BRING ON the CELTICS !!!

[PhoenixMaverick]

I didn't get to watch the game but downloaded the 2nd half and watched it early in the morning.

The last couple of points by LB to get 140 BLEW the HOUSE DOWN! He didn't have to get those points but I'm glad he did because its a huge BOOST in confidence (not to mention for the FANS). We did great up until we started losing our lead (with our main starters on the bench though).

TWO Things worry me about Sunday against the Celtics:

1. They looked really gassed, especially LB. He played 40 minutes !! And Celtics didn't play and were resting comfortably in front of their TV's figuring out how to contain jrich and barbosa. With the game early Sunday, it will probably feel like a back to back game (with Celtics having 2.5 days rest)

and:
2. Alvin Gentry said "I can promise you we are not getting 140 Sunday"

I know its dam near impossible to get 140 again but should he really say that? I think its better that the suns "feel" like they can drop 140 on them too rather being scared of the Celtics and playing "too" conservative. Its like telling your kid you can't be president, but you say "yes you can!!", because you want their confidence to soar (even though its impossible)

My verdict: DONT CHANGE ANYTHING !! More than likely they will lose, but let them win/lose the way the play best. AT least its fun for the players and Fan. And if by some chance they Run and GUN up the Celtics throat, I can guarantee you the whole nation will be up in a STIR more than any news about Miley Cyrus. (well maybe not). I don't want to win by 1, I want them to win by 20 to send a message !

BRING ON THE CELTICS !!... AFTER SUNDAY ... it will be ... WHOA SUNS !! and CELTICS who?!?!

 

[Chaplin]

The Boston Celtics are one of the best defensive teams in the league--I don't think it's a stretch to say we won't score 140 points, because it's 99% likely that we won't.

 

[lou_skywalker]

GO GO hope we get some kind of revenge from the last blowout in Boston.

 

[95pro]

i expect rondo to come out blazing on nash. he flourishes in this type of game.
and lets hope that pierce(the greatest in the world) and allen dont light it up from 3.

i can live we the celt's bigs getting point in the paint. lets try to contain allen and pierce from 3pt land.

 

[JS22]

I didn't get to watch the game but downloaded the 2nd half and watched it early in the morning.

The last couple of points by LB to get 140 BLEW the HOUSE DOWN! He didn't have to get those points but I'm glad he did because its a huge BOOST in confidence (not to mention for the FANS). We did great up until we started losing our lead (with our main starters on the bench though).

TWO Things worry me about Sunday against the Celtics:

1. They looked really gassed, especially LB. He played 40 minutes !! And Celtics didn't play and were resting comfortably in front of their TV's figuring out how to contain jrich and barbosa. With the game early Sunday, it will probably feel like a back to back game (with Celtics having 2.5 days rest)

and:
2. Alvin Gentry said "I can promise you we are not getting 140 Sunday"

I know its dam near impossible to get 140 again but should he really say that? I think its better that the suns "feel" like they can drop 140 on them too rather being scared of the Celtics and playing "too" conservative. Its like telling your kid you can't be president, but you say "yes you can!!", because you want their confidence to soar (even though its impossible)

My verdict: DONT CHANGE ANYTHING !! More than likely they will lose, but let them win/lose the way the play best. AT least its fun for the players and Fan. And if by some chance they Run and GUN up the Celtics throat, I can guarantee you the whole nation will be up in a STIR more than any news about Miley Cyrus. (well maybe not). I don't want to win by 1, I want them to win by 20 to send a message !

BRING ON THE CELTICS !!... AFTER SUNDAY ... it will be ... WHOA SUNS !! and CELTICS who?!?!

I like what Gentry is doing. He's been trying to keep the players heads from getting too big.

 

[arwillan]

i expect rondo to come out blazing on nash. he flourishes in this type of game.
and lets hope that pierce(the greatest in the world) and allen dont light it up from 3.

i can live we the celt's bigs getting point in the paint. lets try to contain allen and pierce from 3pt land.

the two of them together only average 11 points a game from 3 point land. why on earth would we focus on that ? there will be much bigger fish to fry if the suns plan on staying in the game.

 

[nowagimp]

Yeah the players are gassed because they are running so much and there is a shallow bench. Sounds like the DA curse, got a bunch of running players but no bench to speak of. Im not sure how long the older guys will last at this rate. At least these suns have a big man, but I doubt that will matter when matt barnes is your big gun off the bench.

