SB Nation - Amare Stoudemire

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

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

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

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)

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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Game Preview - Phoenix Suns vs Denver Nuggets

Mike Lisboa — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:29:12 -0000

More photos » by Barry Gossage - NBAE via Getty Images

More of this, please. (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)

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There is absolutely no way this game ends well for the Phoenix Suns. Whatever your bar is for the Suns' performance in this game, lower it. I'm eschewing the typical "match-up" format for this preview in favor of bullet points, because while the Suns may have an edge here or there with regards to personnel, none of that has mattered so far on Second Nights.

I know that's not very Bright Side of me, but the deck is stacked heavily against the Suns tonight:

Denver is ranked 3rd in offensive efficiency. The Suns are ranked 23rd in defensive efficiency.
The Suns are on the second night of a back-to-back. They are 1-4 in these games, 0-4 against teams with a winning percentage higher than .217.
On second night games, ALL the Suns starters shoot notably worse except for one: Steve Nash. He actually has higher FG and 3PT percentages on the wrong side of back-to-backs than his season averages. His overall totals are down in these games, but so are his minutes as they've generally ended in blow-outs. Could Steve Nash be any more amazing?

Also, when the other 4 starters are not shooting well, that means fewer assists for Nash, which means he's reduced to being a scorer, which he does more than competently. At some point, Robin Williams is going to show up and hug Nash and tell him, "It's not your fault (unless your man went for a career-high again)."

The Nuggets are 1 of only 3 teams that plays at a faster pace than the Suns, so there is no "running these guys off the court." Oh yes, the game also takes place a mile above sea level. Winded won't even begin to cover how Phoenix will feel come the second half.

Guard play: As awesome as Chauncey Billups vs. Steve Nash sounds on paper, I doubt we'll see it very often. I expect we'll see lots of J-Rich on Billups (who is tough cover for Nash) and vice versa while the Nuggets continue the trend of putting longer defenders on Nash in the form of Arron "I'd Like To Buy A Vowel" Afflalo.

Guard play, part 2: The Suns badly need Jason Richardson to shake off his Second Night slumping if they hope to have a prayer in this game. His shooting percentage drops from .485 to .385 on Second Nights.

Guard play, part 3: Goran Dragic against Ty Lawson could be really, really fun if Dragon Frosty shows up. However, if it's Tragic Frosty, he will find himself in a couple of posters before the night is through. I have a hunch Dragon Frosty will be making an appearance tonight (though Dragon Frosty runs the risk of melting himself, so I don't really know how that works in the grand scheme of things).

Ditto Channing Frye whose 3PT percentage drops from .435 to .300 on Second Nights. If he's not hitting, that frees up Nene, Chris Andersen, and/or Kenyon Martin to stay in and protect the paint. It's an offensive double whammy for the Suns as it hurts both their perimeter and inside games when he is missing.

Jared Dudley and Grant Hill will have their hands full with Carmelo Anthony. And by "full" I mean "no one else has been able to guard him this season and I don't see that trend magically ending tonight." Carmelo has been downright Kobe-like in his ability to score from anywhere inside of half-court this season.

Amare Stoudemire has to get it going on down low, which is a tall order against Martin, Birdman and Nene. The Nuggets get more free throws per field goal attempt than any team in the NBA. A healthy dose of Amar'e And-1s would help things considerably tonight.

Unless the Suns suddenly start closing out on shooters, I can see J.R. "My Name Is Isn't Earl" Smith going to town on Phoenix tonight. Again.

The one true Bright Side I foresee going into this game is that since the Nuggets are a faster team than the Suns' more recent opponents, I expect to see heavier minutes for Lou Amundson and "My Name Really Is Earl" Clark. If 'Melo gets it going early, Gentry might give Earl a whirl on the Denver's scoring machine. And we all know how much Nene likes playing against Looooooooouuuuuuuu.

Predictions

This game has blow out written all over it. The Suns remaining competitive for more than 2 quarters, much less winning this game, flies in the face of everything we've seen from them so far this season. For the Suns to win, they have to somehow find that crazy offensive rhythm they had through the first 17 games of the season and Denver has to be commensurately ice cold from the field. A Suns victory isn't impossible tonight, just highly improbable. But that's why they play the games, eh? Denver wins 122-100 and the Suns get a moral taco victory.

P.S. - I have no problem being wrong about all of the above and the Suns pulling one out tonight.

