Phoenix Suns News

Phoenix Suns' guard Leandro Barbosa says he's not ready for Lakers game
Comment
March 12
Arizona Republic
 
"Steve Nash, Goran Dragic and Leandro Barbosa all took part in at least limited scrimmaging during Thursday's practice, and Dragic and Nash said they're ready to go Friday against the Lakers . Barbosa said he isn't. He had a cyst removed from his right wrist a little over six weeks ago. "No, I'm going to wait," he said. "I don't know how many games. I'm not strong yet with the (right) hand. It's still a little bit weak. I can't pass the way I want to pass. Hopefully I'll be back soon. I'm excited and wanted to play, but I want to make sure I get back right." Coach Alvin Gentry said as early as Tuesday that Barbosa was actually shooting the ball better than anticipated, and indicated he ..."
Phoenix Suns have wild road ahead in NBA playoff race
Comment
March 12
Arizona Republic
 
"How wild is the NBA's Western Conference playoff race going to get? Phoenix Suns coach Alvin Gentry told his players as they finished preparations for Friday's game against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers that during their five-day break the Suns slipped from fifth to sixth in the West. "We've got a tall order," Suns playmaker Steve Nash said. "The West is incredibly tight, incredibly efficient. Teams are winning all their games. "So, we've got to play really well starting with the Lakers. We have 17 games left and we have to win a bunch of them." The Suns were banged up when this unusual gap in the schedule arrived, so in that way it was helpful. But they also had won eight of their past 10, ..."
Moment of truth approaching for Phoenix Suns, Amar'e Stoudemire
Comment
March 11
Arizona Republic
 
"Relationships aren't always easy. Familiarity spawns contempt. Lusty courtship can fade into disenchantment, disappointment. But here on the slow road to goodbye, a strange thing is happening in Arizona. Amar'e Stoudemire is winning hearts all over again. "I see him as improving," Suns point guard Steve Nash said. Enough to award him a maximum contract, which would start at $17.1 million and increase by 10½ percent annually? "He's the type of guy who puts up those numbers, but I don't know," Nash said. "If I'm a Mark Cuban-type, maybe." Once, Nash felt betrayed by Cuban. Lately, it's clear that Nash occasionally misses the freewheeling, free-spending Mavericks owner. But that's a different ..."
Leandro Barbosa's return to squeeze Phoenix Suns backcourt
Comment
March 11
Arizona Republic
 
"The squeeze is coming, and for the Suns that might be a good thing. With Leandro Barbosa expected to make his return from wrist surgery against the Lakers the Suns have a numbers crunch in their backcourt. Backup point guard Goran Dragic has played unexpectedly well this season at both ends of the court. Shooting guard Jason Richardson, who briefly was replaced in the starting lineup by Barbosa, is playing some of his best basketball since joining the club. And Steve Nash is orchestrating like an MVP again. But that's four players for two positions on the court - not even counting Grant Hill, who can swing from forward to guard and is having flashbacks to the '90s. Still, with all the ..."
Leandro Barbosa's return to squeeze Phoenix Suns backcourt
Comment
March 10
Arizona Republic
 
"The squeeze is coming, and for the Suns that might be a good thing. With Leandro Barbosa expected to make his return from wrist surgery against the Lakers the Suns have a numbers crunch in their backcourt. Backup point guard Goran Dragic has played unexpectedly well this season at both ends of the court. Shooting guard Jason Richardson, who briefly was replaced in the starting lineup by Barbosa, is playing some of his best basketball since joining the club. And Steve Nash is orchestrating like an MVP again. But that's four players for two positions on the court - not even counting Grant Hill, who can swing from forward to guard and is having flashbacks to the '90s. Still, with all the ..."
Suns' Frye suspended 1 game for scuffle with Pacers
Comment
March 10
Arizona Republic
 
"The Suns got the news they expected Tuesday. The NBA suspended center Channing Frye, along with Danny Granger of the Indiana Pacers, one game each without pay for their part in an altercation that took place last Saturday at US Airways Center. Frye will sit out Friday night's game against the Lakers in Phoenix. Granger was to sit out a game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night. "Go figure," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. "We'll line up and play a game without him and we'll get him back and go from there. "The league is going to do what they think they have to do. We'll abide by it and move on." Frye said again that he did not intend to hit anybody, but he said he understands ..."
Suns' Frye suspended 1 game for scuffle with Pacers
Comment
March 9
Arizona Republic
 
