Also, I'm wondering how my PG action Roy will take on.

Probably short minutes for Grant today, if we're lucky.  I hate that banging his wrist took.  Those kind of injuries linger and will probably linger through the post-season.  :(

If we easily win this game, then one may definitely assert that the Suns are on their way.  If, on the other hand, this is an all-round difficult game, then clearly Mike D has work to do.

Hilarious and possibly true.  I hope we figure out  how to use him like the Ark of the Covenant in Indiana Jones.  

Given that Marion pretty much NEVER missed a game in Phoenix, and Banks didn't either (not that he played enough to), it really makes the Suns' medical staff look good, doesn't it? Or else, makes Miami's medical staff and/or Pat Riley's famous lengthy practices look bad. Very bad.

Here's their list of injured/doubtful:

Alexander Johnson
Ricky Davis
Marion
Udonis Haslem
Banks
Dwyane Wade
Dorell Wright
Alonzo Mourning

...of course it could just be an outbreak of tank-itis. I hear it's highly contagious this time of year.

Anyway, I'll pick up the live blogging starting with Q2.

Meanwhile, Miami actually won a game! Not the best line ever by the Matrix, though. 8 points, 12 rebounds.

It's looking likely that Houston's streak will end tonight. Boston up by 12 in the third quarter. Too bad. I was hoping they'd hang on for another couple of games so the Suns could do the honors. But at least we might catch them in a post-streak malaise.

...Of course this lead-extending run has happened largely with both Amare and Shaq on the bench, proving once again that the Suns are still a small-ball team at heart.

Meanwhile, it looks pretty certain now that Houston's streak ends tonight. Celtics up by 22 in the fourth quarter. Is KG the best streak-killer ever or what?

Also, the Bulls beat the Nets, nudging the Hawks back into the playoffs.

...meanwhile, one too many passes leads to the turnover, but the Blazers oblige with one of their own.

In the meantime, Shaq annihilates the Blazers again.

Somebody was mentioning Nash having to play all of the third? I think D'Antoni might have told Shaq to make sure Nash can have the entire 4th off.

First, the baby hook, then smack-talk down the court, then the reverse block on the little man, and then the no-look 3/4-court outlook pass.

Shaq Attack

(Maybe I'm guilty of a little hyperbole in the heat of the moment, but it was still pretty cool)

:-)

Final score 111-98 after the meaningless three by the Blazers. Bleary-eyed recap coming up shortly.

Rats!  Foiled again!

Shaq, however, blew threw that line and shook Jacque Chirac's hand (is that guy still in charge?).  Does he get a full French for his efforts?

• Bell on Roy was great. He was playing him tight and then when Roy got by him he rode his ass like a tail-gaiting Texan. He gave him no room to manuever and feed him right into the lane for some good help D by the big fellas. That was a well concived and executed game plan against one of the games top guards.
• LA looked solid taking the ball into Amare. Stat got some lousey calls and also had a few dumb ones. Overall, it wasn't a good game from Amare and you have to give LA credit. Still, I will take Amare every day of the week. But watch out in a few years w/ LA and Oden together..wow.
• I have thought for month's now that the team's secret plan for the playoff's is to make offense less dependent on Nash. They are back to that. Now, you have Hill, Diaw and Shaq out there and even GG can handle the ball and dish. Nash's assists are down but in this case that's a good thing. Team's aren't going to be able to load up on him and take the Suns out of their game come playoff time. Nash had 37min tonight but they seems like easy minutes. He wasn't having to work so hard every time down the floor to create something. And of course Blake/Jack is Baron/Ellis.
• The bench is improving. I like that LB is taking less stupid shots and Diaw is playing much more consistently. And of course GG is a great addition. It was nice to see Coach go w/ Skinner, Diaw, GG, LB and Hill on the floor in the first half.
• The Big Daddy. Ok. I am starting, just starting, to come around. His effort is fantastic and his offense is starting to gel as well. This is a good matchup for him though. Pryzbo isn't going to pull him from the rim and abuse him like the Pistons and Jazz can. But still. Very nice game and the team really seems to be responding to him. I am not there yet, but the signs are getting better and better.