clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Phoenix Suns Try To Snuff The Magic, Rebound From Tough Loss To Heat

By Dave King

The Suns' loss to the HEAT last night was frustrating for all of us, but most likely for the Suns' players more than any fan watching from his couch. The Suns went 7 minutes without a point - six of those with all the starters back on the court, the same starters who lead the NBA in plus/minus while on the court together - while the HEAT turned a 90-80 deficit into a 97-90 lead.

Some would say that the HEAT finally started playing hard and turned the game around on their own terms. Some would say the Suns tightened up and/or turned the game back over to players who just didn't play their best games of the season. Either way, a 17-0 run is a 17-0 run. Game over.

The big question today is: How will the Suns respond tonight against the inconsistent Orlando Magic?

The Suns could decide that last night's loss was worth avenging against the next opponent, regardless of the quality of that team. The Suns could come out with an iron will, a laser focus, and drag out a win no matter how well the Magic play.

Or, the Suns could come into tonight's game with a rattled confidence, crossing their fingers and hoping the Magic will just roll over and give the Suns a win they don't necessarily deserve. While it's certainly possible that the enigmatic Magic will do just that, it's not a proper game plan for a Suns team fighting to make the playoffs.


Which Suns effort will pervade against the Magic?

I am betting on the former. The Suns will be pissed at themselves for losing the game to the HEAT. They will play the game like Rocky Balboa fought Ivan Drago in Rocky 5. They take the body blows from Howard's rebounds and inside play. They will shake off the 3s dropped by Anderson, Richardson and Turkoglu.

And they will prevail with a furious 4th quarter, started by the resurgent bench and ended with emphatic play by Gortat (against his former nemesis in practice), Nash, Hill, Dudley and Frye.

Boom chakalaka!

FG 3PT FT Rebounds Misc
G M M A Pct M A Pct M A Pct Off Def Tot Ast TO Stl Blk PF PPG
Dwight Howard 47 38.5 7.9 13.7 57.6 0.0 0.1 0.0 5.2 10.7 48.3 3.7 11.1 14.8 1.9 3.3 1.5 2.2 2.9 21.0
Ryan Anderson 46 31.2 5.3 12.1 43.4 2.7 6.7 40.6 2.4 2.8 85.9 3.6 4.1 7.7 1.0 0.8 0.8 0.4 2.3 15.6
Jason Richardson 36 29.2 4.5 10.9 41.5 1.9 5.0 37.8 0.9 1.6 56.1 0.6 2.7 3.3 2.0 1.2 1.1 0.3 1.7 11.8
J.J. Redick 47 25.9 3.6 8.6 41.9 1.7 3.8 43.3 2.1 2.3 89.8 0.3 2.0 2.2 2.4 1.0 0.3 0.1 1.4 11.0
Hedo Turkoglu 44 31.3 3.9 9.7 40.1 1.7 5.0 34.9 1.4 2.0 69.0 0.5 3.3 3.8 4.6 2.7 0.8 0.3 2.7 10.9
Jameer Nelson 40 30.1 4.0 9.4 42.0 1.3 3.5 36.9 1.2 1.5 79.7 0.4 2.5 2.9 5.4 2.3 0.7 0.1 2.2 10.4
Glen Davis 44 21.6 2.9 7.6 37.8 0.0 0.2 10.0 1.5 2.1 69.6 1.2 3.3 4.5 0.6 1.2 0.5 0.3 1.7 7.2
Von Wafer 23 13.0 2.1 4.6 45.7 0.4 1.2 33.3 1.0 1.4 72.7 0.1 1.0 1.0 0.6 1.0 0.2 0.1 0.9 5.6
Quentin Richardson 34 16.9 1.4 3.5 39.2 0.9 2.3 39.7 0.4 0.5 93.8 0.3 2.0 2.2 0.8 0.5 0.6 0.1 1.4 4.1
Chris Duhon 47 19.8 1.3 3.2 42.0 0.8 1.8 41.9 0.3 0.4 78.9 0.2 1.4 1.6 2.4 1.3 0.6 0.1 1.2 3.8
Ish Smith 13 8.2 1.2 3.1 37.5 0.2 0.5 28.6 0.4 0.5 83.3 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.5 0.3 0.6 0.0 0.8 2.8
Earl Clark 28 9.8 0.9 2.5 34.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.4 66.7 0.8 1.5 2.3 0.3 0.6 0.2 0.6 1.4 2.0
DeAndre Liggins 9 7.0 0.6 1.2 45.5 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.4 0.7 66.7 0.2 0.6 0.8 0.4 0.4 0.6 0.0 0.2 1.6
Daniel Orton 4 2.5 0.3 0.5 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.5 100.0 0.0 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 1.0
Justin Harper 7 2.3 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.3 0.1 0.3 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0


Suns vs Magic coverage

Orlando Pinstriped Post

More From Bright Side Of The Sun

Sign up for the newsletter Sign up for the Bright Side of the Sun Daily Roundup newsletter!

A daily roundup of Phoenix Suns news from Bright Side of the Sun