SB Nation - Grant Hill

Game 28 Recap: Oklahoma City 117, Phoenix 113

Zorgon — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 12:56:14 -0000

More photos » by Rick Scuteri - AP

Amare: Hey, ref! He touched my shades!

We're .500 at Christmas!

That's all I can say. This win makes me so unbelievably happy....I've followed the NBA nearly my entire life, and the last time I followed a team that was .500 at Christmas, it was 2005. And that team finished with 34 wins. So you can see why I'm feeling overjoyed right now.

That being said, this game was no picnic, and a lot of mistakes were made by both sides. But, facing facts, the Suns were playing catchup all game. It all started when the thunder scored 6 in a row to put the team up 18-11 with 6:41 to go in the first. From there, it was a relatively stable lead that reached its peak at 12 points with 5:20 and 4:13 to go in the 2nd quarter. Sadly, that lead was erased by a Sun run, consisting entirely of Steve Nash and Amare Stoudamire. They combined for 18 points in the last 4:13 of the second, eventually tying it at 64 with 13 seconds to go. Thankfully, an amazing hanging shot by KD put the Thunder ahead by two at the half, but I still smelled trouble.

As the Third quarter rolled on, the Thunder managed to nurse their small lead until they barely lost it towards the end of the quarter. When it was all said and done, the teams were in a dead heat going into the fourth. Again, the Thunder jumped out to the lead, and managed to keep it that way until Jason Richardson hit back to back jumpers with 4:11 to go in the fourth, giving the Suns a 106-104 lead. But the game was far from over. Ibaka managed to get an amazing tip in to tie it at 106. Ibaka continued to fight hard, but Amare drew two fouls on him in a minutes, forcing him out of the game. This left it at 110-108 in Phoenix's favour, but, after the annoying Remington Park graphic, Kevin Durant managed to overpower the flopping Jason Richardson for an amazing plus one. This left it at 111-110, and after Stoudemire missed a short layup, Jeff Green made an amazing play. I would explain it, but please, just watch it, it's pretty darn spectacular. Zoom ahead to 1:54 in this recap.

After that, you knew it was almost over. And after Steve Nash missed a freethrow, KD Rebounded his own miss, and then spotted up for another jumper and hit it, you knew this game was over. Wow.

(On a side note, I'm getting pretty close to being able to provide video of the game on my own for this site. Don't expect anything full blown, but I might do my own video recap or provide a clip here and there when necessary.)

Below: Analysis, Awards

What more can you say about this game. Things just clicked for the Thunder on so many levels. First of all, you had the total shut down of Jason Richardson courtesy of Thabo Sefolosha. JRich hit a clutch 3 towards the end, but for the most part he had a pretty empty game.

At this point, James Harden is afraid of even looking at Amare's shades.

And, as per my keys to the game, Jeff Green had an amazing game, and the bench was a huge factor. Jeff Green had a solid 17 Points and 9 rebounds, along with that incredibly clutch tip-in at the end. That tip-in alone pretty much secured him the Thunder Down Under spot. I know, some of you were pulling for him to get the Thunder Wonder, but Kevin Durant's influence can't be ignored. James Harden did his thing, racking up 14 Points and 4 Rebounds. He also actually hit a three, which is good news. Nick Collison also did a nice job, with 6 points, 5 Rebounds. He fouled out rather quickly, but that's to be expected of big men in a suns game.

You could really see that this game was suited to Serge Ibaka's tastes. Flying up and down the court, tipping the ball in, providing aggressive defense....watching Ibaka play is like a work of art, simply because you don't usually see Big Men that are that athletic. Dwight Howard is the same way, but sometimes Ibaka just looks like a god among men. Did you see that block on Stoudemire? He's like what Robert Swift and Brandan Wright were supposed to be for the Warriors. He's like the big man "project" that every team picks up, yet never works out. Except this time, he actually met and exceeded everyone's expectations! He's completely eliminated Etan Thomas from the rotation, and he's taking away lots of minutes from Krstic. I don't know, it's only been a few games, so you really can't get a conclusive conclusion. But as for right now, I'm riding the Ibaka train, and it's pretty awesome.

Eric Maynor had his first minutes of tonight, but it's hard to say how he'll be. He went 1 of 4 from the floor, and he had a really bad turnover in the second quarter. He just dribbled it inside the three point line and almost gave it away. Regardless, he had 5 assists, and I think he's working out okay so far, but as for right now, he has to receive the Thunder Blunder awards, simply because I have nobody else to give it to. Still, the verdict on him is largely TBD.

I've already revealed it earlier in this recap, but tonight's Thunder Wonder is Kevin Durant. 38 Points, 12 of 20 from the floor, 3 of 4 from 3 Point Land, 6 rebounds, 3 Assists, and the game clincher. What more can you ask from your star. He performed solidly throughout the entire night, and hardly wasted any possessions at all, through missed shots, turnovers, and otherwise. I know it may not seem like it, but this is probably KD's most offensively efficient game all year. Hats off to him.

Amare: I told you guys to stay away from my shades! That's almost as bad as pissing on the rim!

On the Suns side of things, statistically, things went as expected. Their bench was totally ineffective, Jason Richardson was shut down, and Grant hill wasn't feeling it, leaving the bulk of the scoring on the shoulders of Steve Nash, Amare Stoudamire, and Channing Frye. Aside from a coupel of clutch plays from Richardson, this might as well have been a 3 person team. Amare Stoudamire, with 35 Points, 14 Rebounds, and 2 Assists, was clearly the most effective of the 3, so he gets tonight's Thunder Plunderer award. Hats off to him, as well.

On a side note, I know today and tomorrow will be a special time for some people, so whatever you may celebrate, I'd like to wish all of the Readers and Staff of this blog a very Slammin' Thursday and Friday. And a Slammin' season. Enjoy yourselves, and I'll see everyone on Saturday!

Next Game: Versus the Bobcats, Saturday, December 26th, 7 PM Central Standard Time

It's time to meet Stephen Jackson!

Thunder Struck Suns "Not Tough Enough"

Phoenix Stan — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 06:24:11 -0000

The Phoenix Suns were disappointed and confused about their lack of energy to start the game and lack of toughness at the end. The Suns lost their second straight home game after starting the season 10-0 at home. (Photo by Max Simbron)

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The Phoenix Suns, undefeated at home face two teams coming to town on the second night of back-to-back's. You've got to like your chances right?

Not so much for a team that Steve Nash described as, "Not tough enough."

"It just happens. You play so many games and some nights the energy's not there," said Nash who went on to share the blame with the fans and a few other things:

"I don't know if there were three people or twenty-thousand in the building tonight it was so quiet in here. It was just a collective thing. I don't know if it was bio-rhythms, if it's the weather, if it's that time of year or whatever it is we came out and maybe it was a hangover from the last bit of the Cleveland game. So, I don't know what it was but it was a quiet building and we didn't have a lot of energy but we really fought back and we should feel proud we played pretty well for the most part after that and just didn't make the key plays down the stretch and they're a good team they lost last night so they were probably a little bit disappointed in that and it motivated them. We lost the game. You can over-analyze it all you want but we weren't tough enough."

That's a long quote but oh so informative. Let's over-analyze it:

1) It happens some times

2) The building was quiet

3) Bio-rhythms

4) Weather

5) Time of the year

6) Hangover from Cleveland game

7) We should be proud we fought back

8) They're a good team

9) They lost last night and were motivated by that

and finally...

