San Antonio @ Suns -Game Thread - Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007 - 8:30 pm

[sunsfn]

BIG GAME!! 8:30 ARE YOU KIDDING, LETS GET THIS GAME STARTED!

We have to wait for the Cleveland/Miami game to end. I might be sleeping if I have to watch that game!
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San Antonio -- Phoenix

Thursday, February 1 2007 - 8:30 PM ET - TNT
US Airways Center - Phoenix , AZ


Spurs-Suns Preview

The Phoenix Suns didn't have any problems bouncing back after their first lengthy winning streak was ended. They may find it a bit tougher to start another one when they begin a difficult two-game homestand with a visit from the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday.

The Suns had their 17-game winning streak snapped with a 121-112 loss to Minnesota on Monday in the finale of a five-game road trip for Phoenix, which had won 33 of the previous 35 games.
Phoenix (36-9) won 15 straight -- then a franchise record -- from Nov. 20-Dec. 19, then lost two of three before starting the new franchise-record 17-game run, which was one game shy of tying for the fourth-longest winning streak in NBA history.
"It's too bad it ended," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said Wednesday. "I think we're all really disappointed. It's almost like losing a playoff game. But it doesn't really mean a whole lot in the whole scheme of where we're going. It was fun while it lasted. Now hopefully we can get on another."
While the Suns have rebounded nicely from a 1-5 start to the season, they now face two teams that have handed them three of their nine losses. San Antonio beat Phoenix 111-106 in overtime on Nov. 8 and Utah -- which visits on Saturday -- has beaten the Suns twice this year.

"We haven't played a ton of top teams lately, and for us to get a chance to play against the Spurs right now, I think it's something we've been waiting for," Suns point guard Steve Nash said after practice Wednesday. "It's important for us to see where we are and see how much improvement we've made."
Phoenix has won nine in a row at home since losing 144-139 in overtime to Washington on Dec. 22, the defeat that stopped its first long winning streak.

While the Suns are trying to stamp themselves as legitimate contenders for the NBA title, they still have to get past San Antonio (32-15), which has won two of the last four championships and has had plenty of success against Phoenix. The Spurs have won 18 of the last 22 meetings between the teams, including playoffs. San Antonio beat Phoenix 4-1 in the 2005 Western Conference finals.

"I don't get caught up, and I hope my teammates don't, in what (critics) say," Suns guard Raja Bell said. "We know we're a good team, and when it comes right down to the final table, we'll be there ready to play. If we haven't beaten San Antonio at that point, we'll just have to beat them then.
"They're a good team and always one of the best in the West," Bell said. "We haven't had as much success as we'd like (against the Spurs) the last couple of years, so it'll be a good measuring stick for us. I think we're up for it."

The Spurs will be ready to get back on the court after a tough 97-93 loss to Utah on Wednesday night. San Antonio rallied from 12 points down to take the lead twice, but couldn't hang on and fell to 1-1 on an eight-game road trip after stunning the Lakers 96-94 in overtime on Sunday.
"We're making too many mistakes right now," said Spurs forward Tim Duncan, who had 25 points and 12 rebounds. "We're giving up too many things in too many different areas."

San Antonio -- which had a three-game road winning streak snapped -- faces six teams with winning records on this trip, plus games against New Jersey and reigning champion Miami.

 

[jbeecham]

Suns See Spurs as Measuring Stick

By Jerry Brown
East Valley Tribune
Feb. 1, 2007

During two record-breaking winning streaks and an uncanny run that saw them win 33 of 36 games to obliterate a worrisome start, the Suns stayed true to their motto and kept their “Eyes on the prize.”

Setting high-water marks was nice but improving as a team and preparing themselves for bigger challenges ahead was foremost on the agenda. That, and understanding that Kevin Garnett simply couldn’t be stopped Monday in Minnesota, made the loss of a 17-game string easier to swallow.

So how far down that path of improvement have the Suns traveled? They’re about to find out.

A quick two-game homestand starts today with a nationally televised, 8:30 p.m. tip with San Antonio, a team the Suns haven’t seen since they were stumbling through early November. Phoenix is winless against the Spurs (0-1), Dallas (0-2), the Lakers (0-1) and Utah (0-2), although five of those games came during a 3-6 start.

“Making a statement today doesn’t carry it over to the playoffs,” Phoenix coach Mike D’Antoni said. “That said, these are the games you look forward to.”

