Suns fall to Knicks, bit by Big Apple worm

The Suns would have won this game if only Jermaine O'Neal (thigh bruise) had been able to play. Or perhaps if the start time hadn't been so early on a Sunday. Maybe they would have won if they weren't on the tail end of a very long road trip. Or perhaps if they had only held on to the ball a little better (17 turnovers). If they were only able to stay with the sneaky-fast Steve Novak as he camped out at the three-point line and took uncontested shots.

So close. So close.

Not really that close at all. Down 15-points within the first few minutes and unable to capitalize on foul trouble for Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith and mouth trouble for Rasheed Wallace (ejected after 1:25 minutes of floor time) the Suns were quickly in their familiar early hole. It must be very warm and cozy there since they go to that place so frequently.

As they are prone to do, Phoenix clawed to within six early in the second but that guy who never hits a three (Novak) went 3-5 for nine points and Carmelo Anthony mixed in some incredibly difficult shots with a stupendous missed dunk (also nine points in the 2nd) to power the Knicks to 35 points in the period.

Game ovah.

Except it technically wasn't, unfortunately, ovah quite yet.

The third quarter featured some Mad Brown Bombs (13 points) and a heavy dose of Melo (also 13 points). The rest of the professional basketball players that played all combined for a total of 34 points evenly distributed among both teams.

Math quiz: Based on the previous information, how many points did each team score in the quarter.

Hint: 30 each.

In the fourth, the Suns made it kinda exciting (except we knew they were just teasing). The perimeter defense improved and so 46% shooting from three was replaced with 0% (0-3) and as a result, the Suns won the quarter 27-17.

"Too little, too late" comes to mind.

Bassy played the entire quarter and looked sharp(ish) with 8 of his 11 points but the lead was too big and the Suns not talented enough to make it closer than a four-point margin. But at least they beat the 11.5-point spread! Victory!!!

Some bullet points on how you lose a game:

- turn the ball over 17 times (giving up 23 points) while the other guys only give up the ball 8 times (10 points)

- get beat 20-12 on second chance points

- let Raymond Felton add his own efficient 23 points to Melo's inefficient 34 points

- Steve Novak (12 points, 4-9 from three)

- shoot 48% from the field and lose because you have a team that can't play defense worth a lick

Good night day.

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Next up, Memphis. How hard could that be?

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