The Post Up: Suns top Nuggets
Suns looking good, Amare looking great.
By: Holly MacKenzie
I really hope that the majority of people reading this were able to watch the Phoenix/Denver match up last night. Wow. Playoffs are going to be absolutely ridiculous this season. The race for them is crazy enough. With the Nuggets clinging to that final Western Conference playoff spot, they needed the win against Phoenix. The Suns wanted the win so they could tie the LA Lakers at the top of the Pacific division. With the Suns winning, Denver is now one half game back of Golden State while the Mavericks winning against the Clippers are now one half game ahead of Golden State and one full game ahead of Denver.
The best part in all of this? They face off again, TONIGHT at 9 pm est.
Denver came out running in the first half and led by 19 at the break after dropping 70 first half points on Phoenix. It did not appear to shake the Suns as they came out in the second half focused. A focused Amare Stoudemire and Steve Nash spelled trouble for Denver. The wheels started coming off in the third and they absolutely fell apart in the final quarter when Phoenix outscored them 46-25 over the final 12 minutes.
The game was intense from the opening minutes, even when the Suns were trailing by 20+, you somehow knew it was going to be close in the end.
Amare has been out of control offensively since the Shaq trade. He connected on 17-19 free throws for 41 points last night and he was absolutely unstoppable for Denver. They had to pick their poison between Amare dominating inside and Nash knocking down three-pointers outside. Last night, I saw the presence of Shaquille completely change the game for Phoenix, in a good way.
These are not the same Suns that the Lakers defeated a month or so ago.
If Amare is going to be hitting his free throws like that, it’s over for his defenders. He will not be stopped, so opponents will have to come up with another game plan.
Not a good night for Denver, but it was so nice to see Nene out there knocking down shots
JR Smith had another big night for the Nuggets, leading them with 23 points off of the bench.
Nick Young also pieced together his second strong game in a row, scoring 18 in that horrendous 42-point defeat to the Jazz. Why are the Jazz so much better at home? I will never understand a team playing that much more confidently on their homecourt.
I have to be honest and admit that I did not watch half of the games last night, didn’t even flip through them or watch the highlights, hence the shortened recaps. My focus was firmly planted on Denver/Phoenix while also catching Kidd do his thing offensively against the Clippers and then of course, checking in on Utah and Washington.
Exciting to see Atlanta extend their lead over NJ for that final playoff spot to three games.
This week there are so many huge match ups. The Warriors face San Antonio tonight to kick off their four game road trip. They also face Dallas tomorrow while Dallas faces the Lakers on Friday night. Tonight also brings New Orleans against Orlando which should be fun.
Utah 129 Washington 87
One night after an emotional overtime loss to the Lakers, the Washington Wizards were in no state to try and keep up with Utah. From the get go the game was a disaster for the Wizards and while they trailed by nine at the end of the first quarter things were only beginning to go downhill for them. Without Caron Butler who was resting his sore hamstring, the Wizards gave up 42 points in the second quarter while managing only 19 themselves. The Jazz led 73-41 at the break and they extended their lead in the second half, rolling over the Wizards while shooting 59.5% for the game and connecting on 15 three-pointers in the game. With Utah leading by as many as 47 points their starters were able to spend much of the fourth on the bench, watching as their reserves and rookies continued to pound Washington. The Jazz were without Andrei Kirilenko and Ronnie Brewer in the game. CJ Miles had 29 points for Utah while Carlos Boozer had 19, Mehmet Okur scored 16 and Deron Williams had 12 points to go with 16 assists. Utah had 40 assists on 50 made field goals. Antawn Jamison led Washington with 22 points, rookie Nick Young had 18 off of the bench and Roger Mason added 16 points and 6 assists in the blowout.
