Phoenix Suns Lose Season Opener to Hornets in Heartbreaking Fashion, 85-84

The Phoenix Suns opened their season with a rough loss to the New Orleans Hornets tonight, 85-84. Scoring 84 points will simply not get it done for this Suns team, and impressive performances from Robin Lopez and Marcin Gortat plus 12 assists from Steve Nash weren't enough for the Suns to beat a Hornets team that isn't exactly a contender. This was a hard loss to swallow.

Robin Lopez led the Suns with 21 points and looked like the team's best player tonight. The Hornets' Eric Gordon was 0-6 from 3, but made a cold-blooded jumper over Jared Dudley for the game-winner. On the subsequent possession, the Suns turned the ball over before getting a shot off.

Lopez was a bright spot for the Suns, along with Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat, but the Suns made only 40% of their FGs and 20% of their 3s. Again, that simply won't get it done.

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Notes

• The Suns' bench did a decent job, but backup PG is the primary position of concern and Ronnie Price and Sebastian Telfair combined for 0 made FGs, 2 points, 2 assists and 1 rebound in 18 points of action. Ouch.
• Meanwhile, Suns centers Robin Lopez and Marcin Gortat combined for 34 points and 12 rebounds in 48 minutes. The Suns big men are a strength and we can't shoot. What kind of world am I living in?
• Markieff Morris scored only 7 points on 2-5 shooting but he gathered 9 rebounds in 25 minutes and looked active. A very nice debut for the rookie.
• The Suns had only 2 starters in double figure scoring and 3 players overall in double figures. This is the Phoenix Suns?
• Channing Frye did next to nothing and Morris was in the game down the stretch. Frye had 3 points and 4 rebounds in 23 minutes of play on 1-6 shooting. He didn't make a 3-point shot.
• Really? We lost to the Chris Paul-less Hornets at home? Really?

Next game: Wednesday, December 28th vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 7PM MST

More postgame video with Gortat, Morris and Lopez can be found here.

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