[Note by Mike Lisboa, 12/12/09 11:55 AM PST ]

It's unfortunate this is a Second Night game, because with both teams well-rested, this match-up has the potential to be a fast-paced yet nasty shoot-out. Fortunately, the next couple of times these two teams it will be after a day or two's rest.

Game Links

Check out the view from a Mile High over at Denver Stiffs.

Suns vs Nuggets coverage

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Daily Links 12/12

FLCeltsFan — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:18:20 -0000

Herald    Counter points
Scouting report: Celtics at Bulls
LeBron James scores 33, Cavs trip Trail Blazers
Amare Stoudemire’s big rebound helps Suns beat Magic
Globe   Bulls thumbnails
On guard: Rondo slicing through foes
Vote for Perk    Vote For Perk
SportCenter 5     Vote For Perk!

Celtics Blog   AM Notes: Allen's Last Chance, Lester Helps Rondo
Loscy    The Rondoness of all Rondo Articles: The Mother-load "
HoopsHype    Zebras and lions
NESN    Celtics Seek 10th Straight Win Against Flailing Bulls
Live Blog: Celtics at Bulls
Tony Allen Emerges as Marquis Daniels Hits the Shelf
Paul Pierce, Glen Davis, J.R. Giddens Get in Holiday Spirit With Local Students
Celtics Legends Cedric Maxwell, JoJo White to Distribute Food to Lee Academy
Rajon Rondo, Glen Davis, Lester Hudson to Host Stay In School Assembly
Dueling Couches    Ray Allen's Most Memorible Moments
CelticsLife Shaq Injures Eye, Kobe Breaks Finger, Injuries Reportedly Unrelated
McHale on Lebron's Dancing Nonsense
Today's Video: Ray Allen 20,000 Points NBA Career
LOY's Place    Quote of the Week - Kevin McHale
Red's Army    Rashard Lewis Has No Respect for His Coach
The Big 3 Things of the Week
Your KG Face of the Day
Ray Gets UP!
Your Morning Dump... Where Kevin McHale is still awesome
Celtics Hub   Kentucky-UConn Garden Party—an NBA Fan’s Perspective
Eddie House and 3 Point Attempts
Gratuitous Wolf on Human Violence
Saturday Notebook: Hudson’s Value, Rondo’s J, the Bulls
North Station Sports    More than a feeling: Dwight & Nate, pt. 2
Tony Allen Takes Over For Daniels. Should You Be Scared?
More Thoughts From Egypt: LeBron's Behavior in Question
Celtics Town    Celtics 'define what winning basketball in the NBA is all about'
Ray Allen gives teammates credit for milestone
Joe Johnson wants to come back to Boston?
Ray Allen, named top shooter of the decade, says Dirk is best
Rajon Rondo latest Celtic to deflect praise to teammates
Lex Nihil Novi    Wedman Leads Birdless Celts Over Hawks 83-84
Wedman Adapting to New Role 83-84
Knicks Try to Make it 3 in a Row against C's 83-84
Rondo Gives Jerry West No Respect
Celtics Overcome 12 4th-Quarter TO's to Finally Beat Knicks (83-84)
ESPN   Bulls-Celtics preview
So you're saying there's a chance?
Businesslike Approach Working For Celtics
Legler: Celtics are underrated
Chicago Tribune Chicago Bulls woes tied directly to defense
Chicago Bulls hear strange sound -- cheers during 96-91 overtime victory
Milford Daily News    Celtics: Green streak
Daily Herald    Bulls not responding well to other teams' runs
LA Times   Is this Lakers team the NBA's best ever? Not by a three-pointer
Sporting News   Celtics-Bulls Preview
HoopsAddict    Rajon Rondo: Silent, But Deadly
Washington Post     As the Wizards' big three try to mesh again, past is not present
The Starting Five    Notes from TNT’s Coverage of the NBA
Patriot Ledger     Celtics bid for another double-digit winning streak
Ohio.com    Notebook: Cavs' West earning more time on floor
Mass Live    Celtics buzz: Tony Allen's early returns, Boston's rebounding woes, and appreciating Ray Allen
Truth About It    Inconsistency Is A Muther: Celtics Down Wizards 104-102
4 Sport Boston    3 Things You Didn’t See In The Celtics-Wizards Rumble
Philly.com   Dick Jerardi: Biggest Donaghy question remains: Which games?
Basketbawful    Worst of the Night: December 10, 2009
Hoopsvibe     Tracy McGrady: All-Star Starter?
Dimemag     The Bulls Are Struggling And Vinny Del Negro Will Be The Scapegoat
Rashard Lewis didn’t want to play; Van Gundy says it’s no big deal
CSNNE   Celts, Bulls headed in opposite direction
WEEI    Postgame Guest - Tony Allen on WEEI
Washington Post   Book review: When the Game Was Ours by Larry Bird and Magic Johnson
Seattle Times    LeBron James' dance act wouldn't play well in old-school NBA

