NBA: Phoenix Suns Blog

2008-11-25T12:09:00.000-08:00

Phoenix Suns tix would make a great early holiday gift! Get em here.

2008-10-30T11:31:00.001-07:00

Let the sun shine on this election! don't forget to go vote next Tuesday, November 4th.

2008-10-20T09:01:00.000-07:00

Nash out again due to respraining his bad ankle. Get this guy all healed up!

Get D-Back in Da Game, Please

2008-09-03T18:23:00.000-07:00

I've been watching the D-Backs in the off season, but it's just making me miss the NBA more. They've lost 7 of their last 9 games. Ugh.

Last night they lost 8-2 against St. Louis, and I found myself grateful for the 2 points. That is just plain sad.

2008-07-04T09:25:00.000-07:00

I always find it interesting when people die on significant days. Jesse Helms died today, the 4th of July. I'm sure he thought of himself as a true patriot, so I suppose he'd be happy about that. I'm not sad about it, either, so we both win.

Happy 4th!

Magnificence is apparently overrated

2007-12-10T10:06:00.000-08:00

This article from the canadian press phrased well just how little sense our loss to the Timberwolves made. Or just how long it's going to take for my jaw to be lifted from its now-permanent spot on the floor.

"Maybe the Phoenix Suns were a little tired after scoring all those points on this road trip.

Maybe on the second game of a back-to-back, and the finale of a five-game trip, the NBA's offensive juggernaut took the league's worst team a little too lightly.

Or maybe the frigid Minnesota winter chilled Steve Nash and the red-hot Suns on a day when temperatures dipped well below zero.

Whatever the reason, the success-starved Timberwolves will take any win they can get, any way they can get it.

The magnificent Suns' offence fell flat in the second half and Al Jefferson tied a career-high with 32 points to go with 20 rebounds to carry the Timberwolves to a 100-93 victory on Saturday night.

"Whatever it was, we're glad to have it," Jefferson said.

Yeah, I'll bet...

So close, Phoenix, so close.

2007-06-20T14:42:00.000-07:00

I'm told my site has nothing but tripe... I see no tripe here! And considering that tripe is a rubbery substance made from the stomach of domestic animals, I don't think I want any tripe here.

It was an awesome season to watch... all the way up until the Suns/Spurs game. I had plenty to say about that one, but the TV caught most of it all. I'm watching the draft previews, though, and hoping for an ever better season next time.

Suns take Spurs

2007-05-10T12:33:00.000-07:00

The Suns took on the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night to tie up the Western Conference Semifinal series at 1-1. The win was a blowout, a 20 point margin at 101-81. Games 3 and 4 will be played in San Antonio.

2007-01-16T12:39:00.000-08:00

The Phoenix Suns are officially the NBA's highest-scoring team after trouncing the Grizzlies last night! What a great game!

Suns Sizzle With 14 Wins

2006-12-18T09:13:00.000-08:00

It seems like the Phoenix Sun cannot lose. They have tied a franchise record with 14 straight wins, and will probably break the record on Tuesday when they host the Toronto Raptors. The Suns came out to a slow start this season with a 3-6 record, but the 14 wins have shot them straight to the top of the Pacific standings ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers. In such a tough division and conference the Suns really can't afford to miss a beat with all of the competition stacked so closely to the top.

Streaking to 10 Wins

2006-12-11T08:43:00.000-08:00

The Phoenix Suns take their 10 game winning streak into Orlando tonight to face the hot Orlando Magic. The Suns have not disappointed this season, failing to reach 100 points in only 3 of their 19 games. And the major point outburst of the season was in a win against the New Jersey Nets, 161-157, that went into double overtime. The entire Western Conference is going to be amazing to watch this year, some very very good teams are not going to make it into the playoffs.

Suns continue Dominance

2006-12-02T13:20:00.000-08:00

A continuation of nearly two decades, the Suns beat the Milwaukee Bucks in Phoenix. For the 19th time....... in a row!

That is all

A Suns Record We Didn't Need

2006-11-16T10:27:00.000-08:00

Hate to criticize a win, since this season they are scarce as hens' teeth, but we came awfully close to losing to the Memphis Grizzlies, which would have made the Phoenix Suns the only one-win team in the NBA. We flirted with that disaster by almost blowing a lead of 89 to 58, which we held at the end of three quarters. How? By scoring a measly 7 points in the fourth--the worst single quarter in Phoenix history--while letting them get 29.

We know the defense has been, well, lacking so far this season. We've been allowing our opponents more points (108+ on average) than anybody, even the New York Knicks! But while we're figuring out what defense is all about, we don't dare slack off on scoring!

Not bad for the injured guy

2006-11-05T21:34:00.000-08:00

Okay, so maybe I have some words to eat. Considering Stoudemire brought in 15 points in only 24 minutes on Wednesday to bring the Phoenix Suns to a nice voctory over the Los Angeles Clippers, maybe he's worth nursing a bit.

Need an aspirin? A cold compress? Let me fluff your pillows a bit.

What hurts now?

2006-10-28T08:55:00.000-07:00

Looks like Amaré Stoudemire won't be doing much for the Phoenix Suns anytime soon with those knees of his the way they are. Man, I wish I could get paid what these people do for sitting around nursing various parts of my anatomy!

"Hey boss, my back hurts, so why don't you turn in those reports instead, okay? Cool." Yeah, that's the ticket...

Decent guy, for real?

2006-10-22T21:39:00.000-07:00

So there's something about the Phoenix Suns' James Jones that I just like. He's big and versatile, he's got skills, his ego isn't big enough to fill the University of Phoenix Stadium, and his salary isn't enough to feed an entire country for a year.

Amazing - those kind of players actually exist!

