Suns Lay Down To Blazers, 101-94

Ugh.

Did the Phoenix Suns even play a game tonight? I ask because I was at the arena, looking for them, and didn't see my favorite team play at all.

Oh sure, there was a basketball game going on. And there was a team in Suns uniforms. In fact, I'd even lay wager that the guy pretending to be Steve Nash could have won a lookalike contest.

I'll back off the sarcasm once this Suns team proves it wants to win more than the other team on a consistent basis.

Kudos to Portland for being the better team right now. The Blazers deserved to win all 3 games this season. The Suns deserve nothing.

Them's fightin' words, you say? I'm not worried. The Suns don't know how to fight back anyway. All I'll get in return is a shocked face and open palms as they walk back down to the other end of the court. No worried about hard fouls. Or any contact at all, really. So I'm good.

Need I go on?

OK, I will. That was a waste of my season ticket money - hard-earned, I might add. The moment I gave up on the game? How 'about that drive by Cunningham to the basket where NO SUNS PLAYER even attempted to provide help defense. I mean, that drive developed so slowly even I could have provided help defense if I wanted. Unfortunately, I reacted as fast as the Suns players did. You're welcome, Dante.

Officially, the Suns won the rebounding battle 39-36, but does anyone who watched that game REALLY think the Suns won on the boards? Me neither. Steve Nash was the Suns' leading rebounder with 7.

Officially, the Blazers shot only 49%, but they made 90% of the ones that mattered.

Officially, the Suns only lost by 7. But they were never in the game after the first 5 minutes.

This Suns team has no fire. No extra effort. They're all sleepwalking through the game, somehow letting balls slip through their fingers on offense and forgetting to check their man on defense.

Ugh.

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Post game audio:

• Gentry postgame 121010
• JRich postgame 121010
• Nash postgame 121010
• Dudley postgame 121010
• Hill postgame 121010

Phoenix Suns Say They Need To Find The Missing Fun After Loss To Portland Trail Blazers - SB Nation Arizona
"The difference I think this year, is there are a lot of new guys so there's not a lot of continuity. The guys that have been here have to really try and make those new guys feel good and feel like they're important, that there's no pressure and just go out and play and have fun," Nash said.

[Note by Seth Pollack, 12/10/10 10:42 PM MST ]

Game Notes

1^st Qtr

• Suns program cover depicts Jared Dudley dunking. JRich taped it to JD's locker before the game w/ a note saying "Photoshop?"
• JRich 3 to start, that's nice to see
• When Nash is hitting that pull up J over the big, the Suns are nearly impossible to guard
• 2^nd foul on Barron
• Good rotation by Barron to cut off Roy's drive but Blazers find LMA in the post
• 17-14, POR
• Camby blocks Barron leads to run out dunk for LMA
• Nice job finding Frye against Miller on the switch. Blzrs switching everything so need more of that
• Dragic in early, 3:47. Trying to get him more time w/ starters to get into the game a bit before rest of bench comes in
• 21-16, Blazers
• Another turnover, another run out for Portland
• Kiss Cam fail
• Scouting report on Barron is out. Don't guard him
• There you go Goran...a few minutes in the game and he scores. He just needs a minute or two to warm up
• Not a great start to the game. Suns really can't lose this one
• 28-22, Portland

2^nd Qtr

• Hedo needs t o shoot more, so he does. And misses
• Then he goes Peyton Manning w/ the downfield strike to Warrick for a dunk
• Nic Batum makes the same facial expressions as Boris Diaw
• Nash back in at 10:30 to play with Dragic. That's new
• Wow, nice move by Rudy to go right by Goran
• Goran initiating the offense w/ Nash on the floor...drives baseline and finds wide open Warrick for dunk
• Getting stops here...Blazers with just 5 points in four minutes
• Ooops...Portland rattles of a few quick point. 39-34, Portland
• Looks like Childress is going to be the odd man out as Gentry tightens his rotations. I can't argue with it, Goran's a better option as the back up two right now
• Suns not looking all that good on either end. 49-42, Blazers
• Nash was wincing and holding his...groin area...after that play
• Still hits a three when the Blazers ignore him completely at the arc
• Wesley hits a three...time out Suns. 56-45, Portland. Another double digit deficit to make up. 2:07 left in the half
• JRich missed his one easy layup for the game...contract obligation fulfilled
• Nash playing way off Wes to squeeze Roy so Roy passes to Wes for an open three
• Two or three times now Frye has lost LMA cutting on the baseline
• 61-53

3^rd Qtr

• 64% shooting for Portland, wow
• Suns try to run a lob for Frye but the Blazers totally had that read...they look like a very well prepared team. 4^th foul on Barron. That's two fouls in 20 seconds. I guess that hurts the Suns...
• Suns body language sucks
• Brutal missed layup by Barron...this is starting not to be funny anymore
• This really is an impressive performance by Portland...you have to give them credit here on both ends
• Time out Suns. 75-61, Portland
• I really thought the Suns would man-up for this game. This one hurts
• The Suns production people trying to get the crowd pumped enough to chant "D-fense". Crowd most interest in sitting quietly and politely watching their team get punked
• Dragic in for JRich, 75-63, 6:17
• Only 6 points for Jason....the slump continues
• Watch Warrick after the shot goes up....he just stands there watching it. Not fighting for position, no effort to rebound. Nothing
• 76-65, Portland. 5:12
• Suns getting but missing shots
• Blazers just killing the Suns with baseline cuts by the bigs
• Nash coming out, Hedo in. Steve's frustrated and really not doing a good job leading the team right now
• Josh in the game now for some defensive energy but Warrick getting killed on the perimeter. Reaches in and fouls instead of moving his feet
• 87-73, Suns getting punked at home by the Blazers. Ugh....

4^th Qtr

• Nice block there to start the quarter
• Nope, doesn't ignite anything. Blazers scoring at will in the paint
• 90-79, 8:30
• Gentry pissed about something that Suns aren't doing on offense...calls Goran over to set him straight
• Roy goes right by Dudley to get to the rim
• Blazers too good defensively to give up a lead here
• Suns go over two minutes without a score. 94-79, 6:00
• Suns starters plus Hedo, minus Barron back in
• JRich got and missed an open transition three that would have tied the game. Hedo missed another one but at least Hill got the OReb and put back
• You hate to just blame missing shots, but the Suns have missed a lot of open shots. These coming days off are much needed
• 94-85, lead under 10 for the first time in forever. Portland missing now but so are Suns
• Suns finally, FINALLY, playing with some desperation and effort. Why wait until now?
• Suns get the ball back on a reversed out of bounds call but turn it over...Roy fired back w/ a tough pull up 2 in the lane. 96-88, 1:06
• 101-94. 8 points for JRich