10) We weren't tough enough

It took awhile to get there but there you have it (and by the way so you know I'm not cherry-picking that quote, he said it several times during the entire locker room media session which you can listen to here).

When teams are playing well and playing tough they don't make excuses. You hear these excuses in the locker room and the press conferences and they do seem to coincide with what you see on the floor.

It's as if the excuses creep across the sidelines and into the game and snake their way up the players legs and into their minds like some kind of hideous and awful creature.

This team started the season not making excuses. They were tough mentally and it showed physically. Now? Now it's as Nash said. Not tough enough.

It's not an unsolvable problem. It's not as if they team can't regain it. But until they do the excuses and losses will continue to go hand-in-hand with one following the other and then circling back to cause the first.

That wasn't the only excuse given after the second disappointing home loss. Coach Gentry talked about the terrible performance on the offensive glass getting beat 16 to 8 in OReb's and 23 to 9 in second chance points.

That's hard to swallow but especially when you consider what Kevin Durant said about that, "Our goal coming in wasn't to go to the glass at all against this team because they're so good in transition but we got some easy ones."

Ouch.

Those offensive rebounds weren't the problem though, they were just the symptom of a lack of energy and effort which no one seemed to be able to explain. Grant Hill, Jared Dudley, Amare Stoudemire. No one had an answer as to why the energy was so bad to start the game.

We heard lots of praise from Nash and Gentry for battling back to overcome that slow start but only Hill admitted that coming back took it's toll, "We finally got it going but you exert so much energy to get back in the game when you make a run like that you should be going up 12 as opposed to coming from down 12."

The Suns will practice tomorrow and see if they can't find their toughness again. And they better. Playing hard and losing is one thing. Not showing up and getting beat? That's not going to win over many fans.

Post Game Audio

Gentry (at end end he talks about the decision not to double the ball out of Durant's hands)

Amare talks about getting wins being more important than his own great games

Hill just sounds defeated and disappointed

Dudley talks about that last defensive possession and his coverage on Durant

Nash talks about...you know, toughness

Game Links:

Game Notes Taken In Real Time As Actual Events Occurred:

1st Quarter

Durant looking solid
Amare really slow on that rotation after the Westbrook/Kristic pick and pop and then turns it over on the next possession
Not a lot of people in the building. Not a lot of media either
Horrible start on both ends. Thunder getting wide open looks. 18-11 OKC
Suns pick up the effort with Lou, Dudley and Dragic in game
Amare 10 points. Aggressive going to hole
Suns down 31-36. Thunder getting anything they want offensively but still very much a simple offensive scheme. Lots of 1:1. Ball screens. Basic stuff but working

2nd quarter

Harden drives on Grant Hill and picks up the foul. He did the same to Dragic in Q1
Thunder go on 9-0 run to start quarter. Gentry calls time out. Suns look lost on how they want to defend this team and they are making everything from everywhere
Three times Harden was able to drive and get to the line with no problem
Frosty! with the nice coast to coast to put a little life into the game...not much though
Thunder more active and aggressive team simply outworking Suns
Suns go to zone to stop penetration. Doesn't help
Suns watch offensive rebound as it goes to Thunder player. Fans boo and rightly so
Nash leading a bit of a come back. Thunder lead down to 10. Nash finds Frye wide open for three. Thunder call time out
Thunder packing it in the paint and letting the Suns miss open three's. 2/7 for 28% at this point
I think I'm coming down with a cold. Need to remember to take some vitamin C
Suns draw two charges in a row and Nash does some Nash-like things to close lead to 8
From

I have no idea what happened but my notes from the rest of the game are gone. My dog's computer ate them? Weather? Bad code? Sometimes you can't explain these things. They just happen. Maybe it was a lack of computer toughness...

'Twas the Night Before Clips-mas

Mike Lisboa — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:25:20 -0000

More photos » by Laura Rauch - AP

Why this picture? Cuz that's LA Clippers' Summer League participant Dionte Christmas watching Robin Lopez dunk, that's why. (AP Photo/Laura Rauch)

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With apologies to Henry Livingston, Jr or Clement Clarke Moore, here's our second annual Bright Side of the Sun "Night Before Christmas" as read through purple and orange glasses. You can read last year's poem here.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

'Twas the night before Clips-mas, in the Grand Canyon State

And the Suns had just finished a cruel winter slate.

December'd been tough, with losses a-plenty,

Delaying their dreams of win number twenty.

A loss to the Cavs Back to back losses had left them all crabby,

Though 18 and 10 11 wasn't too shabby.

And 'Mare in his goggles and Nash in his tuque,

Wondered if their hot start had been just a fluke.

Then there on the schedule, served on a platter

Were the poor hapless Clippers, their record a-tatter.

Away to the others flew ageless Steve Nash

To brighten their spirits with news of this clash!

Don Sterling's a racist and a slumlord to boot,

With an owner like that, hope never takes root.

But in the off season, hope did appear:

An Okie named Blake, presumed Rook of the Year!

But alas poor young Griffin, he broke his patella

Cuz the Clips are the Clips: Sorry, young fella.

But back to the Suns where Coach Gentry was thrilled

He whistled and shouted and thusly he trilled:

"Now, J-Rich! now, Channing! now Jared and Steve Nash!

And, Grant Hill! And Goran! And you, Max Contract!

These Clips, they can't stop us so when you get the ball...

Just bomb away! Bomb away! Bomb away all!"

At this time last year it was Coach Terry and Shaq

And under those two, the scoring punch did lack

But now it's a new game; by new I mean old

With running and gunning till the shooters get cold.

Steve Nash is a-passing at an MVP pace

And if no one's open, he'll nail a shot in your face.

Amare's bum eyeball ain't affecting his shot

He can sure put it in, but he jump-shoots a lot.

Grant Hill is still a baller, from his fade to his kicks;

These youngsters he's schooling with his veteran tricks.

J-Rich comes to play, but his shot's been lacking

But even when bricking, he just won't stop attacking.

And Frye! How he drain 3s! How he runs up the court!

If only in the paint, he could hold down the fort.

Off the old bench, it was Leandro and Lou

But now those DEEP Suns have a gosh-darn wrecking crew!

The strides by young Goran need their own song

His new nickname is "Frosty," "Tragic" is long gone.

Barbosa's been ailing, but the Blur's coming back

With blow-bys and goat sounds in his Santa's sack.

And Jared can play when he's not all a-Twitter

But Taylor and Robin? Still the runts of their litters.

So thank goodness for Lou, and his pogo legs

Cuz Jarron and Tucker's +/- is negs.

Steve Kerr's got a winner; Sarver's saving bucks,

But those off-season moves: shrewd skill or dumb luck?

The Planet Orange faithful give not a care,

Winning's what counts and these Suns do it with flair.

Phoenicians, rejoice! When the Clippers come to town,

It's all but assured that they're gonna go down.

Victory will be ours, so tune in this Friday night,

Merry Christmas to all! (It's not on TNT, right?)

Game 28 Preview: Oklahoma City at Phoenix

Zorgon — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:11:08 -0000

More photos » by Sue Ogrocki - AP

No way, Ibaka! This ball is mine!