The Jazz, who lost All-Star candidate Carlos Boozer for at least a month to a knee injury, beat the Spurs Wednesday and follow them into Phoenix for a Saturday game with the Suns.

“It’s a great time of the year to challenge ourselves,” guard Steve Nash said. “We haven’t played a ton of top teams lately, so to play the Spurs is something we’ve been waiting for. It’s important for us to see where we are.”

“We definitely seem to play better and at a higher level against the best teams. We haven’t necessarily beaten them all, but some of our wins we haven’t played at a high level. It’s good to challenge ourselves against a quality team, one we know will be there fighting for it in the playoffs.”

Even when they were struggling, the Suns raised their game at San Antonio Nov. 8. Guard Raja Bell missed a free throw with 1.5 seconds left that could have won it, and with Amaré Stoudemire limited to 15 minutes by fouls, Phoenix lost 111-106 in overtime.

“We just want to beat the Spurs. It’s not about getting caught up in the media talking about our record (against the best of the West),” Bell said. “We know we’re a good team, and when it comes down to the final table (the playoffs), we’ll be ready to play. If we haven’t beaten San Antonio by that point, we’ll just have to beat them then.”

While the Suns struggled early, the Spurs played .500 ball for nearly a month — losing three in a row at one point, which sent locals into a frenzy — and rumors of a player shakeup were flying. But Spurs coach and general manager Gregg Popovich seems prepared to stick with this group, and they have responded with better play. They sit comfortably third in the West.

“You know the Spurs will be there,” Nash said. “Everyone knows they have too much talent and experience. You’re going to have to beat them because they won’t beat themselves or be an easy out.”

The Suns haven’t been an easy out either. They have lost three games since Nov. 18, and in each case a superstar player (Gilbert Arenas of Washington, Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas and Garnett) needed huge nights to beat Phoenix. The T-Wolves’ nine-point win (121-112) is the biggest “blowout” over Phoenix all year.

“That’s a good sign because it’s difficult for a guy to carry his team every night in a playoff series,” Nash said. “It’s going to take a special performance in the playoffs to beat us four times.”
http://www.nba.com/suns/news/tribune_070201.html

 

[Covert Rain]

8:30?!?!?

 

[FArting]

Lets see what Sir Charles have to say about us.

 

[jbeecham]

TNT almost always gives us the late game because they figure the East coast doesn't care about our games. The Cavs vs. Heat is the early game so more east coasters probably want to watch that.

 

[jbeecham]

Lets see what Sir Charles have to say about us.

Probably the same thing he always says.......Suns don't play defense, defense wins championships, Suns have no chance, blah blah blah.

He's a fat broken record and he makes himself look ******** on every TNT broadcast.

Hopefully we kill the Spurs tonight so I can hear Charles say that the Spurs just aren't any good this year, despite their record (like he did when we crushed the Cavs).

 

[Ronin]

The last time Oberto went nuts against the Suns, lets see if we can contain him a little bit better this time.

 

[devilfan02]

HUGE GAME! Let's shut Brakleys fat a$$ up!

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

i need for the next 6+ hours to move already. i'm extremely nervous about this game. i think this team needs it for their collective psyche. i could see them losing tonight in a heartbreaker and having a big letdown against the jazz (and i'll be at THAT game and we better not lose . . . it's on my friggin' bday and i'm having issues with growing older as it is!)

 

[Covert Rain]

Probably the same thing he always says.......Suns don't play defense, defense wins championships, Suns have no chance, blah blah blah.

He's a fat broken record and he makes himself look ******** on every TNT broadcast.

Hopefully we kill the Spurs tonight so I can hear Charles say that the Spurs just aren't any good this year, despite their record (like he did when we crushed the Cavs).

I can hear it now.

Charles: "The Suns should win....the Spurs are no good. I mean their good.......... just not good like the MAVS and the Suns. If the Suns............ had lost this game............... it would mean that the Mavs....are the best team.......like I have been sayin."

 

[Louis]

TNT almost always gives us the late game because they figure the East coast doesn't care about our games. The Cavs vs. Heat is the early game so more east coasters probably want to watch that.

I thought it had something to do with the time difference of two hours?

 

[msdundee]

I'll be there tonight and I promise I'll be loud.

