Official Game Thread: Suns at Sixers

[Cheesebeef]

up 20 at the half?! Okay - I'm dying to see this club play - damn Cleveland game can't get here fast enough!!!!!! Keep the heat on boys!

Oh - and for all who's wondering right now - I will plenty happy to eat helpful servings of crow for the way I bashed this team over the offseason during the initial period of FA.

 

[carey]

I'm not a huge Johnson fan, but I have to admit that he looked fantastic in the first half. It might be the best I've ever seen him play.

I'm in agreement. He really does it efortlessly out there. Smooth jumper, great runners in the lane, and his defense isn't to shabby either. Right now you can count me as one of those who thinks we should have extended him.

Having Joe, Shawn, Amare, Q, and Nash locked up for a good 5 or 6 years would be a good thing imho. Draft a center next year and we should be ruling the West two years from now.

 

[jbeecham]

At the half- Suns 68-49

Shawn 18pts 6rebs 7-13fg
Amare 16pts 6rebs 6-12fg
JJ 16pts 7-11fg
Q 9pts 3rebs 2 assists
Nash 3pts (1-3fg) 9 assists

 

[Brett10S]

That cheap shot from Thomas was incredible. Way worse than the Danny Fortson from last preseason, IMO.....you risk a lot when you grab the head/neck

 

[Lefty]

Has Lampe played and if so, how has he looked?

 

[carey]

Has Lampe played and if so, how has he looked?

No Lampe tonight, no Hunter, and very little Vroman.

 

[BigBuddy]

It seems Vroman and Voskuhl combined 2 points (1-of-6 shooting) and 5 rebound in 25 minutes. Wow! Impressive! I bet Lampe would do ten times better than that.

 

[slinslin]

New Jersey is destroying Chicago. 49-22. Mourning is eating Chandler alive.

We HAVE to talk to Mourning if he is bought out.

 

[AmareFan]

This team is for REAL!!!! Go Suns!!! Magic said that the Suns are the new Kings of the west and I agree....watch out!!!

 

[Joe Mama]

Last week I agreed with the decision not to extend Joe Johnson. Now, especially if that $50 million demand was correct, it looks like a mistake. He's going to get a big offer from someone next summer. Well, it may actually be sometime next year if there is a strike.

Quentin Richardson needs to stop taking so many three-point shots.

I love the way this team moves the ball around on offense. They pushed the ball every time, and in the half-court offense they zip it around.

I wonder how long it is going to take for JJ, Q, and Shawn Marion to follow Steve Nash when he goes to the basket instead of hanging around the three-point line.

This team is just a lot of fun to watch. I really hope they can find a way to keep JJ around after this season because he is a key part of their success.

Joe Mama

 

[zett]

so this thread just died? who won??? I worked late and missed it.

 

[Joe Mama]

Phoenix 108
Philadelphia 98

Joe

 

[zett]

TY Joe.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Last week I agreed with the decision not to extend Joe Johnson. Now, especially if that $50 million demand was correct, it looks like a mistake. He's going to get a big offer from someone next summer. Well, it may actually be sometime next year if there is a strike.

Not to say I told you so (Of course, it has been 2 games)

 

[hcsilla]

Good start so far. Amare looks strong! Too bad we didnt draft Jeffries instead...

Or Haislip.

 

[elindholm]

Quentin Richardson needs to stop taking so many three-point shots.

Quentin Richardson needs to learn how to pass once in a while. Right now he's a complete black hole. This ain't the Clippers no more -- for him to jack up every shot he can get his hands on is not an acceptable attitude.

 

[F-Dog]

Well, I'm very happy to be wrong tonight.

I guess part of it was that I forgot the Sixers had brought in O'Brien and the scramble game, which plays into the Suns' hands. I hope the main part of it is that I'm still underestimating the team's strength.

Here's a feel-good post, from the Sixers board at RealGM:

At the end of this year, it will become clear why the Sixers are getting clubbed by this Phoenix team. They are very, very good. I will be surprised if they do not challenge for a spot in the NBA Championship game. They have one weakness and that is a big man but with all their young legs I think they can overcome it. We always knew the Sixers were not going to stack up against the leagues best teams ... so this is no surprise. Phoenix is just much better than the Sixers.

Can you imagine if Phoenix was playing in the Atlantic division ? Wow, it would be like taking candy from a baby.

 

[George O'Brien]

I only caught a few minutes on the radio, but plan to watch the tape tomorrow. Based on the radio comments, a few things stood out:

1. The Suns are playing pretty good straight up defense. This is reflected in the box score where the Sixers had 21 turnovers but gave up only 10 steals.

2. The Suns can win even when some of their players aren't shooting well (they shot only 43.8%).

3. The Suns are a much better three point shooting team than a year ago. They hit 39.3% in spite of Q hitting only 3 of 10 and JJ only 2 of 6. Marion was 4 of 8, Nash 1 of 1, and Jacobsen was 1 of 2. The running offense tends to leave shooters wide open on the wing, so the Suns may end up looking more like last year's Mavs than any of us expected.

4. Amare is impossible to stop even when he isn't hitting his jumper.

5. D'Antoni was quoted as saying he likes having Voskuhl coming off the bench, which is why Vroman started.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I can't tell you guys how stoked I am to start the season with TWO blowouts - one against a really bad team and one against a semi-okay team ON THE ROAD - I can't wait to see how this team plays together. This season should be a hell of a ride.

 

[George O'Brien]

I was more concerned about this game than the next two. The next two games are against vastly inferior teams which the Suns should win if they sustain their energy level. The Sixers are not as good as the Suns, but have enough talent to be dangerous on their home court. It is very encouraging.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I was more concerned about this game than the next two. The next two games are against vastly inferior teams which the Suns should win if they sustain their energy level. The Sixers are not as good as the Suns, but have enough talent to be dangerous on their home court. It is very encouraging.

I expect a let down tomorrow night but we should take two of the next three. Not a bad way to start off the year with a 3-1 roadie.

 

[Chaz]

Great win by the Suns tonight. They showed some of their weakness tonight. They were able to force Philly into running and that caused a lot of Philly turnovers. The Suns won this game on pts off turnovers.

JJ is playing so well right now. He is not forcing anything and his shot looks great. Q gave a little of everything which is going to be his trademark this season. Q had some nice assists, some great rebounds, and made a couple of big shots.

Late in the game when Philly was trying to get back into the game and the Suns shots were not falling they got the ball inside to Amare and he was able to get to the FT line. Amare's jumper is coming around even though he missed his first two. Amare's 15 ft jumper off a screen was sick, he looked like a SG.


Both teams off a back-to-back tomorrow but a bonus is that the CHI/NJ game went to 2 OT.

 

[cardsunsfan]

I have always liked Johnson better than Q...I think it kind of sucks that it looks like we almost traded one for the other since we didn't sign Johnson to a 50 mil six yr deal and we'll probably lose him at the end of the year.... Grass isn't always greener on the other side...but I guess we'll see...

 

[Chaz]

Yea Q looks like he is pressing a little. I'm sure he is not happy on the bench because he is a competitor but winning will cure a lot of problems. He still lacks a midrange pullup J or floater but he does so many things. He is the perfect 6th man for this team right now.

Q has a lot of talent but he is still learning how to win I think.


I am just so impressed with JJ right now. He is letting the game come to him and is the man with the clock running down.

 

[playstation]

richard jefferson, the nets only real weapon, played 57 minutes friday night....now he gets to run his ass off