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Time: 8:00 PM Central Standard Time

Place: The US Airways Center, Phoenix, Arizona

TV: KSBI-TV, KUTP-TV My 45

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1)

Enemy Blog(s): Bright Side Of The Sun, Suns Stufft, Valley of the Suns

Backstory: Well, what is there to say about Phoenix? They were the NBA's November darlings, the team that everyone thought had finally gotten back on it's feet. Sadly, December has not been nearly as kind, as they have a record of 4-7 so far. The record is a bit strange, though. they have wins against solid teams like Orlando, San Antonio, and Sacramento, but at the same time, they have an embarassing loss to New York. I suppose it comes with being such an up and down team.

The Thunder will hope the Suns are on the down part of the rollercoaster tonight, as the Thunder are under .500 for the first time in a long time, are on the 2nd game of a back to back, and really need this win.

Matchups:

Center: Nenad Krstic vs. Channing Frye

This is actually a winnable matchup for Nenad Krstic. Channing Frye isn't that much of a down-low banging center, so I think Krstic can compete and mix it up a bit. Still, I think his stats will end up being a bit less impressive than Frye's.

Power Forward: Jeff Green vs. Amare Stoudamire

Jeff Green seemingly overcame his weakness against big men yesterday against the Lakers, but can he do it again tonight? I'd put the chances at doubtful. Expect a big game from Amare.

Small Forward: Kevin Durant vs. Grant Hill

Man oh man, would I love to see this matchup were Grant Hill in his prime. Sadly, now, he's just a shadow of his former self and Kevin Durant will outclass him everywhere but in the department of defense. Still, I doun't think Hill will be a huge problem for Durant.

Shooting Guard: Jason Richardson vs. Thabo Sefolosha

Most people see Jason Richardson as a dunker, but in reality, he relies on his jumpshot a great deal. I could see Sefolosha slowing him down significantly.

Point Guard: Russell Westbrook vs. Steve Nash

Steve Nash is obviously the better player here. Russell Westbrook better have a pen and paper handy, because he's about to witness greatness.

Battle of the Benches:

Leandro Barbosa is out, which is good news, leaving Goran Dragic, Louis Amundson, and Jared Dudley to man the bench for the Suns. They're probably better than we're all thinking right now, but I'd still have to give the bench advantage to the Thunder.

Coaching and Intangibles:

The Thunder had to play extremely late last night, and they lost an hour by moving into the Mountain Time Zone. It would really suck to be them right now. Still, the suns have been on a bad streak lately, so I'll give the advantage to the Thunder.

Bottom Line:

I think a lot depends on Jeff Green and taking advantage of when the Suns' bench is on the floor. It's really not that Hurculean of a task, and I think this is a very winnable game.

Prediction: Thunder 111, Suns 103

How do you think the game will go? Vote in the Poll!

And, again, feel free to drop any comments you might have during, before, or after the game below. I might be here during the game to drop my thoughts as well. Go Thunder!

Poll

Who's going to win tonight?

Game in Exclusive Pictures: Suns vs Spurs (Nash Has THE Plan)

Phoenix Stan — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 23:23:30 -0000

In case you missed any second of the Suns thrilling win over the hated Spurs, we bring you this exclusive pictorial recap.

And by we, I mean our outstanding photographer, Max Simbron (not to be confused with Max Contract).

Before the game began, Manu Ginobili has an important conversation with the official regarding critical basketball matters.

Things started well enough for the Suns with Grant Hill hitting an open shot but Amare Stoudemire felt he was fouled on the play.

As the Spurs cut the Suns big lead down to a couple of points, Coach Gentry turned to his star player and two-time MVP.

Nash had it under control

Nash ran on to the court to implement The Plan.

As Nash explained The Plan to young Dragic, there was some doubt in his mind.

But Goran stepped up big time!

Celebration ensured

Of course, for every winner there's a loser. Or a bench full of losers.

Game over.

Bonus Feature - The Faces of the Game

They say football is a game of inches. Well, basketball is a game of faces. Here's a few:

Grant Hill's Poker Face

Tim Duncan's Normal Face

Alvin Gentry holds his face

Gregg Popovich slaps a face

and some people can't even shave their damn face before coming to work

Rest of the Game Photo Gallery

NBA: San Antonio Spurs at Phoenix Suns 121509 - Images by Max Simbron

Game 27 Recap: Portland Trail Blazers--W00T! Phoenix Suns--Dagnabbit!

Dave — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 08:01:53 -0000

More photos » by Don Ryan - AP

Little-known NBA etiquette: Free hugs any time you score your age or higher.

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Rejoice, rejoice believers, your Blazers pulled one out against the Phoenix Suns tonight. It was not only an entertaining game, it was an entertaining "W". Gotta love it.

The Blazers leapt out the gate like a ballet dancer on Red Bull, looking for all the world like they were going to beat the Suns at their own game. LaMarcus Aldridge ran like a gazelle, beating Phoenix down the court and converting chip shots. Andre Miller was also zippy. The Suns, meanwhile, seemed content to loft from distance. Even they can't get away with trading layups for 20-footers and they found themselves down 6-0 before Steve Nash caught Grant Hill for a layup of their own. Apparently that kindled something in Hill because he went on a tear and almost singlehandedly wrested control of the game away from Portland. It was like that time your grandpa caught you smoking and took you out behind the woodshed. You knew he was capable, you knew you probably deserved it, but it's still pretty bad getting beaten by an 80-year-old man. Aldridge continued scoring and Jerryd Bayless came in for some late-quarter offense and Portland found themselves down 3 when the buzzer sounded.

The early part of the second quarter went well enough. Aldridge had a dunk. Blake hit his second three-pointer of the evening. Bayless scored again. But then Amare Stoudemire started hitting mid-range jumpers. He spread the floor which opened up opportunities for the Suns' ancillary players, including Channing Frye who hit 3 threes in the period. Brandon Roy responded with a 6-point mini-run and Martell Webster hit a couple of shots, but the Suns bigs had done their damage and Portland walked into the locker room down 7. On the up side they had balanced offense, few turnovers, and plenty of energy. On the down side the Suns had all of these things as well plus marksmanship. The Blazers weren't getting regular offensive rebounds either. You started to wonder if this was going to be one of those games where we played well but just got outclassed.

The third period confirmed that impression. It started well enough with Martell Webster showing some aggression on the drive and the Blazers drawing a ton of free throws but for every point Portland scored Phoenix had an answer. Amare continued to hit, Hill made back-to-back layups, Frye hit more threes. Other than a couple bad turnovers you couldn't pinpoint anything obviously wrong with the Blazers' offense. They just didn't have quite enough of it compared to the Suns. Phoenix won their third straight quarter, this time by 4, and took an 11-point lead into the fourth.

The Blazers didn't give up, however. The guards started penetrating and passing, leading to 3 made threes within the first 3:15 of the quarter, 1 each by Webster, Roy, and Blake. This wasn't entirely surprising as those three were playing with Bayless in an ultra-small lineup with Joel at that point. The Blazers climbed instantly within 5 but then Amare reared his ugly head again, pushing the lead back to 7.

Then the entire arena froze as a primal, bloodthirsty shriek echoed through the seats and rafters. Beer vendors dropped their glasses, fans cowered, whistles fell out of refs' mouths, Coach Nate fell backwards into his seat, Monty Williams grew hair, watched it turn grey, and then sobbed as it fell out again all in an instant, and the Suns' blue and orange road uniforms suddenly included a conspicuous amount of yellow. B-Rex had arrived. And he was angry.

