If you're a Suns fan, that was an awesome game. If you're a Bulls fan, well, um, I'm sorry you're a Bulls fan.
The Suns were down by something like 16 points during the game and it looked like they were playing with no energy. Ben Gordon was just killing the Suns. Even Steve Nash was making silly plays out there. It looks as if they had had a little too much of the New Year's bubbly.
And then in the last 2 minutes of the game, everyone started hitting shots. Boris Diaw (more on him in a later post), who basically strolled up and down the court the entire game hit a monster 3 point shot to tie the game. Amare Stoudemire tipped in another shot to tie the game again. Then Steve Nash fouled Ben Gordon as he was shooting and I thought the game might be over. Especially when I saw how the Bulls were smothering Nash all night.
So what happens? They try to smother Nash again which leaves Leandro Barbosa wide open from the top of the 3-point line. He paused just for a second and then let it fly. That ball couldn't have been any more centered in the basket than it was!
Unfortunately, there were still 1.5 seconds left on the clock. Everyone knew the ball was going to Ben Gordon again but this time he took one too many dribbles, LB tipped the ball as it left his hand and it wouldn't have mattered if it went in because he shot it too late.
Matt, from Blog a Bull, had his perfect attendance/win record shattered with last night's game and I'm interested to get his perspective on the game. The Bulls deserved to win the game hands down. They played with more energy, more fight and more determination for 46 minutes of the game. Unfortunately for them, the game is 48 minutes long.
It's a great win for the Suns and they head to Toronto tonight to play the Raptors.