Cavs at Suns 3/12 PAYBACK TIME

[FArting]

The Cleveland Cavaliers are eyeing the NBA's best record and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Phoenix Suns are quickly losing sight of their postseason chances.The Cavaliers look to continue their dominance over the Western Conference on Thursday night by winning in Phoenix for the first time in a decade.

Cleveland (50-13) goes for its third straight victory following Tuesday's 87-83 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. LeBron James notched his second consecutive triple-double and fifth of the season with 32 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists as the Cavaliers opened their three-game western swing by rallying from a 19-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

"This is a gut check win for us and we needed it," said James, who had 14 points, 10 boards and 12 assists in a 99-89 win over Miami on Saturday. "You want to try and win as many games as possible, especially when you see the battle with what is going on with us and Boston and the Lakers and Orlando also trying to establish home court."With 11 wins in its last 13 games, Cleveland has overtaken the Celtics to move atop the Eastern Conference and is in a tight battle with the West-leading Los Angeles Lakers for the league's best record.

The Cavaliers are 20-4 versus the West -- two of those losses came to the Lakers -- for the best interconference record in the league.A victory Thursday would set a franchise record with 23 road wins, but Cleveland has lost nine straight in Phoenix, dating to an 86-73 win on March 10, 1999.James, though, has averaged 35.7 points, 7.3 assists and 6.0 boards in his last three games in Phoenix.

He had 26 points, six assists and six rebounds in a 109-92 win on Feb. 11 as the host Cavaliers snapped a four-game slide to the Suns.Mo Williams hit seven 3-pointers and scored a career-high 44 points in that victory. On Tuesday, Williams missed 13 of 17 shots and scored only 14 points, but hit a 3-pointer with 6.6 seconds left to give Cleveland an 85-83 lead. Williams was scoring 24.0 points per game on 56.2 percent shooting in his previous five games."One thing about Mo, he never thinks about the last shot he missed or the last one he made," James said. "He gets right back."Phoenix, meanwhile, is looking to get back into the playoff race following five straight losses. Tuesday's 122-117 defeat to Dallas pushed the Suns (34-30) five games behind the Mavericks for the eighth playoff spot in the West.

Phoenix, mired in its longest losing streak since a six-game skid in January 2005, has not missed the playoffs since finishing 29-53 in 2003-04."Our concentration, I felt, could have improved a lot. I'm very disappointed with the way we played and competed in the second half," Steve Nash said following Tuesday's loss.The two-time MVP has 20 or more points in six straight games for the first time in his career, but Phoenix is 8-9 this season when he reaches that mark.Nash missed the Feb. 11 loss to Cleveland due to back spasms.Shaquille O'Neal had 21 points against Dallas, moving ahead of Elvin Hayes for sixth place on the all-time scoring list with 27,322. He's averaging 18.6 points during the Suns' five-game slide after scoring a combined 88 in back-to-back wins.O'Neal was held to 11 points in last month's loss at Cleveland.

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=290312021

 

[lou_skywalker]

Well, we can only hope :S
GO SUNS!!!!!

 

[Shzm13]

THE MILK'S GONE BAAAAD!!

lol

 

[PoolBoy]

i had hope for the lakers revenge, which we got. I just can't help but see James scoring about 65 tonight.

 

[AceP]

We survived 49 points by Kobe, so we could survive Lebron. Unless he really make it to 65. Leave him alone anyway, he is not the main problem to worry about.

You definitely have forgotten how we lost last time in Cleveland. How many points did Mo Williams score on us? I bet he is eager to meet Nash again.

 

[binkar]

I would like to see the young guys get a lot of time tonight. Dragic, Lopez, Dudley, Tucker, and even Swift need to get some time so we can see if they will improve and see their development. We kind of know what we have in Dudley, but it's time to see what we have in the others.

 

[mjb21aztd]

Well looking forward to us getting blown out by 20 GO SUNS

 

[Ciani]

You definitely have forgotten how we lost last time in Cleveland. How many points did Mo Williams score on us? I bet he is eager to meet Nash again.

Nash was out that night.

 

[Andrew]

way to defend

 

[Proteus]

Sigh...apparently we didn't learn squat from the last game. Mo Williams with 11 points on 4/6 shooting 3/3 3 pointers. Suns down 15-24 with 3:46 left in the 1st quarter.

 

[Andrew]

stop the freaking turnovers

 

[Andrew]

Lebron crying

 

[Andrew]

not a bad start

 

[Proteus]

Suns down 27-30 after the 1st quarter. Suns shooting 52% with 1/4 3 pointers, Cavs 46% with 5/6 3 pointers.

Suns have committed 4 turnovers (Barnes has 3), Cavs 5.

Suns and Cavs both have 3 offensive rebounds.

Suns have hit 2/2 free throws, Cavs have hit 5/5 free throws.

Suns had 8 fast break points after the 1st quarter, Cavs 0.

Suns had 16 points in the paint after the 1st quarter, Cavs 2.

 

[shazaam6]

Lebron throwing baby powder is stupid. That dust lands all over and he walks away. Oh yeah, Lebron threw dust, wahoo.


Prima donna.

 

[Proteus]

Ugh...Shaq picks up his 3rd foul with 9:30 left in the 2nd quarter.

 

[shazaam6]

Mo Williams looks like John Legend

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[AceP]

It is either Gentry being chutzpa, or we have officially give up playoff hope. Anyway it is a good sign for me to see so many young guys on floor for such a long period of time.

 

[Andrew]

Is Williams going to have another career high tonight?

 

[Andrew]

It is either Gentry being chutzpa, or we have officially give up playoff hope. Anyway it is a good sign for me to see so many young guys on floor for such a long period of time.

What game are you watching, that lineup kept us close...that is why he stuck with them for a chunk of time.

 

[Proteus]

Suns down 62-63 after the 2nd quarter. Suns shooting 57% with 2/8 3 pointers, Cavs 54% with 8/14 3 pointers.

Suns have committed 8 turnovers (Barnes has 3), Cavs 9.

Suns have 9 offensive rebounds, Cavs 6.

Suns have hit 6/8 free throws, Cavs have hit 11/13 free throws.

Suns had 12 fast break points after the 2nd quarter, Cavs 2.

Suns have 34 points in the paint, Cavs 8.

Suns had 25 bench points after the 2nd quarter, Cavs 3.

Nice 1st half to the game. Hope we can keep it up.

 

[Andrew]

Barnes with 16 and we are only down 1 at the half. Hopefully we can put some stops together and get it going...

Already better than I expected.

 

[Andrew]

Aren't they suppose to break down the first half? They are kissing Lebron's ass...

 

[Andrew]

8 point lead, way to start the 2nd half

 

[AceP]

WOW! What a start of the second half! Why can't this team play like that for 4 full quarters and every game?