Phoenix Suns Pound the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 5 To Retake Control of the Series

Tell me you weren't pooping your pants, Suns fans, when your team went down 0-9 to start the game and the Blazers built a 14-point 1st quarter lead behind red hot shooting, thanks to a Suns defense that was inexplicably giving up wide open looks.

But when Camby picked up his second foul and Frye came in for Collins at the 5:42 mark, the Suns went on a 16-5 run to close the period and they never looked back.

The most impressive thing about this win -- aside from kicking the Trail Blazers in the teeth to get a win in a critical Game 5 -- was the rebounding. The Suns were cold from downtown (4/14 at the half) but dominated the glass on both ends. They took a 14 to 4 advantage in second chance points into the locker room.

Big ups to the Suns bench. Channing and Dragic both had their best games of the series and Frye was probably the difference in this one with his defense, rebounding, and post offense. Yes, I said it. Frye was scoring in the paint early and only started hitting threes later in the game.

Any Joey Crawford game is going to be tight and Suns were the benefactors tonight. With a 29 to 12 advantage in FTAs through three quarters, those extra points really helped. There were questionable calls both ways and I will leave it to the other side to spell out any unfairness.

I will say that the Suns benefited from calls on Nash while handling the ball (arm hacks) and Camby was called twice for over the back while going for rebounds. Those weren't being called earlier in the series and it helped.

Up 3 games to 2 -- with all three Suns wins coming on blowouts and both losses in tight games that the Suns felt they gave away, and add in home court in a Game 7 if needed -- Suns fans have to be feeling confident again.

Stand outs:

JRich with 11 points in the first quarter was the emotional floor leader, Channing played a fantastic all around game, Goran was aggressive getting into the paint and drawing fouls, but Amare was the man.

In a tightly called game, he stayed out of foul trouble, twice he dribbled out of double teams on the wing to get into the lane and draw fouls. When he was isolated he went baseline and was expecting the help, and when it came he looked for his teammate who slipped into the lane for an easy drop off.

Shut ins:

I am not sure this belongs here, because Nash had 14 points and 10 assists but he also had 5 turnovers and there were several times when he looked slow and for whatever reason wasn't pushing the pace. The Suns offense was much faster and more aggressive when he rested. I have to assume he's hiding an injury.

Oh and Brandon Roy? That guy only had 5 points and 1 rebound in 19 minutes of play. He did not look good.

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Game Notes


1st Qtr

• Joe Crawford's head being used to amplify the spot light but was too bright so that had to be scrapped
• Can't tell how much of this crowd noise is real and how much is being pumped in. Doesn't "feel" real
• And so it begins with a touch foul called on JRich
• Blazers trapping Nash, Suns are going to be ready for that
• Suns first two shots, missed three's. Blazers get two in the paint and  LaMarcus post up J
• 6-0 Blazers, 10:08. Not a great start
• 9-0 after an open Roy three that came after Suns trapped Miller and he moved the ball. Exactly what Nash was trying to do but didn't. Time out, Gentry. Ugh
• Nash looks indecisive on the switches, he does attack Camby and gets to the line
• Aldridge still hot, damn
• Suns HAVE to hit those open three's
• Shit, even Miller hit a three. 14-2 Blazers
• Suns look tight
• Wide open shots they are getting. Wide open
• JRich finally hits an open three. 21-7, another 3 from Miller
• Frye in for Collins, 5:42, 23-11
• Suns blow 3 on 2 fast break.  Not the start we are looking for
• 2 fouls on Camby. That's a plus. 23-11, 4:45. Lets see if Suns can rally now
• Wow, now that was an Amare rim rocking dunk right there. Still 25-16 though but Amare looks pumped!
• Dudley for three!!! He needed that
• Two turnovers in a row for Suns! Great steal by JRich
• 25-21, Suns on a run to close the quarter!
• Suns on 10-2 run since Camby went out
• 2nd foul on Roy
• Suns post JRich on Roy, missed but got the putback. 25-23, Blzrs
• JRich = Bully Ball, at the line to tie the game!
  
