The PBWA is not the Pro Bowlers of Wyoming Association, as I first thought. PBWA stands for Professional Basketball Writers Association.

And no, I'm clearly not a member.

Nonetheless, Steve Nash won the Magic Johnson award for combining "excellence on the court with cooperation with the media and fans." The award, along with all that we know about Steve as highlighted in Jim C's piece today, accompanies 2007's J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for "outstanding service and dedication to the community." Nash also has a star on the Canadian Walk of Fame.

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The boys at SB are talking mock draft even as the NBA playoffs are still happening, which, I suppose is what Mr. Babby should be doing as well. Tom Z has the Phoenix Suns taking Austin Rivers at #13. His logic?:

Part of Robert Sarver's campaign to begin trolling various members of the Boston Celtics franchise.

What do we know about Rivers? Well, if you are like me, you may not have paid attention to those smug Duke Blue Devils throughout the season. So here is what Draft Express had to say:

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I suppose winning 50 of 66 games will help one get the vote for coach of the year.

Gregg Popovich won the award for a second time, the other in 2003. I suppose this news isn't very surprising. The Spurs have once again figured out how to kick the league's asses even with an aging Timmay, Tony Parker, oft-injured Manu Ginobili, and a host of complementary parts

The rest of the voting went as follows:

2. Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau (27)

3. Indiana coach Frank Vogel (7)

4. Memphis coach Lionel Hollins(6).

Boston's Doc Rivers and Denver's George Karl each received a vote.

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You have to hand it to the Phoenix Suns. They had every excuse to roll over and lose this game tonight. While they did lose the game, and the chance to play in the postseason, they gave it 100% with what they had. At crunch time, they had nothing left to give.

Yes, playing the biggest game of the season without the offense Channing Frye can provide and the defense Grant Hill provides every night hurt the Phoenix Suns. Further, Starting an inconsistent rookie and depending on Hakim Warrick at PF to defend and produce is not an ideal situation

The only good thing to come out of this loss is the Spurs won't have the chance to screw the Suns again.

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thread

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Fight or Go Down Fighting

Let's Do this.

Tonight, the Suns play for all the marbles in Salt Lake City. By now, you know the stakes, you know the keys to the game, which were brilliantly explained by Mr. Laugan. And you get a recap of the ugliness in Denver and a WC update by Mr. Pollack.

There's no need for this writer to go over them again. What we need to delve into is the significance of this game. Yes this is a must win as far as the playoffs go. I get that. But I find my mind straying backwards, wondering how we are all in this position.

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We've got some good news amid the Suns destruction at the hands of the Nuggets: Robin Gibb is out of his coma. Who's Robin Gibb? You've no doubt heard his voice before.

Bee Gees ♫ Stayin' Alive [High Quality] (via JayWesLeyroz)

Like Mr. Gibb, the Suns are not dead. Here's how things stand:

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It is a good morning, whether you are slowly dying in a cubicle or stuck in traffic, or lounging by the pool...The Suns won last night, and if the season ended right this very second, they'd be playing the playoffs.

Suns vs. Blazers Full Game Highlights - 4-16-2012 NBA Game Recap (via AllDayNBAhighlights)

I recall reading a comment in the preview from someone that went like this:

"If the Suns lose this, they don't deserve to be in the playoffs."

And that was a truth that any Suns fan knew. Perhaps the easiest game left on the schedule, a home game Vs. Portland. An easy victory coupled with a little luck (Denver taking out Houston) could place the Suns in a tie for the WC 8th seed.

At some point in the mid-to-late 1st quarter the word came down that Denver indeed did their duty. They downed the Houston Rockets, 105-102. The rest was rightfully up to your Phoenix Suns.

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"Here we are and we are not out of it no matter what.
We have got to thrive on it and enjoy it and see what we can do here."

- Steve Nash

I have saved the "must-win" drama until now. But tonight, the Suns must win against the Portland Trailblazers. Period. Because this may be as easy an opponent as the Suns will encounter for the duration of the season.

Aaaaand, the Nuggets must beat the Rockets. O.K., maybe not must, but it would certainly help, and the Suns could claim the 8th seed -- for a moment at least -- and we will rejoice and sing and dance!

So, about the depleted Blazers, here are some facts:

• Portland has lost two in a row and four of five, most recently a 104-103 defeat in Sacramento yesterday.
• The Blazers have given up an average of 104 points and 48.9 percent shooting over their last five games.
• The Blazers are 3-11 on the road since Feb. 15
• Raymond Felton will not be playing tonight, LaMarcus Adridge is done for the year as you all know.
  

