LA Lakers (40-36) at Phoenix (49-25)
The Phoenix Suns still should be able to grab the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference despite their recent poor play. That might mean the Los Angeles Lakers wouldn't mind getting the No. 7 seed.
One team against which the Suns would prefer not to show how vulnerable they are is the Lakers, considering Phoenix has dominated its Pacific Division rival recently and these teams could meet in the first round of the playoffs.
If the season ended now, the clubs would open the playoffs against each other.
Phoenix has a five-game division lead over the second-place Los Angeles Clippers with eight games remaining, and is likely to claim the West's second seed if it holds on to win the Pacific. That would mean the Suns' opening-round opponent would be the seventh seed, a spot currently held by the Lakers, who are one game ahead of eighth-place Sacramento.
"If you're making an educated guess, I'd write us off," Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni said. "I'd even be trying to get into seventh place to play us right now.
"But I think people are going to be surprised, and you'd probably better be careful what you wish for."
The Suns might be wishing they play the Lakers in the first round, even though Los Angeles is playing some of its best basketball of the season and has won six of eight.
Phoenix has won six straight in the series, including the last four by double digits. Plus, Los Angeles is not considered to be a strong team on the interior. The frontcourt is also the Suns' weakness, with Amare Stoudemire (knee) out for the season and Kurt Thomas (foot) not expected to return this month.
"Regardless of what schemes we have and what things we do, we're still going to be undersized," Suns forward James Jones said. "I mean, you can't get away from that. So if teams really hammer down and try to exploit that, we have to give a little bit more energy and get up and down the floor to neutralize their size."
Phoenix's strategy against the Lakers this season has been to contain everyone besides Kobe Bryant, and it's worked. Bryant had 39 points in the first meeting and 37 in the second, but no other Lakers player scored more than 17 in the two games and the Suns simply outscored Los Angeles, averaging 114 points.
Bryant scored 42 on Thursday, but Los Angeles lost 110-108 to Denver when Carmelo Anthony hit a jumper with 3.8 seconds left in overtime.
Bryant could not get open during the Lakers' last play, and Luke Walton missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer. Bryant left the court dejected, shrugging his shoulders in frustration at not getting the ball.
"I wanted the shot," Bryant said. "I always want the ball in my hands. They had me covered. I wish I could have gotten a better screen on the play. But Luke had a good look in the corner."
It was the third straight game and fifth time in eight games Bryant has scored more than 40 points. He tops the NBA with 35.0 per contest.
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Hopefully the suns find their energy for tonights game.
I thought they all looked tired in the Clippers game.
They usually play well after a loss, so looking forward to them playing hard and getting a win tonight!
The Phoenix Suns still should be able to grab the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference despite their recent poor play. That might mean the Los Angeles Lakers wouldn't mind getting the No. 7 seed.
One team against which the Suns would prefer not to show how vulnerable they are is the Lakers, considering Phoenix has dominated its Pacific Division rival recently and these teams could meet in the first round of the playoffs.
If the season ended now, the clubs would open the playoffs against each other.
Phoenix has a five-game division lead over the second-place Los Angeles Clippers with eight games remaining, and is likely to claim the West's second seed if it holds on to win the Pacific. That would mean the Suns' opening-round opponent would be the seventh seed, a spot currently held by the Lakers, who are one game ahead of eighth-place Sacramento.
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The Suns have lost four of six -- three of those defeats coming by 14 points or more -- and are 7-8 since their season-best 11-game winning streak. "If you're making an educated guess, I'd write us off," Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni said. "I'd even be trying to get into seventh place to play us right now.
"But I think people are going to be surprised, and you'd probably better be careful what you wish for."
The Suns might be wishing they play the Lakers in the first round, even though Los Angeles is playing some of its best basketball of the season and has won six of eight.
Phoenix has won six straight in the series, including the last four by double digits. Plus, Los Angeles is not considered to be a strong team on the interior. The frontcourt is also the Suns' weakness, with Amare Stoudemire (knee) out for the season and Kurt Thomas (foot) not expected to return this month.
"Regardless of what schemes we have and what things we do, we're still going to be undersized," Suns forward James Jones said. "I mean, you can't get away from that. So if teams really hammer down and try to exploit that, we have to give a little bit more energy and get up and down the floor to neutralize their size."
Phoenix's strategy against the Lakers this season has been to contain everyone besides Kobe Bryant, and it's worked. Bryant had 39 points in the first meeting and 37 in the second, but no other Lakers player scored more than 17 in the two games and the Suns simply outscored Los Angeles, averaging 114 points.
Bryant scored 42 on Thursday, but Los Angeles lost 110-108 to Denver when Carmelo Anthony hit a jumper with 3.8 seconds left in overtime.
Bryant could not get open during the Lakers' last play, and Luke Walton missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer. Bryant left the court dejected, shrugging his shoulders in frustration at not getting the ball.
"I wanted the shot," Bryant said. "I always want the ball in my hands. They had me covered. I wish I could have gotten a better screen on the play. But Luke had a good look in the corner."
It was the third straight game and fifth time in eight games Bryant has scored more than 40 points. He tops the NBA with 35.0 per contest.
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Hopefully the suns find their energy for tonights game.
I thought they all looked tired in the Clippers game.
They usually play well after a loss, so looking forward to them playing hard and getting a win tonight!