• Bayless three, 28-25 Por
• Frye with the Slam after great ball movement when they doubled JRich
• 28-27, Por. GREAT RALLY!
• 16-5 with Camby out
• JRich with 11 points to lead the Suns

2nd Qtr

• Roy looking to be aggressive, shots over Dudley
• Lets see if the 2nd unit can get it done now
• Great pass by Dragic. He looks like he's got the Eye of the Dragic
• Dragic airball three = assist to Frye
  
• 32-31, Por
• Roy's 3rd foul! Thank you, Dragic. Blew right by Miller
• 3 fouls on Howard! Great attack from Dragic
• Camby back in, he's going to block the shit out of Goran or LB
• Love how LB is playing off the ball and Goran is taking over
• Tied 34, 9:12
• Wow, nice flop by Dante. LB steals the ball back though and Goran gets into the paint again and draws another foul!!!
• Caught a T-shirt. Sent it back 7 rows
• Frye in the paint getting it done, yo!
• LB with the pull up J, nice
• Lou rips the rebound from Rudy. 42-38 Suns
• Dragic and LB have looked better than Nash. More active and aggressive. Great job picking up the pace
• Suns up 8-3 on the ORebs. Nice
• Gentry leaving Dragic and LB in at the 5:39 mark of the 2nd. Amare and Hill back in
• Amare dribbled out of the double team and all the way to the rim
• Nash and JRich set to come back in. I am oddly scared
• LB and Dragic did a great job w/ their speed to avoid the trap and keep their dribble, Nash not so much
• Grant w/ the chase down block on Bayless!
• Hill for 2, Suns up 47-41, 3:47
• Gentry having to urge Steve to advance the ball faster
• But then Nash runs the 1/4 speed pick and roll and squeezes a pass between Camby's arms to find Amare. Sick pass
• Batum's three cuts it to 49-45. Close this half strong
• TY, Channing for hitting that open 3!
• Nash still not pushing the ball
• Camby did something to a finger. He went to the locker room
• Earlier in the season Nash takes that to the rim w/ Batum playing the pass to JRich. He's not right
• Dudley for three! Suns biggest lead 57-47
• Be great to get a stop here...and so it is

3rd Qtr

• Suns up despite Blzrs shooting 54% to Suns 47% and 5/7 from three while Suns are 4/14 from three
• Thanks to 22-14 advantage on the glass and 10-3 on the OReb which gave Suns 14-4 lead in 2nd chance points
• Frye and JRich lead the Suns in scoring with 13 and 11 respectively. Amare with 10. Suns bench up 29-8
• Batum called for the charge. Questionable
• Nash doing a lot less ball handling
• Suns getting a lot more pick and roll action in this game
• Blazers go  w/ 3 guard line up Roy, Miller and Bayless trying to get some offense
• Collins on the board w/ 2 FTs
• 3rd foul on Camby, over the back. He wasn't get those called in other games
• Suns up 65-51. Pour it on, baby! 7:34
• Blazers on a run cut it to 65-58. Horrible call on Frye when LA spun and knocked his arm away. Even the Blazers.com guy next to me agreed
• Miller is losing his cool. Not even w/ his team in the huddle on the time out
• Dude banked in a three to win $7,777. That's got to be a good sign. Suns still only shooting 26% from three (4-15)
• 4th on Camby. Blazers look around in confusion...
• 3rd on Hill. Got to keep it even, right Joey?
• Bad foul by Hill on that one
• Amare gets his glasses knocked down, no call he keeps dribbling, adjusts his goggles, and gets hacked at the rim. Love how he's attacked the double team w/ the dribble
• Nice hard double team forces a Roy time out. Well done. JRich manning up on D w/ his buddy Channing
• 69-59, Suns 4:17. Game is starting to bog down though. Suns only have 8 points in the quarter
• Frye picks up his 3rd. This might be a war of attrition. Lame call btw
• Howard picks up his 5th. Lame call btw
• Hello Dante Cunningham
• Still don't like Steve pounding the ball for 10 seconds before making a move
• Frye for three! 74-61. If the Suns start to get back to normal (not even hot) from three they will win this game easy
• Nash with 4 turn overs
• Steve is picking up fouls that normally aren't called. It certainly helps him when they calls those hacks on his arms as he's dribbling
• Steve for three! 80-65 Suns
• Make that 82-65 off a Dudley steal!!!
• That was an incredible rebound by Roy between Amare and JRich
• Nice adjustment from the Suns. When Amare is going baseline and the Blazers bring help the Suns are slipping into the open area and Amare is dumping it off
• Suns up 84-66. Well done

4th Qtr

• 18 point lead...safe right?
•  Writing the recap...don't kill me if I jinx it
• Three's are starting to fall now