Our buddies over at the Bedge have a prediction for us (thank you, Dave):

The Suns are deep, they're motivated, they're skilled, and they're home. This has all the signs of an absolute massacre. I'm struggling to find any way the Blazers can find an advantage here. Even if they score big with guards those same guards will let the Suns have the points right back. Offensive rebounding could be a point of attack I suppose. Hit a billion threes? I don't know.

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Steve Nash has made it public that he wants to return to the Phoenix Suns. But there is a caveat. He wants some more talent to play with. Nash's feelings are clearly understandable. It would make very little sense for him to sign on for the remainder of his career carrying a .500 or less ball club on his creaky back for 82 games.

We have all understood that ever since the brief Porter/Shaq debacle that the front office has realized that keeping Steven happy is an excellent policy to maintain. Now more than ever the idea rings true. The Suns, with no starting PG waiting in the wings are stuck creating organizational decisions based on the desires of their 38-year old future Hall of Fame point guard.

It's pretty clear that Nash is as close to a player/GM as there is in the league. As such, this off season should be busy for the Phoenix Suns. There are a few dollars in the coffer and plenty of needs on the court. The question I am considering is:

"Who of the current Suns on expiring deals does Steve Nash want to bring back for next season?"

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The Phoenix Suns front office is an enigmatic, easy to dislike group. They have been very quiet this season, and most of the public statements they've made haven't given us fans much to sink our teeth into as far as the direction of this franchise that has been in the process of rebuilding for um, heck when did rebuilding start? When D'Antoni left and was replaced by Porter? When Marion was traded for Shaq? When Kerr and Co. left? When Amare left?

Nevermind.

The hallmark of any frugal sports franchise is the low risk-high reward signing. While it sounds kind of technical in a sense, it's pretty easy to identify. Take Michael Redd as an example. Once, a former NBA All-Star with the Milwaukee Bucks, Redd shredded his ACL and MCL not once but twice. After finishing up a 6 year $91 million dollar deal with the Bucks, Redd faced a very long road back to his former self. Once he was healthy enough to garner offers from various teams, he chose the Phoenix Suns.

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Tonight it was clear that the Suns would need help from the 2nd unit and beyond in order to win a game against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. Of course, Bryant called in with a lil boo-boo to his shin, so in theory, things would get easier in the Suns' quest to climb the WC playoff charts. But beating the Lakers without Bryant wasn't a given by any means. I would argue it may even be more difficult, intensity being the fleeting condition it often is.

But the Suns, bolstered by 24 points from Shannon Brown and 23 from Michael Redd, cruised by the Lakers, 125-105.

The Suns stumbled out of the gates in the first, looking like the tired club they were after a night in Denver Friday. Phoenix shot 40% from the field, while Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol combined for 18 and 13, while the Suns' Dudley, Frye, and Shannon Brown combined for 3-13 from the field.

The Suns' bench, led by Michael Redd and Bassy Telfair, righted the ship in the second, erasing a nine-point Laker lead. With Los Angeles up, 40-35, Redd reeled off 10 straight Suns points. Telfair added a 3-pointer, and the Suns took the lead and never let the Lakers back in the game.

The third quarter belonged to ex-Laker Shannon Brown, who went totally HAM -- 20 points as the Lakers faded for good.

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Most of us realized the Suns starters would need a boost from the bench tonight. Michael Redd certainly realized it. Nobody reminded Shannon Brown he played last night.

Redd led the Suns back from an 8 point second quarter deficit, exploding for 17 2nd quarter points, and leading the Suns to 38 2nd quarter points.

The Suns took a 62-57 lead over the Lakers at the half, and never looked back, following their 37 point 2nd quarter effort with a 38 point 3rd quarter.

The Suns bragged 7 players in double figures, including 3 from the second unit, outscoring the Lakers pine by A LOT.

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Game thread, second half

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Here's a little something to stoke the flames of anger and hatred for tonight's matchup. Or, perhaps it's a little something to______________________(insert your own emotions).

Special thanks to Mr. Clark over at www.silverscreenandroll.com.

Enjoy:

W: 1. How would you describe most Laker fans feelings towards the Suns and their fans?

