Suns at Hornets 8ET MY45

[FArting]

The Phoenix Suns have played much better defense this season than they did in 2007-08, though it would hard to tell by watching their last two games.
Chris Paul will try to be the third straight star guard to have a big game against the Suns on Wednesday night as the host Hornets go for their fifth win in six games.

Phoenix (11-7) will be looking to avoid its first three-game losing streak since Feb. 9-14, 2007 after letting an 11-point, fourth-quarter lead over New Jersey slip away Sunday. The Suns were outscored 43-24 in the fourth and fell 117-109 as the Nets' Devin Harris scored 21 of his career-high 47 points in the final 12 minutes.Two nights earlier, Miami's Dwyane Wade scored a season-high 43 in a 107-92 win over the Suns.

"They didn't have any resistance from our end, and we didn't do a good job of reading situations," Phoenix coach Terry Porter said following the loss to the Heat. "All in all a very poor job."The Suns, however, have improved defensively after allowing 105.0 points per game and 45.6 percent shooting in 2007-08. Phoenix gave up an average of 98.1 points and 44.0 percent shooting in its first 16 games of 2008-09, although it's allowed 112.0 points and 49.7 percent over the last two games.

Amare Stoudemire, who had 21 points and 12 rebounds in a 108-95 loss to New Orleans on Oct. 30, is coming off a 25-point, 12-rebound effort against New Jersey despite being ejected with 3:24 left.In his last five games against the Hornets -- all losses -- Stoudemire is averaging 22.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 3.0 blocks.

After missing the Miami game with a right thigh contusion, Steve Nash returned Sunday and had a team-high 26 points and nine assists with two steals.Nash had 24 points and nine assists in the first meeting with the Hornets this season. He averaged 18.8 points and 10.8 assists last season against New Orleans (9-6), but committed 5.0 turnovers per game, including a career-high 10 in a 132-130 overtime loss Feb. 6.Phoenix leads the league with 16.9 turnovers per game, and failure to take care of the ball played a big role in its back-to-back losses, as the Suns averaged 20.5 turnovers in the last two games.

Paul, the MVP runner-up last season, faces Nash, the two-time MVP, in a battle of top NBA point guards. Paul had 20 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds against Phoenix earlier this season, and averaged 29.0 points and 11.0 assists as New Orleans swept the four-game season series with the Suns in 2007-08.Paul, however, is coming off one of his least productive games of the season Friday, recording 16 points, six rebounds and six assists as the Hornets' four-game winning streak was snapped, 101-86 to Portland."We are nowhere near where we need to be," said Paul, averaging career highs of 11.6 assists and 2.8 steals. "We have a lot of work to do, mentally, physically ... as a team. It's a long season but the only way that we're going to get in the playoffs is if we start winning games."

Peja Stojakovic is 7-of-12 from 3-point range in his last two games, and was 3-of-5 against Portland as he scored a season-high 21 points. He's averaging 24.9 points and shooting 46.0 percent from 3-point range in his last 13 games versus Phoenix.

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=281203003

My prediction
Suns 98
Hornets 100

Prove me wrong by winning

 

[Roca Dolla]

another blowout for the suns.

i hope im wrong!

 

[Bufalay]

Lets get that lottery pick!

 

[carey]

I'm heading to the game as usual. Go Suns.

 

[cly2tw]

Suns 87
Hornets 102

Paul 23pt, 12 asts, 10 steals
Nash 20 pt, 7 asts, 10 turnovers

 

[TheHopToad]

New Orleans 104
Phoenix 93

Even though they're off to a slow start, the Hornets own the Suns, until proven otherwise.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

PHX 108
NOH 102

shaq amare and nash all with 22 pts

 

[Mulli]

Wish someone would vbookie this one.

 

[mojorizen7]

CP3 scores 55
Nash has 4 assists to 9 turnovers because he still can't(won't) seem to make the easy pass in this offense.

 

[mojorizen7]

I'm gonna miss tonights game entirely,bummer.
The SUNS will shoot a little better and play much better defense on the road(per usual).
GO SUNS! Go get a big W.

 

[Proteus]

How about playing Nash and Singletary together in the back court? Singletary can try to guard Paul while Nash stays on the court to keep the offense from floundering more than usual. Just a thought.

Anyway, Hornets by 12 alas.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

from azcentral:

Suns guard Steve Nash is doubtful to play in tonight's game at New Orleans because of flulike symptoms. Nash stayed at the team's hotel here while the Suns held shootaround this morning at New Orleans Arena.
When Nash missed last week's home game against Miami because of a thigh contusion, rookie point guard Sean Singletary started in his place.

 

[cly2tw]

from azcentral:

Nash led team has two sure things going for them: No chance of winning WCF and no chance of winning against Paul led Hornets.

At least, there is some uncertainty with him out.

 

[Andrew]

We all know how they play with Nash out, here is to hoping the stern talk and the collages worked...

 

[FArting]

from azcentral

The Suns are shaking things up tonight, partly out of necessity and partly by design.
Steve Nash (flulike symptoms have kept him at the hotel all day) and Shaquille O'Neal will sit out tonight's game at New Orleans. Leandro Barbosa will get hist first start of the season in Nash's place at point guard and rookie Robin Lopez will start for O'Neal for the third time this season.
Grant Hill is going back into the starting lineup at small forward, moving Matt Barnes into a reserve role. Hill has been struggling in recent games but the team was 4-1 when he started.
O'Neal twice has previously been held out of a game during a Suns' back-to-back set this season. The Suns play at Dallas on Thursday.

 

[LV-Suns]

Looks like its...

LB
Bell
Hill
Amare
Lopez

Diaw
Barnes
Singletary

I expect a huge blowout.

122-71
Hornets
Leading scorer - Amare 16 pt-5 rbs, CP3 with a triple double.

 

[SirStefan32]

Oh geez, that's great- we are playing the Hornets and Nash is out.

 

[SirStefan32]

WTF? Shaq is out too?

 

[LV-Suns]

Smells a little fishy..

Do I sense coughTankcough.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm so excited about tonight's game. LB will start at PG and Shaq will sit out.

I guess Porter has never watched too many games when LB started at PG prior to this season.

 

[SirStefan32]

Now I am just pissed- I have no problem with Shaq resting on back to back games, but when Nash is out, he really needs to play.

 

[nashman]

Nice line up Porter glad you know the personel so well! Geesh...

 

[mjb21aztd]

ouch man without nash we are going to lose by 30 pts.... Just watch Paul go for like 20 somethings pts 10 plus assists. I'm not even sure I want to watch this game lol. But hey who knows maybe they can pull a shocker. By the way does anyone know why nash is missing some games now?

 

[Griffin]

It seems to me like the Suns are giving away this game, figuring that even at full strength they would probably lose anyway. I doubt Nash would have sat last season. I guess our new strategy for back-to-back games is "let's try to win just one".

 

[LV-Suns]

NBA Tv commentators are annoying as it can get.

If I have to hear one more "and STAT(yes, they say STAT) wants to be featured."

Down 8, some terrible defense on the court. Its amazing how many open jumpers the Hornets are getting.