Game Day Open Thread: Phoenix Suns vs. Denver Nuggets
by TexSUN on Jan 7, 2008 4:37 PM MST
in Phoenix Suns: Game Coverage
Email
Print
 Phoenix Suns |
|
 Denver Nuggets |
| 23-10 | 21-12 | |
| 7:00 PM Mountain / 9:00 PM Eastern | ||
| TV: FSN AZ HD, NBA League Pass | ||
| Probable starters: | ||
| Steve Nash | PG | Anthony Carter |
| Raja Bell | SG | Allen Iverson |
| Grant Hill | SF | Carmelo Anthony |
| Shawn Marion | PF | Kenyon Martin |
| Amare Stoudemire | C | Marcus Camby |
Win three, lose one. That's been the pattern for the Nuggets since Thanksgiving, and if it continues, it bodes well for the Suns. The Nuggets will be looking to build on a three-game winning streak as they face the Suns for the first time since the preseason. The Suns will be looking to put to rest the theory that they're having trouble beating the best of the West. Two high-paced, offensively-minded teams going at it should make for an entertaining shootout.
Let's do it again (without the injury, of course):
67 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Game on
Refs give the tip to Denver after Amare jumps the gun. Iverson immediately capitalizes, getting an early foul on Raja and making both free throws.
Amare gets the two back immediately on the other end.
Q1 8:28 - Shootout
Looking good for that shootout so far. Suns lead 15-6. Four of the five starters are already on the board, and the Suns have gone 7-8 in the first three minutes.
Q1 7:46 - Raja's on there too now
Didn't take Raja Bell long to get on the board either. Suns are now 9-10 after Nash makes too.
Meanwhile, Kenyon Martin brings it back to 19-11 after the and-1.
Q1 7:08 - Three for Amare too
Amare gets an and-1 of his own after the Suns finally miss.
Meanwhile, speaking of three, Marion has already hit two from behind the arc. Suns have a 14-point lead now at 25-11.
Q1 5:24 - Foul trouble
Shawn goes out with two fouls. Too bad, because he was rolling (on both ends of the floor).
Q1 4:21 - Foul trouble II
Now Amare picks up his second. Suns now lead by 13 at 32-19 after the two makes by Iverson. (Which begs the question: Why was Amare guarding Iverson to begin with?)
Q1 3:39 - Two for two
Suns can't stop Iverson. Again. Fortunately, the Nuggets can't stop LB either, so they get it right back.
Q1 1:34 - Suns break 40.
Suns are up 41-28...make that 44-28 after the Nash three as I was typing this. Probably won't make 50, but it's going to be close.
After one
Suns fall one short of tying their season-high for a quarter. They have 46. Meanwhile, the game has become a matter of whether or not the Suns can beat Allen Iverson, who is trying to win the game by himself (and not doing a bad job of it). Despite the 46-point quarter, the Suns only lead by 12 at 46-34. Iverson has 17 points already, has made 5-7 shots, and single-handedly got both Amare and Marion in foul trouble. As a result, he's gone 6-7 from the line too. The flip side, though, is that other Nuggets aren't getting involved. Carmelo Anthony is their second highest scorer so far with 6 on 3-7.
Q2 11:41 - Where was that at the end of the first?
Marcus Banks nails a three to open the second, giving the Suns a 49-34 lead. Too bad that three didn't come at the end of the first, though.
Q2 10:38 - Too many offensive rebounds
Suns allow too many offensive rebounds on that possession and finally get burned.
Now, Hill draws a charge, so the Nuggets have a chance to close the gap a bit.
The Nuggets bring in their quintessential "energy guy", Eduardo Najera. I remember this guy from Dallas a few years ago. HUGE fan favorite here, and by "huge" I mean someone who could get the whole arena chanting his name (always wondered how that made some of the bigger stars on that team feel).
Q2 9:07 - Speaking of energy
Marcus Banks wants to play. Bringing major energy so far. Suns are now up by 18. Great start so far.
Q2 8:35 - Rebounds wanted
Suns got a glimpse of a 20 point lead, but it doesn't take the Nuggets long to knock it back to 18. The Suns defend the free throw line well, but miss on the rebound. Ugh. Fortunately, the Nuggets can't capitalize, and Banks restores the 20+ lead.