"The Suns' Channing Frye was suspended for 1 game for his part in an altercation against the Indiana Pacers last Saturday at US Airways Center. The Pacers' Danny Granger also was suspended one game without pay for his participation. Frye, who will sit out Friday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers, was suspended for throwing a punch at Granger, and Granger was suspended for fighting with Frye. "To me really I'm not a fan of the publicity of the whole thing. It's just an altercation that happened. Emotions flared up," Frye said. "So, all this attention is kind of a negative light on the good things we've done. We have 17 games left and we're already at 40 wins which is much more success ..."
With Robin Lopez, Suns no longer playoff pushovers
Comment
March 9
Arizona Republic
 
"Robin Lopez is a giant with a temper. Such specimens can do wonders for any basketball team. His inner rage led to a broken door at the Suns' practice facility, earning Lopez a $500 repair bill. Back then, the coach wanted to hit him even harder, to teach him a lesson about restraint. These days, members of the organization are wondering how they ever won a game without him. "Any team I've ever played for, I just wanted to bring a dose of energy with some toughness, defense and presence on the boards," Lopez said. "I think you can say that's happened here." The transformation has been stunning - and most welcome. For much of his rookie season, Lopez was an object of scorn, the recipient of ..."
NBA still reviewing Channing Frye's involvement in Suns-Pacers altercation
Comment
March 9
Arizona Republic
 
"After Monday's workout, Suns coach Alvin Gentry said he isn't optimistic about his chances of having Channing Frye available Friday when the Los Angeles Lakers visit US Airways Center. He'll have to wait at least until Tuesday to find out if his hunch is correct as an NBA spokesman indicated the league still is reviewing an incident during Saturday's Suns-Indiana Pacers game. "It's really tough because he's the one guy who creates problems for them," Gentry said of adjustments that will be necessary if Frye is suspended. "Even with Pau Gasol and those guys, (Frye) can stretch the defense. They have to guard him out on the perimeter." "Obviously we could use him." Frye, meanwhile, insisted ..."
Suns' Leandro Barbosa back; Steve Nash getting needed rest
Comment
March 9
Arizona Republic
 
"Leandro Barbosa, who had surgery on his right wrist six weeks ago, returned to practice, and Gentry hopes he'll be available to play against the Lakers. "I'll speak with the trainers, but he'll do a little more contact stuff (today) and practice Thursday, and if everything is OK he should be ready to go, I would think." Barbosa said his right arm is still "a little weak" and there is some swelling, but he added that if he feels comfortable Thursday he likely will play Friday. "I'm very hungry to come back and help my teammates," he said. "We'll see what happens." He said his fitness is good. "The wind is great," he said. "The trainers have been pushing me really hard, and I appreciate ..."
Suns off till Friday against Lakers
Comment
March 8
Arizona Republic
 
"Spring break has arrived for the Suns, who don't play a game again until Friday. It is right on time for a team trying to get its guards all better. Steve Nash will take the three scheduled practices off. Goran Dragic will return from his ankle sprain and Leandro Barbosa will practice for the first time since Jan. 26 wrist surgery. But more than that, this is a break in the schedule that goes beyond days off. The Suns always had hoped they could stay afloat in the West long enough to get to this point, where they would have fewer games remaining (17) than anyone except Portland, also with 17 left. Even though Phoenix returns to action Friday against the Lakers, the Lakers are one of only ..."
Suns expecting word on fallout from Pacers scuffle
Comment
March 7
Arizona Republic
 
"The Suns expect to be contacted by NBA officials today with either more interviews or a punishment decision for Saturday's third-quarter fracas with the Indiana Pacers. The scrape resulted in Suns center Channing Frye's ejection and technicals for Suns guard Jason Richardson and Indiana's Danny Granger and Roy Hibbert. Frye could be suspended for Friday's game because he took a left-handed swipe at Granger and a threw lighter left jab at Hibbert. Neither connected. "It could happen," Frye said. "That would be disappointing because it's against the Lakers. It just wouldn't be a good reflection not only on me but on the Suns and this organization. That's not the type of people we are or ..."
Suns show some fight in victory against Pacers
Comment
March 7
Arizona Republic
 
