Expectations tonight

Joe Mama

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I believe the Denver Nuggets have the Phoenix Suns' number this season. I would give the Suns a chance to win tonight if Amare Stoudemire was going to play. However without him the Suns are going to be too small against the long, athletic Denver Nuggets.

By now the Suns should know better than to double-team Anthony. When he faces the basket from 15 ft. on out the defender needs to back off him a bit and play disciplined defense. That means not jumping off their feet every time he shows the ball. The guy is not a very good outside shooter, but he will go to the basket and create opportunities for his teammates if the Phoenix Suns allowed him to do it. If he gets good position down low they need to allow one player to try to defend him anyways. If he makes a basket so be it. The Suns can't give open looks and layups to his teammates, especially Leonard.

When the Suns lose big tonight all of the news reports and articles will talk about how they are still a bad team. Well, I do think there playing better, but I don't give them much of a chance tonight.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/0121suns0121.html

Suns gauge streak vs. Nuggets

Rematch with Denver chance to rectify humiliation

Bob Young
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 21, 2004 12:00 AM


DENVER - Only eight days ago, the Denver Nuggets humiliated the Suns so badly it seemed plausible that the Valley's first major pro franchise was headed toward its worst season since 1968, the Suns' first in the NBA.

After that 105-92 loss to the Nuggets on Jan. 13, the Suns had won 12 games, they were approaching the midway point of the season and there were no signs of a turnaround.

There was certainly no reason to believe the Suns would win four in a row, as they have going into a rematch with the Nuggets tonight at the Pepsi Center.

"That was rock bottom," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "It happens. You hit the bottom, and there's nowhere to go but up."

Granted, the Suns defeated a troubled Portland team twice in the streak, knocked off a disappointing Golden State club and caught the Lakers without three - Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Karl Malone - of their four potential Hall of Fame stars.

Still, the Suns had lost to worse teams under easier circumstances this season.

How far have they come?

Maybe they will find out tonight when they get another shot at the Nuggets.

"We're just finding a way to win right now," D'Antoni said. "That's why winning kind of breeds winning. We have that aura about us, believing we're going to do it."

That might be the biggest surprise in this turnaround, which has led to the club's longest winning streak in a season of dashed expectations, turmoil, trades and losses.

For much of the season, the biggest problem the Suns had was simply finding a way to hold on to games that they seemed to have under control. Their go-to players of last season - Stephon Marbury, Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire - weren't producing the game-winning shots.

A team "meeting" - really just dinner together - in Portland, Ore., seemed to renew chemistry and camaraderie.

It hasn't hurt that guard Joe Johnson, who must have biorhythms that look like an electrocardiogram, hit a peak.

Now Marbury is gone, and Johnson is the player who has stepped into the closer's role.

"Joe Johnson has been terrific," said center Jake Voskuhl, who is coming off his best game of the season. "We had that big trade, and he was given an opportunity to step up. And he really has."

Voskuhl credited the attention Johnson was getting from the Lakers for Voskuhl's pair of offensive rebounds and resulting putbacks in the final 1:24 Monday in Los Angeles.

"Joe was doing such a good job, they were double-teaming him trying to keep him from getting to the basket," he said. "Situations like that, it's hard for them to box out. I was fortunate to get the rebounds."

Despite the streak, the Suns remain entrenched in last place among Western Conference teams. The playoffs seem like a distant fantasy. Yet the Suns insist nothing is beyond the realm of possibility.

"We're not just out there playing to be playing, man," Johnson said. "We're out there playing for a purpose."

D'Antoni is hopeful but realistic.

"We're, what, eight games out in the loss column?" he said. "We'd have to have some luck, and we would need some help. Some other teams would have to lose.

"But I think our attitude is changing. We're playing hard, sharing the ball, hustling. Those are the keys for us. We've done that in four straight games. We're making gains."
 

Chaz

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If the Suns can play solid defense and control the defensive boards (somehow) they will be right in this game.

I think they have a chance tonight. Also the Nuggets played last night and the Suns were off.


go suns.....
 

Wally

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I agree that the Denver Nuggets seem to have the Phoenix Suns' number this season but tonight they will be timorous when the Suns fininsh with them. I previously predicted a Suns win tonight and I haven't changed my mind yet..... check back with me in the 4 qtr.:D

Predictions:

Suns 103, Nuggets 98

Lampe will not play.:D
 

Chaz

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Originally posted by NugzFan
my game preview: http://nuggets.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=nuggets&action=display&num=1074675752 (did i get the starters right this time?)

Yea who knows who D'Antoni will start tonight.
I expect Voskul, Harvey, and Marion on the front line with Johnson and Barbosa in the backcourt.

Suns will have to depend on Marion, Harvey, Voskul, White, and Carbarkaba to keep the Nuggets off the offensive glass. Suns are playing much better defense lately but you can only get a stop by rebounding.

I also expect the Suns to be out for a little payback. The Lakers had beat the Suns the first two meetings before Mondays game.
True the Nuggets don't have the injury problems the Lakers have (or the Suns for that matter) but I expect the Suns to come out scrapping tonight.

Here's to a good game and no injuries.


EDIT: also I just saw the bottom of your post. :oops:
Lampe is active for tonight. Williams is on the IL. :)
 
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George O'Brien

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One passing comment, Blazers beat KINGS in Sacramento last night. It makes those victories look a little more impressive.

My biggest concern is the usual one - the altitude. The Suns have to play a high energy game in an environment that has always been hard on visiting team. Hopefully, the fact that the Nuggets played last night will even things out a bit.
 

sly fly

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Suns pull off upset.

Nugs coming off a game last night in Utah. Look for them to be tired and lazy on defense.

If PHX can jump on them early, watch out.

BTW, Nugs -7.5 at the moment. Suns cover. ;)
 

Yuma

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Just like we seem to beat Portland, the nuggets have our number! However, I look forward to seeing Lampe be a big surprise for us tonight! Hopefully he will pull a Barbosa and Chabarkapra and be much better than we hoped for!! :)
 

George O'Brien

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The Suns played pretty well in the first half. Their defense was generally pretty good and JJ is having another very good game.
So far it has been Eisley's best game as a Sun.
 

Wally

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Originally posted by Wally
I agree that the Denver Nuggets seem to have the Phoenix Suns' number this season but tonight they will be timorous when the Suns fininsh with them. I previously predicted a Suns win tonight and I haven't changed my mind yet..... check back with me in the 4 qtr.:D

Predictions:

Suns 103, Nuggets 98

Lampe will not play.:D

Well, Lampe did not play....... and it was a pretty good entertaining game, even if the Suns did loose. I think a few calls in the last 100 seconds were in the Nuggets favor, but what cost the Suns the game were their own mistakes, not the officials.

I was half right but would have rather have been half right the other way around. Oh well, Nuggets are my 2nd favorite team.

JJ & Jake are still doing their part, but Jake made a couple dumb fouls that really hurt.
 

George O'Brien

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Most of all, the Suns kept having Marion and Eisely take the shots rather than JJ. Dumb, dumb, dumb. :confused:
 

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