Phoenix Suns donate to Toronto Raptors

2006-10-19T22:06:00.000-07:00

So much is up in the air now that Bryan Colangelo's moved on to the Toronto Raptors. And frankly, I'm a little tired of hearing how happy everyone is about how he's going to turn that team around.

I kinda liked him on ours...

Keep the streak going...

2006-10-16T22:43:00.000-07:00

Well, it looks like the magic didn't stop in Italy and Germany... Shawn Marion and Raja Bell brought in 16 points each, bringing the Phoenix Suns to victory over the Los Angeles Lakers 99-91! That's the ticket to success, if we can keep it up.

I know it's only pre-season, but my adrenaline's pumping already. The real thing just can't come soon enough...

Was there any doubt?

2006-10-13T07:44:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah...

Phoenix Suns victorious 119-102 over Maccabi Tel Aviv at the NBA Live tournament in Cologne, Germany. Not bad for an "undersized" team, eh?

Of course, the real test starts in just over two weeks...

Happy Birthday!

2006-10-04T14:08:00.000-07:00

I was just checking out the countless online pages I use to get my fix of news for the day. I just ready that today is the birthday of Kurt Thomas and James Jones, both of whom play for the Phoenix Suns.

The burning question I ask is what do you buy for somebody that makes millions of dollars a year??

My birthday was last month and I got a chia dog and a rotato. I knew I should have participated in middle school gym class.

Ciao Treviso

2006-10-02T16:12:00.000-07:00

The Suns held their first full workout on Sunday in Treviso, Italy, where they are holding a two-week training camp. The team will is practicing at Head Coach Mike D’Antoni’s old stomping ground, where he once played in the Italian League. Tomorrow the Suns will scrimmage against Italian hosts Benetton Treviso – Benetton just won the “Super Cup” in Naples on Saturday, and should provide a good measure of the Suns’ fitness level.

A bargain for Arizona fans

2006-08-17T13:37:00.000-07:00

I’ve been gone for awhile, but during the summer there’s more MLB action than NBA anyway. And one cool thing about baseball – sometimes your ticket buys you extra innings. The other night at Coors Field, Arizona Diamondbacks’ fans got two games’ worth of play for the price of one. And they finally nailed the win over the Colorado Rockies, 2-1

5-plus hours on the field is rare, but turns out there were two games that went 18 innings Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. Over at Minute Maid Park, the Chicago Cubs held on to beat the Houston Astros 8-6.

Momentary lapse of reason costs Suns the season.

2006-06-10T20:46:00.000-07:00

Well I am a coward. I fretted and worried so much during the Suns series versus Mavericks that I didn’t even write in my blog the entire time. I was sure if I said anything I was going to jinx things for Nash and the boys. So I watched all the games in my favorite chair and wore my jersey with pride.

My dad called me the afternoon of game six to tell me he won some tickets at work and that he wanted me to go with him. I jumped at the chance and went to get ready for the game. I went to put my jersey on and there was a problem, it stunk to high hell. There was hot wing sauce on the sleeve and the BO smell was way to strong to cover up with that Axe crap my ex-girl bought me. I didn’t have time to go downstairs and wash it so I wore my Western Conference Finals shirt from last year.

The rest is history. I knew when I was leaving my apartment that olfactory offenses were not worth jinxing my team but I heard my dad’s voice in my head saying “You smell like the Sasquatch and you know women don’t respect men who won’t take personal hygiene seriously. If you would spend more time on your grooming you might be able to fool some nice girl into thinking you would make a nice husband.” When you have heard that lecture a thousand times since your twelfth birthday you try to avoid it whenever humanly possible. So we lost.

I am going to need years of therapy to undo the damage this has done. I get Suns Playoffs tickets for the first time in my life and I throw ritual and superstition out the window to please my dad. Just kidding. I’m fine. There is always next year and we still have Steve Nash. Thank you Suns for a special season! Go Suns!

Suns Smash Clippers and Meet Mavs Conf Finals

2006-05-24T14:19:00.000-07:00

I was really scared for the Suns last night. I though we got lucky last series in game seven and I know we did in this game seven. The Suns proved to be the better team, which I also already knew. We are going to face the Mavericks now and I don’t like what I am hearing around the water cooler at work. A lot of folks seem to think we can’t beat them after two game sevens. I don’t think we are going to be any more tired than the Dallas Mavericks after their series against the San Antonio Spurs. No, we are going to smoke the Mavs with our weapon of mass assists, Nash.

Man I Can’t Stand the Suspense

2006-05-14T18:30:00.000-07:00

Frankly I have been afraid to write anything throughout the playoffs because I don’t want to jinx my team. The Suns are playing the Clippers right now and they are ahead but the Clippers aren’t making it easy. There have been some hard games in this series and I don’t know what else to say but we’ve got Steve Nash, the MVP of the league, on our side and we have become more aggressive on defense in the second round. The Phoenix Suns are going to the Western Conference Finals and if we meet the San Antonio Spurs there, then so be it. I just hope it’s not the Dallas Mavericks. Either way it is going to be an intense battle.

Pouring Nash Flakes in your cereal bowl.

2006-04-18T18:25:00.000-07:00

The Phoenix Suns are headed to the playoffs and I know just the man to lead them there. His name is Steve Nash and this is his year. Whether they bring down the big prize or not I enjoyed this season and think Steve Nash deserves MVP of the league once more. I know there are rumors it may be Kobe Bryant but I like the Nash idea a lot better.

Could we go all the way?

2006-03-27T18:05:00.000-08:00

The Phoenix Suns made short work of the Denver Nuggets and are going up against the New Jersey Nets tonight. It has been an exciting season and now that UCLA has made it to the Final Four my March is really complete. The Suns are 47-21 for the season and I think this is going to be our year to win the big prize. Go Suns!

