This has to have been the strangest game I have seen in a long time.
Box Score * Recap * Game Quotes
Early in the game the offense looked surprisingly smooth running through the post and Shaq comes out and destroys. But Amare doesn't get some calls early and makes his only field goal on a break away dunk after stealing a pass. More turnovers then FG's. Awful. Except it was a great steal. But awful.
The Suns played a lot of zone D and the Kings played dead chucking up bad shots and ignoring the boards. Even Bell started hitting from the outside and the Suns ended the first half up 11.
The headline at the half is No Nash. No problem. Even with Amare MIA the Suns scored 53 thanks to lively Shaq.
Then in the second half the Kings started attacking the zone and put up points. The Suns were sloppy with the ball but it wasn't the rookie point guards turning it over. They combined for 2 while Hill had 7 TO's to go with his 22 point and 9 rebounds.
Bell and Hill alone must have had 4 balls just slip through their hands.
And Amare. Amare? Where the heck did Amare go? 5 total rebounds. Five! In 38 minutes!
Worst of all the body language was horrible and when Shaq wore down (inevitable) the rest of the team couldn't pick it up. The Kings just kept fighting and played with more intensity but with a few minutes left in the 4th I just kept waiting for Amare to show up. Waiting. Waiting. No Amare?
And the Kings tie the game. Well, it was more the Suns not able to win the game and tie was the default result.
Then finally in the OT Amare hits a couple of J's and Hill hits a few and the Suns get a lead. But they blow that by not getting back in transition and the game is tied again.
And Amare finally gets to the line but misses both free throws! WTF! He was 4-8 from the line while Shaq was 9-15.
Shaq shot better from the line then Amare! WTF!
Then with the game tied to close the OT the ball goes into Amare and he nails it. Dagger! Amare is celebrating like he didn't just play a craptastic game. But he sure got up on that chest bump with Amundson!
Then with 4 seconds to go, Hill gets left in the dust by Salmons driving baseline and Amare and Singletary (yes, Singletary got all the clutch minutes after Dragic started the game and played well. Explain that to me! Dragic was actually doing well on Beno using his legnth and hops to contest his drives where as Singletary was Udrih fodder. But there you have it. End of the 4th and all OT no Dragic. WTF Again!) contest the shot but Salmons Hawes grabs his miss right in front of the rim and looks like he's got an easy put back to tie the game again. But up flies Amare to reject the shot in a repeat of last year's end the game with a block in Sacto. WTF!
I don't even know what to think about this game. I am totally befuddled. Amare MIA for 36 minutes and then Amare MVP for 2?
Dragic actually looks good with some really nice defensive plays but then gets benched in the clutch.
Lopez in a game against a huge Kings front line doesn't touch the floor while Shaq plays 43 minutes?
Bell misses his first 5 shots or so but then makes a couple of 3's. Then disappears again and gets burned on the final play in regulation by Dooby.
And Amare. WFT Amare? How do you shoot 50% from the line and look like your dog pissed in your Cheerios and then hit 3 clutch shots in OT (sandwiched around two missed FT's) and then end the game on an awesome block.
What planet is this again? This isn't Planet Orange. This is Plant WTF!