Phoenix Suns 106, Orlando Magic 103

Ben Q Rock — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 07:17:06 -0000

More photos » by Paul Connors - AP

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Trailing the Phoenix Suns by as many as 19 points, the Orlando Magic staged a furious second-half rally and took a 4-point lead midway through the 4th period, but faltered from there and lost, 106-103, giving them their first losing streak of the year. Rashard Lewis (24 points) and Mickael Pietrus (a season-high 23) carried Orlando's offense, while Dwight Howard anchored the defense and the glass. But ultimately, the Suns' efficient offensive attack was too much. Steve Nash matched the entire Magic team with 18 assists, scoring 20 points of his own. Amar'e Stoudemire led all scorers with 28 points, including a dunk with 6.9 seconds to play to preserve Phoenix's win.

Team	Pace	Efficiency	eFG%	FT Rate	OReb%	TO Rate
Magic	95	108.7	50.7%	34.2	33.3	22.2
Suns	93	114.4	53.5%	16.3	25.0	12.9
Green denotes a stat better than the team's season average; red denotes a stat worse than the team's season average.

Orlando showed its road-weariness early on, and one long dry spell in the first quarter may have proven to be the difference. Howard made the first of two free throws, but missed the second, which Lewis rebounded. Lewis' ensuing 3-pointer rattled out, but Howard corralled it. Stoudemire stole the ball, fueling a layup by Grant Hill in transition. His shot tied the game at 9.

So that's one possession which resulted in one point for Orlando. For the next 6:37, the Magic had 12 possessions, and did not score on any of them. 6 consecutive misses--all jumpers--followed by 6 consecutive turnovers. By the time Pietrus freed himself for an easy dunk underneath to end the drought, Phoenix had taken a 24-11 lead. No team can afford to come up empty against an offense of the Suns' caliber, and especially one that runs the fast break as well as Phoenix does. Discard that awful Magic stretch and you see they scored 103 points on 83 possessions, for an offensive rating of 124.1. Too bad the 12 abominable ones there do, indeed, count in the final score.

Mistakes late doomed the Magic as well; they weren't isolated. They yielded back-to-back, open, corner three-pointers to Jared Dudley and Jason Richardson, which gave the Suns a 101-99 lead. On some level, you're happy they covered Nash and Stoudemire on the pick-and-roll and forced the kickout. But man, those shots are backbreakers. Moments later, trailing by a single point, Nash coughed the ball up into Howard's hands, giving the Magic a transition opportunity. Backup point guard Anthony Johnson, who scored all 11 of his points in the 4th quarter to keep the Magic in the game (!), dribbled the outlet pass off his foot. The ensuing possession set up Stoudemire's offensive rebound and dunk to seal the game. You'll recall that poor box-outs cost the Magic against the Heat three weeks ago, when putbacks by Udonis Haslem and Michael Beasley gave Miami a narrow, one-point victory.

The theme here, I suppose, is that the tired team made mental errors throughout the game to lose when they might have otherwise won.

I'm sure the media will latch onto Howard's only getting one shot attempt--two minutes into the game!--in 41 minutes and make a big deal of it, especially after a game in which he got only 11 shots in 44 minutes. Fact is, Howard got his touches: 5 turnovers, 17 free-throw attempts, 2 assists, and several other wise passes out of double-teams. The Suns forced the Magic to look elsewhere. The absence of go-to-scorer Vince Carter in the second half due to a sore knee made scoring that much more difficult.

A tough loss to take any time. Orlando split its 4-game Western trip, squandering double-digit leads in three games and having to battle back in another. It's clear that the Magic aren't as sharp now as they were weeks ago, when Jason Williams first took over for Jameer Nelson as the starting point guard and could hardly do wrong. 22 assists, 11 turnovers, and 48.3% eFG% on the trip overall, and 11 assists to 7 turnovers in the last 2 games. The bloom is off the rose a bit, yes?

