Suns at Nets Game Thread

[FArting]

The Phoenix Suns shot 50 percent from the floor last season, the highest field-goal percentage in the NBA in 11 years, and they're off to an even more impressive start in 2008-09.
The Eastern Conference doesn't need any reminders of the Suns' ability.
The Suns compiled an NBA-best 24-6 record against the East last season, and they'll look to keep up their interconference dominance on Tuesday when they begin a four-game Eastern road trip against the New Jersey Nets.
Phoenix (2-1) averaged 110.1 points last season, primarily thanks to an offense that took a lot of high-percentage shots. The Suns shot 50 percent from the field, the highest shooting percentage in the NBA since the 1996-97 Utah Jazz made 50.4 percent of their shots.
They shot even better against the East, making 50.1 percent while posting the league's best interconference record.Phoenix has started this season on even more of a tear. The Suns are shooting 52.8 percent, and they're coming off their best performance yet. Phoenix made 55.1 percent of its shots on Saturday against Portland, rallying from a halftime deficit to win 107-96.
"I think we have good players and we are a good shooting team, so we should shoot a good percentage," said Steve Nash, who was 6-of-10 for 20 points and seven assists. "But we have to keep the turnovers down because that will kill us."The Suns were coming off a loss to New Orleans in which they turned the ball over 24 times. They've given it away just 22 times combined in their two wins.Nash (19.0 ppg, 9.7 apg) is playing typically well, and shooting 60.0 percent from 3-point range, but the Suns are also getting strong efforts inside from the duo of Amare Stoudemire and Shaquille O'Neal. Stoudemire is averaging a double-double, scoring 22.0 points and pulling down 11.0 rebounds per game, while O'Neal is averaging 13.0 and 9.7, respectively.
Coach Terry Porter thinks the presence of Stoudemire, who missed most of the preseason due to injury, is critical."I think he's kind of slowly finding his rhythm," Porter said. "He seems to be feeling more and more comfortable with the flow. He gives us that offensive lift that we need."Stoudemire certainly shot the ball well against the Nets (1-1) last season. In a pair of victories, Stoudemire averaged 30.5 points and 12.0 rebounds, shooting 74.2 percent.With longtime mainstays Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson both gone, the Nets are rebuilding around the young core of Devin Harris and Yi Jianlian.Those two haven't played especially well so far, particularly in their latest game. After beating Washington in their season opener, the Nets lost 105-97 to Golden State on Saturday. Jianlian was 0-for-4 and went scoreless, while Harris was 3-for-12 and finished with 13 points.
New Jersey was down one at halftime, but that lead ballooned to 16 after the Warriors outscored the Nets 33-18 in the third."We just can't coast through and unfortunately, that's what we did in the third quarter," said center Josh Boone. "We just kind of coasted on defense and they built on their lead."Despite the loss, Boone looked excellent inside. He was 7-for-15 for 17 points and pulled down 14 rebounds after contributing just four points and three boards in the opener.Nets star Vince Carter is averaging 27.9 points lifetime against the Suns, including a career high-tying 51 points while with Toronto in 2000.Nash had a career-high 42 points in Phoenix's thrilling 161-157 double-overtime win in New Jersey on Dec. 7, 2006.

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=281104017

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I hope the election is wrapped up early enough for me to watch the game tonight.

 

[S_Nash]

I know it's nit-picking, but that preview says that Steve Nash scored a career high 42 points in the 2OT win @ New Jersery.

Didn't he score 48 against the Mavs in the '06 playoffs?

Don't these guys get paid top dollar to know/research this stuff? Don't they have a database where they can automatically look at this type of information?

 

[Hat]

Should be a semi-easy win.

Suns 100
Nets 85

Barnes with 20

 

[Black Jesus]

I know it's nit-picking, but that preview says that Steve Nash scored a career high 42 points in the 2OT win @ New Jersery.

Didn't he score 48 against the Mavs in the '06 playoffs?

Don't these guys get paid top dollar to know/research this stuff? Don't they have a database where they can automatically look at this type of information?

when they do career highs, it only includes regular season for some reason.

 

[Black Jesus]

that being said, i am ready to see Amare abuse Brook all day.

Suns 103 Nets 90

Amare 37 pts
Shaq 19 pts, 16 reb

Brook facialized 3+ times

 

[Ronin]

I think that this will be a hard fought game......
Suns 95
Nets 90

 

[elindholm]

Phoenix (2-1) averaged 110.1 points last season, primarily thanks to an offense that took a lot of high-percentage shots.

This sentence is hilarious. "The Suns scored a lot of points because a lot of their shots went in."

 

[Mainstreet]

I hope the election is wrapped up early enough for me to watch the game tonight.

Since I voted long ago, my plan is to watch the Suns live on TV and switch to election coverage during commercials. Also if one had a computer nearby the TV, it would be easy to follow them both.

I know the election coverage is riveting and addictive although I'm growing tired of the relentless coverage.

 

[JustinD]

Dinner with the In-Laws tonight

I'll be listening to the game on KTAR on the way to dinner and tracking the score on my blackberry after that, lol

 

[mjb21aztd]

Lets go suns destroy the nets expecting a big game from Amare tonight and will be fun watching the lopez brothers go at it .

Suns 103

Nets 90

Leading Scorer Amare 33 pts 8 boards 1 block

 

[Bayless2Budinger]

I cant wait till the Suns shooting goes cold and NJ takes the lead. Amare having only 2 shots against this defense is ********. Porter needs to understand he needs the ball early in order to get the other team in foul trouble.

 

[cly2tw]

anybody has a link for the game?

 

[Ciani]

I cant wait till the Suns shooting goes cold and NJ takes the lead. Amare having only 2 shots against this defense is ********. Porter needs to understand he needs the ball early in order to get the other team in foul trouble.

Shaq is a better option now, he cant miss and even makes the FTs. STAT will still get his, the turnovers are the big issue again.

 

[atikiN]

Suns shot 77%... holy ****.

 

[Proteus]

Suns shot 77%... holy ****.

Wow.

And yet we're only up 63-55 at the half.

 

[cly2tw]

Wow.

And yet we're only up 63-55 at the half.

Too many turnovers and off. rebounds given up.

 

[atikiN]

I don't understand why Nash and STAT aren't running the pick and roll...

 

[Cheesebeef]

77% shooting and only up 7? that's troubling. come on guys, stop turning the ball over and put this team away so we can rest up for tomorrow.

 

[Bayless2Budinger]

Shaq is a better option now, he cant miss and even makes the FTs. STAT will still get his, the turnovers are the big issue again.

Shaq is not a better option. He is turnover prone and a black hole. But hey everyone loves Shaq

 

[Ronin]

Bell is on fire.
Nice move by Stoudemire

 

[Ciani]

Shaq is not a better option. He is turnover prone and a black hole. But hey everyone loves Shaq

Generally I agree but tonight Shaq is dominating - its true he has too much TOs but not all his fault, he tried to save some crappy passes. Amare is getting more and more shots by the way, he tends to start slow this season.

 

[cly2tw]

Amare's defensive attention is lacking, leading to a lot of off. rebounds. They stay away from Nash/Amare pnr to practice other things. Well, they played way too much zone which contributed to bad positioning for rebounds too.

 

[Proteus]

Suns up 92-77 after the 3rd quarter. Suns shooting only 68%.

 

[Bayless2Budinger]

Amare's defensive attention is lacking, leading to a lot of off. rebounds. They stay away from Nash/Amare pnr to practice other things.

That last foul was ********. The only play you are referring to, Shaq was on the other side of the court leaving Amare to box out two guys. But hey, Shaq is great.