 

[AfroSuns]

I like what Gentry is doing. He's been trying to keep the players heads from getting too big.

I agree, maybe Gentry is borrowing a chapter from Don Nelson's "mind game" book, let the Cs come in here thinking we are already scared of them.
I do worry about what they will have left in the tank seeing how they have been playing like old ladies under Porter and just regaining their run-n-gun form back.

 

[mjb21aztd]

well the celtics will be without kevin garnett so we have a shot at winning this game. It should be a fun to watch man the suns seem weaird without Amare in the lineup . But hopefully nash,richardson,and barbosa ball . GO SUNS

 

[95pro]

the two of them together only average 11 points a game from 3 point land. why on earth would we focus on that ? there will be much bigger fish to fry if the suns plan on staying in the game.

the last time the celtics played an up-tempo team, the warriors...

alllen went 5-7 from 3 land.
pierce was 0-4.

PP can get hot from 3 any time.

we will get owned by points in the paint and 2nd chance points, no matter what.

so i'd rather focus on limiting 3's from PP and allen.

only tomorrow will tell.

 

[Shzm13]

Sweet

 

[Mainstreet]

Yeah the players are gassed because they are running so much and there is a shallow bench. Sounds like the DA curse, got a bunch of running players but no bench to speak of. Im not sure how long the older guys will last at this rate. At least these suns have a big man, but I doubt that will matter when matt barnes is your big gun off the bench.

The Suns desperately need another veteran big but I doubt if they will get one. Sims and Lopez appear to be useless bodies.

 

[PhoenixMaverick]

Holy crap. We will beat Celtics because Leandro is the NEW Jordan !!!!!

http://www.basketball-reference.com/fc/tiny.cgi?id=KtVZ4

lol, I won't believe it until he does it during the playoffs and wins a Championship.

New Nike Air Leandros !!!

 

[FArting]

Big test for us against Boston Payback time

 

[nashman]

Just showing up to play will be a huge improvement under the performance we put up last time with Porter at the helm! I think this team is energized that they get to play fun basketball again and that happens to be what we do best run and gun. Would not be shocked at all to see the Suns win this game, depends on how the refs want to call it as well though. Boston gets to play pretty rough with their rep of being a great defensive team kinda like the Spurs, Suns won't get many calls like normal.

 

[jagu]

Suns 118- Celtics 102

 

[lou_skywalker]

Suns 118- Celtics 102

loool lets pray.
Remember, 140 is the magic number

 

[mojorizen7]

Just showing up to play will be a huge improvement under the performance we put up last time with Porter at the helm! I think this team is energized that they get to play fun basketball again and that happens to be what we do best run and gun. Would not be shocked at all to see the Suns win this game, depends on how the refs want to call it as well though. Boston gets to play pretty rough with their rep of being a great defensive team kinda like the Spurs, Suns won't get many calls like normal.

Bingo!

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Lets make this the game thread?


Preview:
http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=290222021

The Phoenix Suns had no problem adjusting to life without Amare Stoudemire. The Boston Celtics are about to find out how they'll react to playing without Kevin Garnett.


Two teams missing their All-Star power forwards will square off Sunday afternoon in Phoenix, where the Suns figure to be hard-pressed to continue their string of 140-point games even with Garnett on the sidelines for the defensive-minded Celtics.Though Garnett's situation isn't nearly as dire as the one for Stoudemire, who may be out for the season, it might be for a Celtics team chasing home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. The NBA's 2007-08 defensive player of the year left Boston's 90-85 loss in Utah on Thursday with a strained right knee.He returned to Boston on Friday to undergo an MRI, and on Saturday the Celtics (44-12) announced he'll miss two to three weeks with a strained muscle behind the knee.The earliest Garnett could return would likely be March 6, when Boston hosts Cleveland in a game that could go a long way toward determining the Eastern Conference's top seed.Meanwhile, the Celtics, who allow the second-fewest points per game (92.0) in the league behind the Cavaliers, will be in for a stiff test against the Suns.

After hanging 140 and 142 points on the Clippers on back-to-back nights, Phoenix didn't miss a beat on Friday in its first game without Stoudemire in a 140-118 home win over Oklahoma City.Stoudemire was the subject of multiple trade rumors prior to Thursday's deadline, but Phoenix (31-23) opted not to move the four-time All-Star, instead hoping to make a run to the postseason from the ninth spot in the West.