Phoenix 132 Denver 117
In a showdown with each team playing for something bigger than the game itself, the battle between the Suns and Nuggets had a playoff intensity to it. While it was Denver who came out hungry to start and played like the team who needed the victory, the Suns hung around and were somehow able to come back from a 22-point second half deficit. Trailing 70-51 at the break, Phoenix came out gunning in the third, pressuring the Nuggets and outscoring them 35-22 in the period as they cut the lead down to three on multiple occasions and went into the fourth trailing 92-86. The final quarter was a defensive disaster for the Nuggets. As Amare Stoudemire found his rhythm, the Suns rolled over Denver, outscoring them 46-25 in the final period. With Stoudemire punishing them inside, Steve Nash started dropping in three-pointers and they took their first lead of the second half on a three from Nash midway through the period. While the Nuggets scrambled to get back into it, they could not contain Phoenix nor keep up the pace as the Suns out-rebounded them 26-6 in the second half of the game to finish with a 50-33 advantage at the end of it The Suns shot 33-36 from the foul line, good enough for 91%. In comparison, Denver missed some important free throws down the stretch and shot only 59% from the line, connecting on 16-27 attempts. Stoudemire was fantastic for the Suns, finishing with 41 points and 14 rebounds while shooting 12-22 from the floor and 17-19 from the foul line Nash had 36 points and 8 assists in the game while Shaquille O’Neal scored 20 points to go with 12 rebounds and Raja Bell added 15 points and 10 rebounds. JR Smith led the Nuggets with 23 points off of the bench. Allen Iverson scored 21 points and had 7 assists, Carmelo Anthony scored 18 points to go with 11 rebounds, Kenyon Martin had 19 points and Marcus Camby added 16.
Dallas 93 LA Clippers 86
Finding themselves in a dogfight with Denver and Golden State for the final two playoff spots in the West, with or without Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks have to find a way to win their remaining games. Because it has been awhile since they have defeated a team with a winning record they welcomed their trip to LA where they faced the lowly Clippers. While they led from the opening tip, the game was not as easy as Dallas may have hoped. Still, they found a way to hold on and after getting a strong fourth quarter effort from Josh Howard, persevered to grab the W, 93-86. After trailing by as many as 18 points in the game, the Clippers cut the lead to only six midway through the fourth quarter on a three-pointer by Corey Maggette, but the Mavericks maintained their lead until the final minutes. With less than three minutes to play, rookie Al Thornton cut the deficit to only five points before Howard got to work for Dallas, scoring six quick points to bring the Dallas advantage back into double-figures. While the Clippers out-rebounded Dallas 45-31 they also committed 23 turnovers to the 13 from Dallas. Jason Kidd led the Mavs with 27 points while Josh Howard scored 25 and Jason Terry added 20 Thornton had 26 points for the Clippers, Maggette finished with 23 points and 9 rebounds and Dan Dickau added 10 points off of the bench in the loss.
The Rest..
The Toronto Raptors defeated the Charlotte Bobcats 104-100 in Charlotte last night. Leading early in the game they were outscored 31-19 in the second quarter before coming back to shut down Charlotte in the third, allowing only 10 points for the Bobcats while scoring 21 of their own to get back on track. The Raptors started the game out on fire, hitting 17 straight baskets, before the Bobcats came back. With their lead cut down to three with 2.7 left on the clock, TJ Ford hit one of two free throws to keep it a two possession game and the Bobcats were done. Chris Bosh had 32 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists while Anthony Parker scored 20 points, TJ Ford had 16 points and 7 assists and Rasho Nesterovic added 14 points and 11 boards. Jason Richardson had 26 points to lead the Bobcats while Gerald Wallace scored 20 to go with 8 rebounds, Emeka Okafor had 18 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks and Raymond Felton had a 10-point, 10-assist double-double. The Indiana Pacers had the return of Jermaine O’neal sweetened by their 105-85 victory over the Heat last night. Leading by only two at the end of the first quarter, the Pacers went on to outscore Miami in each of the remaining quarters, extending their lead to as many as 22 points as the Heat struggled as much on offense as they did on defense. O’neal had 9 points in his 18 minutes of play, since missing 33 games with the bone bruise on his knee. Danny Granger had 23 points for Indiana, Mike Dunleavy scored 18 points Marquis Daniels scored 13 points while Travis Diener and Flip Murray added 10 points apiece. Daequan Cook had 16 points to lead Miami as Kasib Powell and Chris Quinn each added 15 in the loss. In their fight to secure a playoff spot the Hawks took down Memphis 116-99, thanks to a strong first quarter that saw them drop 40 on the Grizzlies, leading 40-19 after one. They would cruise from there, going ahead by as many as 38 points late in the third before Memphis would give them a scare midway through the fourth. In the final quarter the Atlanta offense disappeared and Memphis cut the deficit to 12 before the Hawks would take control and go on to the victory. Josh Smith had 26 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists for the Hawks while Al Horford and Joe Johnson each scored 19 points, Mike Bibby had 17 points and Josh Childress added 14. Rudy Gay had 29 points for the Grizzlies who also had 17-point efforts from Kyle Lowry and Juan Carlos Navarro.