"There was a basketball triple-header at US Airways Center on Saturday. The finale's underdog, the road-weary, skidding Indiana Pacers, figured to offer about as much fight as the first game's underdog, the Washington Generals against the Harlem Globetrotters. But the Pacers had a lot of fight in them, giving the Suns a real fight and a figurative one before losing a decision on points. The Suns headed into their five-day break with a 113-105 victory, winning after losing Channing Frye to an ejection in a third-quarter battle. In the third quarter's final minute, Indiana guard Earl Watson shoved away Frye's hands from him twice before turning away as Steve Nash made a jump shot for a 89-83 ..."
Rookie Earl Clark strives to be in Suns' rotation
Comment
March 7
Arizona Republic
 
"Fifty-three rookies have made their way to the NBA courts this season, and only 10 have played fewer minutes per game than Suns rookie Earl Clark, the 14th pick. Oklahoma City's B.J. Mullens is the only first-round pick playing less per game than Clark other than top pick Blake Griffin, who is out for the season due to a knee injury. Clark has found his way back into the rotation the past two games. But since playing 20 minutes on opening night, Clark has not played more than 12 minutes in a game other than in a few blowouts. The Suns expect him to be a rotation player next season. "I'll be shocked if he's not," coach Alvin Gentry said. "A lot is going to depend on what he does during the ..."
Phoenix's fight fallout
Comment
March 7
Arizona Republic
 
"Upon further review, there were a few bad punches thrown in the third-quarter fracas during Phoenix's 113-105 victory against Indiana. There was nothing that would not make Manny Pacquiao laugh but it will be enough for the league office to review. So it all started apparently moments earlier when two Pacers fumbled away a rebound and Channing Frye picked it up for a dunk follow. "When he turned around, he elbowed me," Watson told the Indianapolis Star. "The next play, he was setting a pick and he was using his hands and I told him to, 'Put your hands down.' He kept shoving me with his hands and I smacked his hands." Two minutes after Frye's dunk, switching off a screen, Watson wound up on ..."
Suns guard Steve Nash still hurting
Comment
March 6
Arizona Republic
 
"For the past few weeks, Steve Nash's days have begun with pain before they can move on to basketball. Winning is fun. Winning in pain is tolerable. But losing and hurting, as he did Thursday night against Utah, is no fun. Nash, 36, has battled a lower abdominal strain since late January, when it brought on a flare-up of the point guard's chronic back pain due to a slipped vertebra. Nash is hurting, but there is no time for it. Goran Dragic, the usual backup point guard, likely will sit out again Saturday against Indiana because of the right-ankle sprain he suffered Wednesday. Leandro Barbosa, another option, will practice Monday for the first time since his Jan. 26 wrist surgery. Dragic ..."
4th-quarter letdown dooms Suns vs. Jazz
Comment
March 5
Arizona Republic
 
"Methodically efficient. Physical defensively. The better power forward. For nearly all of Thursday night's game against Utah, the descriptions looked like they would swing the Suns' way against the Jazz for a change. Early in the fourth quarter, the Suns were shooting 20 percentage points better than Utah, but having only an eight-point lead at that time left the door open for Utah to exit it with a stolen victory. With a chance to move into fourth place in the Western Conference, the Suns crumbled late for the second time this season against Utah, blowing a 10-point lead with seven minutes to go to lose 116-108{check} to the Jazz at US Airways Center. The Suns had the NBA's top-shooting ..."
Amar'e Stoudemire in no hurry to talk about extension with Suns
Comment
March 5
Arizona Republic
 
"What forward Amar'e Stoudemire has done lately is not going to change the status of a possible contract extension with the Suns anytime soon. Stoudemire said he wants to shelve contract-extension talks until after the season, when he also will have to make a decision about opting out of the final year of the deal, which would pay him $17.7 million. He must decide by June 30. "I just don't want the distraction," Stoudemire said. "I don't want to distract the team right now. We're playing well. So in the off-season, we can talk about extensions. "The way I play is not really focusing on the contract at all. I'm playing strictly to get a better spot in the playoffs and a higher seed and also ..."
Suns winning at home again under coach Alvin Gentry
Comment
March 4
Arizona Republic
 
"The Suns won at least 30 of 41 home games per season for four consecutive years until last season, when they were 14-10 at home in February before coach Terry Porter was fired. His replacement, Alvin Gentry, put as much an emphasis as a coach can on protecting home court. With five consecutive home wins, the Suns are 37-10 at home since Gentry took over last year. Only the coaches for last season's conference finalists have won more often at home in that time than Gentry. Phoenix's 23-7 mark at US Airways Center this season is tied for the NBA's fifth-best home record and puts the Suns on pace for 31 home wins. Home success would be a nice quality to uphold now that the Suns are starting a ..."
Suns roll past Clippers, eye 4th spot in West
Comment
March 4
Arizona Republic
 
