FArting
Lopes Up!
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