141 Responses to “The Post Up: Suns top Nuggets”
Apr.1 at 8:58 am
BETCATS says:
first
Apr.1 at 8:58 am
BETCATS says:
presto firsto
Apr.1 at 9:00 am
Cheryl says:
Didn’t catch any games last night, so ‘preciate your post up, Holly. As much as I like the Suns, I can’t help but hope the Lakers match up with them in the playoffs and beat the crap out of them. I’m still salty, obviously.
Apr.1 at 9:04 am
BETCATS says:
Morning Salutations, Cheyl. I also did not see any games last night that MATTERED. Who finds it crazy that SAM FU(KIN VINCENT thinks EARL MIDGET BOYKINS is a SHOOTING GUARD
Apr.1 at 9:04 am
Holly MacKenzie says:
Cheryl, you make me laugh. Shaq looked great last night. The combo of he, Amare and Nash was trouble for Denver. Amare is crazy right now. I don’t want to face him in the playoffs. Good to see you around!
Apr.1 at 9:05 am
BETCATS says:
Good Morning to you too Holly. It feels like i am in the breakfast club right now. Spring break is the best thing since fried twinkes
Apr.1 at 9:06 am
BETCATS says:
Anyone happier than I about the Maverickless Playoffs?
Apr.1 at 9:08 am
BETCATS says:
Shaq : Where lazy people waking up happens
Apr.1 at 9:08 am
BETCATS says:
when do you people start to post?
Apr.1 at 9:09 am
Ryne Nelson says:
Co-sign about O’Neal.
@BET -
Apr.1 at 9:12 am
Ryne Nelson says:
Holly, the Jazzes home/road discrepancy is one of the League’s many wonders. It’s too bad. You won’t win a playoff series if they continue to perform poorly on the road.
Apr.1 at 9:13 am
BETCATS says:
Ryne the Jazz get no attention paid to them because they are not exciting. 12 stiff guys on a basketball team
Apr.1 at 9:14 am
Holly MacKenzie says:
Glad you are enjoying the time off BET!
Apr.1 at 9:14 am
BETCATS says:
…..while in Utah. That doesnt help either
Apr.1 at 9:15 am
Holly MacKenzie says:
It’s pretty crazy Ryne, isn’t it? Just amazes me, the difference. It’s like they are two entirely different teams.
Apr.1 at 9:15 am
BETCATS says:
Oh yeah. But it is raining everyday so i am always ending up with my peoples at the mall. It gets depressing, today is $1.50 Movie Theater time.
Apr.1 at 9:16 am
Eboy says:
Say what you want, Shaq and the Suns are not what all the naysayers thought they’d be. They are one of the top three teams in the West now and they will be rough in the playoffs, as I said from the day the trade went down. To think there were morons who said they wouldn’t even make it in.
Apr.1 at 9:20 am
BETCATS says:
i said they became my 2nd favorite team when they got shaq (see all articles from the day shaq was traded) and i thought it would take time.
Apr.1 at 9:20 am
Holly MacKenzie says:
Amare is a monster. He is fun to watch. I also enjoyed seeing Raja flipping out on the bench, he was so pumped up! Man, I need to abandon all loyalties and just watch this race to the finish as a fan of the game, haha
Apr.1 at 9:20 am
TADOne says:
I’m a moron
Apr.1 at 9:22 am
TADOne says:
Outscoring Denver 46-25 in the 4th quarter is just crazy for the Suns. Anybody is Lakerland worried about the Suns winning the division?
Apr.1 at 9:23 am
Eboy says:
You were one of them, TAD.? I can’t remember, there was such a large group of non-knowledgeable fans screaming those first few days.
Apr.1 at 9:24 am
BETCATS says:
Tad i belive the correct term is mormon.
Apr.1 at 9:24 am
Holly MacKenzie says:
HAHA, Tad. I knew he would do the necessary things to help them, but I didn’t see them playing this well. Still, Denver is a funny match up, lets see them play the Spurs, LA and the Hornets again. Although, I’m not feeling very confident in anything LA related until we get some size back.
