Suns @ Nuggets Game Thread

[ProdigalSun]

Hmm didn't see a game thread for tonight's game:

Phoenix (22-11) at Denver (17-18) 9:00 pm EST

DENVER (Ticker) -- Steve Nash has the Phoenix Suns back at the top of their game.

Nash tries to lead the Suns to their eighth win in nine games Tuesday when they take on the Denver Nuggets, who are starting to show signs of life themselves.

The reigning MVP, Nash scored 10 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter to help the Suns to a 91-86 triumph over San Antonio on Saturday. Nash has averaged 21.3 points and 14.3 assists in four games this month en route to earning the first Player of the Week honors of 2006.

Shawn Marion chipped in with 20 points on Saturday, while Boris Diaw added 18 and six assists for Phoenix, which won despite being held under 100 points for the first time in 10 games.

Denver has also been playing well of late, having won three of its last four games following Sunday's 92-90 victory against Houston.

Carmelo Anthony scored 19 points capped by the game-winning jumper with one second remaining. Earl Watson scored 20 points off the bench and Andre Miller contributed 11 points and seven assists for the Nuggets, who shot 19-of-23 from the foul line.

The teams have met once this season, with the Suns recording a 102-97 triumph on December 2 behind 22 points and 10 rebounds from Marion and 22 and 11 assists from Nash.

No Camby and no K-mart should make this one a gimme for us (knock on wood).

 

[jibikao]

We seem to match up very well against Nuggets. That's grab the win tonight!!! Hopefully we don't get too excited about beating Spurs and get too cocky/lazy tonight. hehe

 

[Amare32]

Would of made a game thread but lost track of time.

Should of done It ahead of time really.

I have been meaning to do a full detailed preview but due to not enough time I havn't mentioned to. I'm hoping to do a full preview for the GS game.

 

[reader]

From todays NBA Confidential

Suns Report
This is Sun.com Steven Koek with your NBA.com Phoenix Suns confidential report for Monday, January 9th. The Suns went back to work at the practice court this morning after getting the day off yesterday following the sweep of their 3 game home stand against the Sixers, Heat, and Spurs last week. Shawn Marion spent the day off barbecuing with his family, while Raja Bell watched some football and took in a movie, according to Bell two thumbs down on Fun with Dick and Jane.

After practice is learned that Steve Nash won his second NBA western conference player of the week honors, one week after Marion took home the same. Leandro Barbosa participated in the work-out for the first time since re-spraining his left knee a month ago, the third year guard appeared quite winded after the practice and told me he is still experiencing some pair in the knee and will not return to game action until he is completely pain free. The earliest fans can expect LB to put on the uniform again will be this Saturday when LeBron James and the Cavs make their lone visit to the valley. The 22-11 Suns having won 7 of their last 8 games, left after practice for Denver where they will face 17-18 Nuggets at the Pepsi Center in Colorado tomorrow night.

The game broadcast begins at 7:00 immediately following Suns game time on UPN 45 with Tom Leander and Eddie Johnson on the call. Al McCoy and Tim Kempton will have the call on the flagship station of the Phoenix Suns 620 KTAR. And on more reminder tickets are still available for next Sunday's Jack-in-the-Box Celebrity Shootout at U.S. Airways center, the entire Suns roster will be in attendance as well as several of today's most popular entertainment stars. Festivities begin at 1:00 PM and you can order your tickets by logging on to Suns.com right now or NBA.com Phoenix Suns Confidential, I'm Suns.com Steven Koek, thanks for listening.

 

[reader]

I don't think George got Hollingers memo.

http://www.nba.com/broadband/daily_confidential.html

Nuggets Report

The Nuggets are coming off a nice road win in Houston. For the second time in two weeks, Denver took care of the Houston Rockets, this one much closer though. Carmelo Anthony hit the game-winner in that game with one second to go from 16 feet out on the baseline as both the Nuggets and Rockets lost players in that contest due to back problems. Kenyon Martin went out early in the 1st half with back problems and then Tracy McGrady went down to the floor right at the halftime horn. He was ambulanced off to a hospital. Word on him is that he's out the next two games with back spasms.

So the Nuggets once again are thin on the frontline. What looked so promising at the beginning of the year with Marcus Camby, Nene, and Kenyon Martin and then insurance purposes, Francisco Elson and Ed Najera you needed too, now has the team down to just Eduardo Najera and Francisco Elson. It does not look like Kenyon Martin will go today. He did not do much at all at shootaround at this morning's practice. It shouldn't much matter though. Phoenix is not the greatest post-up team in the world and both of these teams know that. It's kind of like playing big brother here. Denver and Phoenix are a lot alike in a lot of ways. Both of these teams like to run up and down the floor. Denver probably a little bit more defensive-minded than the Phoenix Suns are. Phoenix as George Karl was talking today at the morning shootaround will come in and they just think they can out jump-shoot you, so they'll go ahead and give you some jump shots for the main reason because they think that they can hit them better than you can. So Phoenix does basically two things according to George Karl: they make lay-ups or they hit 3-pointers, but make no mistake about it, there will be a lot of action tonight at Pepsi Center. It should be a fan-friendly game tonight. A lot of fast break buckets and it should be a high-scoring affair as well.

Again, probably no Kenyon Martin tonight-- of course Phoenix still without Amare Stoudemire. This should be an up-and-down contest tonight in the Mile High City. Game time is 7:00 PM MST; the game can be seen on Altitude Television as well as the Altitude Radio Network throughout the Rocky Mountain Region.

 

[sunsfn]

The suns may start slow in the altitude, but hopefully they will be ok by late in the 1st quarter.
The Nuggets are going to have to manufacture points tonight with their injuries, and if the suns can guard Carmelo a little, and Watson who has been scoring lately for them, the suns should win by 10.

 

[elindholm]

James Jones cracks me up. I bet he leads the league in drawing fouls on three-point attempts, probably by a large margin.

 

[Evil Ash]

James Jones cracks me up. I bet he leads the league in drawing fouls on three-point attempts, probably by a large margin.

He was taught by the master ... Reggie Miller

 

[Arizona's Finest]

God if we just would hit a a few more open three point attempts....looks like the Nugs didn't exactly watch the Spurts video on closing out on our three point shooters...what a joke they are defensivly.....hopefully we start hitting some more open shots and blow this one out in this quarter....

 

[Evil Ash]

Unfortunately it looks like us half-assing it defensively for 3 qtrs might bite us in the ass. Nice for the "cement shoes" offense to return for the end of the 4th qtr and overtime.

 

[devilalum]

What's Jones doing jumping in the ar on Boykins head fake?

A 6'8" guy can't block a midgets shot standing?

 

[Evil Ash]

Nice of denver to leave Nash WIDE OPEN for 3

 

[Evil Ash]

Going to a 3rd OT

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I absolutely hate watching this game on the Denver network. There announcers are absolutely the most homer, whiney ass announcers I have ever heard.

 

[planaria]

I absolutely hate watching this game on the Denver network. There announcers are absolutely the most homer, whiney ass announcers I have ever heard.

It's funny read this in almost evey game thread...

 

[Evil Ash]

We have Nash and Diaw fouled out with 35.4 sec left in the 3rd OT. They couldn't go to a 4th OT, could they?

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Now they say "Well Denver deserves these bad calls because there were bad calls for the Suns earlier."

Or they bitch about James Jones all damn game, then Melo flops and literally the announcer stops announcing and starts applauding.

By far the worst callers I have ever heard.

 

[jibikao]

I can't watch this game now...but Nash fouled out?? Geeze. And 3rd OT again? Man... this is taking a lot out of us.

Can we win it or not?

 

[jibikao]

12s left and we are up by 1!!! Is this it?

 

[Treesquid PhD]

um that was a three...

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Let House shoot a three.

 

[jibikao]

What? Nugget scored 3pt in 12s? A 3 pointer? Looks like we are going to lose it again... I would rather have us lose earlier than dragging it to 3rd OT.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

Well once again we fought very hard despite the many things playing against them. Good Job!

 

[jibikao]

Ok, we lost. Who took the last shot? Just curious.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Well now that this game is over...

Steve Nash and Shawn Marion played like dogcrap tonight. Nash was just abused by Boykins at every turn. Our lack of any defense at the basket let Denver just walk in all day long.

Honestly, Denver can't shoot...we should have zoned them waaaaay more than we did