Phoenix Suns Championship Season - Week in Review II (Nov 12,2006)
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by user Manny Stiles
- Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Uh, Phoenix... we have a problem...
Amare Stoudemire is starting tonight at San Antonio. Some people around these parts are excited about it. I'm a little concerned. Not for the typical physical reasons. Yeah, maybe it's Coach D'Antoni is trying to get Amare rolling against the team he last played great against (the Spurs in the 2004-05 conference finals) or making matchups work (even though Kurt Thomas has always played Tim Duncan tough). Maybe this is a way to spark Amare a get a fire under his butt. Maybe this just Coach trying to pick and patch a lineup that works, but I see right through it.
I'm as big a fan of #1 as anyone but I said before, Amare needs to get his head right. That was a veiled way of saying that Amare needs to stop be a pouting, little pussy and play basketball. He has been way too snippy and throwing glares at Coach D when he's been taken out. Amare is clearly in his own head. He needs to get over the fact that he isn't the monster he was right now., but he CAN still be a very effective player. He should just stop thinking and do what he is told to do. He's not the whole team. A thumb cannot pick up a boulder by itself. The thumb needs help from all the fingers, often from the other hand as well... this season is the boulder.
Obviously, Amare needs to adapt, change and overcome his struggles with the knees. One day he says he's 100% the next he says he's hurting. He's merely a young buck raring to go and be dominant like he was. Have some patience, Grasshopper... You're not another Penny Hardaway or Chris Webber, you'll get over the knee stuff, but either way, your game STILL needs to adapt or else...
So Mike D'Antoni decided to slap Amare into the starting spot, basically to let him: A) Quit his bitching B) Start playing like a basketball player and not like a whiny bitch C) Stop Thinking and let the game flow to/through him D) or fall flat on his face against San Antone and Dallas, get humbled to the point he HAS to bend to the program
The tell tale sign is in a Steve Nash quote. He was asked what it meant to move Kurt Thomas to the bench and start Amare. Nash stated "I guess it's worth a shot". That sums it up. When Nash is geting tired of the act, he won't hold back about it. He's hoping that Amare gets his ass in gear without his head in it. That's why I love the MVP. He's cool, calm, never gets too excited about things, but he knows what needs to take place. Guys need to get on board and play "Suns Basketball" for more than one quarter at a time.
Thank GOD Krazy-Eyes Kurt is a consummate pro and can handle doing what the team needs (as far as the basketball part goes, anyway)
Now, if we can just get Diaw in form. He's out of the starting lineup in exchange for Barbosa. This actually makes sense from a basketball perspective, not as much for behavioral reasons. Bringing Diaw off the bench as a point-forward makes Diaw a tough matchup for the Spurs AND gets Barbosa'a speed into the starting lineup.
And lastly, let's break Marcus Banks of the jack-it-up mentality. Psst... Marcus. Come 'ere a minute... Suns basketball works like this. Push, push, push, penetrate and get the ball to the easiest shot... it's ok to shoot, but make sure it's the best shot available on the floor before you hoist it up. Just firing up long jumpers ISN'T Suns basketball...
It's not a big game and it is tonight... huge if we win and hopefully something we can build on if we lose (that sounds like loser talk, eh?)
Go Suns!
Yeah! We made it to .200!!!
Nov 8, 2006 - San Antonio, TX - San Antonio Spurs 111, Phoenix Suns 106 (OT) - Box Score
Suns are now 1-4 (.200 winning percentage!)
Damn it! I didn't get to see the game last night until the last 5 seconds of regulation and the OT. Iwas out playing basketball myself, going 1-80 from the field and ready to cut my mutinous hands right off of my arms...(a story for another time) But I did get to hear most of the 4th quarter on the radio on the way home. Vinny Del Negro is the color guy along side of former TV play-by-play man/old coot Al McCoy. I still love McCoy, he's a little nutty and his "shazam!" every time someone nails a three pointer still gets me, every time. But Vinny Del Negro is like a broken record. He says "move the ball side to side" at least 45 times a game. Either they are "moving the ball side to side" or they need to "move the ball side to side". Great insight.
Meanwhile on TV, my FAVORITE color analyst, Eddie Johnson tells it just like it is. He is one of the best I have ever heard. I get the idea he doesn't want to go national and commentate on a big network channel, but he'd be great! He is so insightful, all the players know and love him. And when he doesn't do the color commentating, Dan Majerle does! He's extremely entertaining! Both Eddie and Dan are very cool cats that make watching a game a little more fun (especially because they're both HUGE Suns homers!)
Anyway, the game. My wife watched the whole thing and said Amare must've read what I wrote about him. She said he came out ferocious and attacked. Too bad foul trouble held him to 15 minutes and knocked him out of the game with 4+ minutes in the 4th quarter (although Al McCoy said it was a bad, bad, bad call by the ref since a shot clock violation should have occurred BEFORE the foul call). Of course, once Amare was out, the game went downhill.