Well, maybe it wasn't exactly like that, but it should have been.

Jerryd had been handling the ball in a considerable number of sets up until the fourth quarter, getting a shot at playing the true point guard role even when Blake was on the court with him. He had acquitted himself quite well. But now the Blazers put the ball in Roy's hands more and had Jerryd play as the off-guard more. They'd switch up as opportunity presented itself. Any way the play developed--whether Roy drew attention and flipped the ball to Bayless for a jumper, Roy found Jerryd on the wing for a dribble penetration opportunity, or Jerryd initiated from the top--Mr. Bayless delivered. He turned in a career night, setting the Suns back on their heels with his array of offense. They couldn't stop him driving without fouling him. They wanted to concede the jumper to him but he hit those too. He also showed energy on the defensive end, crossing the lane to make plays from the weak side several times and grabbing rebounds as well. Bayless scored 15 points in the final 7 minutes of the quarter. As the Phoenix defense got divided by the barrage Roy took advantage and poured the ball in as well.

On the other end Amare started missing which put extra pressure on the Phoenix supporting cast. They couldn't deliver. Steve Nash tried to take over late but Bayless hit enough free throws to put the Suns down by 3 on the last possession and LaMarcus Aldridge forced Nash into an awkward shot that clanged off iron. Confetti drops. Everyone on the team, including some players in suits, pats and rubs Bayless' head like it was Buddha's belly, huge grins on their faces. Jerryd and Roy do the post-game interview together, looking for all the world like they're locked at the hip. And there you have it...another memorable Rose Garden victory over the Suns.

Besides the heroic scoring, Portland did a couple of things to cement this win. The disparity in field goal percentage was huge in the first half but the Blazers narrowed it to roughly 3% by the end of the game, Phoenix shooting 48% and Portland 45%. Portland matched Phoenix shot-for-shot at the three-point arc, which probably isn't a repeatable experiment but it worked tonight. The Blazers were 10-20 from distance. Most of all, the Blazers dominated at the foul line. They attempted 35 shots to the Suns' 22, hitting 25 compared to their 16. Combine that with not giving away too many easy shots via turnover and you have the margin. The Suns also helped out a little by not taking advantage of Steve Nash until too late. He obliterated both Miller and Blake at will and the best Bayless could do was try and channel him somewhere. Under no circumstances were the Blazers stopping him until that final shot. Yes, Nash had 13 assists but this looked like one of those classic "I think we're going to win this so I'm going to lay in the weeds until needed, which may be never" games from him. He shot 7-11 from the field. It probably could have been 14-22 without affecting the rest of Phoenix's game too much. It's not like he would have been taking away Frye's threes. Those came from Amare. Nevertheless, I'm perfectly happy with the way things worked out.

Click through for Individual Observations, Links, Jersey Contest Scores, Final Thoughts, and such...

Individual Observations

Brandon Roy had a nice game tonight. He didn't force too much, he drew 11 foul shots, he was 2-5 from the three-point arc, and even though 9-22 overall doesn't look that impressive whenever you can turn 9 made shots into 27 points you're doing something aggressive. Add 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals.

LaMarcus had a stellar opening three minutes then faded offensively. Frankly the guards were playing with each other tonight and given the results that's the way it should have been. Aldridge also spent the whole night guarding scorers which may have distracted his attention. The only disappointing thing was that he didn't take full (or really any) advantage of Channing Frye's poor post defense. Had Portland not drained all of those threes we might have a different tone when discussing his contributions. He did go 5-6 from the foul line to ameliorate his 5-15 from the field. 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 turnovers, 15 points.

Jerryd Bayless: 9-15 from the floor, 2-3 from distance, 9-12 from the foul line, 29 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and a 2:1 assist/turnover ratio. It was his best night as a Blazer. I saw three things that gave me hope that he can continue pressing for minutes and a bigger role. The 29 points and the drives weren't among them. Those were great but you also have to figure Phoenix played into that a little as did Sacramento the other night. It's not going to happen like that against every team. However...

1. He functioned well with the ball in his hands, finding people and setting the offense without looking confused or having to take over in order to have an impact. This may be the best he's looked ever in that vein.

2. He hit the catch-and-shoot outlet jumper just as well as he drove. That shot is his key to staying on the floor and he looks like he knows it. He's giving Brandon a look like, "You know I'm going to hit it if you give it to me." Brandon is starting to give him a look back saying he knows that he knows. It's not just the points, it's the opportunity for synergy between those two guards that the made shot creates.

3. Bayless looked good on defense tonight. He was aware of his position and what was going on around him. He helped appropriately and found something to do even when the ball wasn't with his assigned man or in his area. He was active. He moved his feet. Combined with being quicker and bigger than the other two guards that gives him an edge.

Martell Webster mixed up his game tonight and is one of the quiet heroes. Have you noticed how much better the offense functions for everyone, including the players we have just mentioned, when Martell can score a little? He's the straw that breaks the camel's back, making the defense focus in so many directions that they can't contain anymore. He went 6-10 from the floor, scoring on jumpers and at the rim both, for 15 points. Add 7 rebounds, 3 offensive, and 2 steals.

Steve Blake shot only threes tonight, which is normally something I'm not in favor of. But he hit 4-7 of them for 12 points off the bench and provided yet another guy the Suns had to watch. Again, much of the fourth-quarter heroics were enabled by these guys draining those shots and making Phoenix worry about them.

Andre Miller played only 18 minutes tonight but he had 5 assists in that limited time. He didn't get many shots up, scored 4 points, and had 2 turnovers. His defense wasn't up to the task though he did look like he could have scored on Nash more given the opportunity.

Joel Przybilla had 10 rebounds and 2 blocks after his usual fashion.

Final Thoughts

It's not often you lose 3 of 4 quarters and win the game. I wouldn't want to try it again but it sure was exciting tonight. But this is like the point of the movie when the hero has just escaped from peril by the skin of his teeth and stops to celebrate. He's smiling, laughing, maybe bragging a little, then he falls silent as he looks into the distance and sees even a bigger baddie on the horizon. Cue the scary music because the Blazers now go out on the road for 4 games: Orlando, Miami, Dallas, San Antonio. Under normal circumstances you'd hope to come away with 2 of those and call it good. Right now I'm thinking any win would make a good trip and somehow taking two would be fantastic.

Boxscore

See what the Phoenix guys think of Jerryd Bayless at BrightSideofttheSun.

Check out your Jersey Contest results at the scoreboard page and enter the next game here.

Oh, and enjoy the whoopin' and hollerin'!

--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)

Poll

My reaction to Jerryd Bayless' career night is...

Game 27 Preview: Suns vs. Blazers

Dave — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:17:20 -0000

More photos » by Sam Forencich - NBAE/Getty Images

We need this guy tonight. And I'm not talking about Spencer Hawes.

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Game Time: 7:30 P.M. TV: TNT

Hey hey! The new-old look Phoenix Suns are in town.

