azdad1978
Championship!!!!
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 20, 2004 12:00 AM
You could spot it as easily as Amaré Stoudemire's longer hair.
Something was amiss Saturday with Stoudemire, a game in which the Suns' multifaceted attack survived Stoudemire's first single-digit scoring game (eight points) in 54 outings.
A one-game funk may be all Suns fans have to worry about with their young star. Phoenix plays tonight at Denver, which has been experiencing more problems with its young star.
Carmelo Anthony will miss tonight's game, his second straight, due to a left ankle sprain. It has been a troubling season for Anthony, who criticized Larry Brown for not playing him more in the Olympics, was charged with marijuana possession (the case was dismissed), was involved in a club fight and a related extortion attempt on him, and was seen in a bootleg DVD with alleged drug dealers.
His team has lost four of five games and is not meeting preseason expectations at 13-11. Suddenly, Stoudemire's off-night on a league-best 21-3 team seems sort of trivial.
Nevertheless, Stoudemire has let foul problems or physical defensive play get under his skin in the past two games. He blamed his off-night in Saturday's home win against Washington on foul woes, but coach Mike D'Antoni spoke for every onlooker, saying: "Amaré had no energy or focus."
When Washington's Antawn Jamison found out that Stoudemire finished 17.5 points below his average, he told Wizards center Brendan Haywood he would treat him to dinner.
"They're just trying to flop," Stoudemire said of opponents. "They know inside is a physical game. It's getting out of hand. It's almost like they're trying to get an Oscar."
It could get rougher tonight, should Denver repeat the front line it used in Saturday's 22-point loss at Orlando. The Nuggets went big with Nene, Kenyon Martin and Marcus Camby, but had problems getting back on defense. Against Phoenix's fleet starting five, Denver may pull Nene in favor of DerMarr Johnson, who had 18 points and eight rebounds Saturday.
5-star fleet
Phoenix can survive a night such as Saturday when Stoudemire had eight points and Joe Johnson had nine on 4-for-14 shooting, because the rest of the lineup is just as potent.
Shawn Marion had a season-high 36 points. Quentin Richardson opened the game by hitting four straight long jumpers, including three three-pointers. Steve Nash got Phoenix rolling with buckets or assists on the Suns' first 13 points.
"We've got so many weapons that we still got 110 points," D'Antoni said.
When the Suns hit eight of their first nine three-pointers, that may have saved the night for a tired bunch, which returned from Seattle about 5 a.m. Saturday.
Free throws
Nash's streak of eight straight games with double-digit assists has come without a loss. The only other players in NBA history to do that are Magic Johnson (10, 1986-87), Oscar Robertson (eight, 1963-64) and John Stockton (eight, 1996-97).
• The Suns' 21-3 record is tied for the sixth-best start in NBA history.
• Eastern teams are 0-7 in Phoenix, losing by an average of 17 points.
• Marion sat out a light workout Sunday with a sore rib.
• Jake Voskuhl, recuperating from a Dec. 10 appendectomy, began working out at America West Arena. He hopes to return in early January.
• The Suns are winning by an average of 13.6 points during this eight-game win streak.
• The Suns have won 17 of their past 18, the franchise's best 18-game stretch ever.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/1220sunsnb1220.html
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 20, 2004 12:00 AM
You could spot it as easily as Amaré Stoudemire's longer hair.
Something was amiss Saturday with Stoudemire, a game in which the Suns' multifaceted attack survived Stoudemire's first single-digit scoring game (eight points) in 54 outings.
A one-game funk may be all Suns fans have to worry about with their young star. Phoenix plays tonight at Denver, which has been experiencing more problems with its young star.
Carmelo Anthony will miss tonight's game, his second straight, due to a left ankle sprain. It has been a troubling season for Anthony, who criticized Larry Brown for not playing him more in the Olympics, was charged with marijuana possession (the case was dismissed), was involved in a club fight and a related extortion attempt on him, and was seen in a bootleg DVD with alleged drug dealers.
His team has lost four of five games and is not meeting preseason expectations at 13-11. Suddenly, Stoudemire's off-night on a league-best 21-3 team seems sort of trivial.
Nevertheless, Stoudemire has let foul problems or physical defensive play get under his skin in the past two games. He blamed his off-night in Saturday's home win against Washington on foul woes, but coach Mike D'Antoni spoke for every onlooker, saying: "Amaré had no energy or focus."
When Washington's Antawn Jamison found out that Stoudemire finished 17.5 points below his average, he told Wizards center Brendan Haywood he would treat him to dinner.
"They're just trying to flop," Stoudemire said of opponents. "They know inside is a physical game. It's getting out of hand. It's almost like they're trying to get an Oscar."
It could get rougher tonight, should Denver repeat the front line it used in Saturday's 22-point loss at Orlando. The Nuggets went big with Nene, Kenyon Martin and Marcus Camby, but had problems getting back on defense. Against Phoenix's fleet starting five, Denver may pull Nene in favor of DerMarr Johnson, who had 18 points and eight rebounds Saturday.
5-star fleet
Phoenix can survive a night such as Saturday when Stoudemire had eight points and Joe Johnson had nine on 4-for-14 shooting, because the rest of the lineup is just as potent.
Shawn Marion had a season-high 36 points. Quentin Richardson opened the game by hitting four straight long jumpers, including three three-pointers. Steve Nash got Phoenix rolling with buckets or assists on the Suns' first 13 points.
"We've got so many weapons that we still got 110 points," D'Antoni said.
When the Suns hit eight of their first nine three-pointers, that may have saved the night for a tired bunch, which returned from Seattle about 5 a.m. Saturday.
Free throws
Nash's streak of eight straight games with double-digit assists has come without a loss. The only other players in NBA history to do that are Magic Johnson (10, 1986-87), Oscar Robertson (eight, 1963-64) and John Stockton (eight, 1996-97).
• The Suns' 21-3 record is tied for the sixth-best start in NBA history.
• Eastern teams are 0-7 in Phoenix, losing by an average of 17 points.
• Marion sat out a light workout Sunday with a sore rib.
• Jake Voskuhl, recuperating from a Dec. 10 appendectomy, began working out at America West Arena. He hopes to return in early January.
• The Suns are winning by an average of 13.6 points during this eight-game win streak.
• The Suns have won 17 of their past 18, the franchise's best 18-game stretch ever.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/1220sunsnb1220.html