Orlando has plenty of time to regroup, as it doesn't play again until Monday, and will play 7 of its final 8 games of 2009 at home. The Magic are due to bounce back, but the results of this road trip certainly raise troubling questions. At least it's still December.

ALL-STAR VOTES: So Far, Kobe (& T-Mac?) Leads — Gasol & Bynum, Not So Much

Josh Tucker — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:53:13 -0000

The first round of All-Star Voting Results is in, and Kobe Bryant is leading all vote-getters in both conferences. Dwyane Wade is next, followed by LeBron James and Dwight Howard. Not all that surprising, of course — but click the jump for the more interesting bits...

For those of you looking for 2-3 Lakers in the All-Star game — well, you may get your wish, but if early returns are any indication, it may be up to the coaches (who pick the reserves) to make it happen. So far, Andrew Bynum trails Amare Stoudemire at the center position by nearly 150,000 votes. Meanwhile, Pau Gasol is about 86,000 votes behind Dirk Nowitzki for the second starting forward slot in the West (remember, the fans pick the starters, which means two guards, two forwards, and a center).

Pau's absence from the first 11 games of the season may have something to do with why he's 308,000 behind Carmelo Anthony and 86,000 behind Nowitzki — then again, Tracy McGrady is currently the second starting guard for the West, despite not playing a single game, edging out several other deserving West guards who have, you know, actually played this year ... like Steve Nash (by 9,000 votes), Chris Paul (by 33,000), Jason Kidd (by 74,000), and Chauncey Billups (by 150,000).

Thank you, China!

Hat tip: Gils

Mavericks Vs Suns: Game 22 Preview

Phillip Baggett — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:09:11 -0000

Suns vs Mavericks preview

Bright Side Of The Sun

Suns vs Mavericks coverage

The Match-ups:

Point Guard

Jason Kidd: The Mavericks will need a little extra from Kidd tonight. The Mavs will have to call on Kidd to try and penetrate in order to create better shots for the slumping Mavericks shooters. Normally this is not a very profitable idea but tonight Kidd will have the leagues other ageless wonder covering him, and this should allow Kidd to at least be on equal ground as far as quickness. However for everything that goes up must come down. Kidd will draw a very tough cover in Steve Nash, and that beautiful teardrop shot of his. It is imperative for Kidd to keep a tight handle on Nash and not allow him to get on one of his shooting streaks.

vs.

Steve Nash: How on earth did Cuban ever allow this guy to leave Dallas? Even though he plays for the enemy I still love to watch Nash. As tough a cover as Kidd will have all year (yes that includes CP3, and Tony Parker) he has the uncanny ability to create just enough space for himself to get a good look at the basket, and a good look for Nash is most assuredly a shot that most others would not have a chance at. Nash will create shots not only for himself but is unbelievably good at getting open looks for his teammates.

Edge: Suns

Shooting Guard

Rodrigue Beaubois: This is simply a guess on my part as to who the starter will be, it is very possible that the JET will get his second consecutive start. The Mavericks and Coach Carlisle must start getting Beaubois more time on the floor, and his length and athleticism would surely help tonight. However whoever gets the nod will have their hands full with the Suns dead eye shooter Jason Richardson. I believe that Roddy B would give the Mavs their best chance against Richardson.

vs.

Jason Richardson: Richardson comes into the night averaging 16.4 ppg and 4.9 rpg but it his FG% and 3P% that are most shocking. Josh is shooting 49.6%FG and 42.3% from beyond the arc, this is one guy that the Mavs can not afford to let run free.

Edge: Suns

Forward

Shawn Marion: Continues to play very solid offense but the Mavs will need more from him tonight. Shawn's offensive game will need to be in full swing tonight for the Mavs to be able to compete.

vs.

Grant Hill: Did I mention my extreme hatred of anyone from Duke?

Edge: Mavs

Power Forward

Dirk Nowitzki: Continues to struggle somewhat from the field, the Mavs cannot stand for Dirk to continue to struggle from the field, and settle for jump shots. Dirk will also need to be on top of his defensive game as well, as Channing Frye poses serious problems with his length and shooting prowess.

vs.

Channing Frye: While not on the same level as Dirk he does pose some of the same issues that Dirk does. He is a tall forward with a nice 3point shooting touch.

Edge: Mavs

Center

Drew Gooden: Drew Gooden should get the nod tonight ahead of Dampier simply because he is the more athletic option and should be able to stay with Stoudemire with much more consistency than Dampier. Either way though they will need to make sure that he is accounted for on every possession.