Unless you've been under a rock for the last couple of years you know the story. The Suns, tired of finishing just short of the Big One despite having one of the most accomplished offenses in the history of the league, decide to change their look by adding Shaquille O'Neal to Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, and the gunners. The offense slowed down, the pairing of Nash and Shaq was about as comfortable as watching Al Franken and Sarah Palin team up for a lambada contest, and Phoenix sank like a rock. Figuring that just missing the Big One is far superior to biting the Big One, the Suns have jettisoned the Big Distraction and returned to their old lineup, if not precisely their old ways. The result has been a 17-8 record, good for second place in the division and a solid 4^th in the conference, within spitting distance of 2^nd.

The Suns don't lead the league in pace. They're 4^th, in a large clump with New York, Minnesota, and the L*kers. They do, however, lead the league in offensive efficiency. They're 1^st in effective field goal percentage, first in three-point percentage, 3^rd in overall field goal percentage (.2 points out of 1^st), 10^th in fastbreak points, 12^th in points in the paint...the only aspects of their offense that lie outside the good-to-excellent range are drawing free throws, hitting free throws, and offensive rebounding. They're just average in those three categories. But if they were better than that it wouldn't be fair.

As you might suspect with the Suns the defense does not measure up as strongly. They're 25^th in the league in defensive efficiency...a far cry from their offensive dominance. But don't sleep on them entirely, even in this area. They're average in the percentage shooting defense stats. They allow over 105 points per game because of the style they play, not because they're inherently terrible defenders. They don't have to be great at that end of the court, just passable most nights. And that they are. Defensive rebounding is another story, though. As has been typical they're quite poor on the boards. It's just not their focus. They allow a ton of opponent offensive rebounds as a result.

The main rotation has plenty of guys you'll recognize. Amare Stoudemire, once again the only big man with any claim to the paint, leads them in scoring at 19.6 per game on 55.9% shooting. Steve Nash is right behind with 18 per game, 53% shooting, 45.6% three-point shooting, 94% foul shooting, ran-the-table-again pool shooting, -18 handicap golf shooting, "one trick shot to bag my entire limit" duck shooting, "that guy on the Dos Equis commercials is only the second most interesting man" breeze shooting, oh...and 11.2 assists per game besides. Grant Hill is still around and doing fine playing 31.5 minutes per game, thank you. Jason Richardson plays Gunner of the Week for them, a role which he was born to play. Ex-Blazer Channing Frye has joined him in shooter's heaven, quite happy on a team where they specifically tell him to stay out of the paint on offense. Leandro Barbosa is still around too, but he's injured. Goran Dragic backs up Nash and Louis Amundson is the third big man off the bench. Both of them can shoot too. You just don't get a minute off against this team.

The good news for the Blazers is that you always have a chance to beat a team that doesn't defend that well, doesn't rebound, and has no shot-blockers. There are points to be had here. The bad news for the Blazers is that outside of an "Oops!" or two against the Knicks and Hornets, the teams the Suns have lost to read like a list of the league's elite: Los Angeles, Dallas, Denver, Orlando, Cleveland. The Blazers aren't one of those teams. No hope for the automatic road win either, as the Suns are 8-8 away from the desert. (They're an impressive 9-0 at home, by the way.)

Any way you slice it this should be an entertaining game but a significant challenge for the Blazers. We're all yearning for these kind of matchups with Greg Oden and Rudy Fernandez healthy. As usual, the odds get much longer in their absence.

Keys to the Game

1. One of the first things you talk about when plotting against the Suns is tempo. You can't stop them but you can't let them dictate wholly. You have to involve them with the shot clock. Fast breaks, secondary fast breaks, and open shots after one pass are your enemy. You want them figuring out what to do with 4 seconds remaining on the clock. That means getting back in transition and moving your feet on defense for the entire possession. You also have to commit to sticking with your man. You cannot run out late to wave at their shooters and expect to find success.

2. The second thing you talk about is pick and roll. Steve Nash runs it as well as anybody and he can hit a shot or make a pass with daylight only a cat could see in. They will involve you in screens. Whatever strategy you employ to foil them--switching, jumping, fighting through--you better be committed and you better move fast. All of the defenders away from the screen also have to be aware what's going on. Nash will find teammates in a blink.

3. Amare Stoudemire scoring one-on-one is bad but not fatal. Amare Stoudemire also scoring off of feeds is much worse.

4. The Blazers need extra points tonight. The easiest way to get them is on the offensive glass. This is the night to dominate in this area. LaMarcus and Joel should both have several. (Which, by the way, implies that shooting guards and small forwards are GETTING BACK when the shot goes up!)

5. The other method of getting those extra points is penetrating and getting fouled. The Suns aren't horrible defensively as a group but several of them can be had individually. The next guy Jason Richardson defends will be his first. We've seen Channing Frye defend the post. Even Nash isn't great at staying in front of people. Portland managed to find the lane at critical moments against the Kings. Do it again. Do it more.

6. Even all of that may not be enough, but realize that when the Suns get ahead of you they will let you back in it. They tend to blow out awful teams. Mediocre or better and it's a close game. They'll go on streaks. Don't get discouraged. By the same token many a team has had a successful first quarter against Phoenix only to find them lapping the field by the fourth. If you get a lead, keep pushing. It's like the Terminator is after you. Stay on your toes or you're dead.

Final Thoughts

This isn't a game where I'd expect a win but it's one the Blazers have a chance to win. If nothing else I hope it's a good show.

Check out our colleagues at BrightSideoftheSun.

Enter tonight's Jersey Contest form here.

--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)

Orlando Magic News for December 16th: Hedo Turkoglu Returns to Orlando; Bill Simmons Comments on Grant Hill

erivera7 — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:29:57 -0000

More photos » by Sean Kilpatrick - AP

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Dwight Howard doesn’t know what kind of reception Hedo Turkoglu will receive tonight
Josh Robbins asks Dwight Howard about Hedo Turkoglu's return to Orlando as a member of the Toronto Raptors.

Dwight Howard was asked today how he thinks Magic fans will receive Turk.

"I don’t know," Howard said. "A lot of people loved him here. We miss him. I’m happy to see that he’s healthy and he’s still playing. So, hopefully he has an OK game tonight and we still come out on top."
Orlando Magic officials will continue to support their players' participation in international competitions
.. and states how members of the Orlando Magic organization, including head coach Stan Van Gundy, don't mind that their players compete internationally.

Orlando Magic officials will continue to support their players' participation in international competitions even though center Marcin Gortat and former Magic small forward Hedo Turkoglu returned from September's European championships fatigued.

Gortat played for his native Poland in EuroBasket 2009 and said the additional games weren't physically exhausting but left him a bit "burned out" mentally. Turkoglu sat out the Toronto Raptors' first four preseason games so he could rest after he played for Turkey.

"It doesn't change my opinion at all: To me, guys should be playing basketball all summer anyway and working," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "I've said before even if I thought it was a detriment to our players, I would never discourage them from playing. In my opinion, as an athlete you can't have a bigger honor than representing your country."
Mickael Pietrus sits out of shootaround as Magic prepare to face Raptors again
Tania Ganguli shares news on Mickael Pietrus' health.

That stomach bug thing is going around.

Mickael Pietrus sat out of shootaround this morning with it. He’ll be a gametime decision just like Vince Carter was. Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said he will start either J.J. Redick or Matt Barnes if Pietrus can’t play.
Bill Simmons: The lost pages from my book "The Book of Basketball," via the December 28, 2009 issue of ESPN The Magazine
Bill Simmons of ESPN The Magazine reveals the lost pages in his book - "The Book of Basketball" - and mentions former Magic player Grant Hill.