"The Suns set up themselves for a chance to move into fourth place in the Western Conference tonight in more than one way. Not only did they end the Los Angeles Clippers' four-game home winning streak to pull within a half-game of tonight's visitor, Utah, but they dominated the Clippers so thoroughly in the second half that Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire got nearly as much rest as Utah did watching the Suns' 127-101 victory Wednesday night at Staples Center. Phoenix completed a second consecutive season sweep of the Clippers, winning their eighth consecutive game in the series by pulling away from the Clippers in the second half like a speeding bullet. Trailing 58-57 at halftime, the Suns ..."
Dragic doubtful for Utah game
Comment
March 4
Arizona Republic
 
"Suns guard Goran Dragic is doubtful for Thursday night's game against Utah. Dragic sprained his right ankle in the fourth quarter of Wednesday night's victory at the Los Angeles Clippers. Dragic landed oddly on a jump late in the game and exited with 3:06 to go, leaving emergency point guard Jared Dudley (with Steve Nash and Grant Hill done for the night and Leandro Barbosa out) to run the team in mop-up duty. Suns head athletic trainer Aaron Nelson said if Dragic is unable to play Thursday night against Utah that he likely would also hold Dragic out of Saturday night's game against Indiana to give the ankle ample time to heal. The Suns have five off-days after the Indiana game before ..."
Suns' Amundson a high-energy mainstay off bench
Comment
March 3
Arizona Republic
 
"Louis Amundson plays with the non-stop energy of a bumble bee, constantly buzzing and annoying those around him with his hustle. The Suns reserve power forward has the proof from a head-butt from Nene and the left cross from Zach Randolph last season. But other than his true hoop nemesis, the free-throw line, Amundson won't be frustrated. He played 13 minutes in Friday's and Sunday's games, prompting coach Alvin Gentry to tell him: "It's OK to be upset with me. Just be ready to play." As usual, Amundson was ready Monday night. Gentry had Amundson play the final 14 minutes of the first half because Amundson's group, with subs Goran Dragic and Channing Frye, turned around a game that was ..."
Suns rally comes early in win over Nuggets
Comment
March 2
Arizona Republic
 
"The Suns come back more often than Freddy Krueger, but the suspense in Monday night's turnaround was gone early at US Airways Center. The Suns rallied from a deficit of at least 13 points for the fifth time this season, and they did it decisively with a 24-point second-quarter swing that catapulted Phoenix to a 101-85 victory over the Denver Nuggets. The Suns extended their home winning streak to five games by holding an opponent to fewer than 90 points for the third time during that run. Phoenix has defeated Denver 10 consecutive times at home, all since Steve Nash returned. But Nash's backup, Goran Dragic and benchmates Louis Amundson and Channing Frye had more to do with this one than ..."
Suns guard Leandro Barbosa gets medical clearance
Comment
March 2
Arizona Republic
 
"Suns guard Leandro Barbosa got farther away from the basket with his shots Monday, putting him closer to a return. Barbosa was given a full medical clearance Monday, allowing him to use Monday's pregame time to take his first perimeter shots since he underwent surgery Jan. 26 to remove a cyst from his right wrist. There is no timetable for Barbosa's return to game action, especially with the Suns not having any practices this week because they are in a five-day, four-game stretch. Barbosa said his expectation was that the Suns would use next week's five consecutive off days to prepare him for a return, but he said he might be able to get in some two-on-two or three-on-three work this week ..."
Nuggets' horrible second quarter leads to Suns' victory
Comment
March 2
Denver Post
 
"Muhammad Ali sat courtside Monday at US Airways Center while the Suns Sonny-Listoned the Nuggets. "It happened so fast," Carmelo Anthony said of the second-quarter knockout. In the Suns' 101-85 home win, the Nuggets actually led by 13 points in that second quarter but ended up being outscored 33-11 in those 12 minutes and trailed by 13 at halftime. "I can't deny that the zone (defense) bothered us," Denver coach George Karl said of the Suns' adjustment. "They went zone with their second unit — they've done it before — and they got turnovers, which they're good at converting. For three quarters we played them pretty much the right way, and the one quarter, it kills us." Denver played its ..."
Suns guard Leandro Barbosa gets medical clearance
Comment
March 2
Arizona Republic
 