Apr.1 at 9:25 am
BETCATS says:
With Shaq, we all get to see how good Amare is. No double team for him, he gets all the open lanes he wants.
Apr.1 at 9:27 am
TADOne says:
Not really E. I did laugh when I first heard about the trade, but after I finished chuckling, I thought about it and figured it would be wise to give the Suns some time to work out the kinks and see if Shaq was semi useful. I wasn’t a detractor of the trade, but I wasn’t exactly a fan either.
Apr.1 at 9:27 am
BETCATS says:
Holly, The Clippers got Al Thorton. He is pretty good now.
Apr.1 at 9:30 am
Eboy says:
And to chime in on TAD’s comment, the Lakers better hurry up and get one of those big cats back, cause if they lose the home court advantage that would come with the division title, they will have a rough road going forward.
Apr.1 at 9:31 am
Ryne Nelson says:
After he got poked in the face, Nash got serious. I haven’t seen him focused like he was all season. And that’s saying something for one’s of the League’s consummate competitors.
Apr.1 at 9:32 am
Holly MacKenzie says:
Yes, E…. I know all of this. it’s why Fish’s torn tendon is even more frustrating. Although, they are aiming for Pau to be dressing tomorrow night.
Apr.1 at 9:32 am
BETCATS says:
Suns - Lakers first round?
Apr.1 at 9:38 am
BETCATS says:
30?
Apr.1 at 9:41 am
BETCATS says:
does everyone have a ‘mid-morning walkout’ or something that i am not aware of?
Apr.1 at 9:41 am
BETCATS says:
or are Tad and Eboy just now reading the article they have been posting on
Apr.1 at 9:42 am
TADOne says:
It appears, unless they completely collapse, that the Hawks will get the #8 seed. Any chance they win a game or two against the C’s?
Apr.1 at 9:42 am
Eboy says:
Holly, is Fish’s torn tendon enough to keep him from being productive or is is more a nagging issue?
Apr.1 at 9:43 am
Eboy says:
Hell no!
Apr.1 at 9:44 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Morning folks, Holly as usual thx for the post up, it’s has now become part of daily routine - have to mention that I surprisingly found the Raps-Cats to be a mess (maybe it’s just me?).
Good to see Shaq having a nice game + the Amare factor, Suns are so much more dangerous with the big fella IMO, just knew the would start to show their teeth after the initial struggle. Jason was like that bigheaded son of his during recess; having his way. Al Thornton looks like a 20-point scorer for the rest of his career. Utah ARE boring it’s kind of a rule of life, like gravity.
Apr.1 at 9:44 am
Simone Lawy says:
CRAZY CRAZY WEST……..every game looks like a playoff match, but didn’t include MAV…lol
Apr.1 at 9:45 am
TADOne says:
I know they struggle on the road, but lest anyone forget, Utah DID make it to the West Finals last year.
Apr.1 at 9:46 am
BETCATS says:
no, the bobcats are only 4.5 games out. Stop trippin. But real talk, the Hawks will get 8
Apr.1 at 9:46 am
Slick Nick Da Ruler says:
This Suns team is rolling now. Holly, there’s a big chance PHX wins the Pacific and bumps LA to a 5 or 6 spot. That means 1st round road games in Utah or SA. But if the Lakers start as a 5 seed, Chris Paul wins MVP, and Kobe plays with a chip on his shoulder…
Apr.1 at 9:47 am
Russ Bengtson says:
The Heat should sue Shaq to recoup lost wages.
Apr.1 at 9:47 am
BETCATS says:
Lz- its not just you
Apr.1 at 9:47 am
Simone Lawy says:
Anyway thx for the post up, we’re enjoy it……BTW, KOBE will get his first MVP trophy this season.
Apr.1 at 9:48 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
*Raps-Cats summary
Apr.1 at 9:50 am
Simone Lawy says:
PHX ain’t gotta win the pacific, and denver will blow them out tomorrow night. Lakers on top of west conf’……
Apr.1 at 9:54 am
BETCATS says:
you took notes on the game Lz? if you did email them to me: cowcluper@aol.com
Apr.1 at 9:54 am
Simone Lawy says:
46?
Apr.1 at 9:56 am
BETCATS says:
?
Apr.1 at 10:00 am
Simone Lawy says:
49?