Q2 7:41 - Nice play by the bench
Diaw ad LB go back to the bench in favor of Amare and Nash. Huge, well-deserved ovation as they not only held down the fort but even expanded the lead.
Q2 6:53 - Fouls are killing us!
If the Nuggets come back and win this, the blame will be placed squarely on the Suns picking up fouls. I guess that's the "dark side" of putting in the extra effort on defense, especially against an ultra-aggressive team like the Nuggets. Amare picks up his three and heads back to the bench. Unfortunate, because Skinner has been in for awhile and was probably getting close to break time.
Q2 5:54 - Marion should have taken that three
I don't often say that, but he's been on fire tonight. After passing it up, the Suns end up not scoring.
Q2 5:03 - See?
Marion passes up another three, ends up getting it back, and nails it. He's now 3-4 from behind the line, and the Nuggets seem willing to let him shoot it anyway.
Q2 3:13 - Repeat
See above. 5-6. And I do believe that was a smile after he hit that last one.
Suns have a 70 point half now, to the Denver's 47.
Q2 1:44 - Career high for Shawn...
...on three's they say. Career high tying anyway. 5-6 matches the Sacramento game.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets have started out a run to close within 15, but it doesn't last as Raja Bell picks up where Marion left off and nails a three of his own. 73-57 after the Nuggets answer on the other end.
At the half
Brian Skinner nails a three (calmly I might add) at the buzzer. After some debate, looks like it's going to count. That gives the Suns a 78-point half and puts them up by 19 heading into the break.
Numbers that are good:
- Suns, 59.6%, Nuggets 43.1%
- Steve Nash: 8 assists
- Marion: 21 points, 5-7 from three, 8-11 overall, not to mention nine rebounds
- Boris Diaw: 5 assists
- Grant Hill: 5-7 and 13 points
- Marcus Banks: 2-2 from three, and lots of energetic defense that helped slow down the AI show
- Brian Skinner for three! (For the second time in his career, his first being earlier this season on a similar buzzer-beating situation)
- 5 blocks as a team
- 5-5 from the free throw line
- 19 Assists to the Nuggets' 8
- 78 points, 19-point lead
- Three fouls each for Hill, Marion, and Amare. No one on the Nuggets has more than two.
- 12 offensive rebounds by the Nuggets (mitigated a bit by six offensive rebounds by the Suns)
- Allen Iverson: 21 points, but at least he's down to 6-12 now.
Q3 8:44 - Nice defense by the Suns
...gets the shot clock violation on the Nuggets.
Suns have opened up a 25 point lead at 88-63.
Q3 6:28 - Um, ok.
Suns leave Anthony Carter WIDE OPEN on the three, so he gladly puts it in. Maybe by design, but it looked kind of weird nonetheless. Meanwhile, Amare's foul trouble continues into the second half as he picks up his fourth.
Q3 6:02 - Can the Suns survive the foul trouble?
Grant Hill joins Amare on the bench with his fourth. Lead is 20, so it's not desperate yet.
Q3 4:47 - Suns keep answering....
...every time it starts to look like the Nuggets are gaining life. Nash hits a three to bring the lead back to 19.
Q3 2:53 - Nice steal by Nash!
...after Skinner restores the 20-point lead at the free throw line. Nash with the energy hustle steal, preventing a chance for Denver to get it back.
Q3 2:32 - Oh come on Majerle!
Where's your team spirit? Denies that he's offering free drinks if the Suns score 100 by the end of the third quarter.
Which reminds me, that's another nice bar near the arena.
majerle's
Is one of 3 places I hit to watch games when I'm in town, it was so strange last yr, go watch a few games in a 80% tv loaded Majerle's, or watch the spurs vs suns game there and not be able to get a table. Phx is so quiet (downtown) to watch most suns games, they only get up for a very few games a yr (in general).
Q3 1:47 - Nashless interlude in the third...
...so far, not as impressive as the Nashless interlude in the second. Still, with Grant Hill coming back in and immediately scoring, the Suns take it back to 18 and break the century mark at 101-83.