The trip made me think of Grant Hill. In 1997, Fila blew him away with a massive $80 million deal meant to splash the company into the basketball market. With Nike and Reebok heatedly bidding for NBA stars, Fila went a different route: It threw the bulk of its basketball marketing budget behind Hill. But after staying healthy for six seasons, Hill injured his ankle and missed much of the next decade. Could his shoes have contributed to his woes? In any case, Fila doesn't sponsor NBA players or compete in that market anymore.

Yes, it could be coincidence, and yes, Fila surely was careful in customizing its shoe for Hill. But if a publishing company that printed only a couple of books a year tried to sign me, would I think, Do they have enough experience to publish mine? Damned right I would. The whole thing is weird. Keep in mind, it's usually bigs who battle chronic foot and ankle issues, not athletic swing guys. After my visit, I realized "What if Grant Hill had signed with Nike?" was a natural for my "Greatest What-Ifs?" chapter. Hill was headed for Level 3 or 4 of my Hall of Fame Pyramid, but he didn't make it. What if his career detour wasn't just bad luck? It's a great hypothetical, you have to admit.

Game Preview #22: San Antonio Spurs @ Phoenix Suns

Tim C. — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 04:42:32 -0000

The Suns have already set, despite their current record.

So, the Suns have a pretty good record so far this season. Nash looks as good as ever, despite losing some of his better teammates over the previous two seasons. What's up with that? Well, they started the season scorching, and still claim the league's top offense, but they've been losing game more frequently over the last 2 weeks, returning to their rightful place in the second tier of Western Conference teams. That doesn't mean the Spurs should expect to win this game, though. For that, we'll need luck, and some good PtR mojo.

So, how do we get PtR mojo to the game? I'm glad you asked.

PtR Mojo at the Game

Alamobro, xman130 and yours truly will all be at this game, representing PtR. Even though we didn't quite coordinate our seating(I'm in the nosebleeds, they're not), simply being there will hopefully give us a little extra mojo. I will gladly take all the razzing Suns fans can throw at me, as long as the final result is a Spurs victory.

On a mostly unrelated note, check out this epic thread at SpursTalk for hilarity. Be sure to go well beyond the first page. Here's a little preview:

It is so on.

San Antonio Spurs @ Phoenix Suns
Where: US Airways Center - Phoenix, AZ
When: December 15, 2009, 8:00 PM Spurs time
Watch: FSN SW(San Antonio); FSN AZ(Phoenix)

How They Stack Up


10-4	Home	8-0
2-5	Road	8-8
101.8	Offense	108.4
96.6	Defense	105.6
48.0	FG%	49.2
39.2	3-pt%	42.7
73.8	FT%	74.7
42.0	Rebounds	41.5
14.7	TOs	15.5
7-3	Last 10	5-5
Won 3	Streak	Lost 1
2nd, Southwest	Position	2nd, Pacific


Country/Time Zone	Game Time
Argentina	11:00 PM
West Coast	5:00 PM
Philippines	9:00 AM
Central Europe	2:00 AM
Palestine/Egypt	3:00 AM
East Coast	8:00 PM
The Land Time Forgot	7:00 PM
Perth, AUS	9:00 AM
Tokyo, JP	10:00 AM
Sydney, AUS	12:00 PM

Spurs (9-9)	Matchups	Suns (18-6)
Tony Parker Defying Expectations	Point Guard Tony's had double-digit assists in two of the last three games, which is encouraging. Unfortunately, he's also turning the ball over a lot. Mr. Nash is as good as he's ever been, so I'll give him a very slight edge here. Advantage: Suns	Steve Nash Pretty Damn Good

Manu Ginobili BETTER THAN FANGIO!!!	Shooting Guard Manu's got his mojo going in the last few games. Keith Bogans will be matched up with J-Rich at first, but Manu will get the bulk of the SG minutes and should be able to win this matchup. Advantage: Spurs	Jason Richardson Not Richard Jefferson

Richard Jefferson Finally Getting Better	Small Forward RJ's been doing noticeably better as of late, after the rough start to the season. I expect more of the same tonight, and he should be able to take care of Hill with ease if he's on his game. Advantage: Spurs	Grant Hill Not George Hill

Tim Duncan No Random Punctuation	Power Forward Amare is still as deadly a shooter as ever, but doesn't seem to have the explosiveness he used to. Timmy is putting up the most efficient numbers of his career, which is really saying something when you're already the best PF of all time. Advantage: Spurs	Amar'e Stoudemire Random Apostrophe

Antonio McDyess Jumpshooter	Center Dice should get plenty of open looks tonight, even if Amare guards him instead of Timmy. Channing Frye was Phoenix's big acquisition this offseason, which says more about the team than it does about the player. If we can keep him off the 3-point line, this matchup will be ours. Also, Blair is going to eat the Suns frontcourt alive. Advantage: Spurs	Channing Frye Jumpshooter

George Hill Los Cubits	Bench & Role Players The Suns are without Leandro Barbosa. The BAM should be able to get something going pretty easily, cosidering that Jared Dudley is Phoenix's best remaining bench player. Advantage: Spurs	Jared Dudley Aptly Named

Gregg Popovich Bring Back the Beard	Coach Pop should use this game to make a statement. Seriously, he should. Advantage: Spurs	Alvin Gentry 7 Seconds and Loss
	images via yahoo.com

	Other Factors
	Intangibles If the Spurs could ever stop turning the fucking ball over, they'd be a pretty damn good team. Advantage: Suns
	Mojo Take a look at the Suns' home record. Then take a look at our road record. Not a tough call. Those of us who are there in person will try to bring enough mojo for the Spurs to overcome, but it won't be easy. Advantage: Suns
	Winner I always have a good feeling when we play the Suns, but not this time. I have hope, but not a feeling of inevitability like in seasons past. I'm going to go with my optimism, especially in light of the matchups. Spurs in a squeaker.

Keys To The Game

Defense - The Suns bring the league's most efficient offense to the table - we have to slow them down. In years past, this wouldn't be a problem, but we've been pretty inconsistent on D this season. Come on, Spurs - convince me it's not an issue.
Weather the Storm - Phoenix always comes out fired up to play us, and they usually jump out to an early lead. We can't let it get out of control.
Bench - The Spurs' bench is vastly superior, and they need to play like it. The BAM scored 57 points in our last game, so expectations are definitely being raised.

Last Time They Met

Let's skip the last time these teams met(Don't worry, we won), and go with some classic Spurs-Suns moments. Something tells me Suns fans don't like reliving these as much as we do.

Strength of Schedule

The every other day schedule is over. This is the first game of a back-to-back set(FIGABABA?), with the seond game tomorrow night in Oakland.

The Suns are coming off two days' rest after a road loss to the Nuggets that was very close, and they were actually the victim of some bad calls.

Some Other Reading

Suns

Bright Side of the Sun - These guys are our SBN siblings for Phoenix, and they do a phenomenal job. I briefly met Mike at summer league, and P. Stan is a super blogging machine(he also runs the SBN WNBA blog). I have nothing but respect for the writers over there.

Valley of the Suns - Here's the TrueHoop blog dedicated to the Suns. These other teams' THN blogs seem to be getting better over time, which is a very encouraging sign. Worth the read.

