Suns @ Mavericks Game Thread

[Amare32]

Phoenix Suns (40-17 ) @ Dallas Mavericks (46-12)​

When Sunday 5th March
Time: 1.30 PT
Location: Dallas
TV: ABC

Probable Starting Lineups:

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

PG-Steve Nash
SG-Raja Bell
SF-James Jones
PF-Shawn Marion
C-Boris Diaw

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

PG-Jason Terry
SG-Adrian Griffin
SF-Josh Howard
PF-Dirk Nowitski
C-DeSagana Diop


Key Bench Players

Suns

You must be registered for see images

Leandro Barbosa - 12.4 points, 2.5 assists on 50% FG, 46% 3P

You must be registered for see images

Eddie House- 10.2 points, 2.0 assists on 43% FG, 39 3P%

Mavericks

You must be registered for see images

Jerry Stackhouse-12.5 points, 2.5 assists, 40% FG, 29% 3P


Key Match-up

You must be registered for see images

VS

You must be registered for see images

Shawn Marion- 22.2 points, 12.30 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 51% FG
Dirk Nowitski- 25.4 points, 8.60 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 47% FG


Game Preview

In a matchup of two of the top teams in the Western Conference, the Phoenix Suns seek their 10th straight win when they visit a Dallas Mavericks club that has won a franchise-record 16 in a row at home.


The Suns haven't lost since a 103-101 defeat to Minnesota on Feb. 6, but Dallas has won 20 of its last 22 overall.

Phoenix defeated Orlando 123-118 on Friday night behind newcomer Tim Thomas' 20 points, while Dallas beat Charlotte 90-76 on Friday to bounce back from Thursday's loss to San Antonio.
The Suns, whose winning streak matches their best of the season, have scored 100 points in 20 straight games and have won 12 of 13.

Thomas, who was signed by Phoenix on Friday after being cut by Chicago, had not played since being sent home by the Bulls in October.


"It was a great night," the 6-foot-10, 250-pound forward said. "This is unbelievable. I always wanted to be in this situation, where I could open up my game and run."

Dirk Nowitzki scored 26 points Friday for the Mavericks, who trailed at halftime. Coach Avery Johnson said he was worried Dallas, which posted a season-low 36 points in the first half, might overlook the struggling Bobcats.

"I wouldn't say it was expected but it's not acceptable," Johnson said of his team's slow start. "At the same time, these guys wanted to get it right. It was something we were able to fight through."

Phoenix knocked Dallas out of last season's playoffs in the second round, but the Mavericks have won both matchups this season, including a 111-108 double-overtime victory in the season opener for both teams.

Steve Nash, who played for Dallas from 1998-2004, had 18 points and 13 assists, Boris Diaw added 18 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds, and Shawn Marion had 24 points and nine rebounds against the Magic.

Thomas helped to fill in for Kurt Thomas, who could miss the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his right foot.

"He's going to get better and better as he understands the offense and what we're trying to do," said Nash, last season's MVP. "I'm amazed that the guy can come in after not playing for so long and not even practice with us and get 20 points."

Dallas forwards Keith Van Horn and Josh Howard are listed as day-to-day after leaving Friday's game with injuries. Van Horn left in the first quarter with a sprained left knee, and Howard exited in the second with a sore left hamstring.
"We got the win, it didn't matter how ugly it was," Dallas' Adrian Griffin said. "We needed to get back on track."

Suns Game Notes

The Suns are just three games off last season's pace when they won an NBA-best 62 games. ... Phoenix reached the 100-point mark for the 20th straight game, the NBA's longest run since San Antonio hit the century mark in 22 straight in 1994-95. ... C Boris Diaw fell one rebound shy of posting his second career triple-double. ... F Shawn Marion had his streak of six straight double-doubles snapped.

Mavericks game Notes

With the win tonight, the Mavericks improve to 4-0 all-time vs. the Bobcats and 14-0 at home vs. Eastern Conference teams. Dallas also extends its winning streak at home to 16 games. ... F Dirk Nowitzki scored a game-high 26 points and fell one rebound shy of a fourth straight double-double. He has led or tied for the team-high in points in each of the past five games, his longest stretch since a 10-game streak from December 20 through January 7. ... Dallas' 36 points in the first-half was a team-low this season.

 

[Tank]

PG-Steve Nash
SG-Raja Bell
SF-James Jones
PF-Shawn Marion
C-Boris Diaw


PG-Steve Nash
SG-Adrian Griffin
SF-Josh Howard
PF-Dirk Nowitski
C-DeSagana Diop

Steve Nash's Suns v. Steve Nash's Mavericks

This is one game I gotta see!

 

[fordronken]

This game really isn't that important in the scheme of things. Winning will be nice, because it would mean we could beat them without Amare or Kurt. But in reality, it matters a lot more to them record wise than it does to us.

 

[PetryJr]

Steve Nash's Suns v. Steve Nash's Mavericks

This is one game I gotta see!

Well, the good thing is that Nash should have a huge game, since Nash will be guarding him. On the other hand, Nash should have his way against Nash, and that might be a problem.

 

[George O'Brien]

More

Game in Dallas provides elite challenge

Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 5, 2006 12:00 AM


Recent games are truer indications than ones fading in the memory. In that case, Phoenix's current 12-1 run with nine straight wins is more telling than its 0-4 mark in late 2005 games against powers Dallas, Detroit and San Antonio.