Overall, the Suns played pretty good defense, but basically lost the game (again) at the charity stripe
I don't know what it is about this team. they have led every single game this season LATE in the 4th quarter and won only one. hey haven't closed out games. The killer instinct isn't there. Now, the Spurs just seem to do this to us every time for the 5+ years. I'm kinda getting nauseous recalling all of the games we "should have" beaten the Spurs. Hmmm... Oh yeah, that Tim Duncan guy is pretty good. Except at sealing games from the free throw line
Raja Bell was bigtime clutch with the game on the line last night, hitting a 3 pointer with 7 seconds left when were down 4, then he took the ball to the rack and got fouled down one with 1.6 seconds left. Made the first and then NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! He choked the second!
So to OT we went. We had it, man we had it!
So Bell got sandwiched on an elbow to the ribs from Parker and slammed into Tim Duncan early in OT and had to leave the game in obvious pain. Got the wind knocked out of him, and absolutely took the wind out of the sails of the Suns in OT. Dude is tough, but when he is in pain like that, you know it hurts.
Great quote after the game from Raja: "I hit the ground wrong, and when I fell I heard a crunch. Thank goodness the X-ray was negative," Bell said while his ribs were being wrapped in an ice bag. "I thought it was a break, but I thought the second free throw was in the basket. So what do I know?"
So back home tonight against the 0-4 Mavericks. WOW! What a re-match of last year's Conference Finals this should be! 1-4 vs. 0-4!!! Raise your hand if you saw this coming, liars!
Interesting fact #37875: The Suns have started the season 1-3 EACH of the last 5 seasons... however, this was the first time in that streak that they failed to win game #5. Hmmm... Each of the previous 4 seasons, the Suns failed to win the Championship, maybe this losing game #5 thing is the key to winning it all.
All in all, it's probably best that the Suns didn't start out on a hot streak. They were picked by many to win it all and were on everyone's radars. now they aren't such the target.
Spurs scouting report: Fabricio Oberto played the PERFECT game last night 11-11 and 10 rebounds. Coach Popovich said "He's the ugliest productive player I've ever been around," Popovich said. "He looks like a bull in a china shop out there."
Yes, I'll say it again, Tim Duncan is still very, very good and for the most part, I can't stand Tony Parker.
Next game: finish off the back-to-back home against the Mavericks.
- Thursday, November 09, 2006
I don't know what to say...
Nov 9, 2006 - Phoenix, AZ - Dallas Mavericks 119, Phoenix Suns 112 - Box Score
First off, can we just call him Amar-knee Stoudemire already? I want to puke EVERY time the stupid announcers talk about his freeking knee. It's fine, already!!! His LEFT knee (the one with the microfracture surgery) was fine LAST SEASON! Remember when he came back for 3 games last season? He shut it down to get minor arthroscopic surgery on the other knee because he was over compensating.
Guess what? There ARE successful microfracture surgeries taking place in the world. Reeeeally, there are. Amare's knee wasn't as bad as Jason Kidd's or Penny Hardaway's. They didn't drill anywhere near as deep into Amare's knee as the did on Jamal Mashburn or Chris Webber and (here's the kicker) he was a LOT younger than any of those dudes when they got their surgery. So SURPRISE!!! He recovered faster than any of those yokels. So PLEASE for the love of GOD, PLEASE stop with the knee-knee-knee-knee-knee talk. It's been OVER a year. Use some of the talent they pay you for and give us what's going on NOW.
Needless to say, Amar-knee played 33 minutes tonight. Needless to say, Amar-knee had some MONSTER dunks, looked explosive and Amar-knee even played some D. And we still lost... what the...
Steve Nash was one assist away from a triple double! 20 points, 9 assists, 10 turnovers!!! Eeek!
Leandro Barbosa played really good on both ends. Got his stroke back and led all scorers.
Shawn Marion had one of the meanest dunks I've ever seen him throw down (an oop ON Dirk Nowitzki's noggin).
And enough about Boris Diaw being fat... sidebar alert!!!
Specifically, Sports Guy - you have NO idea what you are talking about - just admit you fear the Suns, you're jealous of the Suns and that you really have NO idea what you're talking about (Southern Cali has decimated your abilities). There was NO way Tim Thomas was gonna re-sign here (with Amar-knee AND Krazy Eyes coming back) he wasn't going to sign here for the money we gave Marcus Banks (a pretty good defender for a jack-'em-up guy) and we didn't want him - he's STILL Tim Thomas, afterall. ESPECIALLY when another Tim Thomas-like player would bounce our way eventua... Whoops!!! Lookee, it's Jalen Rose looking for a shot at a title! Don't you love the modern NBA? And we didn't need Eddie House back (oh, yeah... he'll miss the whole season anyway).
One last thing, Sports Guy - You used to write you like were baking us chocolate chip, sugar, macadamia AND peanut butter cookies... now the same old cookie is starting to taste like a cracker. Stop relying on your readers and friends to give you your ideas.