Apr.1 at 10:01 am
BETCATS says:
BBBBBBB EEEEEEEEE TTTTTTTTTTTT
B BB EE TT
B B EEEEEEEE TT
BBBBBBB EE TT
B B EE TT
BBBBBBB EEEEEEEEE TT
B
B
B
B
B
Apr.1 at 10:02 am
BETCATS says:
damm!!!!!!! that spelled out BET in letters but fu(kin slam scrambled it. FU(K
Apr.1 at 10:03 am
BETCATS says:
waste of talent. That 10:01 post is my Kwame Brown / Tim Thomas
Apr.1 at 10:05 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
No notes BETS.. Was just correcting my prior post.
Apr.1 at 10:06 am
BETCATS says:
i want to do a medicine man dance
Apr.1 at 10:07 am
BETCATS says:
ok Lz. Anyone want to argue about basketball agianst the arguing Champion?
Apr.1 at 10:19 am
Cheryl says:
I never said they wouldn’t be good, just that they wouldn’t be the running team they once were. Any hateration going on on my part has to do with a f)cking ungrateful wretch, not with the quality of the team.
Apr.1 at 10:20 am
matt the jazz fan says:
@Betcats - when did Deron become stiff?
Apr.1 at 10:21 am
BETCATS says:
since forever Matt
Apr.1 at 10:21 am
BETCATS says:
Deron is somewhat exciting but everybody else on that team. Uggggggggggggh.
Apr.1 at 10:21 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Chris Quinn and Ricky Davis should be thankful they don’t have to play with a guy like Shaq anymore.
Apr.1 at 10:25 am
Eboy says:
Cheryl pulled out wretch. Nice.
Apr.1 at 10:25 am
BETCATS says:
@matt - when did anyone else on the Jazz become exciting? AK47? No, he only gets it 1-2 times a year, and he is not the same basketball player either. Boozer? No, too short to matchup in the Playoffs, he and Derron Williams cant guard everyone. Memo- A Big Man that shoots threes? Regular Season-Ok, Playoffs when a 1/2 court press is applied- not so much. Utah can be beat. No championship for them. Sorry. But i do like Utah more than Dallas or Denver or San Antiono and Maybe Golden State.
Apr.1 at 10:27 am
BETCATS says:
well Eboy, in 2 months from now, when Emeka is a max player on some 6-8th seed team, i will feel the same way you and Cheryl feel about the Shaq trade. but until then…..
Apr.1 at 10:27 am
matt the jazz fan says:
@betcats as individuals maybe not the perttiest.
but then a lot of good it does the hawks to have dunk champions on the wings… as a collective entity, though, the jazz ain’t bad. 5th in points per game in the league and a very close 2nd (to the suns) in assists per game.
and assisted shots are USUALLY pretty shots (layups or cuts to the basket) so…
Apr.1 at 10:28 am
Eboy says:
And Cheryl, if you come back through, did you still want the wretch on our squad or weren’t you about done with him LAST season? So why the hate now? Who cares how he’s playing in Phoenix. Don’t the Heat have a brighter future without him? The Heat got what they wanted with his assistance, so it’s hard for me to hate him. The Heat had sh*t before his arrival and they have sh*t now without him except the sh*t storm might be short lived.
Apr.1 at 10:29 am
matt the jazz fan says:
and kirilenko used to be an exciting defender. ps my guess is that the jazz are third-favourite to make the finals (after 1. spurs and 2. suns) but whoever makes it will get whipped by the celtics anyway…
Apr.1 at 10:32 am
BETCATS says:
Matt -you guys can play ball, but you seem to be stuck in the 1950’s style of play, lots of jumpers with occasional cuts to the rim. If you guys got a big man that is agresive in the paint, or even if Memo gains some muscle and plays inside, i will take back everything i say but until the day where all that needs to be done is man to man defence to beat the Jazz, i stand by what i said
Apr.1 at 10:33 am
BETCATS says:
matt- i also said AK47 is ” is not the same basketball player either”. I my guess is that he and Jerry Sloan are in some conflict. If AK47 were anywhere else he could be DPOY
Apr.1 at 10:35 am
BETCATS says:
and yes, the Celtics will probaly whip some @$$, but dont discount the Lakers, Matt. Once Bynum and Gasol are back at the SAME TIME and when Ariza returns, the Lakers will be #1 in the west. Mitch Kupchack (or whatever his last name is) is a genius in a werid way.