Don’t Underestimate the Rockets

2006-03-01T18:27:00.000-08:00

The Suns are played the Houston Rockets last night. They were a serious threat but we really had no trouble dominating them and Shawn Marion did most of the dominating by scoring 23 of his 30 points in the latter half of the game and coming away with 18 total rebound.

I'm Buying Suns Tickets Now!

2006-02-12T20:43:00.000-08:00

I have to get tickets to a Phoenix Suns game soon. Watching them squash the Kings on TV made me itch to see them in person. The biggest attraction right now is the balanced precision between Steve Nash and Shawn Marion. I want to witness their brilliance from behind the net.

Singing Suns Praises for All to Hear

2006-01-30T09:33:00.000-08:00

The Phoenix Suns have been a joy to watch this season. Our players are graceful, agile and ridiculously talented. Steve Nash is the central figure and inspiration for this rant but I have to recognize Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw, and Shawn Marion. I watch them and marvel at the way Nash can dish the ball out to any one on the court and make a play. It is rare to see so much chemistry and unselfish team work in the NBA these days.

Suns Lose but Look at the Score!

2006-01-23T14:58:00.000-08:00

I don’t know what is happening in the NBA, but we are seeing a lot of really high scoring games from some teams this season. The Phoenix Suns lost in double overtime to the Seattle Sonics and the score was 152-149. I am impressed by the stamina shown by these players as they battled it out in extra minutes and lost none of their scoring steam as time wore on.

Suns and Denver - Stellar Scoring

2006-01-16T12:58:00.000-08:00

The Phoenix Suns game against the Denver Nuggets was intense. The score was 137-139 and as you can imagine it was the highest scoring game we have seen this season. I personally have never seen a game like it. We were equally matched and both teams were scoring with fervor and concentration throughout the game and in triple overtime. Earlier in the season we scored 130 against Portland but they only scored 85. It was an easy game and we had no choice but to run up the score on their floundering defense. I never dreamed we would top that and then lose in the final minutes. My hat is off to Denver for keeping up and to the Suns for never backing down.

Nash and Suns Beat the Sixers

2006-01-07T17:14:00.000-08:00

Steve Nash wasn’t the only remarkable player in game Wednesday against the Philadelphia 76ers. James Jones had 19 points and Iverson was held to under 20 points. The Suns came off with a spectacular performance and a scoring surge in the third quarter. The final score of the game was Suns 105 and Sixers 85. Routing Iverson and stopping him from scoring is the most important of the Suns accomplishments in the game because he is their only real weapon. Iverson scores fewer points by far when he comes up against Nash and the Suns because they know the formula that works.

Marion and Nash Steal the Show

2005-12-29T15:58:00.000-08:00

The Suns earned a 104-99 win over the Washington Wizards this week. Shawn Marion was the star of the game with 28 points and some great defensive plays. Steve Nash was key to the victory with an amazing 16 assists and 19 points. I don’t know if I stressed that enough. Nash had 16 assists when most players score five to eight at the most in a really good game. This was an exceptional game for the Suns and the entire team was playing great defense. Nash even gave them credit and called attention to the fact that this was a team effort and not just the Nash/Marion show.

Phoenix Suns Beat Seattle Sonics

2005-12-23T17:35:00.000-08:00

Things have been up and down lately and we lost to the Dallas Mavericks which was disappointing. They are going for the best record in the Western Conference and are the team to beat, and we didn’t do it. Our win over the Seattle Supersonics was a team best for the Phoenix Suns if you ask me because we played the best defense I have seen all season. We held them to under 85 points and completely shut down their offense when it counted. Marion had 29 points and House had 20. Steve Nash had five assists and was a great offensive force in the game.

Injury Plagued Suns Experience Slump

2005-12-16T15:00:00.000-08:00

The Mavericks had Josh Howard back for the Suns battle at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on Wednesday. The Mavs beat us 102-96 and we extended our losing streak to three games. Tonight the Phoenix Suns face New Orleans for a second time in three games after losing to them at the beginning of the week. We are playing them on their home court this time and hopefully Steve Nash and the rest of the Suns can put the losses behind them and play better offense than they have in the past few games. We have been shooting around forty percent in recent weeks and our slump is mostly due to injuries. Most notably we have been missing our star shooter and James Jones due to a sore right ankle.

Phoenix Suns Shine over California

2005-12-09T10:49:00.000-08:00

The Phoenix Suns could not possibly be better than they are right now. On an eight game winning streak, the team looks like a well oiled machine with Nash at the helm. We ended the Golden State Warriors winning streak in a spectacular118-110 victory. Steve Nash had 28 points and Shawn Marion had 28 points. The Suns had a total of eight players who scored in the double digits in their win over the Portland Trailblazers the day before but didn’t look tired at all in their win over the Warriors. There was a period when Golden State out scored us in the fourth quarter but over all we dominated the game.

Nash Leads Suns in Pacers Smash

2005-12-02T16:17:00.001-08:00

The Phoenix Suns capitalized on their early lead over the Indiana Pacers and dominate the entire game. The Suns won 109-91 at home and the fans were loud and crazy as Steve Nash and Shawn Marion played one of their best games against a team like the Pacers. Nash had a season high 31 points and seven from three point range. Our defense was so good that it positively boosted out offense as well. Nash was the leader and star of the game showing that he is consistently scoring more this season than he ever has in his career. Coach Mike D’Antoni was quoted as saying after the game:

“I guess he got his shot back,”

Nash Leads Suns in Pacers Smash

2005-12-02T16:17:00.000-08:00

Suns Shine Minus Amare

2005-11-25T10:49:00.000-08:00

The Phoenix Suns performed flawlessly against the Houston Rockets in their 100-88 win on Wednesday. James Jones and Shawn Marion stuck to shooting from outside and avoided the physical battles they would face trying to drive the lane. With Amare Stoudemire out, the Suns had to get Yao on the move to avoid going one on one with him under the net. They used their speed and agility to keep Yao Ming from doing what he does best, defending from beneath the goal. Van Gundy eventually had to bench Yao with the Suns playing small ball. The Suns kept the ball moving fast and furious and the Rockets players running up and down the court in a high speed pursuit of the lead. This was a spectacular defensive game. We’re ready for the Pacers on Saturday, for sure.

