Game Preview - Suns vs Clippers redux

2008/2009 NBA Regular Season
	vs.
29-23		13-41
Staples Center
February 18th, 2009, 8:30 PM MST / 10:30PM EST
My45 HD, 620 AM
Probable starters:
Steve Nash	PG	Baron Davis
Leandro Barbosa	SG	Eric Gordon
Grant Hill	SF	Al Thornton
Amare Stoudemire	PF	DeAndre Jordan??
Shaquille O'Neal	C	Brian Skinner

What are the chances for another blow out win tonight in LA?

I would say pretty darn good. The Clippers will still be without their top 3 big men and they will still be the Clippers...

As Clipper Steve said:

You know what - if the Clippers don't have to play a whole game, then I don't have to write a whole preview. Go read yesterday's. Nothing has changed except that the Suns won by 40 in a game that was not as close as the final score would indicate. Oh, and Zach Randolph will likely miss the entire game, instead of just missing the final three quarters, thanks to that annoying guy with the pony tail.

The Antagonist:

The Suns are averaging 140 points per game under new head coach Alvin Gentry. They'll look to improve on that.

Yes, that annoying Pony Tail guy cost ZeBo a two game suspension. I know a lot of you will think he deserved more but I am fine with this.

First off, he slapped and didn't punch. If Randolf had jacked Lou with a hard left hand and dropped him then sure - 10 games. Let's also not forget that Lou did get up and get in the guys face. He initiated the incident after play had stopped.

I am not a fan of the big suspensions in general and so the two games works for me. There has to be room for men to be men. Now, it does bring up the issue of consistency with the example of the suspensions handed out in the Suns Houston scuffle earlier in the year.

Yup. That sucks. It's inconsistent and I thought then that the punishment was too harsh. That doesn't mean I am going to argue for a larger suspension this time to make that one more proportional.

Daily Trade Rumor Update

Trade rumor updates coming from Sports 620 KTAR:

No offer for Amare:

• Golden State not interested in a trade w/ the Suns - want to stand pat
• Memphis with Rudy Gay off the table on the Memphis side (owner doesn't want to do it)
  The Chicago deal is available but the Suns don't want to do it (Amare for Gooden, Tyrus Thomas and Sefolosha). Phew! That deal blows.

Other Guys:

• Over 10 teams interested in Barbosa
• Could go to Memphis for a high pick but Suns don't want to do it
• Suns leaning towards keeping LB
• Some interest in JRich
• Maybe a deal with Cleveland for Szczerbiak's expiring contract (I kind of like this deal actually because it clears a lot of cap space for next year even though JRich is a much better player then LB and Wally World)

For the definitive look at teams salary situation check this online spreadsheet prepared by Wyn over at Canis Hoopus.

[Note by Phoenix Stan, 02/18/09 2:59 PM MST ]

No point in fighting it. This is trade deadline time so this stuff has to go somewhere.

• Looks like any Suns deal with Chicago is off the table. They are moving Gooden and Noc to the Kings for Salmons and Miller
• Not sure what I feel about this. I don't like the idea of Salmons and Deng on the same team but Miller is a big upgrade there at Center. For the Kings they get Noc who is decent and they get magical cap space so they can sign...who the hell knows
• Check out Blog a Bull and Sactown Royalty for their thoughts

[Note by Phoenix Stan, 02/18/09 3:06 PM MST ]

• Now Blazer's Edge is reporting Chicago will trade Michael Ruffin to Portland for Ike Diogu. I guess this saves Portland money since neither Michael or Ike will play for the Blazers while Ike makes a respectable replacement for Noc as a four that can shoot the ball.
• The biggest open question before tomorrow is still Raef LaFrenz super expiring contract. I am very interested to see what happens with that. BE thinks that it might be used to get a small forward like Richard Jefferson or even Gerald Wallace