azdad1978
Championship!!!!
By Mike Tulumello, Tribune
LOS ANGELES - In the NBA, trying to run and gun with the Suns is a little like staging "Guaranteed Win Night" in New Orleans.
The odds are against you.
The Clippers went with a small lineup Saturday night that cried, "We can do what you can do, only better!"
They couldn’t, of course.
Instead, they made the inevitable much easier, as the Suns blew out the Clippers in the opening minutes and rolled to an easy 108-91 win at Staples Center.
"That never works," Quentin Richardson said of the Clippers’ approach. "Never works."
Said Joe Johnson, "They tried to play our way, and we beat them at it."
Said coach Mike D’Antoni, diplomatically, "We’re a hard team to match up with."
The Suns moved to 29-4 on the season, a mark that includes an even more amazing road record of 15-2.
Richardson broke a 4-4 tie by bombing home a 25-footer, igniting a running-shooting 29-10 run that effectively decided the game after one quarter.
The Suns ended up hitting 10 3-pointers in the first half (four by Richardson) en route to a 69-46 lead at the break.
"The way we shot the ball in the first half, it would be tough for anybody," D’Antoni said.
What approach should an opponent take?
"Play your game," Richardson said.
"You should stick to what works for you. When you come into our realm, that’s what we’ve been doing all season."
Johnson pointed out the Suns have "abnormal guys" at some positions.
For example, Shawn Marion isn’t really a power forward, "But he can play there because he’s so athletic."
The Suns hit the 100-point mark with 8:15 left on a hoop inside by Amare Stoudemire, then slowed the game down in the final minutes.
For the game, all five starters scored in double figures, led by Johnson’s 23. Marion had 22 points and 11 rebounds. Richardson added 19 points.
Stoudemire had a relatively quiet 17-point, six rebound night.
Leandro Barbosa returned to action after his bout with chicken pox.
Johnson continued to swing over from the off-guard spot to back up Steve Nash at point guard, with Barbosa seeing his first action playing alongside Nash.
For the Clippers, Bobby Simmons had 22 points.
The Suns returned home after the game; they’ll host the Indiana Pacers tonight.
MATCHING UP
The Clippers, burdened by injuries, elected to go small vs. the Suns, starting Elton Brand in the middle.
This is usually a suicidal approach — as it was Saturday night — and teams end up playing the Suns’ game, only not as well. That said, how would D’Antoni play the Suns if he were an opposing coach? D’Antoni said he’s not much of a believer in matching up to the other team. "You have to play to the strengths of your team. You take what you do well and do it."
OK, what if everything is equal? How would he play the Suns? D’Antoni still wouldn’t bite. "I have no idea," he said. Finally, he joked, "I’d just go ahead and forfeit."
FASTEST STARTS
The Suns are among nine teams in NBA history who started at 28-4 or better. All of these teams except one — the ’71-72 Milwaukee Bucks, who started 30-4 — won the NBA title. The best start for any team was the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls, who started 41-3 and then lost their next game. Those Bulls finished 72-10.
BONUS SHOT
Joe Johnson said he opted not to join other clients of agent Arn Tellem and donate $1,000 a point in a game to the disaster relief effort in South Asia.
Pacers at Suns
When: 6 p.m. today
Where: America West Arena
TV: Fox Sports Net Arizona
Radio: KTAR (620)
Line: Suns by 11
Series history: Phoenix hold a 31-29 all-time edge, including a 20-10 mark in the Valley. The Suns were swept last season for the first time since the 1987-88 season.
Scouting report:
Pacers — They had won four in a row before losing at San Antonio and Dallas. Jermaine O’Neal, back from his suspension for brawling on Nov. 19, has been on fire, and Jeff Foster — an aggressive rebounder, is back from a hip injury. They also recently signed wily veteran Michael Curry, who had been out of the league, to fill some time at small forward. He has been starting lately. The Pacers, who played Saturday night, are 4-5 in the second game of back-to-backs this season.
Suns — An interesting issue to watch is whether Leandro Barbosa, who has been in and out of action this season, will start returning to his role as Steve Nash’s backup or whether coach Mike D’Antoni sticks with shifting Joe Johnson from the off guard to the backup point. This move has been giving Casey Jacobsen more time at shooting guard.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=34454
LOS ANGELES - In the NBA, trying to run and gun with the Suns is a little like staging "Guaranteed Win Night" in New Orleans.