 

[green machine]

TNT almost always gives us the late game because they figure the East coast doesn't care about our games. The Cavs vs. Heat is the early game so more east coasters probably want to watch that.

I'd say that it is more likely because our game is on the west coast. If they gave the Cleveland game the late start, and started it after ours, either our game would have to start at 5 (which won't work for the Suns) or the late game would have to start at like 11pm Eastern Time.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Can't wait for this game. Sucks that we have to wait so late, but I LOVE that it's in HD on TNT

 

[Covert Rain]

Can't wait for this game. Sucks that we have to wait so late, but I LOVE that it's in HD on TNT

Love me some HD..

 

[SO91]

I can hear it now.

Charles: "The Suns should win....the Spurs are no good. I mean their good.......... just not good like the MAVS and the Suns. If the Suns............ had lost this game............... it would mean that the Mavs....are the best team.......like I have been sayin."

The only thing missing is a few "first of all..." Oh and I hope the first game doesn't go into overtime

 

[Griffin]

He's a fat broken record and he makes himself look ******** on every TNT broadcast.

I still remember what Barkley said about Nash not long ago. He said Nash definitely deserved to be the MVP, or something like that. But then he said that last year Dirk should have won it. And the year before that Shaq should have won it. I don't think he knows what he's saying most of the time.

 

[Tammillionaire]

Probably the same thing he always says.......Suns don't play defense, defense wins championships, Suns have no chance, blah blah blah.

He's a fat broken record and he makes himself look ******** on every TNT broadcast.

Hopefully we kill the Spurs tonight so I can hear Charles say that the Spurs just aren't any good this year, despite their record (like he did when we crushed the Cavs).

yo, yah charles rips on the suns every now and then, but come on, saying that he looks ******** on every TNT broadcast??thats a little much, i mean yah is isnt to most intelligent guy, but he is hilarious and brings something different to the table every night, unlike ESPN, which is always the same ol' bland b.s.

 

[jbeecham]

yo, yah charles rips on the suns every now and then, but come on, saying that he looks ******** on every TNT broadcast??thats a little much, i mean yah is isnt to most intelligent guy, but he is hilarious and brings something different to the table every night, unlike ESPN, which is always the same ol' bland b.s.

Charles has a lot of problems on TNT broadcasts other than just not giving the Suns any credit. He constantly repeats the same idea over and over again because the other guys don't agree with him and he thinks that if he says it enough then it'll become true. He constantly double talks himself and then flip flops his opinions and half of the time he comes off as if he hasn't ever watched the team/player play before.

The Suns-Cavs game was a perfect example because before the game they went on and on about Lebron and the Cavs being the best team in the east, having the best record, a real test for the Suns, etc. Then the Suns blew out the Cavs and all Charles could say was that the Cavs were a horrible team that played no defense (while giving no credit to the Suns). He went on and on about the Cavs being horrible the entire post game show and the other two guys just kept telling him he was wrong and the Cavs had the best record in the east, but it didn't matter.

 

[elindholm]

I think it's funny how when an entertainer sticks to his beliefs in the face of overwhelming contradictory evidence, he's a fool, but when an administration does it, it's called leadership.

 

[jbeecham]

Let's not get political now

 

[F-Dog]

I think it's funny how when an entertainer sticks to his beliefs in the face of overwhelming contradictory evidence, he's a fool, but when an administration does it, it's called leadership.

I'm sure plenty of people would call Barkley's act "leadership", too, if you paid them enough.



Suns are favored by 6.5. They've been getting out to quick starts in these statement games recently, and that's probably going to be a key tonight, too.

The Spurs' best chance is to get Amare in foul trouble and exploit the Suns' lack of bigs, so I'm sure they'll try to play the refs as much as they can. I'll be interested to see how many double-teams the Suns throw at Duncan--if they manage to keep up playing straight man, that seems like the way to go, because TD's gas tank only goes to half full nowadays.

Spurs have had trouble on back-to-backs this year.

 

[Nash]

Can't wait for this game. Sucks that we have to wait so late,

GRRRRR... Its going to be 10 frikkin 30 here when the game starts and YOU'RE grumbling about having to stay up?


go suns!

btw, I read that report and came home early thinking the game was at 8:30. darn it!

 

[az1965]

What a poopy start

 

[Treesquid PhD]

so far they look like the old suns tonight. soft and no d