Phoenix Suns @ Seattle Sonics Game Thread

[sunsfn]

Sonics have some players that I like.
They traded for Chris Wilcox, so we can see how he is playing now.
Ridnour is a decent guard that seems to play well against the suns. They signed Marcus Fizer to a 10 day contract, although he may not play. And they have Johan Petro, who was available on the suns pick last year, and in a couple years will be a very decent center.
I believe I read that Collison is out injured, and oh yeah, they have this guy named Allen.!
----------------------------------------------------------------

ESPN Report.

Phoenix (43-19) at Seattle (25-38) 10:00 pm EST


SEATTLE (Ticker) -- The Phoenix Suns will try to put a lackluster effort behind them and end a brief road trip on a positive note when they visit the Seattle SuperSonics on Tuesday.

The Suns got their usual quality offensive production with six players scoring at least 11 points, but offered up little resistance defensively in a 111-101 loss at Portland on Sunday.

Shawn Marion and Boris Diaw scored 20 points apiece and, in his second game back from a sprained ankle, Steve Nash had 13 points and 16 assists.

Phoenix, which holds a six-game lead in the Pacific Division, shot 50 percent (41-of-82) from the floor but was outrebounded, 45-30, and allowed Portland to made 46-of-86 (54 percent) shots.

Still the best offensive team in the NBA, the Suns have made some strides defensively this season. However, during their current 1-2 slide they have allowed an average of 110 points.

The SuperSonics have put together consecutive wins for the first time since January 22-25 and have a shot at their first three-game run in over three months. They've done it with an increased offensive efficiency.

After scoring just 74 points in a loss to Memphis on Wednesday, Seattle has scored a total of 227 points in its back-to-back victories. Rashard Lewis led six players in double figures and the Sonics shot 59 percent (47-of-80) from the floor in Sunday's 120-113 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Ray Allen chipped in 19 points to surpass the 15,000-point mark in his career.

The Suns' recent defensive struggles and the Sonics' offensive improvement signal a high-scoring affair, as does the last meeting between the teams January 22 - a 152-149 double-overtime thriller won by Seattle.

Allen buried a 30-footer at the buzzer in the second OT to win it. It was the 32nd 3-pointer in the game, setting an NBA record.

 

[arthurracoon]

Lets not let Allen beat us at the end again, please?

 

[Zobaczcie suki]

Look for a few hard picks on Bell by Wilcox to free up Allen and to bang up Bell even more.

 

[jibikao]

I actually watched the 4th quarter of this game because here in Vancouver Canada they play Seattle games. Pretty good win! Diaw had some very nice drive-ins but the last one was quite funny. Nash was on scoring mode in the last few mins 'cause Seattle's defense was quite easy to slash in.

Any win is good!

 

[arthurracoon]

 

[sly fly]

Rumors of the Suns demise have been greatly exagerrated.

- Props to Mike D for constantly getting this team pumped up to play after a previously rather "dismal" performance.

- I always remembered Tim Thomas as a slight, lanky forward who languished on the perimeter. What the hell did they put in his Wheaties? The guy has been an animal.

- Looks like Marion is getting closer to breaking out of his mini-funk.

- James Jones and Eddie House need to get right.

- Every time Ray Allen shoots, I think it's going in. If he has the ball in his hands with under 5 seconds, I'm crapping my pants.

- Sacramento will beat San Antonio, if they meet in the 1st round.

- Has there very been a better finisher with both hands other than Steve Nash?

- I'm through with the regular season. Let's get this thing started.

 

[myrondizzo]

- Sacramento will beat San Antonio, if they meet in the 1st round.

too bad we are lined up to play them in the first round. They are 5 games behind the clippers so maybe they can catch them if not it look like we will be playing them in the 1st or 2nd round. both options scare me.

 

[jibikao]

By the way, this is the one of the very few times I see Nash blocking a shot. That was so funny.... lol Poor Ridnour.


Tim Thomas made 10-11 shot! Damn! He fits in so easily. I saw him doing a few post up moves and I really like what I see. He is giving us some low-post game with his size.

What happened to Barbosa's 3pt shooting? 0/4

 

[NDSunsfan]

fun game to watch tonight.....good win....

the suns are the most entertaining team in the league and it ain't even close....i always get a kick out of the opposing teams' announcers as they are usually very impressed with the Suns and always talk about what an entertaining game it is vs. the Suns

and btw, kevin calabro is the best play-by-play guy in the nba......almost makes me a sonics fan.....although craig ehlo almost cancels him out.......

 

[mribnik]

Why exactly would Sacramento beat San Antonio in the first round? The Kings have become a solid team, but this is just another example of people underestimating the Spurs. They're boring and often fly under the radar, but they are still 50-14 and a much better team than the Kings.

