Suns Win Shootout Over Bucks (122-114)
by TexSUN on Jan 12, 2008 10:30 PM MST
in Game Coverage
4 comments
This was just what the Suns needed after that massacre in Utah Thursday night--a nice, Eastern conference opponent who was willing to run with them. The Bucks did a good job of keeping up, though, leading by seven at halftime before falling to one of those patented third quarter blowouts by the Suns. In fact, if Bucks fans are looking for a reason to feel good about their team after this game, they can take comfort in knowing that the Bucks outscored the Suns in every quarter but one. Unfortunately for them, and fortunately for us, that one was a doozy. The Suns outscored the Bucks 35-18 in the third, giving them just the right amount of cushion to survive the late surge in the fourth.
This game started out looking like we might be seeing the "Kobe effect" with Amare Stoudemire. He was torching the Bucks single-handedly, but unfortunately, his team was behind. However, the Suns came out on a mission in the third, especially Boris Diaw who had maybe his best game since 2005-06. It's been a long time since we got to see Diaw play like this, and it was a lot of fun to watch. He set a season high with 21 points (10-of-15), and also had a team-high 11 rebounds to go with 4 assists, a steal, and a block. He was a huge part of that third quarter run, especially on the offensive end but also on defense as well. He was aggressive going to both the basket and the boards. Whatever happened to get him so fired up for this game needs to happen before every game. Thanks in part to Diaw's efforts on the glass, the Suns out-rebounded the Bucks 34-27.
By the fourth quarter, it was Steve Nash leading the way and looking like he couldn't miss if he was blindfolded. He certainly didn't look like someone fresh off of missing a game with the stomach flu! Nash ended up with a season high 35 points (13-of-17), five three-pointers, seven assists, and approximately 18,000 "MVP" chants.
For the Bucks, it was Andrew Bogut doing most of the damage with a 29 point, 11 rebound effort. But he had plenty of help, especially from Charlie Bell who hit some big threes late in the game that kept the Bucks' hopes for winning alive. Bell had 28 points, 7 assists, and shot 7-of-10--even more impressive considering he came off the bench. He was a big reason why the Bucks out-assisted the Suns 23-19. Despite being on the second night of a back-to-back, and being thoroughly outplayed in the third quarter, the Bucks didn't go away. They got right back in it in the fourth and kept it interesting right up until "foul Steve Nash" time in the fourth quarter. But "foul Steve Nash" time usually means winning time, and that's what happened here.
Player of the Game: I thought Boris Diaw had this locked up at the end of the third quarter, but the truth is, Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire were both worthy too. I guess I should go with the guy getting all those MVP chants. 18,000 people can't be wrong.
Runner-Up: I'll put Boris here. Sorry, Andrew Bogut. You'll have another shot at it in a couple of weeks.
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Great game
Love it when Steve is swishing his shots like that. STAT, really impressive.
Solid win. I had to watch it on delay because of a rare Saturday night out of the house without the kids, but it was very enjoyable to catch it later.
Go, Suns!
by SueB on Jan 13, 2008 5:13 AM MST reply actions 0 recs
The Suns D
The Sun's defensive plan was to not double and make Bogut make plays. Usually he doesn't. Last night he did.
Amare playing 1:1 while trying not to get in foul trouble (he wasn't) did well. Not great, but well. What I liked most is that he fought for position before the entry pass and in most cases Bogut caught the ball well away from the basket. Bogut then used his larger size to back Amare down and made some good contested shots. You might note that when Skinner was on Bogut the same thing happened. I am quick to critize Amare for his pick and roll D but I thought he played very well on both ends last night. Sometimes the other guy deserves some credit for making his shots.
On the perimeter, the Suns shut down Redd (thanks Raja) and their other guys really stepped up and played well. Hill was missed for sure but they moved the ball and hit their open shots. During that stretch in the 3rd where the Suns took control they started doubling more and playing more active D and were able to at that point get separation.
In this game even when the Suns were down, I never felt like the game was in jepardy b/c the Suns offense was clicking w/ Amare just a BEAST inside and the Return of the Boris. In other games like this if the Suns offense isn't hitting they might have locked down on D sooner but I don't have a problem with them keeping the tempo up and the shots flowing on both sides and then when needed, they clamped down on D and got separation. Must be tough for the Bucks to shoot as well as they did and still not really have a chance to win. Nice game overall.
One thought I had watching the Bucks play D was that the Suns (and Bucks) seem to really adjust thier defensive game plans based on the other team's roster. But when you think about the great defensive teams like the Pistons and yes the Spurs, they have a defensive system that they really don't change based on what the other team is doing or playing. Guys like Manu and certainly Finely and Berry wouldn't be good defensive players on other teams but because the Spurs have a system they can learn their the roles and not have to adjust each night. Guys like LB and even Nash would be better defensive players on those other teams. This is really about about the coaching and system.
Until the Suns get a great defensive minded assistant coach to compliment Coach D's offense to implement a defensive system instead of various defensive game plans then the Suns will never be a GREAT defensive team.
That said, in the playoff's when you can scout one team and have to make fewer game to game adjustments then the Suns talent on D anchored by Marion, Bell and Hill and supported by Skinner and Banks and yes even Amare providing weak-side blocks and stopping penetration (areas he has improved) then the Suns D should hopefully be good enough to take them all the way.
by Seth Pollack on Jan 13, 2008 9:25 AM MST reply actions 0 recs
New YouTube process
Last night as I re-watched the last quarter of the Bucks game I had an idea about how I could easily make video clips so I tried out this method of just pointing my digital camera at the TV and then quickly making the YouTube. Seems to have worked well so maybe I will be making more clips to illustrate my brilliant points.
Btw - I had a thought in making this one that perhaps Amare's issue is more about knowing if the guard is going to go under or over the screen. In this example Amare shows soft of the ball but LB is trying to fight over the screen. The result is the Amare does a great job getting in LB's way and the shooter is wide open.
If LB is going over the top of the pick then Amare should hang back and stop penetration and also keep his arms wide to deny the pass to the big rolling in the lane. If the guard is going to go under the pick to stop penetration then Amare can trap the ball hard. In this case as in most of the examples that I see Amare and the guard are not on the same page. I suppose this might not actually be Amare's fault. I am going to watch for this closer.
by Seth Pollack on Jan 14, 2008 8:56 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs
btw
by Seth Pollack on Jan 14, 2008 12:05 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs
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