Vs.

Amare Stoudemire: Even after major surgery he still has most of the same abilities he had before the surgery, and continues to be Phoenix #1 option each time down the floor. Stoudemire is at his best in the open court and running, an extremely proficient finish around the basket.

Edge:Suns

Injuries/Suspensions

Phoenix Suns

OUT - Leandro Barbosa

Dallas Mavericks

OUT - Josh Howard

Prediction: If the Mavs starting 5 can stay close to the Suns the second rotation should be able to do some damage. Look for this game to be very competitive the whole way through, but the strength of the Mavs bench will come through in the end.

Dallas Mavericks: 118

Phoenix Suns: 113

No Surprises Here, Suns Drubbed by Lakers 108-88

Wil Cantrell — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 05:30:33 -0000

More photos » by Gus Ruelas - AP

Mr. Gentry was not in the holiday spirit Sunday night.(AP Photo/Gus Ruelas)

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Tonight was deemed "Mission Impossible Part 2" by a respected Suns journalist. The local commentators were hoping for a rain out (hur, hur). While there was no rain or Tom Cruise sightings at the game, winning was to be a monumental task. The "tired" Suns on the second night of a back to back didn't play a perfect game, and even if they did, they probably still would have lost to the defending champions.

There was certainly some good that came out of this game, and there of course, was some bad.

The Suns at least competed tonight. The first quarter witnessed an active Suns team, combatting a nearly flawless Lakers attack. Amare Stoudemire showed up, feeling his outside game and battling inside for rebounds. But five turnovers leading to a 9-2 Lakers run in the first 7 minutes left the Suns in an early hole.

The Lakers D held, as it did for the rest of the game, limiting any Suns inside penetration. Pau Gasol switched off on Steve Nash, thus alleviating any pick 'n roll success.

Still the Suns were making shots, ad held close. A Jared Dudley three brought the Suns back to a 2 point deficit, the Lakers still held a 29-26 first quarter lead.

The Suns battled in the second quarter as well, going on a nice little 6-0 run. Yet the Suns struggled on D, allowing Laker penetration and two wide open threes. Robin Lopez left his man too early, allowing the first, while Steve Nash went underneath a screen allowing the second. The Suns were still playing respectable and even managed a free throw, their first with 3.49 to play in the second. But this was as good as it was to get for Phoenix on this night as they ended the first half down 54-44.

The Suns were outscored by 11 in the third quarter and all was, well, finished at that point. The lakers continued to attack and get what they wanted on the offensive end while the Suns went cold from outside, and continued to have trouble getting in the lane.

The Suns second unit closed the lead to 13 midway through the 4th quarter, but back to back three pointers by Shannon Brown ended the Suns small run.

The Rest of the Good (which wasn't a whole lot)

The Suns shot 57% 1st quarter, Nash had 7 Assists (who cares, I know)
Goran Dragic had a nice little pick off of Shannon Brown, took the ball the length of the court for a layup. (It was nearly dropped. You gotta DUNK, Goran).
Robin Lopez didn't look dreadful and confused, in fact he looked serviceable. Heis aggressive at the rim and has a nice little 5-6 foot jumper. I'm hoping he can get in shape and put in 10-15 minutes eventually this season. he could be valuable against the more sizeable teams.
The Suns second unit played pretty well. Lopez, Dragic, and Dudley all played solid. Earl Clark had a nice 15 footer off the dribble.

The Rest: A Very Small Ode to the Lakers:

OK the Suns are tired and this was a back to back game on the road. We didn't expect much. But this Laker team flat plays defense. The cut off the lanes and the Suns simply couldn't penetrate to the hoop. The Lakers also rebounded and played good perimeter defense. The Suns couldn't shoot from the field, they couldn't make a three. Further, the Lakers executed their offense flawlessly. Ron Artest made threes, Kobe Bryant simply toyed with Suns defenders. Bynum was all over the glass, and Gasol confounded Amare Stoudemire. So...what in God's name were the Suns supposed to do tonight? They played the reigning champion and got trounced. I don't like it, you don't like, but that's the way the mop flops.

End of story.

Pertinent Numbers:

Suns shot 4-13 from three point land. The Lakers were 10-21.
The Suns shot 11 free throws, making 10. The Lakers shot 22-26.
The Suns had 14 turnovers, the Lakers 11.
The Suns had 37 rebounds, the Lakers 42.
The Suns had 36 points in the paint, the Lakers had 40 (maybe I missed them, but I do not recall the Suns scoring that much in the paint).
OH, AND THE LAKERS HAVE PLAYED 16 OF THEIR FIRST 19 GAMES AT HOME. (yep, I'm just a smidge bitter).

