Bobcats at Suns 2/24

[FArting]

Phoenix posted a season-low point total in its last game against Charlotte. The Suns, though, could double that total Tuesday night after returning to their run-and-gun style.
Phoenix looks to rebound from its first loss under coach Alvin Gentry when it hosts the Bobcats and two former teammates making their return to US Airways Center.

The Suns (31-24) had their three-game winning streak snapped Sunday, 128-108 to visiting Boston. It was the first time in four games that Phoenix did not reach 140 points."We've got a lot of work to do," Steve Nash said Sunday after posting a double-double with 19 points and 11 assists.

Playing without Amare Stoudemire for the second straight game -- he had surgery Friday on the partially detached retina in his right eye -- the Suns fell to 3-1 under Gentry, despite the absence of Kevin Garnett (strained right knee)."First of all, that is a really good basketball team with or without Kevin Garnett," said Gentry, who replaced Terry Porter on Feb. 16. "You can see they don't have a whole lot of weaknesses."

In their first three games under Gentry, Phoenix returned to its seven-seconds-and-shoot pace, averaging 140.7 points in two wins over the Los Angeles Clippers and one over Oklahoma City.This production is in stark contrast to the 104.4 points the Suns averaged under Porter. Phoenix may have hit a low point with its former coach on Jan. 23 when it lost 98-76 at Charlotte. It marked the fewest points the Suns had scored in a game since a 105-76 loss at San Antonio on March 27, 2004.

"I haven't seen them not scoring the ball like that," Charlotte's Raja Bell said after defeating his former teammates. "We probably caught them on the right night -- and we were firing on all cylinders."Bell and Boris Diaw return to Phoenix on Tuesday for their first game since they were traded on Dec. 10 as the Suns acquired Jason Richardson from the Bobcats. Bell has missed eight games with the Bobcats due to groin injuries, but he's averaging 13.0 points and 3.8 rebounds since the deal.Diaw is scoring 14.4 points per game with Charlotte, including a season-high-tying 26 points in the Bobcats' Jan. 23 win.Richardson's production has spiked since Gentry took over. Richardson is averaging 24.0 points and shooting 66.7 percent from the field in three games under the Suns' new coach. He scored 16.7 points per game with Porter on the bench.

In the first game against his former Bobcat teammates, Richardson had just eight points while Bell did a nice job defending him.Charlotte (22-34) arrives in Phoenix after opening its five-game road trip with a 99-78 loss to Houston on Sunday. The Bobcats dropped their second straight overall -- and sixth in a row on the road -- as they hit just 36.0 percent from the field."Our offense was awful," said Charlotte coach Larry Brown, whose team committed 21 turnovers. "We just turned it over so many times, that it puts so much pressure on your defense."Charlotte is averaging 18.5 turnovers per game in its last two games. It can't afford another sloppy game against a Suns team shooting 57.5 percent in its last four contests.The Bobcats are 0-4 in Phoenix.

http://espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=290224021

 

[lou_skywalker]

GO SUNS!!!!!
they seriously need to win this one. not only is it against a loosing team, but we got the Lakers twice this week,which would be another nosedive for the team

 

[TJ]

Will the concession stands be serving crepes and buttery croissants in celebration of Diaw's homecoming?

Now that Gentry is the coach, I don't sweat these games against non-playoff teams. I stated before that the true test was going to come against the Celtics and we did not pass. Now we have to dust off the little guys, then bone up against the top-tier teams in the league to prove that we have staying power in the west.

 

[Shzm13]

Snus Og!!!

 

[PhoenixMaverick]

Now that Gentry is the coach, I don't sweat these games against non-playoff teams. I stated before that the true test was going to come against the Celtics and we did not pass. Now we have to dust off the little guys, then bone up against the top-tier teams in the league to prove that we have staying power in the west.

Upcoming test game : Lakers

LOL and from MARCH 01 thru MARCH 12 !!!

Lakers (again)
Orlando Magic
Houston (on a 4 win streak)
Spurs
Dallas
Cleveland

MY oh MY !! ... how many of that can we win ?????
I don't expect to win all of that now.

 

[carey]

Upcoming test game : Lakers

LOL and from MARCH 01 thru MARCH 12 !!!

Lakers (again)
Orlando Magic
Houston (on a 4 win streak)
Spurs
Dallas
Cleveland

MY oh MY !! ... how many of that can we win ?????
I don't expect to win all of that now.

3 and 3 would be phenomenal. I expect 2 and 4 with Spurs & Dallas as the win.

 

[mojorizen7]

We're gonna smoke the BOBCATS.
132-110

 

[Hat]

3 and 3 would be phenomenal. I expect 2 and 4 with Spurs & Dallas as the win.

LOL, you think we can beat the Spurs?? Dallas is doing much better than last year, I expect a lost from them as well.

Wouldn't be surprised if we got 0-6

 

[dodie53]

go suns!

score 140 again

 

[Andrew]

Bell is on fire

 

[mojorizen7]

So with Amare gone, teams have decided to go right at our other weakest link defensively......

 

[Proteus]

Suns down 17-20 with 5:38 left in the 1st quarter. Suns shooting 73% with 0/1 3 pointers, Bobcats shooting 75% with 2/2 3 pointers. It would be nice if we could actually give a crap about defense.

 

[PhoenixMaverick]

WTF JRICH !!offensive foul ... Lb was right there !!

 

[Andrew]

LB had a block

 

[Proteus]

We keep messing up our fast breaks.

 

[Andrew]

How hard is the clock guy's job, I mean really lol

 

[Andrew]

We have missed way too many easy shots

 

[Proteus]

Suns up 29-27 after the 1st quarter. Suns shooting 55% with 1/3 3 pointers, Bobcats 50% with 2/4 3 pointers.

Suns and Bobcats have both committed 3 turnovers.

Suns have 0 offensive rebounds, Bobcats 3.

Suns have hit 4/5 free throws, Bobcats have hit 1/4 free throws.

We messed up on several fast breaks.

 

[Proteus]

Nice start to the 2nd quarter as the Suns outscore the Bobcats 10-2 in the 1st 2 minutes. Suns have hit 3/4 field goals 2/3 3 pointers in the 2nd, Bobcats 1/3 0/1 3 pointers.

 

[Andrew]

lol at 2 bobcats fighting for a rebound, look familiar?

 

[LV-Suns]

lmao @ the soccer practice.

 

[AceP]

J.Rich and Barnes clearly benefit a lot from the absence of Amare ...

 

[PhoenixMaverick]

whats up with dudley missing easy layups

 

[PhoenixMaverick]

good job Jrich ... see if you pass it , you assist the score and you won't get an offensive foul

 

[mojorizen7]

Love the Barnes pick on DJ!
Augustine will have his head on a swivel in transition for the rest of the game. LOL
The little things....