Apr.1 at 10:36 am
BETCATS says:
why do i always get comment #69? Why?
Apr.1 at 10:36 am
Eboy says:
That may not be until next season, BET.
Apr.1 at 10:37 am
BETCATS says:
it may be never Eboy
Apr.1 at 10:37 am
matt the jazz fan says:
haven’t seen nough games here in europe to argue the point fully, but doesn’t utah thrive on the dribble penetration of d-will and pick and roll, meaning that if anything a zone would be more effective against them? @holly - have you seen enough jazz games to weigh in?
Apr.1 at 10:37 am
BETCATS says:
Lakers have a bubonic plauge like injury problem
Apr.1 at 10:39 am
Cheryl says:
E, my saltiness right now is for his character, not his play. True, we got out of him what we wanted and good riddance. But I have been a fan of Shaq the player for a very long time, not only for his dominance of the game, but also for his personality and what I perceived as a good natured, kind hearted, fun-loving guy. He always seemed like a good dude to me and now that’s tainted. But that’s what I get for falling into that trap I wrote about a few months ago. Although I recognize it, I’m not immune to it.
Apr.1 at 10:39 am
BETCATS says:
Matt- if a zone is put in all that would happen is Memo - shoot three, AK47 / Boozer - box out, Kyle Korver - Hit open threes that Deron Williams created.
Apr.1 at 10:40 am
BETCATS says:
Maybe Kobe was right Cheryl?
Apr.1 at 10:40 am
matt the jazz fan says:
co-sign eboy. won’t be until next year’s first preseason game… (though by then kobe may be resting his pinkie from his bronze-medal-winning campaign, unless stern grows some b@|ls and boycots the olympic basketball tournament)
Apr.1 at 10:42 am
BETCATS says:
matt- what reason is their to boycott the olympics, maybe we could boycott Coach K but no the olympics.
Apr.1 at 10:45 am
BETCATS says:
80
Apr.1 at 10:49 am
Eboy says:
Cheryl, you know what, if you take Holly’s approach, which is actually quite admirable, liking a dude for his game only may be just the way to go. Shaq is at the end of his career. He’s been chided for the last 5 or 6 seasons for his laziness and I think he’s had it with being Mr. Nicey Nice. It was cool when he was part of a winning squad (the Lakers, the better Heat squads) but now, he knows there’s not much time left and the constant criticism probably has gotten to him, and instead of being able to shrug it off with a witty joke, he has reverted to bile. You know what? Most people, as they get older, usually take that path. He’s no different in my eyes. He was fun-loving before, now I think he’s just a mortal man, not the Superman he hyped himself up to be for years and that Kryptonite of age is kicking his a*s and he’s taking no prisoners in the insult game on his way out. Just an opinion, though.
Apr.1 at 10:50 am
TADOne says:
Translation= Shaq is a bitter old man?
Apr.1 at 10:51 am
FLUXLAND says:
co sign on what Russ typed. If Stern gives him another ring to pay for his fat ass contract..I’m done with the NBA. Shaq is a bully that spits on the game.. I can’t wait for all the crap from the LA era to come out. Effin bully!
Apr.1 at 10:52 am
Eboy says:
Basically, TAD, yes.
Apr.1 at 10:53 am
Eboy says:
Chris Quinn and Ricky Davis should be happy there is a team sorry enough that allows them to play NBA ball on a WNBA-like squad.
Apr.1 at 10:57 am
Myles Brown says:
First of all, the Suns are fifth, not third. And more importantly, that corner theyve turned was throughthe softest neighborhood in the lig. Aside from beating a then slumping San Antonio team, who have they played? They beat the Grizz, Warriors, Kings, Blazers, Sonics, Rockets, Sixers, Nets & Nuggets. Not exactly tough competition (They lost to Detroit and got completely exposed by Boston.). Six of those teams arent even .500. They dont play anyone for the rest of season either. So they might still sneak out with a division title but it wont be because of this so called resurgence, which only appears that way cause they set the bar so low upon the Big Babys arrival. Phoenix, I dont believe you, you need more people….