Stoudamire Out Shoots the Suns

2005-11-20T13:55:00.000-08:00

Wednesday’s loss to the Grizzlies was upsetting but our Phoenix Suns played well. Damon Stoudamire scored big in the fourth quarter and padded the Grizzlies lead for a finish of 115-103. Suns’ forward Shawn Marion put up 23 points and 11 boards and we scored over a hundred points. But we have to put the past behind us and get ready for Utah and San Antonio. Toronto should prove a challenging but sure win for Steve Nash and company. Our schedule is going to get pretty hard after we play the Houston Rockets but hopefully we will have already added some wins to the eight we have had so far.

Honestly

2005-06-09T16:42:00.000-07:00

Tell me the Truth, how many of you Suns fans out there are really Suns fans?

How many of you fans jumped on the band wagon because of the addition of Nash and great play-off run this past season?

For those of you who followed Phoniex all season, when did you become a Suns Fan?

How and why did you become a Suns fan?

Game Over

2005-06-02T11:46:00.000-07:00

So what is there left to say with the season over. I have to give props to the Spurs because they are a complete team. Looking at our Suns the one player who stood out in this series was Amare Stoudemire. He had at least 30 points in every game against the Spurs and didn’t get much help from the rest of the supporting cast. The series ended at 4-1, but the upside is no one expected the Suns to be where they were at in the beginning of the season. Kudos for a great season.

Up Hill Battle

2005-06-01T13:01:00.000-07:00

Two nights ago the Suns were one game away from being eliminated by the Spurs. Well with a consolidated effort from the team and the aggressive play of Stoudamire the Suns were able to stay alive for a game five. Shawn Marion had a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds in their 111-106 over San Antonio. The series is now at 3-1, and there is no room for the Suns to. It is certainly going to be an uphill battle.

No Forward Progress

2005-05-26T09:52:00.000-07:00

I really didn’t expect this at all. The Suns have the most powerful offense in the NBA right now, so why did they lose the first two games at home? The Phoenix Suns opened up the Western Conference Finals with home court advantage, but the Spurs took that away after game 1.

Nash did his part, scoring 29 points with 15 assists in game 2. Nash hit 13-of-22 shots, but the Suns still lost. Just like in game 1, the Suns lost the game in the 4th quarter. Some one needs to tell these guys that in order to win you have to play all 4 quarters.

Stoudemire Shines

2005-05-23T10:22:00.000-07:00

Amare Stoudemire has been a huge factor for the Suns every since the playoffs started. Dont get me wrong, Stoudemire did well doing the season, but his game has definitely taken a step up.

In the first game of the Western Conference Finals, Stoudemire posted 41 points and had nine rebounds. He shot 12-of-21 shots and 15-of-18 free throws. But that still was not enough to hold off the Spurs 4th quarter surge. The final score was 121-114 in favor of the Spurs.

Like Whoa

2005-05-16T11:02:00.000-07:00

Now the Mavs are toe to toe with the Suns as the series is now tied at 2-2. I think the Suns are the most surprised at of anyone, and the least surprised would be head coach Avery Johnson of the Mavericks.

Nash Named MVP

2005-05-09T12:05:00.000-07:00

From Suns.com

The Phoenix Suns will tip off the Western Conference Semifinals on Monday with Steve Nash raising the NBA's Most Valuable Player trophy high above his head for all to see at America West Arena. Nash, who spent the past six seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, was named the league's MVP during a press conference on Sunday. Click here to watch the webcast of the announcement, and be sure to check out our Nash Tribute, for in-depth coverage of the playmaker's incredible season.

Suns get 1st One

2005-04-25T11:13:00.000-07:00

Amare Stoudemire did not get to make his double digit score. Stoudemire ran into a stout Memphis defense which led him to foul trouble. Stoudemire despite having 10 rebounds was only able to post up 9 points.

Yet logic has it if you double team some one, another person is bound to be open. Another team mate is bound to step up. After all these are all professional basketball players. Steven hunter stepped his game up with 16 points and 5 rebounds in a victory over the Memphis Grizzles114-103 last night. If the Grizzles leave Hunter alone again look for him to have another good outing,

No Return for Richardson

2005-04-12T11:07:00.000-07:00

by the Associated Press, from ESPN.com

On a night when Los Angeles Lakers fans relived the good old championship years, the Phoenix Suns reminded them just how far gone those days are for the current Lakers.

Joe Johnson scored 26 points and Phoenix hit a franchise-record 19 3-pointers in a 108-97 victory Monday night.

"When we come out and shoot the ball well from outside, we are almost guaranteed a win," Amare Stoudemire said. "Guys like Jim Jackson and Joe are incredible from behind the arc."

Johnson made six 3s, Jackson hit seven to finish with 25 points and Shawn Marion had 24 points and 13 rebounds for the Suns, who won their league-best 31st road game. Steve Nash added 15 points and 16 assists.

"They know exactly where they want to be in these situations," Lakers guard Chucky Atkins said. "With us, we don't know who's going to have the ball or what play to make. That's the way we've been playing all year."

As a result, the Lakers will miss the playoffs for just the second time since 1976.
The Suns lead idle San Antonio by a full game in their bid to land the Western Conference's top seed.

"I told the guys that we didn't play that well, but we still won, set a record for 3s and we played great defense for five minutes at the end, so there's a lot of positives," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said.

Phoenix set the NBA single-season record with 742 3-pointers. The old mark of 735 was by Dallas in 1995-96. Last Monday, the Suns hit a then-franchise-record 17 3-pointers against the Lakers.