How a team fares against the elite is a better indicator than how it beats the weak. In that case, that same 0-4 record trumps what Phoenix has done in the past 13 games with only three winning teams for foes.

So with an 0-2 record against Dallas, today's afternoon tilt on ABC is either paramount or a glorified 1/82 of the schedule. advertisement




"It's a game we'll measure where we are," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We know we've got a long ways to go yet. We still have Amaré (Stoudemire) to come back and we got Tim (Thomas) to insert."

Dallas dropped an elite test Thursday at San Antonio but has a 16-game home winning streak. The conference leaders expect to get Josh Howard and Devin Harris back from injuries but just lost Keith Van Horn.

"Avery (Johnson, the Dallas coach) has got them really defensive-minded and really controlled offensively and defensively," Suns guard Steve Nash said. "They're programmed to be really responsible."

The day after
Thomas, fresh off scoring 20 points in a Suns debut, went through practice with the starters while James Jones was on a stationary bike. But Jones left the practice court still a starter while Thomas hopped on the bike in search of his NBA legs.

Thomas woke up with sore hips Saturday but was as encouraged as his teammates and coaches were about his debut. Jones rested a sore left foot due to a lingering toe joint problem.

New orthotics helped relieve the pressure, but Jones can't get over a run of ankle, wrist and foot injuries.

"I feel terrible," he said. "It's just one nagging thing after another. You play through it."

3-D vision
A brilliant game by Boris Diaw went largely unnoticed again Friday, even though he was a rebound shy of a triple-double.

"He's making everyone better," D'Antoni said.

Diaw is so selfless that he will pass from under the rim often, as he did twice Friday for Leandro Barbosa three-pointers.

"We've talked about that," D'Antoni said. "That's Boris. He has a unique game. I don't know if his IQ of the game is not higher than all of us trying to figure it out."

Free throw
Kurt Thomas will get a second opinion from a doctor he has seen since his Texas Christian days in Fort Worth. Thomas is considering surgery, which may not lengthen the recovery from a stress fracture in his right foot. He is leery after having three surgeries on each ankle in his career.

 

[F-Dog]

Last time I checked, Mavs are favored by 3.5 points for today's game. That's not surprising, considering the Suns' health and the way they've played in afternoon games this year.


I'm mainly hoping that the Suns show up to play and give a good account for themselves on national TV. It won't kill me if the Mavericks win (in fact, it's probably better for the Suns if they lose, since a Dallas win puts more pressure on the Spurs).

Still, go team!

 

[Chaz]

I really want them to win this game.
They are already 0-2 against Dallas and I am interested in the Suns putting a little pressure on San Antonio of their own.

At least we have Hubie Brown instead of Bill Walton on the mike.

 

[arthurracoon]

I like Bill Walton now that he loves the suns.

He just raves on and on about Nash and Diaw

 

[Treesquid PhD]

This game will give us all a real glimpse into what is really important in the NBA playoffs, the fouls. means mre than anything else in thew NBA no matter what anyone says about numbers.

 

[jibikao]

1st quarter is over... I think we can catch up.

Haven't seen much of Marion though. Nash looks tense.

Diaw is great! Tim Thomas had a good defensive play on Dirk.

Hopefully House is ready to shoot tonight.

 

[hsandhu]

Nice defense by Raja, people are just going by him everytime.

 

[JS22]

Phoenix is going to lose this game by 20.

NO defense AT ALL.

 

[arthurracoon]

argh.

we suck.

 

[jibikao]

Looks like Mavs always want to stay with our shooters against us. We may need another gameplan.

I like how barbosa keeps going in any chance he has.

 

[jibikao]

We are as soft as cotton... any Mavs player wants to slash in, they get it.

 

[green machine]

Mavs are hitting everything. Hard to stop a team that just won't miss.

 

[Evil Ash]

Mavs are hitting everything. Hard to stop a team that just won't miss.

Problem is most of their shots are from within 8 ft of the basket. Its not that hard to hit shots from that close.

Once again we're shooting the overwhelming majority of our shots from 18ft out.

Within 8ft vs 18ft out ... not hard to figure out which team is winning

 

[jibikao]

We have no shot blocker and we don't foul hard. Why are we saving the fouls?

It's 4th quarter now, if they come in, FOUL HARD.

 

[arthurracoon]

Hopefully, someone for us gets hot, like House.

 

[BirdMan21]

I LOVE THE SUNS!!

Regardless of the outcome, they at least have made this a close game. Horrible defense to start off the game, but they didn't seem to give up. Thomas is making up for the lack of rebounds in the first game....looks like he could play a big roll for this team the rest of the way. GO SUNS!!!

 

[green machine]

I agree with Birdman. No matter how it finishes I'm glad this team fought back like this on the road. It says alot about the character of this team.

 

[sly fly]

Is that good enough D for you guys?

 

[arthurracoon]

lets hold on now!

beautiful comeback!

 

[Mike Olbinski]

I love this team...

Nash seems to toss in these circus layups only against Nowitzki....

 

[mikowhy]

I don't have an opportunity to see the game. We gonna win it! Great effort by Frenchmen!