Q3 00:10 - Denver on a run
Suns have hit a lull, and the Nuggets have gotten hot. The close the quarter on an 11-2 run to close it to 101-90.
After three
Buzzer Beater II!
Just when it was looking like Denver could enter the fourth feeling good about their chances for a comeback, LB nails a three at the buzzer and opens it back up to 16. Suns now lead 106-90, and hopefully that three was as morale-sapping as it appeared to be.
Q4 11:49 - Suns open the fourth with defense
Prevent the easy one under the basket to "steal" the opening possession.
Q4 11:36 - Who shoots technicals...
...when Nash is on the bench this year? Guess that would be Grant Hill, who makes off of the three-second violation.
Meanwhile, Denver winds up with a steal but Iverson can't get past Banks and ends up launching something wild.
sure is nice
to see banks getting used, he's always had the speed and energy to guard some great players
Q4 11:07 - Foul-a-palooza continues
Grant Hill gets his fifth which leads D'Antoni to sub in Diaw who also has five.
Q4 10:21 - Momentum plays!
Amare with the emphatic block leads to huge rainbow three by LB that barely touched the net on its way in.
Q4 8:41 - Timeout
At the timeout, the Suns are up 112-93. Doing a nice job of keeping 'em at arms length
Q4 8:09 - Nash+Banks
Looks like D'Antoni is going to reward Banks for his nice play tonight by letting him stay on the floor with Nash. He makes good on it by grabbing a hustle rebound for a second chance opportunity.
Q4 6:28 - Another three for Banks
Looked almost Eddie House-like, as he had to get it off in a hurry with the defender closing.
Q4 6:01 - Repeat
Wow... Marion seems to have gone cold from behind the arc, but now Banks is taking over. He's now 4-5, with all 12 points coming from three. Oh, and he has two blocks as well.
Q4 4:37 - Nuggets throwing it in
George Karl has started putting in his scrubs, and looks like D'Antoni will do the same. Nash leaves with 13 points, 10 assists, and just one turnover. Marion takes a seat with 27 points, 14 rebounds, 6 blocks, 4 assists, and one Player of the Game award in my upcoming recap.
Q4 3:44 - Just showing off now
Banks takes a three from Dallas and nails it. The bright side of the early foul trouble for some guys was that Banks got the early call. Seems to have worked beautifully.
Q4 3:04 - Victory cigars continue
Sean Marks gets the call now for Amare, who had light duty thanks to foul trouble, but still ended up with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Q4 2:00 - Marcus Banks show continues
That makes him 6-7. Poor Marion just got showed up on maybe his best three night ever. But not to worry, he still gets Player of the Game.
That last three puts the Suns up 129-108.
Best game of the season ....
Against a good team? Start to finish? Of course there was the gritty win in SA, but this is Suns ball.
Q4 1:42 - Banks finally misses...
...but gets fouled so he scores anyway and puts the Suns past the 130 mark. Probably won't break their season high, but might be close.
Q4 00:54 - Sad to see...
JR Smith relegated to the role of garbage time player. I always thought he could be really good if he wasn't such a knucklehead.
Q4 00:12 - Scratch that earlier comment
Pike and Banks nail threes, giving the Suns 137 and past their previous season high of 136. Banks gets 23 points, with 7-8 from both the field and three.
And that's the game
Final score 137-113. Even the garbage time brigade made an impact. Grant Hill gets the post-game interview, and talks about unselfishness, energy, Saturday's loss, and getting back the "good feeling".
Recap coming shortly. Thanks everyone who hung out for the live blogging.
Great game!
Went to the game and it was all good all night. Even had some fun trashtalking about Boris, I mean Doris Diaw, with those sitting around me, which is always fun!
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Welcome to the SB Nation blog devoted to all things Phoenix Suns.
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
Friend Us On Facebook
SBNation.com Recent Stories
In Association With
Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sport
- Days of NBA Lives: Wherein Roy Hibbert tap-dances to Maine
- Grizzlies Valentine’s Day cards are the key to love
- Kevin Love would like the NBA to take the MLB’s approach on All-Star games
- Kobe Bryant fires a few hilarious salvos at Jeremy Lin
- Brandon Jennings states the obvious regarding his 2014 free agency, everyone goes nuts
Follow us on Twitter
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