"They just 3-pointed us to death," Lakers coach Frank Hamblen said.

Kobe Bryant had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who lost for the 15th time in 17 games on a night the franchise honored its 1984-85 NBA title team that included Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson.

Those two -- along with Michael Cooper, Bob McAdoo, Jamaal Wilkes, James Worthy, Bryon Scott and others -- were in a room signing memorabilia before the game. Bryant
said he was too intimidated to go in and talk to them.

Defense Wins

2005-04-04T12:12:00.000-07:00

In an unlikely scenario were Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire struggled to put up points, the Phoenix Suns still won. The win now gives the Suns the best record in the NBA at 56 -17.

So how did the Suns pull off the 91-78 victory over the hot and rising Houston Rockets, when Stoudemire and Nash shot a combined 6 of 17 shots for a total of 14 points?

A man by the name of Shawn Marion helped push the Suns with 23 buckets and 18 boards. The other Sun to step up was Joe Johnson as he added 19 points of his own.

The other helpful note and probably more of a decided factor was the fact that the Suns defense held the Rockets to just 34% shooting. So with nine games left to play before the playoffs, it is nice to know the Suns can win without Nash and with defense.

Suns staying Hot

2005-03-24T15:28:00.000-08:00

The Phoenix Suns are now 28-7 on the road with their recent victory over the Charlotte Bobcats. The 120 – 105 also accumulated their ninth strait win on the road which would tie a club record.

Leading the way for Phoenix was Joe Johnson with 26 points, Jim Jackson had 15 of his own points, Steve Nash end up with 11 points and 10 assists, and finally Shawn Marion who dominated with 26 points and 10 boards. The Suns always played a game with no turnover’s.

Suns Blast Blazer

2005-03-06T13:01:00.000-08:00

from Suns.com

Leading by as many as 28 in the first half, Phoenix had an easy time of it against the visiting Trail Blazers on Saturday, winning 129-116. Shawn Marion paced the team with 26 points and nine rebounds in just three quarters of play. Amaré Stoudemire tallied 20 points.

3 out of 4

2005-02-20T16:14:00.000-08:00

from Suns.com

The Suns' stars shined brightly on All-Star Saturday, winning three of the four skills competitions at Denver's Pepsi Center on Saturday night. Shawn Marion, Diana Tauarsi and Dan Majerle set a new record in the Radio Shack Shooting Stars before Steve Nash walked off with the PlayStation Skills Challenge. Quentin Richardson then won the Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout and Amare Stoudemire made it to the finals of the Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk contest, but was unable to match two perfect scores by the Hawks' Josh Smith.

Suns' Parade Rained on by Sonics

2005-02-12T13:31:00.000-08:00

from the officail site of the Phoenix Suns

Tied at halftime, the Suns fell behind in the third quarter and couldn't recover, losing 113-105 to the Sonics at home on Friday. Amaré Stoudemire scored 33 points and Steve Nash tallied 25 points and 14 assists for Phoenix, which visits Golden State on Sunday.

Preview Suns/Raptors

2005-01-30T14:32:00.000-08:00

STANDINGS :
Suns - 1st place, Pacific Division.
Raptors - 4th place, 2{ GB, Atlantic Division.

TEAM LEADERS:
Suns - Stoudemire, 26.1 ppg; Marion, 10.8 rpg; Nash, 11.0 apg.
Raptors - Rose, 15.7 ppg; Bosh, 8.2 rpg; Alston, 7.1 apg.

SEASON SERIES:
Suns, 1-0.

LAST MEETING:
Dec. 26; Suns, 106-94. At Phoenix, Stoudemire scored 33 points and Nash had 18 points and 13 assists as the Suns won their 11th straight despite blowing a 20-point lead.

INJURIES:
Suns - G Leandro Barbosa (ankle).
Raptors - C Alonzo Mourning (knee); F Pape Sow (knee); G Alvin Williams (knee).

The Wrong Kind of Streak

2005-01-22T10:25:00.000-08:00

Nash by far is the Suns’ court general. When Nash is in the game, the entire teams tends to pick up their play, but Nash guidance was not enough to hold back the San Antonio Spurs.

This game was actually to see who would have the best record in the NBA. The out come of the game gave the Spurs a (33-9) record and gave the Suns a (32-10) record.

The loss now has Phoenix in the wrong kind of streak with six consecutive losses. A double OT loss to the Spurs is understandable, but losing to the Jazz at the beginning of the streak just seemed to take the snow ball effect.

Don't expect the streak to go to 7.

Notes on Nash
Nash had 16 points and 13 assists in 46 minutes after missing the last 3 games with injuries.

Lengend in the Making

2005-01-10T14:35:00.000-08:00

Amare Stoudemire is only 22-years go age, but already seems to be installing himself as a NBA icon. It wasn't just one style for Stoudemire as he scored points with jump shots, dunks, layups, and power plays. His versatility really showed.
"Amare Stoudemire looked like Wilt Chamberlain..." - Quentin Richardson
Ricardson was refering to his team mates 50 point career high display, to help the Suns achieve the best record in the NBA right now at 26 - 4.

Suns 107, Nuggets 105

2004-12-22T13:15:00.000-08:00

by John Marshall / Associated Press, from Foxsports.com

With that kind of effort, it's no wonder the Phoenix Suns are off to the best start in franchise history.

Stoudemire had 32 points and nine rebounds, and Richardson tipped in a putback attempt at the buzzer to help the Suns extend their winning streak to nine games with a 107-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.

"The game was like 'Hamlet.' It was a suspense-thriller and I killed them," Richardson said.

It's no surprise. Phoenix has been doing it all season.

One of the NBA's worst teams a year ago, the Suns have become one of the best this season with balanced scoring and a never-give-up attitude.