On the night before the trade deadline, Stoudemire scored 42 points but suffered a blow to the head, aggravating an injury to his right eye. On Friday, he had surgery to repair a partially detached retina -- an injury that will likely prevent him from resuming physical activity for about eight weeks."He was really discouraged," Suns general manager Steve Kerr said. "He was really starting to play well. He was feeling good about things. Our team obviously is feeling very good about things, just about the way the last couple of games have gone, and this is a major blow."

New coach Alvin Gentry inserted guard Leandro Barbosa in the starting lineup against Oklahoma City, and the move paid off. The former Sixth Man of the Year scored a career-high 41 points as the Suns rolled to their third straight easy win since Gentry replaced the fired Terry Porter."I love to play running up and down," said Barbosa, who has averaged 26.0 points since Gentry took over. "I think everybody does."Gentry promised a more up-tempo style than the defensive-minded Porter, and it's worked against the Clippers and Thunder. Phoenix became the first team since the Portland Trail Blazers in 1990 to score 140 in three straight games."I can promise you we are not going to get 140 Sunday, not against Boston," Gentry said.

With Garnett out, the Suns will likely try to get Shaquille O'Neal heavily involved Sunday, and O'Neal's looked good in his last three games. He's averaged 17.7 points on 76.7 percent shooting in about 26 minutes per contest.O'Neal had 16 points in Phoenix's first meeting with the Celtics on Jan. 19, but the Suns never had a chance. Rajon Rondo had a game-high 23 points and Boston raced to a 30-point halftime lead en route to a 104-87 victory.The Celtics are 9-0 when Rondo scores at least 18 points.

Barbosa has been a non-factor in the Suns' last three games against Boston, averaging 2.3 points.

Accuscore predicts a Suns win with a 65% chance of victory.

I think the key to this game is removing Paul Piece from the offense. If Hill is 100% I wouldnt mind one bit to see 0pts on his board as long as PP goes 6/24.

We also need to get Perkins frustrated and in foul trouble. If shaq can hassle him enough in the beginning he will be useless the rest of the game, he plays with a chip on his shoulder but is way moody, and once his emotions take over the game he is a dud.

Force Rondo to shoot instead of penetrate.

Push the ball before they can set up their transition D.

Slash slash slash and slash early. They collapse on the paint VERY well but once youre in there it should be cake without Garnett. I am hoping for more A+ efforts from Barbs and Richardson.

They are very short up front other than perkins. Expect a lot of hookshots from shaq if all goes well.

 

[Skkorpion]

I'll watch it. Hope for the best.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

I think the key to this game is removing Paul Piece from the offense. If Hill is 100% I wouldnt mind one bit to see 0pts on his board as long as PP goes 6/24. CHECK

We also need to get Perkins frustrated and in foul trouble. If shaq can hassle him enough in the beginning he will be useless the rest of the game, he plays with a chip on his shoulder but is way moody, and once his emotions take over the game he is a dud. CHECK

Force Rondo to shoot instead of penetrate. OMG WTF FAIL

Push the ball before they can set up their transition D. SEMI FAIL

Slash slash slash and slash early. They collapse on the paint VERY well but once youre in there it should be cake without Garnett. I am hoping for more A+ efforts from Barbs and Richardson. CHECK

They are very short up front other than perkins. Expect a lot of hookshots from shaq if all goes well. TOO BAD HE BRICKED HALF HIS SHOTS TODAY

 

[AceP]

Ya, bring on the Celtics. I am truly amazed how 3 meaningless wins over the bottom teams could make some people so high.

Without a solid D, this team is a typical fun to watch and doomed to fail team. For some fans it might be enjoyable. For me it is more than miserable.

 

[nashman]

Then don't watch AceP because the crap we had to endure the first half of the season sure the hell wasn't fun to watch for some of us! Amazing how one loss against the defending champs who brought there refs to town with them could make some people get so low! This team can beat anyone in the league if they play well thats a hell of alot more than anyone could say about them under Porter! We lost a game its not the end of the world, if they won the next five straight would that be fun for you AceP?

 

[AceP]

I thought they wanted to win a championship. Never mind then.

 

[nashman]

Yeah sure they were well on their way trying to become a defensive juggernaut! Bring Porter back because he was doing a great job with the defense! Realistically any team that gets hot at the right time can win the championship, not to mention injurys to players or anything else that could change the scope of the playoffs over the next few months! I would rather take my chances with this team running people out of the gym rather than try to be a good defensive team without the players to do it.