Apr.1 at 11:00 am
BETCATS says:
One of the first games with Shaq was a win agianst Boston Myles
Apr.1 at 11:04 am
BETCATS says:
this place went silent. Who spotted Tupac?
Apr.1 at 11:05 am
BETCATS says:
……………………
Apr.1 at 11:06 am
Myles Brown says:
Good point, forgot about that game. But now I remember why. Ray Allen and Paul Pierce went a combined 5-25. I only watched half that game and their poor shooting wasnt cause of the Suns defense. So Im just gonna call it a glitch in the Matrix.
Apr.1 at 11:09 am
TADOne says:
Is Myles bitter because Pau and Bynum are still out?
Apr.1 at 11:10 am
Myles Brown says:
Possibly. But I wouldnt believe the Suns regardless.
Apr.1 at 11:17 am
TADOne says:
Ok, I’m not saying I believe in the Suns, but I no longer can doubt tghem either. You make a good argument Myles, but the Suns can only play who is on their schedule. So what they have done is written off because they beat them teams they were supposed to? And did it rather convincingly. They did take Detroit to OT in Detroit, and who hasn’t Boston exposed this year? Name me one team.
Apr.1 at 11:18 am
TADOne says:
*disregard typos
Apr.1 at 11:20 am
BETCATS says:
i belive the in the Suns…..making it to the 2nd round and getting TKOed
Apr.1 at 11:21 am
namik says:
God forbid a pro athlete be chided for being fat and out of shape. And to people like Cheryl, he has been like this since LA. You all just didn’t pay enough attention.
Apr.1 at 11:23 am
BETCATS says:
?Who thinks Shaq is overrated?
Apr.1 at 11:23 am
namik says:
The Lakers are 3rd without two of thier three best players. The franchise player is playing with a torn ligament in his shooting hand and our starting PG, who was already slow and old, has some kind of foot problem. Still we manage to hang around. Yeah Laker fans really should be worried.
Apr.1 at 11:24 am
Myles Brown says:
I honor that much, they can only play whos on the calendar. And yes, to a certain extent I am writing off what theyve ‘accomplished’ cause all they did was beat who theyre supposed to. Were talking about a team that won 60 games two outta the last three years. No one would said sh*t about a W over the Warriors two years ago, so why now? Cause they struggled after a questionable trade? Cmon. And when I said Boston exposed them, I meant that any team with appropriate defensive personnel can slow the Suns enough on the offensive end, and for all the chatter about the Big Cactus’ defensive presence, Phoenix still dont play D. Theyre a little slower and a little less versatile and lot shallower these days. I still dont believe.
Apr.1 at 11:25 am
BETCATS says:
Right now, for the LONG TERM Kwame Brown over Shaq
Apr.1 at 11:26 am
TADOne says:
Fair enough.
Apr.1 at 11:27 am
Myles Brown says:
If Phoenix really wants to prove something, theyll have to do it April 9th @ San Antonio.
Apr.1 at 11:27 am
Captain America says:
Did you see the Deisel crossover first quarter? No one wanted to step in front to take a charge. Nene learned a lesson: don’t make STAT angry.
Apr.1 at 11:30 am
Russ Bengtson says:
If Phoenix really wants to prove something they need to get to the Western Conference Finals. At LEAST. Regular season don’t mean nothin’ except for those teams whose season ends with it.
Apr.1 at 11:32 am
Myles Brown says:
Indeed, but this year’s regular season means a lot more than those of recent past. Every game could be the difference between a 3 and a 6 seed. Or worse.
Apr.1 at 11:36 am
BETCATS says:
such as the Bobcats - where Earl Boykins playing SHOOTING GUARD happens
Apr.1 at 11:36 am
TADOne says:
I’m ready for the playoffs to start TOMORROW.
Apr.1 at 11:39 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Yeah, but all I’m saying is that the Suns already HAD the talent to make the playoffs. Reaching the playoffs shouldn’t be considered any sort of an accomplishment for them. Even getting home court shouldn’t be considered an accomplishment. Because they’ve DONE that. That trade was made to win a championship, right? Anything less than a trip to the WCF should be considered an all-out failure.