Richardson finished with 19 points and seven rebounds, Steve Nash added 15 points and 10 assists and Phoenix shot 53 percent for its second nine-game winning streak this season. The Suns have won 18 of 19 and eight straight on the road, one short of the team record.

And at 22-3, the Suns are off to the NBA's best start since Dallas had the same record with Nash at the point in 2002. Not bad for a team that didn't get its 22nd win until March 15 last year.

"Phoenix is 22-3 for a reason," Nuggets coach Jeff Bzdelik said. "They are a very good team."

The Nuggets played without starters Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby, though it didn't appear to affect them offensively.

Andre Miller was aggressive from the start, finishing with 23 points and 11 assists, and Kenyon Martin bulled his way to 22 points and 11 rebounds. Nene did his part in place of Camby with 19 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, and Bryon Russell had 14 points for Denver, which shot 51 percent.

Where the Nuggets had trouble was on defense.

Without Camby there to erase shots, Denver gave the Suns plenty of free runs down the lane and allowed 56 points in the paint in losing for the fifth time in six games.

"The effort was good," Bzdelik said. "Short-handed, they battled the hottest team in the league and came up short. We just ran out of time, plain and simple."

The game was a shootout from the start, with little defense and plenty of scoring.

Phoenix went up 103-101 on Nash's left-handed runner with 49 seconds left, but Denver quickly answered with Martin's running hook to tie it. The Suns went back up with 22 seconds left when the Nuggets doubled Nash and left Stoudemire wide open for a two-handed dunk down the lane.

Denver tied it with Martin's hard drive, but couldn't keep the Suns off the boards on the other end. Nene blocked Richardson's first shot along the baseline, then Stoudemire was long on a two-handed tip. Richardson bounced back into the play between two Nuggets defenders and got his left hand on the ball, tipping it in just before the buzzer sounded.

"I knew it was good, because when I came back down, the light was still off," said Richardson, who was mobbed by teammates after the shot. "That's why I went so crazy."

Anthony missed his second straight game with a sprained ankle, then Camby was a last-minute scratch because of bronchitis.

Denver is at its best when it works the ball around for open shots, and the Nuggets had it going in the first half, using crisp passes for open jumpers and cuts down the lane. The Nuggets shot 12-of-20 in the first quarter and only cooled slightly in the second, shooting 50 percent in the first half to lead 54-53.

But Camby's absence was clearly noticeable on the other end.

Phoenix had no trouble getting to the rim without Denver's best defensive player in the paint, getting three of its first four baskets on open drives and scoring 30 of its first-half points in the lane to shoot 23-of-39.

"We took advantage of the situation that they were out," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni. "Lucky for us, bad for them." the post. "That is a travel. Even in the holiday season that's a travel," Outlaw said. ... Colorado Rockies manager Clint Hurdle attended the game. ... Denver has allowed 100 points in seven of its past nine games and 56 points in the lane in five of six.

Can Suns Win 60 Games This Year?

2004-12-07T16:52:00.000-08:00

By Mike Tulumello, East Valley Tribune, from NBA.com

Good NBA teams win 50 games, according to the league's age-old conventional wisdom.

Great teams win 60.

The Suns (14-3) have established they're awfully good, in particular by running up an 8-1 road record.

But can they be great? Can they win 60?

Since 1980, an average of 1.5 teams per season have won 60 games. They range from a high of four teams in 1997-98 to zero in 2000-01.

As a franchise, in 36 seasons, the Suns have accomplished this only once: They went 62-20 in 1992-93 as the prelude to their dramatic run to the NBA Finals.

A couple of present-day Suns approached this question as if giving a real answer would result in the club having to absorb some sort of hex or curse.

Said Shawn Marion, "I don't want to jump ahead like that and put expectations on us. "It's hard enough to win 50 games."

Said Quentin Richardson, "I don't want to put a number on it. But when we play our game, we can beat every team." Coach Mike D'Antoni seemed cautious about such a suggestion, saying, "That's a scary thought.

"We're definitely going to shoot for it . . . We have a legitimate chance to win every game we play.

"But 60 is a lot of games."

But Casey Jacobsen took a different tack, saying, "Why not?”

"We've shown we're a dangerous team that can score a lot of points and play solid defense at times. "What's impressive is how we've played on the road. Last year, we were absolutely miserable on the road. "That's the difference between really good teams and teams that win 45 games. Those extra 10 or 15 games on the road are the challenges."

Said Jacobsen, "To play with so much confidence that you expect to win that many games . . . There's nothing wrong with that."

Thinking along the same lines is Jake Voskuhl, who compared the Suns to the NFL's Indianapolis Colts.

"They may not be a perfect team, but not many teams can score 50 points." In the NBA, Voskuhl said, "Not every team can score 120 points (which the Suns have done three times) . . . but when you put four scorers around Steve Nash. . . ."

Nash termed 60 wins "a long shot," and said that, "no matter what it looks like now," somewhere along the way the Suns are bound to hit rough spots.

"We're a young team, a new group," he pointed out. To win 60, the Suns must continue to make hay out of a soft portion of their schedule this month.

Two exceptions are Wednesday, when the Suns visit the Los Angeles Lakers, and then on Dec. 28 at San Antonio.

The Suns and Spurs could own the league's best records by that point, which would give them a fair shot at winning 60.

Marion Named NBA Western Conference Player of the Week

2004-11-29T13:56:00.000-08:00

from NBA.com

For the second week in a row, a Suns player was named NBA Western Conference Player of the Week as Shawn Marion took the honor for November 22-28 after leading the Suns to a perfect 3-0 week and extending the NBA's longest active winning streak to seven games.