FINAL - 12.6.2009	1	2	3	4	TOTAL
Phoenix Suns	26	18	22	22	88
Los Angeles Lakers	29	25	33	21	108

Next up, @Dallas, 6.30 PM on Tuesday, 12/8

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Silver Screen and Roll

Maybe the Rockets DO Have a Star.

Only_A_Lad — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 22:38:39 -0000

More photos » by Chris Pizzello - AP

No, it's not this guy (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello).

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To put it simply, I think I'm done with the Texans for the year. I'll tune back in the spring to see who gets drafted, but I'm not watching this shit anymore this season. Unfortunately, the Astros are mired in suck and the Rockets' stars are injured. Not a lot to look forward to over the next few months, Houston sports-wise.

Well, I think the Rockets' start to the season has refuted a lot of that sentiment, but, as Dave is quick to note, the Rockets don't have a star on the roster right now, and the Rockets, while good, are not a team that can expect to go far in the playoffs. Now, I think the "star" epithet is largely meaningless, mostly just referring to whoever gets on ESPN highlights a lot, but it has some meaning. Typically, when people say "star," they mean someone who scores a lot. If we break this down a little further, it can be taken to mean "a player who uses a lot of possessions and converts them efficiently." There's no statistical "line" that will delineate "stars" from "great role-player," but I think we can agree that stars will show similar statistics, right?

So let's look at some numbers. Here are the statistical lines (courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com) of three NBA Power Forwards, two of whom are widely considered to be "stars" on some level. First, here are the per-36 rates:

Player A has a clear advantage in scoring over B (and, to a lesser extent, C), and smaller advantages in rebounding and blocks. However, he (as well as C) is much more turnover prone than B, and is nowhere near as skilled of a passer.

Personally, I never really liked per-minute stats. Teams play at wildly divergent paces. Still, per-minute stats capture some of the "star" qualities in a player - the ability to take a lot of shots, for instance. But let's look at per-possession stats:

Things start to look a little different. Players A and C are using similar portions of their teams' possessions, they have similar assist numbers, and are fairly close in effective Field Goal percentage and blocks. B's rebounding looks much better, his advantage in passing looks even more solid, and he is obviously the least turnover-prone. But A has the best shooting numbers, and his rapid, efficient scoring leads to massive advantages in compiled metrics like PER and O-Rating. And, by Win Shares, he has contributed the most wins in 19 games.

In case you haven't guessed by now, Carl Landry is A. LaMarcus Aldridge is B, and Amare Stoudemire is C.

First,, some caveats:

Carl Landry's numbers come as the team's go-to scorer on the second unit. Still, he plays a good number of his minutes against the other team's starters.
Amare is having a down year, and while certainly not career-lows, these numbers reflect a season that is probably Amare's worst since 2002-2003.
This isn't a particularly great season for LaMarcus, either, and his offensive efficiency has declined a bit from last year. But he's doing better on defense, so maybe it balances out a bit.
I personally don't think Aldridge is a "star," but people were talking about him as an "all-star level" player during the offseason, and this is more about appellation than actual production.

Okay, with all that said, we need to ask two questions. First, do Carl's numbers in themselves warrant the star title? Second, do similar levels of production as other "stars" warrant that title?

I don't really have the answers to those questions. I ask you to provide them in the comments section. But I will say this:

Carl isn't a "go-to" scorer at the end of games (though I think this is an overrated quality). But I have seen him practically will the Rockets towards victory. He is a great player on the offensive glass, and he just doesn't seem to miss around the basket anymore. And, in a testament to practice which would impress even Yao, Landry has raised his sub-70% free throw shooting in college and his rookie season to 88% this season. Most importantly, he has been able to drastically increase his usage rate without any decrease in efficiency (this is related to the free-throw shooting). He has developed some good moves in the post, as well as a nice little turnaround jumper. The pick-and-roll with Landry and Brooks/Lowry has become something of a go-to play for the Rockets, even late in the game, and Landry is honestly the person I most trust with the ball at this point (turnover rates be damned). He accomplishes these numbers without an all-star level point guard like Nash or a floor-spacing 2-guard like Roy.

And, if Amare and Aldridge qualify as stars this year, then we should consider Landry for the title, as well.