Game Thread: Suns vs. Rockets

[Chaz]

I am concerned about this game tonight. I want to believe but I am still down following the Hawks game.

I'm generally very optimistic but the Rockets played us tough last year and they seem to be improved. I do not see improvement in our team despite the addition of some talented players. Lets play Zarko more than 8 minutes tonight please.

Damn, FJ has turned me into a darksider.



NOOOOOOO........

 

[Suns_fan69]

If there's such a thing as a must win game this early in the season this certainly qualifies.

Houston and Phoenix are widely considered the best young teams in the Western conference and the two teams have been compared to each other ever since Amare and Yao and the ROY race last year. They're off to a great start (although I haven't seen their schedule) and we're off to a lacklustre one at best.

They definitely need to get back on track and send them a message. They also need to win the season series in case it ends up as a tie when the season closes (only one game off last year IIRC).

Off-topic: Anybody else find it hard sometimes to post a message separating yourself from the team? I keep finding myself saying 'We' instead of 'They' and 'our team' and stuff like that a lot. It's not really a big deal, just something I noticed with myself.

 

[KANIDJA]

interesting matchup tonight. Finally a solid center to match him up with lot smaller White and see what he can do. White is strong so he should be able to keep Ming away from the basket, but Ming is taller and it should not be too hard for him to turn around and hit that jump shot.
Mobley I think will once again be the difference. He always has a great game when playing suns, but maybe JJ can stop him. We will see. Should be a good, close game. I hope Suns show up tonight.


Amare.
I like what I see from him. Its obvious that he is working on his finesse game(he already showed his power game), and it will take him a while to slow down and get closer to the basket so he can dunk some of those shots. I think that he is starting to develop and as soon as he slows down a bit, when he needs to, we will be looking at a whole new player that will take this team to another level because we will have an inside presence. Write now he is a role player.

Also impressed with White. Bets center we had in a long time. Good rebounder, puts body on people, sets great picks and can finish around the basket. Our offense should go throgh him and Stoudamire 30 -40% of the time. Great addition.

Marbury. He is doing OK. Assists I think are down but so is shooting, especialy Marion. Marion totally dissapinting. He could turn it around really quick, but so far in the season just plain trerrible. Just never know if he is going to make the shot or not. Every time he puts it up I am praying. Does not initate contatc because he is just to fast. people don't have time to react to him. $100 millinin man that would not be taking lost shot on my team. Ever. Don't know if he is worth it. Hope he is.


I say Suns win tonight 92-86.

 

[SweetD]

Originally posted by Suns_fan69
Off-topic: Anybody else find it hard sometimes to post a message separating yourself from the team? I keep finding myself saying 'We' instead of 'They' and 'our team' and stuff like that a lot. It's not really a big deal, just something I noticed with myself.

I have always been a Suns Fan and I will always be a part of this team as well. WE WILL WIN TONIGHT!!

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

They have had a relative easy schedule so far.

Denver
Memphis
Chicago (pre first win)
Jersey
Orlando
Miami
Dallas


Their 2 losses were from memphis and Dallas


Of course the suns have been pretty well off too.

SA
Cleavland
Lakers
Utah
GS
Atlanta

 

[F-Dog]

I think the Suns will play much better tonight than they did against Atlanta. Like last year, they seem to be playing up (or down) to their competition.

Yao is the one matchup where I think Big Jake might be preferable to Jahidi, but I'm hoping Jahidi will prove me wrong. I do think that Jahidi is a tough cover for Yao at the other end, so maybe he can wear Yao down--if he manages to stay out of foul trouble.

I think the main problem with the offense right now is that Joe Johnson is taking too many shots; whoever starts for the Suns at SG has to be something of a pass-first player, to make sure the big three get enough shot attempts. Also, the Suns don't know what they're going to get from their bench players yet. Both problems should be taken care of in the next month or so.

On defense, Penny is killing the team--I didn't expect his defense to be even worse than last year, but that's been the case so far. The main thing I see is that Suns need to learn how to play straight-up defense. The traps and double-teams work well, and the Suns do them as well as any team in the league, but they need to have something else to change up with that they're good at. This is especially true if they're going to play big (which is what I'd like to see).


Anyway, Joe J is the key tonight, since the Suns need him to do something against Mobley for a change. At least JJ usually plays well on the road...

 

[Chaz]

Originally posted by F-Dog

I think the main problem with the offense right now is that Joe Johnson is taking too many shots

Joe took 12 shots against the Hawks. That is not to many IMO. Granted he needs to shoot a better percentage.
He also was second on the team with 5 assists. I also remember he had some passes down low that sent guys to the FT line.

He also has 3 steals and 2 blocks.

People seem fixated on JJ and he is far from being the team's biggest problem.

I hope you are right about the playing better tonight.

 

[Joe Mama]

Originally posted by SirChaz
Joe took 12 shots against the Hawks. That is not to many IMO. Granted he needs to shoot a better percentage.
He also was second on the team with 5 assists. I also remember he had some passes down low that sent guys to the FT line.

He also has 3 steals and 2 blocks.

People seem fixated on JJ and he is far from being the team's biggest problem.

I hope you are right about the playing better tonight.