Marion averaged 25.7 points, 14.3 rebounds and 1.67 blocks in home victories over Chicago, Milwaukee and New Orleans last week. "The Matrix" started the week with 21 points and a season-high 16 boards vs. Chicago on Nov. 22 and followed that up with a team-high 23 points and 12 rebounds vs. Milwaukee on Nov. 24. He capped the week with game highs of 33 points and 15 rebounds vs. the Hornets on Nov. 26. It was his most points scored in over two seasons (33 vs. Denver, 4/1/03).

This is the fourth career NBA Player of the Week award for Marion, who won the weekly honor on April 13, 2003, March 31, 2002 and Feb. 26, 2001.

Marion is averaging 20.3 points, a career-best 12.3 rebounds (3rd in the NBA), 2.00 blocks and 1.62 steals for the 11-2 Suns, who are off to their best start since 1980-81 (14-2). He ranks third in the league with 10 double-doubles and has nine in the last 10 games, including five straight. Marion has also grabbed 12 or more rebounds in nine of his last 10 games.

Last week Suns forward Amaré Stoudemire was named the NBA Western Conference Player of the Week for November 15-21.

Miller’s Late Shot Carries Kings

2004-11-14T16:47:00.000-08:00

from NFL.com

Brad Miller hit a 20-foot jumper with 25 seconds remaining to give the Sacramento Kings their first road win of the season, a 113-111 triumph over the Phoenix Suns.

Sacramento held a 100-87 lead with eight minutes left before Steve Nash sparked a comeback by Phoenix. He sank consecutive baskets to bring the Suns within 110-109 with 44 seconds left.

Miller's bucket gave the Kings a 112-109 edge. After a pair of free throws by Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire, Doug Christie missed 1-of-2 from the foul line, giving Phoenix one last opportunity to win.

The Suns did not call their last timeout and raced upcourt, only to have Shawn Marion miss a leaner in the lane and Joe Johnson miss an open 13-footer.

"I had some good looks. It just wasn't going in," Marion said. "It just happens like that sometimes. They don't always go in."

Chris Webber had a season-high 28 points and 10 rebounds, Peja Stojakovic scored a season-high 23 points and Mike Bibby added 20 for the Kings, who had lost their first four road games.

"Its really big because we have about 12 days at home," Webber said "I think we have an unfair record, But everyone could say that. We opened three arenas - Houston, San Antonio and Dallas. So it's good for us to get a road win."

"They are a really tough team to guard," Kings coach Rick Adelman said "But we played so much better offensively tonight than we have been. They made their run like teams at home are going to make runs at you."

There were 19 lead changes before the Kings went on a 10-0 run to open a 94-82 lead with 10:41 remaining.

"The difference compared to our previous games was patience and energy for all 48 minutes," Stojakovic said. "We know we'd have to accomplish that against this team, running the floor, taking care of the transition defense."

Stoudemire and Nash scored 29 points apiece and Marion added 14 and 15 rebounds for the Suns, who have lost two in a row following a 4-0 start. Phoenix has lost 12 of its last 17 meetings with Sacramento.

"We made a lot of good decisions and plays down the stretch offensively to get back in the game," Nash said. "We lost to a good team. They made us pay offensively and we certainly didn't get many bounces, either."

Suns Scorch Kings in Pre-Season Finale

2004-11-01T15:29:00.000-08:00

From ESPN.com, ESPN Ticker

SACRAMENTO, California (Ticker) -- Quentin Richardson and the Phoenix Suns put an exclamation point on an outstanding preseason.

Richardson had five 3-pointers and scored 16 of his 18 points in the first half to help Phoenix to a 124-96 victory over the Sacramento Kings in the preseason finale for both teams.

With the Suns trailing 26-25 late in the first quarter, Richardson hit 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions and scored 10 straight points during a 12-0 run, which was capped with a driving layup by Leandro Barbosa 1:09 into the second quarter.

Richardson, who was signed as a free agent in the offseason, has averaged 15.8 points during the preseason.

Phoenix already held a 41-32 lead when Amare Stoudemire's running hook shot 2:05 later started a 15-3 run. Stoudemire scored eight of his 19 points during the run and Casey Jacobsen hit a 3-pointer to end the outburst as the Suns outscored Sacramento 43-20 in the second quarter.

Joe Johnson had 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists and Shawn Marion added 18 points and nine boards for the Suns, who outrebounded Sacramento, 53-23.

Phoenix (7-1), which opens the regular season at home against Atlanta on Wednesday, was 30-of-43 from the floor in the first half and scored over 100 points for the seventh time in the preseason.

Predrag Stojakovic scored 21 points and Darius Songaila added 15 for Sacramento, which lost four of its final five preseason games and finished at 2-6.

Matt Barnes and Mike Bibby each scored 12 points for the Kings, who visit Dallas for the season opener on Tuesday

One-on-One with Yuta Tabuse

2004-10-25T13:46:00.000-07:00

By Masayoshi Niwa, NBA.com/Japan

---- How have you been spending your days since when you arrived here in early September?
Tabuse : I was just working out with some of my teammates in the team practice facility in Phoenix.

---- Then the Rookie Transition Program in New York?
Tabuse : Yes, a month has past since then.

---- It was your birthday yesterday. Any special celebrations?
Tabuse : Not really, but during the team dinner, they got a cake and sang "Happy Birthday" for me (laughs).

---- Was that to surprise you?
Tabuse : No, I don't think so. I don't think they knew about my birthday, but Coach D'Antoni mentioned it during dinner.

---- Speaking of the coach, he is a cheerful guy?
Tabuse : He is really friendly, and I especially like the way he separates hard practices and fun times. I like those types of people, and actually, the whole team is like that.

---- He also likes the up-tempo style of basketball?
Tabuse : Yes, that's right. Otherwise, he would not pick up a player like me, and that makes me think that I want to contribute as much as I can.

---- Assuming that you know how things go now, do you think that you were able to enter camp smoother so far than last year?
Tabuse : Yes and I also feel that I was lucky, because, for example, I already know the set offenses since I have been playing on the Suns from the summer league. Now, it's like a review for me.