 

[fordronken]

Um...by the way, it's looking quite a bit like we're gonna be playing Sacramento in the first round. That's a match up I really don't want.

 

[keric]

- Sacramento will beat San Antonio, if they meet in the 1st round.


Dude, put the pipe down!

 

[jibikao]

Why exactly would Sacramento beat San Antonio in the first round? The Kings have become a solid team, but this is just another example of people underestimating the Spurs. They're boring and often fly under the radar, but they are still 50-14 and a much better team than the Kings.

I think he was being sarcastic?

I don't think we match bad against the Kings if we have Amare. Bibby may have another great playoff game though. I hate it when Nash plays against Bibby!

 

[The Commish]

I was at the game tonight and I was impressed with the turnout of Suns fans. It felt like a Cardinals home game against the Cowboys. Anyway we played well and it was fun to go to. Tim Thomas is a great player to have on the low block. Everyone with the exception of James and Eddie played well. By the way Key Arena is a piece. I can't wait to get back to the friendly confines of America West, errrr US Airways Center.

 

[sly fly]

- Sacramento will beat San Antonio, if they meet in the 1st round.


Dude, put the pipe down!

Some of you knuckleheads need better reading comprehension. I said IF Sacramento play San Antonio.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

kevin calabaro is amazing - especially when you give him a game like the one last night

too bad I was stuck with the ramblings of eddie johnson................

the suns were just doing there thing and were on last night - not much you can do if your the sonics when that happens

i'm encouraged by some of the things I'm seeing from the supes though - i think this new set of guys is coming together and hopefully everyone can stay happy and continue to progress this summer

 

[golfcardfan]

I read fine and you said they will beat them and thats just silly! SA will destroy the kings as a matter of fact I hope thats the match up cause I don't want the suns playing the kings.

 

[sunsfn]

From a Seattle paper.
The interesting part is below about Chris Wilcox............!

Sonics-Suns game at a glance
P-I STAFF

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Tim Thomas was stellar Tuesday, making 10 of 11 shot attempts, good for 23 points in just 20 minutes. Thomas, recently signed after being released by Chicago, drained three 3-pointers.

FOND MEMORIES: Sonics coach Bob Hill is a basketball carpetbagger, having traveling the world to coach and teach clinics. He has long-time connections with Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni, who played 13 years for Milan in Italy and was playing in the Italian League when Hill was a coach.
"Here's what I really remember about Mike," Hill said. "On Thanksgiving he had us all over in Milan. We all had Thanksgiving at his apartment. It was just a neat day."
Hill coached for one season in Italy before joining the Indiana Pacers staff in 1991.

PETRO REMAINS STARTER: With Robert Swift still nursing a sprained left ankle and also getting accustomed to a mask to protect his broken nose, Johan Petro will stay in the starting lineup. Petro has flourished with the increased playing time, averaging eight points and 6.9 rebounds in his past 10 games.
"(Swift's) still not 100 percent healthy," Hill said. "We're playing pretty well, so I am not going to disrupt that."

LAYUPS: Hill said the Suns were also interested in acquiring Chris Wilcox before the trade deadline. "If they got Wilcox and (Amare) Stoudemire, they'd be fighting over the ball above the rim, who's gonna dunk," he said. ... Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen Iverson is questionable for Thursday's game with Seattle with a sprained ankle.

 

[elindholm]

I think it must have been as insurance in case Stoudemire doesn't come back this season. It wouldn't make any sense for the Suns to give Wilcox a big extension this summer.

Also, how would Hill know what the Suns are trying to do?

 

[Folster]

Also, how would Hill know what the Suns are trying to do?

Maybe the Clips mentioned it for leverage. I wonder what we offered.

 

[sunsfn]

I think it must have been as insurance in case Stoudemire doesn't come back this season. It wouldn't make any sense for the Suns to give Wilcox a big extension this summer.

Also, how would Hill know what the Suns are trying to do?

Most of the G. M's keep in touch and know what a lot of the others are doing as far as personal.
This has always been the case, it is their job to know. They would also tell the coaches everything they know about other teams.

 

[Errntknght]

We are more likely to play the Kings than SA is - they've already leapfrogged the Lakers. The way Sac is playing they look likely to also overtake Memphis and thus face Denver in the first round, which means that we'd get them in the second round, assuming they beat the Nuggets. Of course, if the Clippers are true to form, the Kings will climb over them, too, and thus get back into the Spurs/Mavs bracket.

 

[F-Dog]

The Kings aren't beating anybody in this year's playoffs. Even Denver would probably squash them pretty good.


Nice game by the Suns, from what I heard. It's nice to see they're still capable of winning comfortably in the post-defense, post-Marion-going-nuts era.