CC: As far as I know, Lakers fans don't have any feelings one way or the other towards the Suns team. There's not enough negative history there, and what history there is (the back-to-back playoff victories) is easily written off by mentioning names like Smush Parker or Kwame Brown. As for our relationship to Suns fans, that's a little more hostile. It seems pretty clear that Suns fans hate Lakers fans (as many fanbases do). Lakers fans feelings towards Suns fans seem to come in two varieties: The annoyed, who take pride and joy in Suns fans' misery because of the constant hostility heaped in our direction, and the nonplussed, who treat Suns fans the same as they would Kings fans, Blazers fans, or any other of a litany of fanbases for which the hatred is a one way street, by ignoring them.

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The Western Conference's Pacific Division now looks almost as it has the past several years. The Lakers are in first place. The Clippers standing in second looks a bit odd, but the real point here my friends is that the Suns are trailing the Lakers. We are used to it, it's a fact of life for now.

Tonight the Lakers invade the desert for a matchup with postseason implications for both squads. Of course, this game matters much more to the Suns than it does to the Lakes. Nevertheless, we can expect no sympathy from our neighbors to the West, especially Kobe, who has professed his hatred of most things Phoenix.

While the Lakers have their share of issues (namely Andrew Bynum), they have won four of their last five, including an "away" game versus the Clippers. Say, that reminds me, I haven't complained about the fact that half of the Lakers games against the Clippers aren't road games at all. It's a different court, yeah, but ... Never mind ...

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Man, what could have been if the Suns could have stolen one in Denver. Of course there are many games left for the Suns, all of them difficult, begin tonight against the Lakers at home.

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Am I the last person on the planet to figure out what HAM means? Thanks, Urbandictionary.com

Perhaps its appropriate to say "DeMarcus Cousins went H.A.M. last night, but one man a victory doesn't make." The big man went for 41, but a balanced effort from the Suns outclassed the Kings. If you missed the game, here are some of the highlights. I guess it's pretty obvious that Steve Nash's back is "as bad as its ever been," right Pete?

NBA CIRCLE - Phoenix Suns Vs Sacramento Kings Highlights April 03, 2012 www.nbacircle.com (via NEWNBACIRCLE)

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So who is this Rick Celibrini (sp?) Whoever he is, he does magical things to Steve Nash. I'm picturing this guy with a red phone in his home, awaiting the inevitable Spring call from Steve Nash. I think we all owe this guy and Aaron Nelson some thanks for keeping the boys in good playing condition.

It's a beautiful thing waking up Monday morning knowing the Phoenix Suns won the night before. And to boot, they're now 1.5 back of the 8th seed. Spring is beautiful!

There were many more beautiful things found in the highlights below: Nash taking on 4 Hornets on a break, the pretty feed to Gortat for a dunk, Robin Lopez playing quality basketball, Shannon Brown hitting from beyond the arc and elsewhere, and hell man, check it out yourself.

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The good news was the squads trailing the Suns all lost. Meanwhile the WC leaders held steady with the Rockets gaining ground and the Jazz temporarily falling out of the playoff mix. But the Suns lost a half game from the 7th and 8th spots with both Denver and Houston winning.

Denver Nuggets (8) 99 Charlotte Bobcats 88

Denver Stiffs:

But give the Nuggets credit in two key areas tonight: rebounding and ball distribution. The Nuggets pulled down 49 rebounds, 5.5 above their average, and dished out 29 assists, also 5.5 above their average. And all this despite not breaking the century mark in scoring. Comparatively, the Bobcats grabbed just 34 team rebounds and dished out 26 assists.

The Nuggets must find whatever mojo they had in Chicago and recreate it soon, or we'll be resorting to rooting for Western Conference teams to lose just to get Denver into the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season.

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Lance Blanks has been sent to China to check on Aaron Brooks. The Guandong Tiger is averaging 21.9 points, 4.7 assists and 1.9 steals a game. He is currently playing in the CBA championship against Stephon Marbury's club, the Beijing Ducks.

So what is the story behind the visit? Blanks is saying a lot of kind things, which could lead one to believe the Suns are hoping for the 27 year old point guard to return to the desert. Said Blanks: "The trip is more about a relationship that we have with someone who has worn a Suns' uniform. Aaron is a part of the Suns family, so we thought it was important to take the time to see him in China."

Hm. I think that's a little over the top. This sounds a little more truthful to me:

"Going over to China will give us a chance to sit down with Aaron and see where his head is, in terms of his experience in China and his future ..."

Check out the full article and decide for yourself:

Suns GM Headed to China to Visit Brooks

And if you missed it, Alex Laugan wrote a nice piece on the intricacies of a potential Brooks return and or trade.

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