---- In a way, you are on the same starting line as last year. Is there something that you see now but could not see last year?
Tabuse : That would be...the idea of how I could make full use of my skills. Last year, my first priority was to make the team, and my mind might have been set solely on "competing against someone". This year, however, my mindset is not like that, and instead of just competing against someone, in some pats of the game I try to learn from the strengths of the other three point guards, and in another part I try to play against them with my strength of my game. That's not the approach of one against one, but the mentality of how I could function better in the team, and how I could make full use of my abilities... That's the difference.

---- Challenge, in a way, is a risk. Ichiro of the Seattle Mariners had said something like this about challenge, but how do you consider your challenge as?
Tabuse : I am far from where Ichiro-san stands. But as a Japanese athlete playing in the United States, we share the similar situations, and in that way the fact that I am in the similar situation as him is a big challenge for me...

---- ¡½So you think there are basically no differences in challenges, but people just have their own hurdles to overcome?
Tabuse : Right, but as for the Japanese baseball players succeeding in the Major League, they are here because the teams want them. On the other hand, I need to first show them my skills and have them recognize me, and that is a big difference. And comparing us is another issue. Well, this year they decided to keep me after watching me play in the summer league, and that's an honor as well as a source of confidence for me...Yeah, I will try and find a way to stay on this team.

---- Mentally and physically, are you playing now with intentions of pushing yourself to the limit?
Tabuse : No, not really. I am more relaxed because I have the experiences from last year. Of course, I am doing the things that I am capable of doing on the court everyday with full effort, but I am not that caught up. Yesterday, one of the things that Steve Nash told me was, I first need to get used to playing at this level. He told me that the most important thing for me right now is to adjust to this level of basketball. He also advised me to play without being afraid of making mistakes, and I totally agreed.

---- Are you the type of player who uses positive energy as a boost to your motivation? Or the opposite? For example, are you able to convert a negative remark into a positive energy?
Tabuse : Well, I'm the type who relies on the efforts and experiences, so I try not to expect too much from anything more than that, even though those "positives" might come into effect somewhere. I just think about doing what I have been doing, and that is to play hard.

---- So, experience is what is carrying you?
Tabuse : Well, yes. I focus more on the process, not the result or the outcome. I look to fulfill each day with improvement, not just satisfaction. This way, I don't think I will regret even if the results don't turn out to be the way I want them to be, because I know that what I had done is not wrong. The thing I hate the most is to regret, and so for me, it's not the results that counts.

---- Isn't that something that is hard to do without believing in yourself?
Tabuse : Yes, if I wanted to goof off, I could, and what I do is a problem of my own. But looking at the efforts of the starting players, they stay until the last minute to practice their shooting, and the fact that I too am working hard with those players helps me gain more confidence. I believe that it's the little efforts that count in games.

---- Is that a part of your message to the kids who play basketball?
Tabuse : Partly yes, but what I really want to say as my message is that playing basketball is not just about coming to the United States, and I don't want the kids to misunderstand that "if you come here, things will turn out fine somehow". Speaking from my experience, I had learned many important things through playing in Japan which I still treasure, and I feel proud of that. Some things can be learned as well as anywhere in Japan, for example, fundamentals of greeting people. It is the same with basketball. I think that the fundamentals of the game are the most important aspects that are taught in elementary to high school. As a matter of fact, I use those fundamentals to the fullest now, and those things are the aspects of the game that I would like to teach and pass along.

---- You are an active player now, but at the same time you are going to have to be the one to carry the future of Japanese basketball. When you think about this, do you have anything in mind that you would like to do in return to Japan for the support? For example, Nash saved a wandering junior basketball league in Vancouver by becoming its sponsor after the owning team, the Vancouver Grizzlies, moved to Memphis.
Tabuse : Well, that's if I get to that level... Right now, I don't really think about it since my goal is to stay on this team, but when I have some room to think about it in the future, I would like to teach and do things like that. One thing I always think about is to try to be the one who could give the kids dreams and hopes. As a child myself, I always went to watch game of players who I looked up to, and whenever they came to talk to me, I was more than happy. Now, I really hope that I could do and be the same to the kids. I would really love to do whatever I can to give hopes and courage to the young basketball dreamers in Japan, and hopefully that will help make basketball become a major sport in my home country.

---- That's exactly where the significance is. Right now, people in Japan are starting to direct attention to basketball through one individual, named Yuta Tabuse. This may result in expanding the base of basketball culture in Japan.
Tabuse : Yes, I also value these things too. Right now, I am the only one who is in this position (getting a shot at the NBA), and therefore I am the only one who is able to experience this whole thing. I truly wish for many others to be able have this precious experience, and in that way, I really want to contribute.

---- Was there a specific moment when the dream of wanting to be an NBA player turned into some kind of an impulse within you that made you actually aim for it, some form of confidence that you can do it, just like a glimmer of light in the darkness?
Tabuse : That would be the moment when I changed my thought after finishing the first season with Toyota (a team in the Japan Basketball League). From that moment on, I said to myself that I will not be allowed to turn back after starting my challenge, and I didn't want to turn back. Even though I had participated in the Hoop Summit and others after high school, making the NBA was still a dream, and I had a feeling somewhere in my mind that I could not make it. But after playing for Toyota for a year, I thought about it a lot, and that was the moment that decided that I really want to stick to the NBA, and I will not turn back.

---- Was there any feelings of fear?
Tabuse : No, not at all. I felt like I had nothing to lose. And that was why I was able to just look ahead and keep my head up. I had nothing to carry on my shoulders, and therefore I could stay very positive about it.

one day

2004-09-14T13:51:00.000-07:00

One day in the near future, there will be a Phoenix Suns weblog here. I promise.