Spurs

48 Minutes of Hell: Speaking of THN blogs, Tim and Graydon are still the best. They're not writing as much as they used to, but that's understandable in light of their busy schedules.
Project Spurs: Good Bloguin blog with lots of good content. Be sure to check out their podcasts and live chats.

The Magic That Happened

jrw put together some great highlights from the Clippers game thread(s):

Ridiculous lineup made us lose our lead. What the hell was Pop thinking? - LatinD

"I wanted to lose our lead." - theonlyromeo

"Did I leave that case of wine on the plane?" - Queness

"Why do we need to have these practices everyday?" - theonlyromeo

"Fuck free throws." - Queness

"What’s the big deal about Ophra? I don’t see why people like her." - Hipuks

"What do you mean wrong spelling? I know Ophra well enough, dammit! I like her more than Elen." - theonlyromeo

"Fuck, I totally messed that up." - Hipuks

"Damn, how drunk am I that I misspell things that I’m thinking?" - Queness

"These shoes are too tight." - Queness

"Make-up does wonders to people’s looks." - silverandblack_davis

"I’m supposed to be coaching but I really really have to take a shit, I think if I stand up and walk around it will make it better." - Hipuks

"Ooh, third quarter. Budendozer, what’s our worse +/- lineup?" - theonlyromeo

Pop ought to think about starting manu in the second half - bones

Unfortunately, Pop doesn’t make halftime adjustments. - the little o

Pop’s Idea of an adjustment is switching from the Shiraz to a Merlot - alamobro

in reference to LatinD’s shark BLAAIIIRRR pics:

my entire family got eaten by sharks. show some respect! - sleep research facility

How did YOU survive? I sense an evil plot here. - Rich Town

you’ll need to speak to my lawyer. next question! - sleep research facility

Whoa! Kaman started to pick his dribble up at the "Channel" mark, then took off way before the "admin" spot—all while his defender was standing around the "blocked." - theonlyromeo

My family was killed by a channel blocked by admin, that’s not funny. - Hipuks

My family was killed by a bad joke, that’s not funny. - LatinD

How did YOU survive? I sense an evil plot here. - theonlyromeo

I hid inside a whale corpse. - Hipuks

And, now I’m being killed by lack of oxygen intake. Fuck you guys and your hilarity. - Queness

Bonner elbowed Duncan, -78. - Hipuks

that’s why I smoke cigarettes, because I know that second-hand smoke kills. - the little o

RJ’s driving to the basket a lot more lately. Pop had a talk with him? - LatinD

"You get your ass in there or I will fucking trade you for Vince Carter." - silverandblack_davis

"How much are we paying your ass again?" - theonlyromeo

Why does Pop talk about RJ’s ass so much? - tomasito

Maybe every time RJ goes down the court, Pop thinks, "Yup. That’s 15 million for the right cheek and 15 million for the left cheek. Those are goddamn expensive cheeks." - Queness

After RJ misses a free throw and Blair snags the rebound and gets the put-back:

That’s probably easier than teaching our guys to shoot FTs - greyberger

"Oh, you missed both? I’ll take care of that LOLOOLOLOLOL." - Daniel_B

SA announcer when blair fell "I was worried for the floor" - greyberger

Where to Tune In

TV

This game is not on national TV, so for those of you staying at home, you might want to read on below...

Online

As always, NBA league pass is recommended for those who are willing to pony up the cash. Almost every Spurs game will be broadcast there, which is especially helpful for those of us who aren't in the San Antonio area. You know, when we're not at the games.

Please don't post links to illegal game feeds in the game thread. Links to illegal feeds are not permitted on SBNation, but you can probably find them out there on the internets if you're resourceful and desperate. In fact, nobody can stop you from googling "atdhe". You can also shoot an email to dmenendez@gmail.com for more assistance.

Spurs League Pass audio is still free this year, so check it out.

Radio

If you're in the San Antonio area and aren't near a TV, tune in to WOAI (1200 AM).

Recap: It's Not Robbery If You Give It Away; Nuggets 105, Suns 99

Mike Lisboa — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 16:50:18 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

Sweet Lou had a sweet game in his Colorado homecoming last night. Things didn't work out so well for the rest of the team however. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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[Note by Mike Lisboa, 12/13/09 8:50 AM PST ]

Sorry this didn't get published until the morning... I fell asleep re-watching the game last night before publishing.

***

At some point down the road, the Suns will probably look back on this loss and the Mavericks loss as two games they'd like to have back. Phoenix wasn't supposed to compete in this game, much less have a shot at winning, coming off a grueling win against the Orlando Magic last night. But someone forgot to tell Steve Nash.

1st Half

Nash hit his first 5 shots to help the Suns to an early 13-5 lead. He looked like a man possessed. The Suns would not roll over on the 2nd night of this particular back to back. However, the early momentum did not last long as Carmelo Anthony and the Nuggets found their shooting touch, and eventually took 16-15 lead halfway through the quarter. From then on, the rest of the period was a back and forth dogfight resulting in a 29-26 Nugget lead. Nash and Amare Stoudemire accounted for nearly all the Suns 1st quarter points, but the real story might have been Robin Lopez' 3 fouls in just under 4 minutes of play.

After picking up 5 fouls in 5 minutes against the Magic, Robin proceeded to melt down defensively again, picking up all 3 of his fouls in quick succession in 1 quarter. It might have been the best thing to happen to the Suns in the first quarter as it allowed Lou Amundson to come off the bench and log some heavy minutes. Lou was everywhere in the 2nd quarter, starting things off with a block on the first play of the quarter.

The Suns started the 2nd quarter with a line-up of Goran Dragic, Jared Dudley, Grant Hill, Lou Amundson and Channing Frye and proceeded to go on a 19-2 run. Everything went the Suns' way during this stretch. Dragic was aggressive going to the hoop on one end and playing fearless defense on Ty Lawson at the other. Amundson was a beast on the boards, tipping balls back and pulling down everything in sight. Channing Frye was hitting from range and even drawing contact driving to the hoop.

Defensively, the Suns showed active hands, poking, prodding, blocking and tipping balls that Denver brought into the paint. Aggressiveness and activity were the Suns' hallmarks in the second quarter and they were rewarded. (It also didn't hurt that what open looks the Nuggets did get weren't falling.) The Nuggets did not score a field goal in the first 5:30 of the quarter. Nash checked back in around the 5 minute mark and continued his hot shooting. 1 minute later, the Suns had their largest lead of the game at 52-35. There was so much frustration with how the game was going for Denver that both Carmelo Anthony and George Karl received technical fouls complaining about the officiating. That shoe would soon enough be on the other foot.

This would be their high water mark as they shot 55% for the quarter while holding the Nuggets to 39% shooting and forcing 8 turnovers. Lou Amundson alone finished the 2nd with 8 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Grant Hill defended Carmelo Anthony as well as anyone this season in the first half, holding him to 12 points on 4-12 shooting. The Suns would take a 60-47 lead into halftime on the strength of this performance.

[Note by Mike Lisboa, 12/13/09 9:10 AM PST ]

I don't know how I forgot to mention this: This might have been the best quarter of basketball the Suns have played all year. It was something to behold.