The odds are against you.
The Clippers went with a small lineup Saturday night that cried, "We can do what you can do, only better!"
They couldn’t, of course.
Instead, they made the inevitable much easier, as the Suns blew out the Clippers in the opening minutes and rolled to an easy 108-91 win at Staples Center.
"That never works," Quentin Richardson said of the Clippers’ approach. "Never works."
Said Joe Johnson, "They tried to play our way, and we beat them at it."
Said coach Mike D’Antoni, diplomatically, "We’re a hard team to match up with."
The Suns moved to 29-4 on the season, a mark that includes an even more amazing road record of 15-2.
Richardson broke a 4-4 tie by bombing home a 25-footer, igniting a running-shooting 29-10 run that effectively decided the game after one quarter.
The Suns ended up hitting 10 3-pointers in the first half (four by Richardson) en route to a 69-46 lead at the break.
"The way we shot the ball in the first half, it would be tough for anybody," D’Antoni said.
What approach should an opponent take?
"Play your game," Richardson said.
"You should stick to what works for you. When you come into our realm, that’s what we’ve been doing all season."
Johnson pointed out the Suns have "abnormal guys" at some positions.
For example, Shawn Marion isn’t really a power forward, "But he can play there because he’s so athletic."
The Suns hit the 100-point mark with 8:15 left on a hoop inside by Amare Stoudemire, then slowed the game down in the final minutes.
For the game, all five starters scored in double figures, led by Johnson’s 23. Marion had 22 points and 11 rebounds. Richardson added 19 points.
Stoudemire had a relatively quiet 17-point, six rebound night.
Leandro Barbosa returned to action after his bout with chicken pox.
Johnson continued to swing over from the off-guard spot to back up Steve Nash at point guard, with Barbosa seeing his first action playing alongside Nash.
For the Clippers, Bobby Simmons had 22 points.
The Suns returned home after the game; they’ll host the Indiana Pacers tonight.
MATCHING UP
The Clippers, burdened by injuries, elected to go small vs. the Suns, starting Elton Brand in the middle.
This is usually a suicidal approach — as it was Saturday night — and teams end up playing the Suns’ game, only not as well. That said, how would D’Antoni play the Suns if he were an opposing coach? D’Antoni said he’s not much of a believer in matching up to the other team. "You have to play to the strengths of your team. You take what you do well and do it."
OK, what if everything is equal? How would he play the Suns? D’Antoni still wouldn’t bite. "I have no idea," he said. Finally, he joked, "I’d just go ahead and forfeit."
FASTEST STARTS
The Suns are among nine teams in NBA history who started at 28-4 or better. All of these teams except one — the ’71-72 Milwaukee Bucks, who started 30-4 — won the NBA title. The best start for any team was the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls, who started 41-3 and then lost their next game. Those Bulls finished 72-10.
BONUS SHOT
Joe Johnson said he opted not to join other clients of agent Arn Tellem and donate $1,000 a point in a game to the disaster relief effort in South Asia.
Pacers at Suns
When: 6 p.m. today
Where: America West Arena
TV: Fox Sports Net Arizona
Radio: KTAR (620)
Line: Suns by 11
Series history: Phoenix hold a 31-29 all-time edge, including a 20-10 mark in the Valley. The Suns were swept last season for the first time since the 1987-88 season.
Scouting report:
Pacers — They had won four in a row before losing at San Antonio and Dallas. Jermaine O’Neal, back from his suspension for brawling on Nov. 19, has been on fire, and Jeff Foster — an aggressive rebounder, is back from a hip injury. They also recently signed wily veteran Michael Curry, who had been out of the league, to fill some time at small forward. He has been starting lately. The Pacers, who played Saturday night, are 4-5 in the second game of back-to-backs this season.
Suns — An interesting issue to watch is whether Leandro Barbosa, who has been in and out of action this season, will start returning to his role as Steve Nash’s backup or whether coach Mike D’Antoni sticks with shifting Joe Johnson from the off guard to the backup point. This move has been giving Casey Jacobsen more time at shooting guard.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=34454
