Magic at Suns 9:00ET FSN AZ

[FArting]

With a pair of aging stars apparently on the decline, the Phoenix Suns are off to their worst start in five years.
They're hoping a midseason shakeup -- headlined by the acquisition of a new weapon -- will help.

Jason Richardson could be in the Suns' lineup for the first time when the red-hot Orlando Magic visit Phoenix on Friday, two days after general manager Steve Kerr pulled the trigger on a major five-player trade.The Suns (13-10) have reached 10 losses faster than in any season since 2003-04 -- the last time they missed the playoffs -- and part of the problem has been declining production from a pair of former league MVPs.

Point guard Steve Nash, 34, is averaging 15.0 points and 8.4 points -- both his lowest in five seasons -- while 36-year-old Shaquille O'Neal's 15.4 points per game are nearly 10 below his career average.Those numbers may have guided Kerr on Wednesday, when he traded veteran role players Boris Diaw and Raja Bell, along with reserve point guard Sean Singletary, to Charlotte in exchange for Richardson, forward Jared Dudley and a draft pick.

"We felt like we needed to shake things up a little bit," Kerr said. "We wanted to add a great scorer in the backcourt to give us better balance to take some of the pressure off of Steve."That's what the Suns hope they have in Richardson, who averaged 18.7 points and shot 45.8 percent from 3-point range in 14 games for Charlotte this season despite arthroscopic knee surgery.

Richardson, who has averaged more than 21 points in three of the last four seasons, said he's excited to play on a team that has been to four consecutive playoffs, averaging 58 regular-season wins during that span."I've always been on rebuilding teams," Richardson told the Suns' official Web site. "I've only been to the playoffs once. I've never really won anything, but I think I can bring a lot to this team and have a special season."Phoenix will also have to adjust to the losses of fixtures Bell and Diaw."When you lose two of your best friends on the team, it's hard," Nash said. "We're not only recreating chemistry, we're changing our style. But we've got lots of time to build."

Without players from either end of the trade, the shorthanded Suns lost 115-110 at the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. They were also lacking O'Neal, who is expected to miss Friday's game as well after his great-grandmother died this week.Matt Barnes had 25 points, Grant Hill added 23 and Amare Stoudemire scored 21 against the Lakers, but Phoenix still lost for the fifth time in its last seven games and allowed more than 100 points for the eighth straight contest.They'll face another stiff test in the streaking Magic (17-5). Orlando has won four straight and 13 of 15, opening its five-game Western road trip with wins over the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland.

Rashard Lewis scored 27 points, shooting 6 of 9 from 3-point range in Tuesday's 109-108 victory over the Trail Blazers, but it was Hedo Turkoglu's banked-in 3 in the final second that gave Orlando the dramatic victory. The play had been designed to go to either Lewis or Jameer Nelson."That was just brilliant, brilliant coaching down the stretch," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said, sarcastically. "If you're (the Blazers), you've got to roll your eyes, because we threw one in."The Magic are shooting 46.5 percent (47 of 101) from 3-point range during their four-game winning streak.They're also the NBA's second-best road team at 8-2, but they've lost six in a row in Phoenix and five straight to the Suns overall.

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=281212021

 

[nowagimp]

the suns need JRich to take advantage of the magics poor defense at the '2'.

 

[mjb21aztd]

We really need to win this to get some momentum back early in the season. It will be fun seeing Richardson in his first game as a sun hope it is a win .

 

[SirStefan32]

I hope Shaq can make it back to Phoenix tonight. Howard is gonna have a field day if all we have is Amare and Lopez.

 

[nashman]

Don't think Shaq is playing from reports I have heard. DH may have a huge game, this may be a tough one to win unless we just score 125 points...which may be possible.

 

[LV-Suns]

Magic 103
Suns 95

Another poor game by Amare and gets himself outplayed by Shard, Top scorer LB with 25. We are going to get absolutely demolished on the boards.

 

[Folster]

I hope Shaq can make it back to Phoenix tonight. Howard is gonna have a field day if all we have is Amare and Lopez.

I don't know about that. If I recall Howard has had trouble staying out of foul trouble against us. Amare usually gets the best of him, but that was back when Amare was our starting 5. He'll absolutely abuse Lopez.

 

[Ronin]

Howard will get 20 rebounds tonight.

 

[atikiN]

Any updates whether JR will play tonight?

 

[LV-Suns]

J-Rich and Dudley will be playing today.

Just got a text alert about their physical and debut.

 

[CaptainInsano]

J-Rich and Dudley will be playing today.

Just got a text alert about their physical and debut.

HECK YEAH! Thanks for the quick heads up it's exactly what I was hoping someone would do since im not quite in the loop on quick alerts.

 

[Roca Dolla]

great news, im really pumped to see em play!

 

[Folster]

I'm stoked for this game. The trade cured my apathy toward this years team.

 

[dodie53]

go suns!

 

[Andrew]

J-Rich and Dudley will be playing today.

Just got a text alert about their physical and debut.

Do you know a stream for this game?

 

[atikiN]

Do you know a stream for this game?

There's a thread for this already.

 

[Andrew]

What the hell is a double foul lol?

 

[LV-Suns]

Nash on fire

 

[Andrew]

I would have loved to see that standing ovation, damn the internets.

 

[Brianellsworth]

Richardsons first shot is a three (too bad he missed it) Barnes is hustling

 

[Andrew]

We are getting our ass kicked

 

[dodie53]

is shaq playing?

 

[dodie53]

audio league pass

http://www.nba.com/games/20081212/ORLPHX/gameinfo.html?ls=gt1hp0020800333

 

[Brianellsworth]

Shaq is not playing. I am glad to see these guys play without Shaq. They need to get used to playing together without him in the game. Howard is a beast though and I definetly wish Shaq was here to atleast guard him for a little bit.

 

[atikiN]

Man, JRich looks nervous. He needs some time to get comfy in the new colors. Hope he steps it up in the second quarter. Lopez was just getting abused by Howard.