2nd Half

In the 3rd quarter the wheels came off for the Suns. Chauncey Billups and Melo both found their stroke scoring 10 points each. The Suns for their part went ice cold, shooting 36% and turning the ball over 6 times (after only committing 8 turnovers in the first half). While Steve Nash continued his blistering offense going 3-4 from the field, the rest of the Suns were a paltry 3-11. The Nuggets were far more aggressive in the 3rd quarter, slashing and cutting to the hoop and drawing contact. They almost matched the Suns run from the 2nd quarter with an 18-2 run of their own to cut the Suns lead to 1 point. The Suns had lead by as much as 17 early in the quarter.

The 4th quarter was a back and forth affair and the Suns had a chance right down to the wire. The Suns traded baskets with the Nuggets for the first 5 minutes of the 4th quarter until the Suns had a disastrous stretch of game where they turned it over on 3 consecutive trips down the floor. 2 of those turnovers were offensive fouls on Amare Stoudemire, also his 4th and 5th fouls for the game. Turnovers played a large part in the Suns' unraveling. They had 6 in the 4th quarter and 20 for the game. The Suns actually shot a scorching 69% in the 4th but had 6 fewer shots than the Nuggets due to turnovers and offensive rebounds (the Nuggets had 15 for the game, 6 in the 4th quarter).

With just under 4 minutes left, the Nuggets began to assert control. After yet another Suns turnover on a bad pass from Channing Frye to Lou Amundson, Carmelo Anthony came down and scored on a put-back of his own miss to put the Nuggets up 94-92. On the ensuing 4 possessions Steve Nash and Chauncey Billups put on a clinic in clutch, with Nash hitting a 3-ball and a jumper in the lane, while Mr. Big Shot hit a pair of 3s of his own to give the Nuggets a 100-97 lead. On the next trip down, Kenyon Martin got Nash on a switch and blocked his fadeaway attempt. On the ensuing Nuggets' possession with 1:36 to go, Billups missed a long jumper, but drew a blocking foul on Grant Hill after Denver collected the offensive rebound. He went 1 of 2 at the line to give the Nugs a 4 point lead with 1:18.

After Grant Hill nearly turned the ball over on an inbound pass a few seconds later, Nash layed in a finger-roll with 1:00 to go to pull the Suns within 2 points. Grant Hill force a Carmelo miss to get the Suns the ball back with 30 seconds to go.

Controversy!

With the Suns trailing by 2, on what would be the Suns' final meaningful possession, Steve Nash found himself covered by Nene at the arc. Nash drove left, had some arm-to-arm contact with Nene and had his lay-up attempt blocked by the Brazilian center. No foul was called on the play despite the obvious contact. What happened next truly doomed the Suns. After the miss, Carmelo Anthony rebounded the ball with 7.8 seconds left on the game clock. The nearest Sun to Anthony was Steve Nash. Angry about the non-call and complaining to the official underneath the basket, Nash did not turn and foul Anthony. Amare Stoudemire was the 2nd closest and seemed to not understand the need to foul until Anthony had already gotten around him. Jared Dudley, he of the high basketball IQ, came flying in to commit the foul, but overpursued and got screened away from Melo, allowing Anthony to get downcourt where he was eventually fouled by Channing Frye after running the clock down to 2.0 seconds.

At this point, the Suns were down by 2 with a career 80% free throw shooter going to the line. Standard practice here is to hope he misses 1 of 2 and do what you can with the remaining 2 seconds on the clock. Except the Suns never got the chance. Alvin Gentry went ballistic on the referees, getting ejected from the game. 2 technical free throws plus 2 free throws for the foul later and the Suns are down by 6 with not even a prayer of a chance at a last second shot.

My Take

To blame the Suns' loss on poor officiating at the end of the game is to ignore the several other glaring holes in the Suns' game in the second half: giving up 10 offensive rebounds, turning the ball over 12 times, scoring only 39 points while giving up 58. It also ignores how much better Denver played in the second half: only 3 turnovers, 8 steals, and a 20-13 rebounding edge. Sure, the Nuggets got to the line 15 more times than the Suns, but that was to be expected. The Nuggets are hands-down the most aggressive and effective team in the NBA at getting to the line, with a 40.8% Free Throw Rate (ratio of number of free throws made to number of field goals attempted). The Suns, by contrast, are in the middle of the pack in the NBA, with a 29.6% rate, which makes sense given the Suns' reliance on jumpers and 3 pointers.

These are the the things that the players on both teams have control over by how they play the game. They cannot control how and when the whistle does and does not blow. All they can do is execute and hope for the best. Last night, the Suns problems with execution were the same as they have been all season: giving up too many offensive rebounds and turnovers coupled with weak defensive rotations (J.R. Smith goes 0-8? Bullet dodged.). These are things that can be fixed and worked on and improved upon. So can in-game awareness of things like getting one's toes behind the line on a 3-pointer (see below in "Notes"). If Nash and Frye do that over the course of the game, the Suns are up by 1 when Nash makes his fateful drive. If, instead of wondering about the non-call, Nash or Amare makes a move to foul Carmelo Anthony, maybe the Suns have a shot at getting the ball back with 5-7 seconds left on the clock instead of 2. If Gentry doesn't lose his cool, if Amare takes better care of the ball, if J-Rich hits that shot, etc.

The Suns had ample opportunities to win this game even with a bad call or two going against them. Is NBA refereeing inconsistent and frustrating? Sometimes. Should it be more transparent and are reforms necessary? Definitely. Is it an over-riding factor in determining the outcome of games? Very, very rarely. And last night was not one of those times.

Random Notes

So much for bigger or longer defenders slowing down Steve Nash: 11-17 FG, 28 points and 7 assists with only 2 turnovers. I think the longer defenders do disrupt his ability to share the ball but it helps if the people he's passing it to make their shots, too.
Amare Stoudemire seems to be struggling to figure out when to take the jumper and when to take it to the hole. In the 3rd quarter when Denver was at the tail end of their big run, he made a pair of nice moves to the bucket, one that resulted in a score and the other in a trip to the line. However, his 7 turnovers for the game may make him a little gunshy about puttling the ball on the floor in the future.
For a team that likes to live and die by the 3 ball, the Suns did a poor job of making sure their feet were behind the line last night. 3 potential 3-pointers were ruled 2-pointers upon official review because of toes on the line. 1 by Nash, 2 by Frye.
It was nice to see Channing Frye have a strong offensive showing on the road and on the second night of a back to back.
Jason Richardson on the other hand continues to struggle. Over the last 10 games, J-Rich is shooting only 45.1% on is field goals and 33.3% from 3 point land. Over the last 5, it's even worse with 41.4 FG% and 25.0 3PT%.
Goran Dragic had a solid night with 4 points, 4 assists and a steal with only one turnover leading the 2nd unit as well as containing Ty Lawson (2 points, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, -18 for the game). Point guards were not the problem for the Suns last night.
Jared Dudley's 3 point shooting continues to impress. After going 2-3 from downtown last night, he leads the Suns, hitting 48.8% of his shots behind the arc.
If nothing else, the Suns showed they CAN be competitive against tough competition on the second night of back-to-backs when the spirit moves them. Nash, Hill, and Stoudemire all logged over 34 minutes in last night's game (with Grant Hill leading all Suns with 42:45).
Get ready for some congestion downtown: 8 of the Suns' next 10 games are at home... finally!

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