Suns at Knicks 1/21

[FArting]

A familiar face ruined Mike D'Antoni's return to Phoenix last month. That same player has a lot to prove when he meets his former coach for the second time.
Two days after arguably their worst performance of the season, the Phoenix Suns and Steve Nash look to get back on track when they visit D'Antoni's New York Knicks on Wednesday night.

D'Antoni was hired by the Suns during the 2003-04 season and went 253-136 in four-plus seasons, but he never led them to the NBA finals. After losing in the first round to San Antonio last spring, D'Antoni was given permission to pursue other openings and eventually released from the final two years of his contract.The Knicks then hired D'Antoni in May to pick up the pieces after Isiah Thomas' failed stint as coach and general manager.

He returned to Phoenix on Dec. 15 and was done in by Nash, whose career flourished under D'Antoni. Nash scored 21 points, including a game-clinching 3-pointer with 28 seconds to play, as Phoenix came away with a 111-103 victory."He put the dagger in us at the end," D'Antoni said, "but I've seen that a thousand times. I knew it was going to happen. It didn't surprise me."Nash and the Suns' play on Monday, though, was a bit surprising.

Phoenix (23-16), in the midst of a season-high six-game road trip, fell behind by 30 points en route to a 104-87 loss to defending NBA champion Boston. Nash came close to his season averages with 12 points and eight assists, but his counterpart, Rajon Rondo, had 23 points and seven assists before sitting out the fourth quarter with the rest of the Celtics starters."They put on a clinic for us tonight," Nash said.Nash and the Suns have struggled over the past week, losing three of four following a 6-1 stretch. On Monday, Phoenix matched its worst defeat of the season after also losing by 17 at Chicago on Nov. 7."It was a good ol' spanking. That's what is was," coach Terry Porter said. "They came out and turned on the intensity on us early and we didn't respond. They got whatever they wanted. There was no resistance from us whatsoever."

New York (16-24) had a much better outcome Monday, defeating the Bulls 102-98 to avoid a third straight loss.Point guard Chris Duhon, playing through back spasms, drove against two defenders for the go-ahead basket with 31.2 seconds left and scored 19 points to help lift the Knicks to their third win in four games at Madison Square Garden."I'm hurting real bad," Duhon said, "but my main thing was us to go get a win, and that's what we came out and did."Like Nash, Duhon has flourished in D'Antoni's offense, averaging 12.3 points and 8.0 assists -- tied for sixth-most in the NBA. He entered 2008-09 with career averages of 6.9 points and 4.5 assists after spending his first four seasons with Chicago.

"He gutted it out, which I expected him to do," D'Antoni told the Knicks' official Web site. "It does cause some anxiety on our side, but he's competitive all the way through."New York has lost two straight and three of its last four at home to Phoenix, which has one of the better road records in the league at 11-8.

http://espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=290121018

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[Andrew]

I have to miss the game because of class, but I fully expect a Suns win. Don't disappoint, Suns...

 

[Ronin]

Suns 118
Knicks 115
Amare

 

[nashman]

They had better win this team is not looking good as of the last few games, pull your heads out (I MEAN YOU AMARE MORE THAN ANYONE!!!) and win.

 

[Mainstreet]

I want the Suns to win, however, I want them to play with consistent effort. It seems ever since the Indiana game the Suns are not plugged-in. Sometimes one has to ask oneself, why am I watching the game if the team does not care about winning or losing. It seems like since the Indiana game (and even further back) the Suns have not been playing team basketball. In my worst case scenario, the Suns players (especially Amare) have tuned Porter out. I guess some questions may be answered tonight.

I won't venture a prediction because I do not know which Suns team will show-up.

 

[Bufalay]

I will be there tonight. It'll be my first time going to MSG. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[dodie53]

suns 110
knicks 89

Amare

 

[Andrew]

Why isn't anyone commenting in here?

 

[AceP]

It looks like Porter is deliberately let Amare lead the team in the late 1st and early 2nd, while all other 4 starters rest on bench. Pity Amare lead second unit to blow a 10 points lead letting the Knicks catch up ... So much for the man ...

 

[Bayless2Budinger]

It looks like Porter is deliberately let Amare lead the team in the late 1st and early 2nd, while all other 4 starters rest on bench. Pity Amare lead second unit to blow a 10 points lead letting the Knicks catch up ... So much for the man ...

Are u ****ing kidding me? This is the kind of unwarranted hate no one would dare bring up against Nash or Shaq.

As I type this Nash and Shaq come in and lose the 4 pt lead we had. At least they had each other. Amare had to play with the whole bench.

 

[Bayless2Budinger]

Shaq now has the same +/- mark as Amare. Amare had to play with the 4 bench players. Shaq has played with other starters.

 

[Andrew]

shaq is being fouled

 

[Andrew]

A call finally, and that one announcer SUCKS

 

[SirStefan32]

Wow, Shaq finally gets a call.

 

[Bayless2Budinger]

Shaq got bailed out there to make up for the previous call.

 

[dodie53]

Why isn't anyone commenting in here?

no one's watching?

 

[95pro]

awesome rotation amare. way to get dunked on.

 

[95pro]

3 on 4, nash fires up a brick.

 

[95pro]

lee with 17pts.

 

[95pro]

mikeD actually calling a t/o to stop the bleeding.


robinson is a little d-bag.lol
stupid tech he picked up.

 

[Andrew]

Nate Robinson is a *******, get in Amare's face? Come on man, you would always lose that battle lol

 

[Bayless2Budinger]

Blame Amare for the Knicks working Shaq and Nash on the p&r.

Sick dunk by Lee. Nate on the other hand is a punk.

 

[Andrew]

Shaq is the man

 

[Bayless2Budinger]

Shaq and Lee are working each other. Every pt Shaq gets, he gives up on the other end.

 

[SirStefan32]

Nice play by Amare. He knew he was double-teamed, he didn't freak out, looked for an open man and made a nice pass. Way to go Amare!