We really missed Raja Bell's tenacity (he'll miss at least one more game with bruised ribs). And we lost.
We lost the turnover battle, we lost the rebound battles (by 12), we lost the battle at the free throw line (by 17), so we lost the game. One and Five. How 'bout that for a record?
Just didn't look like the Suns out there but for a few flashes. The Mavs had a 25-4 run to close out the first and both teams shot really well from the field. But it all comes down to one thing for the Suns to be successful. Keep the game MOVING! They need defensive 'bounds to start the break. They need to stop giving the game away to the other teams by sending them to the line. We've led EVERY game this year in the 4th quarter and under 4 minutes left. And we've lost every game but one. If you take away the difference in free throws, we win every game...
Interesting note: SI writer Jack McCallum has a new book coming out next week about the Suns called :07 seconds or less about his stint as an assistant during last season and apparently a few excerpts from it really pissed off Amar-knee. There some questioning of Amar-knee's rehab habits, Amar-knee says it was completely out of context and Coach D'Antoni agreed. Goes to show you aspiring writers out there; if a team lets you "guest coach" don't expect to get FULL access. And if you do write a book about your insights, expect to look foolish. But it's supposedly still a good read by one of the better SI writers.
Randomness about Business I need to get out of my head:
-Adidas: your new team warm-ups are pretty damned ugly. They look like a sports bra from the back.
-Dodge: your stupid truck commercial; when the guy asks for a jump, then the guy with the Dodge truck hits the gas, the car blows up and comes back down, you know that one? Stop it. A) it's stupid A2) Stop running it twice during EVERY commercial break you sponsor and B) it REALLY freaks my 14 month old son out, EVERY TIME! He turns toward the TV in horror when it comes on...
Dallas scouting report: Screw the Mavs. Before I just wanted to beat the Spurs in the playoffs, but now I want the Suns to beat the Spurs AND the Mavs in the playoffs.
Next game: Home vs. Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday, then a little break until next Friday before ANOTHER back-to-back!
- Saturday, November 11, 2006
The moment it happened - Jumaine Jones played
Nov 11, 2006 - Phoenix, AZ - Phoenix Suns 96, Memphis Grizzlies 87 - Box Score
Well... after Coach D'Antoni promised we'd see more grit and effort from our beloved Suns. We did. And without our heartbeat, Raja Bell. The Suns made cupcakes out of the Memphis Grizzlies. Going on a stretch of the game between the 2nd and 3rd quarters where the Suns outscored the Grizz 55-12!
Everyone is talking about Amar-knee Stoudemire's knee except him. He's talking about a monster night he had making the Grizzlies crap their pants and on the boards to go along with his 25 point performance on 10-14 shooting. First post-surgery double-double if you're counting from home (first of many more).
The actual moment it all came together for the Suns - I'm talking about how the Suns season took a dramatic change in the second quarter when Coach D pulled the Jumaine Jones card - Now I like Jumaine, he's a dirt worker and he plays hard; just imagine if he was good!
Jumaine James got his first action in a Suns jersey and it was the turning point of the season. I mean it. My wife pondered angrily "what the hell is HE doing out there?" Then it hit me... The rest of the Suns were probably thinking the same thing. It woke them up. It caught them off guard (all of us too!)
Jumaine let his presence be felt on the stat sheet too! 0-7 shooting (0-5 from 3pt land), a travelling call, 2 fouls and 3 rebounds in 13 special minutes. 0 points couldn't have been more effective.
It was 39-38 Grizzlies up when Jumaine Jones came out of the game for a breather. It was 86-54 when supersub Pat Burke came into the game during the third quarter for his first action this season. Mop up time! Yeah, he went 0-3 pretending to play shooter instead of a 6'10" big body and banger. Then the Polish rifle, Eric Piatkowski came in to make any argument for his entry into the 3pt contest (0-3 in 4 minutes) go far, far away.
The Suns bench guys blew it bigtime. Amare, Nash, Marion, Barbosa and Diaw had to close the game out and the Suns finished with 7 points for the quarter...Seven.
So Coach clearly sent two messages in the game. #1) You need to play hard. If you don't Jumaine Jones will for you. And #2) The scrubs need to play hard. Or you won't and the starters will for sure.
Memphis scouting report: Mike Miller is either gay or wants us to think he is. That hairband he wears is super-beyond ridiculous. Sixth man all right. Maybe he should switch jerseys with #22.
The Rookie looked like he's gonna be good. He looked like a rookie at times, but 14 and 9, that's not bad.
I'll always remember Stromile Swift as a Houston Rocket.
Chucky Atkins - consummate pro. He had 20 pts, 5 assists and 4 rebounds in a yeoman's effort.
Maybe I'm being blatently sarcastic, but I think the Grizz miss Pau Gasol. But yeaaahh.... Umm cough cough... The FIBA World Championships are ummm... cough cough... still a great idea.
Six days off!!! Six whole days!!!
next game - Saturday home against Philly and then to complete ANOTHER back-to-back, at Utah on Saturday...
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