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The Suns and Thunder have split their two games this season, one a low-scoring affair with Bledsoe and Dragic just figuring each other out, and one a barnburner where Gerald Green went off for 41 points.
Now, the Suns are healthy while the Thunder are just getting back Kendrick Perkins and are still missing Thabo Sefolosha.
The Suns need this game.
Some amazing stats the Suns have accumulated this season so far:
- Goran Dragic is on pace for a 20/50/40 season, with 20.4 points per game while shooting 50.7% from the field and 41.7% on three pointers. He would be the first NBA guard to put up those numbers in the past 20 years (Drazen Petrovic, 1992-93).
- Only forwards LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Durant have done it during that 20 year span.
- Suns coach Jeff Hornacek was the SECOND to last NBA guard to have a 20/50/40 season, in 1991-92 for the Phoenix Suns
- Hornacek was traded that offseason for Charles Barkley, who won the NBA MVP award in 1992-93 while the Suns made the NBA Finals.
Pregame quotes:
- Hornacek on this being a must-win game: "Yeah they all seem like that."
- Hornacek on every game being extra tough: "Everybody is looking at where they are in the standings. It doesn't really matter who you're playing. If you're playing a lottery team they want to beat a lottery team (Lakers). And then if you're playing another playoff team most of the time they're looking at position."
- Thunder coach Scott Brooks, on defending a two point guard lineup: "Bledsoe has been able to make threes more this year than he has in the past. Both have the ability to catch and shoot, catch and drive, and they're good playmakers too. They're aggressive on defense too."
- Brooks at the end of the pregame interview, to the pool of media: "What, no KD questions? First time all year, nothing on KD."
Oh yeah, that KD kid is about to pass Michael Jordan for third in NBA history for consecutive 25+ point games. He has 40 straight, just like Jordan in 1986-87. Yes, it's been that long since someone had a streak that long of 25+ point games.