The teams will be even; not one coming off a brutal week.

Talking of the next opponent, the Denver Nuggets are playing very well. The Suns will have their hands full.

I don't know why D'Antoni did not try putting Pike, Jumaine Jones and Jalen Rose in. The Suns were clearly fatigued and/or out of focus. They needed a shot in the arm. Pike would have been perfect. The Suns needed some 3-point buckets. The more they missed, the more energy Detroit got from it. The Suns were in it until the 4th quarter. D'Antoni continued with his starters, who really should have been resting for tomorrow's game in Denver. They are even going to lose one hour flying there (Daylight savings time change makes Denver one hour ahead of us now).

I think the Suns should just erase this game from their memory, and not even try to learn something from it. Their weakness- lack of rebounding has been evident earlier, so there is nothing new to learn. I doubt that other teams would use this game to beat the Suns in the future. The Suns were clearly not themselves tonight and they missed a great opportunity. Nash did all he could, but he was being harrassed by Detroit players defensively and his team mates were not making shots.

Boris made some shots (5 out of 5). I thought he may make an impact but nothing was going to work for the Suns tonight. They better regroup in a hurry though because SA is still on their heels.

by Vash01 on Mar 16, 2007 11:53 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

How I saw the game

I don't know if we watched the same game... I did not see tired Suns. I did, however, see Amare going hard to the rim (traveling along the way a couple of times), Suns shooting high percentage from the field, Nash going almost perfect from the field (with only a couple of assists), Pistons playing defense, Diaw getting abused by Sheed, Flip Murray(?!) dominating after Billups went down. As for low 3pt percentage, almost all of 3pt shots were contested. Mid-range jumpers were going down for the Suns, keeping them in the game in the 3rd.

"I doubt that other teams would use this game to beat the Suns in the future."

Are you serious? Let's see what Pistons' gameplan was:

Slow the game down
Post Diaw/Matrix/STAT EVERY possesion (Diaw, Matrix: too "small", Amare: as much as I love seeing him go hard to the hoop, he is a joke on defense)
Pound the offensive boards (do the Suns ever box out?!)
Let Nash score, take away his assists
Get back on defense ASAP after a made basket
Mix defenses (halfcourt trap, fullcourt press, halfcourt press, zone)

Sounds like a good plan for Spurs/Mavs (anyone with a dominant PF or C).

by bonzi on Mar 17, 2007 4:02 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Denver

Now I am worried about the Denver game. Two losses in a row will be demoralizing after the 'high' of beating Dallas in Dallas.

I thought the Suns could still win the Pacific division title tonight because Portland was beating LAL, but LAL came back to win, thanks to Kobe. Tonight was just not the Suns' night. Hopefuly tomorrow will be better.

by Vash01 on Mar 17, 2007 12:29 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs