Suns vs Denver Thread

[boisesuns]

Amare with 4 so far in the first.

 

[SactownSunsFan]

Diaw with 7 assists already, with 3 minutes left until halftime.

 

[jbeecham]

Amare with 4 so far in the first.

and a great backdoor pass to Marion for a dunk. Amare had 6pts, 4 rebs, 1 or 2 blocks and at least 1 assist in the 1st half.

 

[jbeecham]

Diaw with 7 assists already, with 3 minutes left until halftime.

Diaw is having another great game and hasn't really tried to score yet. He seems like he really loves distributing the ball. Also Nash has 4 assists in the 1st half.

 

[TucsonDevil]

Is anyone concerned about Nash's lack of assist production the last few weeks? It will go a long way in hurting his MVP chances. Truth is, his passing is still brilliant, but guys take his great passes and make the extra pass (or two) to a different open guy. Plus, Diaw is becoming a passing machine.

I guess what I am trying to say - his low assist numbers don't worry me, except that it hurts his chances in claiming his second MVP award.

 

[jbeecham]

I'm really getting sick of the refs calling every little ticky tack foul on the suns while they let the Nuggets manhandle us.

The Nuggets are being really aggressive and creating and forcing contact as they take the ball to the basket and are getting the calls almost every time. It doesn't seem to matter that they're lowering their heads, hooking with their elbow, dropping their shoulder into the middle of the defenders chest, pushing off with their off arm or creating the contact with only the off arm, etc and getting the calls.


EDIT: The officiating has gotten better in the 4th qtr. There were still some bad calls or non-calls, but they did give us some calls they weren't earlier and we've gotten to the free throw line more this qtr.

 

[jbeecham]

I don't think Amare's played in the 4th qtr. I don't know if it's because the Suns are playing well and have gone on a run or if Amare's knee is bothering him. Diaw is having another amazing game.....another triple double could be coming because I think he only needs 2 more rebounds.

UPDATE: They showed Amera leaving the court after the game and he didn't look happy at all. Hopefully it's nothing major.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I don't think Amare's played in the 4th qtr. I don't know if it's because the Suns are playing well and have gone on a run or if Amare's knee is bothering him. Diaw is having another amazing game.....another triple double could be coming because I think he only needs 2 more rebounds.

UPDATE: They showed Amera leaving the court after the game and he didn't look happy at all. Hopefully it's nothing major.

He could just be unhappy because while he had lateral quickness, he had no lift in his jump.

I expect nights like this.

 

[mribnik]

This victory clinched us a playoff spot!

 

[George O'Brien]

I'm not worried about Nash's assist total if the Suns are getting 27 assists.

Clearly the Nuggets were terribly aggressive and they got away with a lot of fouling. However, the refs eventually started calling some of them and the Suns ended up taking 19 free throws (should have been 30). I was very pleased at how well the Suns played in the fourth quarter. They really buckled down on defense and took over against a Nuggets team that has been playing very well.

The most extraordinary aspect of the game is that the Suns shot very poorly, 43.3% while the Nuggets shot 46.8%. Some of this was that the Suns shot an awful lot of three pointers and didn't really get hot until the fourth quarter. Statistically the interesting thing was that the Suns took 12 more shots than the Nuggets.

This is the first game in quite a while that the Suns actually had more offensive rebounds their opponent 11 to 8 and ended up out rebounding the Nuggets by 1. On Wed, the Nuggets out rebounded the Spurs by 31 boards.
http://www.nba.com/games/20060322/SASDEN/boxscore.html The addition of Evens has made a huge difference for them (he had 10 tonight), but the Suns out hustled them.

Diaw was huge. He not only had 13 assists, but many of them were of the highlight film category. For most players, a stat line of 13 points, 8 rebounds, 13 assists a blocked shot and a steal would be considered amazing - yet this is becoming the norm.

This was not a pretty game, but it was a satisfying one against a good team.

 

[Chaplin]

UPDATE: They showed Amera leaving the court after the game and he didn't look happy at all. Hopefully it's nothing major.

The sky is falling already? I expected at least for it to happen after more than 2 games...

 

[elindholm]

Stoudmire was ineffective in the third quarter and the game was close, so I'm guessing that's why he didn't play in the fourth. If he looked unhappy, it's probably because he knows that he isn't yet at the level where he warrants crunch-time minutes on a good team.

 

[jibikao]

Great win! I checked the boxscore in late 3rd and we only led by 1pt or something.

I don't think assisst # will hurt Nash's MVP chance as long as he is #1. The thing is Nash has been shooting at VERY HIGH %. He is about 51% this season and last season he was 50%. He scored 4 more pts per game this season at even higher %. I think it's a fair tradeoff.

Our team's ball movement is too good now which is better for the whole team IMO.

I think to help Nash getting the MVP, we just need more wins. That should take care of it.

 

[George O'Brien]

Amare is not going to be "happy" until he can do what he used to do. As with what happened when TT came back, he had a great game followed by some weak games. Tonight TT looked very active and had 6 rebounds. It takes time.

One thing Amare did that impressed me was his two assists. This period of adjustment may have the unexpected consequence of Amare having to play "smarter" and not simply overwhelm his opponents physically. As it was, his 5 rebounds in 16 minutes showed good effort on a night when his outside shot wasn't falling.

 

[jibikao]

I'm not worried about Nash's assist total if the Suns are getting 27 assists.

Clearly the Nuggets were terribly aggressive and they got away with a lot of fouling. However, the refs eventually started calling some of them and the Suns ended up taking 19 free throws (should have been 30). I was very pleased at how well the Suns played in the fourth quarter. They really buckled down on defense and took over against a Nuggets team that has been playing very well.

The most extraordinary aspect of the game is that the Suns shot very poorly, 43.3% while the Nuggets shot 46.8%. Some of this was that the Suns shot an awful lot of three pointers and didn't really get hot until the fourth quarter. Statistically the interesting thing was that the Suns took 12 more shots than the Nuggets.

This is the first game in quite a while that the Suns actually had more offensive rebounds their opponent 11 to 8 and ended up out rebounding the Nuggets by 1. On Wed, the Nuggets out rebounded the Spurs by 31 boards.
http://www.nba.com/games/20060322/SASDEN/boxscore.html The addition of Evens has made a huge difference for them (he had 10 tonight), but the Suns out hustled them.

Diaw was huge. He not only had 13 assists, but many of them were of the highlight film category. For most players, a stat line of 13 points, 8 rebounds, 13 assists a blocked shot and a steal would be considered amazing - yet this is becoming the norm.

This was not a pretty game, but it was a satisfying one against a good team.

Speaking about fouls, I went to this Denver board http://nuggets.proboards1.com/index.cgi?board=nuggets and I see so many of them complain about the refs, like how the refs gave us the win. Well, I checked the boxscore, Denver took more FT, we got more PFs. How did refs gave us the win is beyond me. Those Nuggets fans really need to get some reality check.

 

[George O'Brien]

It was a terribly physical game and the refs were strange about how they called stuff. The problem for the Nuggets was that they got away with stuff for a while, especially in the third quarter - and then got very upset when the same stuff was called later.

I listened to the first half on the radio and if their comments were accurate, there were some truly bizzare calls. The strangest was when a Suns player (I think it was Diaw) was called for making a moving screen, but had not passed the ball yet when contact was made.

One thing I have noticed lately is that no one calls "reach-in" fouls on any of the so called "steals" made against the Suns. I'm not convinced the Suns work hard enough to protect the ball, but I always thought that steals were supposed to be made without contact. This trend by refs is a very very bad sign going into the playoffs.

 

[elindholm]

The strangest was when a Suns player (I think it was Diaw) was called for making a moving screen, but had not passed the ball yet when contact was made.

I watched almost the entire game, missing only part of the first quarter, and I didn't have a problem with the officiating. The moving screen against Diaw was questionable, but it wasn't an egregious error. Another call that might have gotten the radio guys' panties in a bunch was the alleged foul by Camby on Nash, on one of Nash's scooping layup attempts early in the first quarter (?). On the replay, it was clear that Camby grazed Nash's left (off) shoulder, but other than that there was no contact and it really didn't affect Nash's shot.

I always thought that steals were supposed to be made without contact.

That hasn't been true for at least 20 years. The "letter of the law" really isn't relevant anymore with respect to anything having to do with the increased physical nature of the game. The Suns know that they aren't going to get those calls.

 

[George O'Brien]

The Camby contact on Nash wasn't huge, but it was certainly enough to alter the shot. Considering some of the incidential contact calls they made, it certainly looked like a real foul to me.

In general, the way the refs called plays where the Nuggets low post players would keep initiating contact and yet the Suns player would be called for the foul was pretty depressing. At one point I was afraid that all the Suns big guys would be fouled out.

 

[reader]

Nash is not worried about his assists.

Post-Game Quotes

Posted: March 25, 2006

SUNS HEAD COACH MIKE D’ANTONI: “I felt tonight we weren’t clicking on all cylinders, obviously, but it was a good, smart game and we picked it up defensively. I thought Shawn [Marion] did a great job on Carmelo [Anthony], especially down the stretch—Raja chipped in. Shawn had 21 points and 14 rebounds, Boris chipped in with 13 points and 13 assists—it’s a amazing. He’s a stat-filler, and Steve kind of finished it off with threes. Not bad. We’re still working Amare in tonight. His body was dead tonight and didn’t have the juice—probably the adrenaline from last time. You can’t do that every night. It’s going to be a process of getting him back and we talked about it. It’s going to be a process—it’s natural. We’ll limp a little bit, but if we can play like this and win big games while we’re rehabbing, that’s great.”
(On Boris Diaw)
“He knows how to play, and when you know how to play, it doesn’t matter what playground you’re on.”

SUNS GUARD STEVE NASH (21 PTS, 6 ASSTS): “We could definitely play Denver in the playoffs, so it was important for us to not let up. We weren’t really sharp tonight, but I thought we were tough enough to get through it and to put in a winning performance.
“Boris is a terrific passer. I pass to him and he passes to the shooter and it’s a good combination… I like it. Things aren’t going to go well every night, but if you have the right attitude and you’re active and you play with a lot of heart and play together, you make up for a lot. On nights like tonight where it’s not as smooth, we weren’t in a great rhythm, we’re still trying to incorporate new people and everything, but we were determined in the second half.”

SUNS FORWARD (13 PTS, 13 ASSISTS, 8 REBS): “Right now we’re the most unselfish team in the league. We have to keep doing that, it’s our identity. It was good winning against Denver because if we win in the first round of the playoff and they do too, then we’ll meet up against them. It was a good win tonight. ”


NUGGETS HEAD COACH GEORGE KARL: “I think in general whenever we play Phoenix, we think our defense has to be figured out and tonight it was our offense that beat us. We didn’t take share the ball well enough, we didn’t make good enough decisions and we forced way too many shots and hung in the game. I thought we had dead spots off the bench. When we came in from the bench, we just got weaker and weaker."
(On possible playoff match up)
"There’s plenty of time, fifteen more games in the season. It would be an honor to play them. I think it would be fun. They’ve had a great two years and it would be fun. It would be a celebration of us as a team to play in the second round and I think it’s a possibility of happening. ”

NUGGETS FORWARD CARMELO ANTHONY (28 PTS, 2 REBS):

“They’ve had our number for the last year and a half. They’re probably the only team that has our number. I don’t believe I’m saying this but it’s true. A team like the Suns, you have to be extra cautious with the ball. Any mistake they’re going to use it to their advantage. They’re probably the fastest team in the whole NBA. All the players on their team know where they’re spotted, where they’re at."
(On playoffs)
"If we see them in the second round, we’ll watch a lot of how they play and they’re style of play. The Phoenix Suns; their style of play is the style we want to play, up and down the court. Probably not as many threes, but that’s how we want to play.”

NUGGETS GUARD ANDRE MILLER (24 PTS, 6 ASSTS):
(On Steve Nash)
“He makes his team better, gets his team going offensively. What more can you say about him. I just look forward to playing against him. He can do everything. He can make people better and that’s the main thing. That’s a point guard’s job, to make people better and he makes people better.
(On game tonight)
"It’s like that sometimes. We tried to protect the ball but things happen. We just didn’t’ play and protect the ball like we could of and we beat ourselves."
(On playoffs)
"Too far in advance, we’ll see what happens if the opportunity is there.”

 

[AZZenny]

I was at the game, and it sure looked like Denver's fouls -- esp Carmello on Nash -- were often mean-spirited -- like they were trying to hurt someone. Plus a few of the fouls called on Suns players were openly bass-ackwards calls. (Although I think they hired Ginobli's drama coach for Raja, maybe? ) For awhile there looked like Nash was getting really pissed.

The team played fairly flat until the 4th Q, I thought. Postgame radio, Coach D' said he knew Amare wanted more time, and he just ignored the penetrating stare because Amare needs to work into game shape, and also his timing, slowly -- over the course of 3 or 4 weeks -- and that is what is going to happen. Period.

 

[Errntknght]

George, "I listened to the first half on the radio and if their comments were accurate, there were some truly bizzare calls. The strangest was when a Suns player (I think it was Diaw) was called for making a moving screen, but had not passed the ball yet when contact was made."

Having the ball in your possession doesn't make it okay to set a moving pick. I replayed the call on Boris that the announcers called a 'moving pick' - I believe he had just passed the ball and he stepped backward into a Denver player that he probably didn't even know was there, so it wasn't actually a moving pick in the normal sense of the phrase. The contact was relatively minor but the Denver player acted it up and got the call - Reggie Evans, I think it was.

"One thing I have noticed lately is that no one calls "reach-in" fouls on any of the so called "steals" made against the Suns. I'm not convinced the Suns work hard enough to protect the ball, but I always thought that steals were supposed to be made without contact. This trend by refs is a very very bad sign going into the playoffs."

I believe the rule is that you are allowed to contact the part of the players hand that is on the ball so it is not strictly 'no contact allowed.' I've discovered that over half the time I cannot tell if there was a foul or not when a player is stripped - that is with repeated replays. The refs are a lot closer but I think they're guessing much of the time and probably go a lot by their expectations of the two players involved.

Denver is going to be a tough playoff matchup for us - we'll improve between now and then but they figure to improve as well since they're integrating Rueben Patterson and Reggie Evans. They are an extremely physical team and in the playoffs the play is typically allowed to be much more physical so that will favor them. Kenyon Martin was virturally a non-factor in tonight's game but if he manages to get relatively healthy he adds more physicality and more speed, so they could be a real handful. Spud Webb didn't play tonight... I assume he's just out temporarily. He's given us fits at times too. Heck, there's Najera as well... not sure if he's expected back.

 

[tobiazz]

Haha, Spudd Webb. Actually, I think the Spudd moniker would have to go to Nate Robinson and the Mugsy Bogues title could go to Boykins.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Boykins is gone for the season.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think a couple of the fouls were truely outrageous. I wish I could remember the players invovled but I think one of them involved Bell. The two terrible calls that I remember were created by Denver's offensive player.

On one play the Denver player just lowered his chest into the defensive player while driving (I mean lowered it into the defender). The Suns defender (Bell??) was retreating and appeared square to the offensive player.

The other offensive play involved the Denver player clearing the defender using his lead arm.

Both times the Suns' defender was called for the foul. I remarked to a friend... the referees must not be watching the same game to miss such clear cut calls.

Luckily the game wasn't that poorly officiated overall, but I do expect the referrees to make the obvious calls. Anyway these are a couple of examples of fouls that should have been called. It was like the Suns could sneeze and get called for a foul and the Nuggets could make the obvious foul and not get called.

Now that gets frustrating when the referrees make ticky tack calls on one team and let the other team make make obvious fouls without a whistle.

I thought they were going to foul out several of the Suns players early in the game, however, I think when Marion got called for his fourth foul... the referrees suddenly became more judicious.

 

[jibikao]

I was at the game, and it sure looked like Denver's fouls -- esp Carmello on Nash -- were often mean-spirited -- like they were trying to hurt someone. Plus a few of the fouls called on Suns players were openly bass-ackwards calls. (Although I think they hired Ginobli's drama coach for Raja, maybe? ) For awhile there looked like Nash was getting really pissed.

The team played fairly flat until the 4th Q, I thought. Postgame radio, Coach D' said he knew Amare wanted more time, and he just ignored the penetrating stare because Amare needs to work into game shape, and also his timing, slowly -- over the course of 3 or 4 weeks -- and that is what is going to happen. Period.

This will make Amare hungrier! He'll unleash against next team.