Apr.1 at 11:46 am
BETCATS says:
Ron Artest called the Kings season ‘a failure’
Apr.1 at 11:48 am
TADOne says:
I absolutely agree Russ. The point I was making is that the Suns can’t be overlooked now, not like they were in the first 3 weeks after acquiring Shaq. They are playing better now and with some consistency. Do I think they will make the WCF? Probably not, but if you would have asked me that 3 weeks ago, I would have said HELL NO! Bottom line, the West is stacked, and whoever wins it will need a bit of luck to go along with skill.
Apr.1 at 11:51 am
BETCATS says:
i need to go eat my lunch. ill return
Apr.1 at 12:11 pm
BETCATS says:
i just ate lunch. Did everybody have an eventful time
Apr.1 at 12:13 pm
Co Co says:
Hi guys. I agree with Russ, the Suns no longer impress me with anything they do in the regular season. They need to win a title.
Apr.1 at 12:18 pm
BETCATS says:
the Suns impress me because people still talk about them not impressing them, and that they need to win a title. I got much love for PHX but i do not see a championship in the future
Apr.1 at 12:20 pm
BETCATS says:
i just had such a wonderful lunch that i am in a good mood
Apr.1 at 12:23 pm
BETCATS says:
The episode of Jerry i am watching now is “my boyfriend is a women” this day keeps getting better!!!
Apr.1 at 12:27 pm
BETCATS says:
“?”
Apr.1 at 12:29 pm
BETCATS says:
‘?’
Apr.1 at 12:36 pm
BETCATS says:
!?!
Apr.1 at 12:43 pm
BETCATS says:
.?.
Apr.1 at 12:44 pm
BETCATS says:
Apr.1 at 12:45 pm
BETCATS says:
(?)
Apr.1 at 12:47 pm
BETCATS says:
*?*
Apr.1 at 12:47 pm
albie1kenobi says:
funny how fisher is now an old man, when he was kobe’s teammate in the rookie game.
anyway, suns are dominant when the shaq/nash/amare are all clicking. they can provide a lot of punishment, but their D really hasn’t improved, besides the fact that it’s harder to drive in because shaq just takes up the whole lane. if a team attacks the bigs and get them in foul trouble, it’s over for the suns. their roster has not been this thin since Q and JJ were still on the suns.
nuggets on the other hand, is even worse on the defensive end than the suns. jr smith can be brilliant at times on offense, but i watched him missed couple defensive assignments in a row in the 3rd quarter yesterday that let the suns got back to the game. it was okay at the time to slack off a bit because the nuggets were still making baskets, but they let the suns got going and couldn’t get themselves going. hence the destruction in the last quarter. nuggets is maddeningly frustrating.
Apr.1 at 12:50 pm
albie1kenobi says:
nuggets CAN be a defensively dominant team because their personnel are all athletic specimens, but they don’t have any defensive awareness nor heart to get it done on that end.
Apr.1 at 12:51 pm
BETCATS says:
albie it is nice to see you
Apr.1 at 12:59 pm
BETCATS says:
i guess nobody likes to comment anymore
Apr.1 at 1:12 pm
BETCATS says:
125
Apr.1 at 1:58 pm
RV says:
126
Apr.1 at 3:59 pm
Jason says:
To me the Nuggets lost that game themselves lastnight. I like Shaq and the Suns, I just don’t think they will make it out the West or probably not even the second round. I agree with whoever said they will probably get paid back and blown out tonight in Denver. Hell, they already got blown out on national t.v in Denver a few weeks ago with Amare and Shaq. So I still don’t belive them. Coach Karl made a lot of mistakes in that game that I don’t even care to touch on. He needs to get fired.
Apr.1 at 4:00 pm
Jason says:
Oh yeah and the Suns gave up 70 points in the first half! Regardless if they won or not, thats not impressive.
Apr.1 at 5:37 pm
Young Chris #3 says:
Can Kobe win MVP if The Lakers don’t even win the division? I’ve been pondering this lately…
Apr.1 at 6:16 pm
Bubba Chuck says:
damn i cant believe i missed that game! ill watch 2nite & well get our revenge!
Apr.2 at 2:29 am
hursty says:
only 6 and everyone already left…. soft. 136.
Apr.2 at 6:27 am
hursty says:
CHAUNCEY B B B BILLUPS!
Apr.2 at 7:34 am
hursty says:
POST UP!
Apr.2 at 7:57 am
hursty says:
X2!
Apr.2 at 8:15 am
BETCATS says:
140
Apr.2 at 8:31 am
BETCATS says:
showtime