azdad1978
Championship!!!!
Tim Tyers
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 8, 2005 12:00 AM
The reserves for the NBA All-Star team will be announced today, and all five Suns starters could see some kind of action during the Feb. 18-20 All-Star weekend in Denver.
Forward Shawn Marion, center Amaré Stoudemire and guard Steve Nash could be named reserves. Quentin Richardson and Joe Johnson will compete in the three-point shooting competition, and Stoudemire said Monday that he will participate in the slam dunk contest.
That's not a bad statement, although it takes a back seat to the message the Suns would like to make tonight when they visit chief Pacific Division rival Sacramento at Arco Arena.
"It's too early for statement games," Suns sixth man Jim Jackson said. "But it's a big game from several standpoints. One, to keep pace with where we're at in trying to secure home court for the playoffs. Second, to be going into the All-Star break with momentum. And third, to show we can beat a quality opponent on the road, something you have to do come playoff time.
"This is a team we could meet in the playoffs, so you want to win to put in their mind that you can go on the road and win some games."
The Kings are five games behind Phoenix in the Pacific standings, but defeated the Suns 113-111 at America West Arena in the sixth game of the season.
Statistically, you can throw a blanket over both teams. The Suns are in the top seven in the league in 10 categories, and the Kings in seven. Phoenix is the NBA's highest-scoring team (109.5) and the Kings are second (102.4).
"We feel we owe them one," Richardson said. "They got one on us early in the season and they're one of the few blemishes on our record. We definitely feel like we owe them one."
Payback won't be easy. The Kings own eight consecutive wins over the Suns at Arco Arena, one of the NBA's true snake pits. Sacramento owns the NBA's best record at home in the past four seasons and is 187-43 (.813) at home since 1999, including this season's 19-6 mark.
"Going to Sacramento this time around it's going to be different because we're bringing our 'A' game and it's going to be a showdown," said Stoudemire, whose team has won seven of its past eight games. "It'll have a playoff atmosphere, and that brings the best out in us because it's fun."
Making the Suns' job more difficult is that Sacramento, 4-3 in its past seven games, is finally back at full strength. The Kings welcomed back Chris Webber, Peja Stojakovic and Cuttino Mobley from injuries in a 114-108 loss Saturday at Portland.
Former Shadow Mountain High and Arizona star Mike Bibby is on a red-hot roll. He scored 40 points against the Knicks on Friday and came back with 35 at Portland. If he scores 35 points against the Suns, he'll be the first King since the team moved to Sacramento in 1985-86 to score at least 35 in three consecutive games.
"I'm sure they're pointing at this," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "It's worth two games in the Pacific Division race. We're four games up in the loss column, and we'd like to keep it there. It's a big game for both of us.
"We've played well there in the past and I'm sure there will be a little extra excitement in the air because it is two teams that will battle right to the end. It'll be a good test, but we're playing well and we expect to go in and play well."
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0208suns0208.html
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 8, 2005 12:00 AM
The reserves for the NBA All-Star team will be announced today, and all five Suns starters could see some kind of action during the Feb. 18-20 All-Star weekend in Denver.
Forward Shawn Marion, center Amaré Stoudemire and guard Steve Nash could be named reserves. Quentin Richardson and Joe Johnson will compete in the three-point shooting competition, and Stoudemire said Monday that he will participate in the slam dunk contest.
That's not a bad statement, although it takes a back seat to the message the Suns would like to make tonight when they visit chief Pacific Division rival Sacramento at Arco Arena.
"It's too early for statement games," Suns sixth man Jim Jackson said. "But it's a big game from several standpoints. One, to keep pace with where we're at in trying to secure home court for the playoffs. Second, to be going into the All-Star break with momentum. And third, to show we can beat a quality opponent on the road, something you have to do come playoff time.
"This is a team we could meet in the playoffs, so you want to win to put in their mind that you can go on the road and win some games."
The Kings are five games behind Phoenix in the Pacific standings, but defeated the Suns 113-111 at America West Arena in the sixth game of the season.
Statistically, you can throw a blanket over both teams. The Suns are in the top seven in the league in 10 categories, and the Kings in seven. Phoenix is the NBA's highest-scoring team (109.5) and the Kings are second (102.4).
"We feel we owe them one," Richardson said. "They got one on us early in the season and they're one of the few blemishes on our record. We definitely feel like we owe them one."
Payback won't be easy. The Kings own eight consecutive wins over the Suns at Arco Arena, one of the NBA's true snake pits. Sacramento owns the NBA's best record at home in the past four seasons and is 187-43 (.813) at home since 1999, including this season's 19-6 mark.
"Going to Sacramento this time around it's going to be different because we're bringing our 'A' game and it's going to be a showdown," said Stoudemire, whose team has won seven of its past eight games. "It'll have a playoff atmosphere, and that brings the best out in us because it's fun."
Making the Suns' job more difficult is that Sacramento, 4-3 in its past seven games, is finally back at full strength. The Kings welcomed back Chris Webber, Peja Stojakovic and Cuttino Mobley from injuries in a 114-108 loss Saturday at Portland.
Former Shadow Mountain High and Arizona star Mike Bibby is on a red-hot roll. He scored 40 points against the Knicks on Friday and came back with 35 at Portland. If he scores 35 points against the Suns, he'll be the first King since the team moved to Sacramento in 1985-86 to score at least 35 in three consecutive games.
"I'm sure they're pointing at this," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "It's worth two games in the Pacific Division race. We're four games up in the loss column, and we'd like to keep it there. It's a big game for both of us.
"We've played well there in the past and I'm sure there will be a little extra excitement in the air because it is two teams that will battle right to the end. It'll be a good test, but we're playing well and we expect to go in and play well."
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0208suns0208.html
