azdad1978
Championship!!!!
By Mike Tulumello, Tribune
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Call it the last shot.
The Suns’ final multiplegame road trip this season will give them one last chance at making a run for the NBA’s best record at season’s end.
They will probably need to go 4-1 on the five-game, seven-day trip to have much of a chance of beating out San Antonio — their rival for the No. 1 playoff seed in the West — and Miami for the status of league top dog.
"We’d like to keep up with San Antonio, which isn’t going to lose many more games," Suns coach Mike D’Antoni said. "We need to win as many games as we can."
The Suns have 18 games left, split equally between home and road.
They sit 1 1/2 games behind the Spurs and two games behind the Heat in the race for home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
If they go 3-2 or worse on this trip, they may lock themselves into the No. 2 seed in the West, meaning they would open the playoffs at home against the No. 7 seed.
And the No. 7 spot may well go to their opponent today, the Memphis Grizzlies, a team the Suns have struggled against this season.
In explaining the Suns’ 1-2 record vs. the Grizzlies, D’Antoni pointed out Phoenix was missing both Steve Nash and Leandro Barbosa in an 88-79 home loss on Jan. 19.
"You can kind of throw that game away," D’Antoni said. "We’ll get a better read (today)."
But the Suns also dropped a 108-97 decision on Feb. 1 in Memphis, a loss that cost the Suns coaching staff the All-Star coaching duties, even though the Grizzlies were missing several regulars.
Such obscure players as Dahntay Jones and Antonio Burks managed to light up the Suns in that one.
"I just think they’re a really good team," said Nash, who was ejected (the first of his career) toward the end of that game.
"They play hard. They foul a lot and get away with it sometimes. They’re tough, and they’re deep."
"I don’t think there’s any significance to it," Quentin Richardson said of the Suns’ struggles vs. the Grizzlies.
"Different circumstances. Different time of the year."
But as far as today’s game, he said, "We’ve got to get it done. That’s a team we could meet in the payoffs."
BONUS SHOTS: Walter McCarty, who played just three minutes Friday night because of back spasms, did not practice Saturday. His status for today will be determined before the game. The Suns don’t expect center Jake Voskuhl to be able to play, though he may dress for the game. Voskuhl, who isn’t in the rotation at this point anyway, has a sore left ankle. . . .This is the first time the Grizzlies have appeared on network (non-cable) TV. The game will be carried by ABC in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama and Kentucky.
Suns at Grizzlies
When: 1:30 p.m. today
Where: FedEx Forum, Memphis, Tenn.
TV: Ch. 15
Radio: KTAR (620 AM)
Records: Suns 48-16, Grizzlies 38-27
Line: Suns by 3 1/2
Series history: The Suns have won 23 of the last 30, though the Grizzlies have won the past two (they’re 2-1 vs. the Suns this season). All time, the Suns lead, 29-9.
Scouting report: Suns — They have a stunning 25-7 road record, best in the league and best in franchise history. They need to keep it up if they want to have a shot at the league’s No. 1 record.
Grizzlies — They are adept at getting in the passing lanes and coming up with deflections and steals. They’re fifth in steals at 8.5 per game and have three players in the NBA’s top 10 in steals per turnover (Brian Cardinal, Shane Battier and Bonzi Wells). Shawn Marion of the Suns is No. 1 at 1.37 steals per turnover. Guards Jason Williams and Wells have returned from injury problems, but big men Pau Gasol and Stromile Swift remain out, as is swingman Dahntay Jones.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=38267
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Call it the last shot.
The Suns’ final multiplegame road trip this season will give them one last chance at making a run for the NBA’s best record at season’s end.
They will probably need to go 4-1 on the five-game, seven-day trip to have much of a chance of beating out San Antonio — their rival for the No. 1 playoff seed in the West — and Miami for the status of league top dog.
"We’d like to keep up with San Antonio, which isn’t going to lose many more games," Suns coach Mike D’Antoni said. "We need to win as many games as we can."
The Suns have 18 games left, split equally between home and road.
They sit 1 1/2 games behind the Spurs and two games behind the Heat in the race for home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
If they go 3-2 or worse on this trip, they may lock themselves into the No. 2 seed in the West, meaning they would open the playoffs at home against the No. 7 seed.
And the No. 7 spot may well go to their opponent today, the Memphis Grizzlies, a team the Suns have struggled against this season.
In explaining the Suns’ 1-2 record vs. the Grizzlies, D’Antoni pointed out Phoenix was missing both Steve Nash and Leandro Barbosa in an 88-79 home loss on Jan. 19.
"You can kind of throw that game away," D’Antoni said. "We’ll get a better read (today)."
But the Suns also dropped a 108-97 decision on Feb. 1 in Memphis, a loss that cost the Suns coaching staff the All-Star coaching duties, even though the Grizzlies were missing several regulars.
Such obscure players as Dahntay Jones and Antonio Burks managed to light up the Suns in that one.
"I just think they’re a really good team," said Nash, who was ejected (the first of his career) toward the end of that game.
"They play hard. They foul a lot and get away with it sometimes. They’re tough, and they’re deep."
"I don’t think there’s any significance to it," Quentin Richardson said of the Suns’ struggles vs. the Grizzlies.
"Different circumstances. Different time of the year."
But as far as today’s game, he said, "We’ve got to get it done. That’s a team we could meet in the payoffs."
BONUS SHOTS: Walter McCarty, who played just three minutes Friday night because of back spasms, did not practice Saturday. His status for today will be determined before the game. The Suns don’t expect center Jake Voskuhl to be able to play, though he may dress for the game. Voskuhl, who isn’t in the rotation at this point anyway, has a sore left ankle. . . .This is the first time the Grizzlies have appeared on network (non-cable) TV. The game will be carried by ABC in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama and Kentucky.
Suns at Grizzlies
When: 1:30 p.m. today
Where: FedEx Forum, Memphis, Tenn.
TV: Ch. 15
Radio: KTAR (620 AM)
Records: Suns 48-16, Grizzlies 38-27
Line: Suns by 3 1/2
Series history: The Suns have won 23 of the last 30, though the Grizzlies have won the past two (they’re 2-1 vs. the Suns this season). All time, the Suns lead, 29-9.
Scouting report: Suns — They have a stunning 25-7 road record, best in the league and best in franchise history. They need to keep it up if they want to have a shot at the league’s No. 1 record.
Grizzlies — They are adept at getting in the passing lanes and coming up with deflections and steals. They’re fifth in steals at 8.5 per game and have three players in the NBA’s top 10 in steals per turnover (Brian Cardinal, Shane Battier and Bonzi Wells). Shawn Marion of the Suns is No. 1 at 1.37 steals per turnover. Guards Jason Williams and Wells have returned from injury problems, but big men Pau Gasol and Stromile Swift remain out, as is swingman Dahntay Jones.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=38267