I agree, however Joe Johnson definitely is a part of one of the team's biggest problems. Their perimeter players are inconsistent shooters, even when they are wide open. Shawn Marion has raised his shooting percentage to 45%, but at the same time Marbury's dropped to 43%. Meanwhile the Suns are getting 37% shooting (7.2 out of 19.6 shots per game) from their top two shooting guards. It doesn't take a genius to see why opposing teams just drop every one down around the lane when they played defense against the Phoenix Suns.

Joe Mama

 

[jbeecham]

I think JJ needs to pick his spots better. I like it when he is aggressive and taking the ball to the basket and creating for himself or someone else. I also like when he has his feet set for an open spot up 3 ptr. I don't like when he dribbles the ball for 10 seconds and runs out the clock and has to force a shot. He is doing a much better job defensively this season than last and even when he doesn't put up big offensive numbers he still usually has good assists/steals/rebounds.

Marion needs to get himself more involved in the offense and try to get some easy hoops to get himself going. He also still plays well defensively when he isn't scoring, but we need him to score and to hit the 15 ft jumper consistently.

The guy that I'm worried about tonight is Jim Jackson. I think he's going to get a bunch of wide open looks. I also think it's going to be hard for Amare and White to score in the post against Ming and Cato (Houston's moved Cato to the starting PF spot).

I also hate the Rockets new logo. It looks a lot like the logo for Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

You must be registered for see images

 

[fordronken]

It seems to me like it would be relatively easy for a big body like Jahidi White to box out Yao Ming. I don't expect a lot of rebounds from Jahidi tonight, but much like against Golden State, he should be able to keep Yao away from the rebounds. However, what "should" be happening with the Suns this year hasn't exactly been happening...

 

[fordronken]

Um...why would you front someone who is 9 inches taller than you in the post?

 

[Chaz]

Not two bad so far. Our offense hasn't improved much. Steph is carrying us so far it seems. Amare looks better but he needs to make himself available in the post. He just kind of wandered around and eventally set a screen. Great D by Amare.

 

[Joe Mama]

Damn!! Damn!! Damn!!

If Joe Johnson could just shoot the damn basketball he would be awesome. I believe he is probably the son's best one-on-one defender, he passes, he rebounds, but he just cannot get that stupid shot to fall consistently.

Joe Mama

 

[S_Nash]

*Argument from before*

Amare: "Hey Steph! How come you don't give me the ball no more? I want some shots dawg."

Steph: "Aight man, I'll take care of it. Wait 'til Houston."


Steph = 20 points
Amare = 3 points

 

[Joe Mama]

I wouldn't mind if Amare Stoudemire stood at the top corner of the lane and shot open shots all night. I would like to see how many he could knock down. As soon as the defenders start jumping out its time to blow by them.

Joe Mama

 

[S_Nash]

Barbosa bay-bee!

 

[matt_whitlock]

How about Amare's shot blocking!

How many does he have this half? 7!?

He has more blocks than JJ has missed shots! That's tough.

 

[Chaz]

Amare has been doing his homework. Working on that shot.

I really like the defensive effort also.



Yea JJ missed some shots and made some, but he looks pretty good shooting it and he isn't really taking bad shots.

 

[slinslin]

Originally posted by matt_whitlock

He has more blocks than JJ has missed shots! That's tough.

The constant stupid bashing off JJ on every possible occasion is really....

Even worse that it is biased Penny Hardaway fans most of the time.
I swear unless Joe Johnson doesn't miss any shots at all he won't be given any credit.

 

[Joe Mama]

Originally posted by slinslin
The constant stupid bashing off JJ on every possible occasion is really....

Even worse that it is biased Penny Hardaway fans most of the time.
I swear unless Joe Johnson doesn't miss any shots at all he won't be given any credit.

I hope you realize that my comments earlier about Joe Johnson were not bashing him. I'm just frustrated because that is really the only part of his game that is missing. If he could shoot just 43% he would be a fantastic basketball player.

Man alive. I thought the Houston Rockets would be blocking the hell out of the Phoenix Suns tonight. It's been the other way around though.

If I was a Houston Rockets fan I would probably be cursing the referees in this game. IMO they have really called his game in favor of the Phoenix Suns.

Joe Mama

 

[elindholm]

If I was a Houston Rockets fan I would probably be cursing the referees in this game. IMO they have really called his game in favor of the Phoenix Suns.

I was thinking the same thing. I can't believe what the Suns are getting away with. However, the officials have now started to make up for it, letting the Rockets get away with two obvious fouls in a row. Maybe by the end of the game it will be even.

 

[Joe Mama]

Originally posted by elindholm
If I was a Houston Rockets fan I would probably be cursing the referees in this game. IMO they have really called his game in favor of the Phoenix Suns.

I was thinking the same thing. I can't believe what the Suns are getting away with. However, the officials have now started to make up for it, letting the Rockets get away with two obvious fouls in a row. Maybe by the end of the game it will be even.

I should have kept my mouth shut. I think the officiating turned in the Rockets favor in that quarter.

Hardaway just looks miserable coming off the bench.

Joe Mama

 

[Joe Mama]

I figure it's just about the time we will see that Stephon Marbury, Joe Johnson, Casey Jacobsen, Shawn Marion, and Amare Stoudemire lineup.

I hope not.

Joe Mama

 

[Chaz]

I would like to see Zarko get some 2nd half minutes.

I'm not saying play him to end the 4th. Just give him a look each half.

 

[Joe Mama]

Are both of Shawn Marion's hands broken? He is bricking his shots, and he can't hold onto the ball to save his life right now.

Joe Mama