"Suns guard Leandro Barbosa got farther away from the basket with his shots Monday, putting him closer to a return. Barbosa was given a full medical clearance Monday, allowing him to use Monday's pregame time to take his first perimeter shots since he underwent surgery Jan. 26 to remove a cyst from his right wrist. There is no timetable for Barbosa's return to game action, especially with the Suns not having any practices this week because they are in a five-day, four-game stretch. Barbosa said his expectation was that the Suns would use next week's five consecutive off days to prepare him for a return, but he said he might be able to get in some two-on-two or three-on-three work this week ..."
Suns can't complete rally in loss to Spurs
Comment
March 1
Arizona Republic
 
"Jason Richardson crouched at the 3-point line and put his hand over his mouth, as if he had just witnessed a car accident. It was the first break in the action Sunday after he had missed an open, one-handed fast-break slam seconds earlier that would have tied the score with 41.8 seconds left. It was the only shot the Suns got to tie the score in the fourth quarter against the Spurs, because the game ended with Steve Nash passing up a shot that would have tied it. It seemed like another unique way to lose at San Antonio - a dunk-contest champ missing a dunk and Nash making a wrong choice. But it was the Suns' old ways of slipping defensively that let three quarters of back-and-forth action ..."
Suns' Amar'e Stoudemire keeps firing
Comment
March 1
Arizona Republic
 
"Amar'e Stoudemire traveled on the first play of the game Sunday and missed his first three shots. But none of it deterred the Suns' star during Sunday's 113-110 loss to the Spurs. Stoudemire took a career-high 28 shots on the way to his first 40-point game since last season, which ended early because of eye surgery. Stoudemire scored 41 points and added 12 rebounds. He scored nine of the Suns' final 12 points, including a monstrous dunk on the Spurs' Richard Jefferson that was part of a 3-point play. It was Stoudemire's 13th career 40-point regular-season game. He has four against the Spurs, including two playoff games. "I knew it was going to come," Stoudemire said. "Sometimes you start ..."
Hometown shaped its famous Sun, Steve Nash
Comment
February 28
Arizona Republic
 columnist Paola Boivin
"Pssst. Want to hear a Victoria secret? Steve Nash used to fine-tune his basketball skills by violating Section 348 of Canada's Criminal Code (breaking and entering). It was one of many indelible experiences growing up in this harbor city that shaped who the Suns player is today. A visit to Nash's hometown, a destination spot on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, is a placid voyage through a community known for its tea, tourism and talented point guard. Stop at his childhood home, his schools and his hangouts, and you learn how a kid from a region defined by hockey sticks and curling brooms could blossom into a two-time MVP and seven-time All-Star in the NBA. "He was in our backyard ..."
Suns enter key stretch against Western Conference teams
Comment
February 28
Arizona Republic
 
"Suns coach Alvin Gentry warned everyone that the Suns' 14-3 start to the season might not be an indication of who they were yet. Gentry hoped that the Suns squad that then went 12-18 wasn't the finished product, either. Now, Suns 2009-10, Version 3.0, is 11-2 and clicking as well as ever. They will go for a season-best sixth consecutive victory Sunday at San Antonio. "I've got a good feeling that this is who we are right now," Gentry said. Being one of NBA's hotter teams has done little to secure a postseason fate. The Suns began February in sixth place in the Western Conference and are fifth as they hit the season's final quarter pole Sunday. The visit to San Antonio starts a five-day ..."
Nash will sit out practices, but not games
Comment
February 28
Arizona Republic
 (scroll down)
"The scoring depth can make a shooting night such as point guard Steve Nash's 1-for-7 performance Friday seem inconsequential as long as he is setting up teammates. Nash had been open to the possibility of taking more days off after he was told to skip Tuesday's game at Oklahoma City. But Gentry said that is not in the plan."
3-pointers no longer only game for Suns' Channing Frye
Comment
February 27
Arizona Republic
 
"The Suns center did not even get a chance to take a 3-point shot in the previous two games and had not made one for five games. This was the same player who attempted 40 of them during a five-game stretch at the end of December and the beginning of January. But as teams have worked harder since then to take away that shot from Frye, he has worked to find other shots. It is a process for Frye, who is a big man but always has been more of a face-up scorer and shooter. February has been the first month of this season that most of Frye's shots have come inside the 3-point arc (37 percent were 3s entering Friday night). "I'm kind of proud of myself that I've evolved this far, and I just have to ..."
Suns' Richardson shoots to win more than score
Comment
February 26
Arizona Republic
 
"Jason Richardson is playing fewer minutes and taking fewer shots than ever in his nine-year career. And he loves it. It is winning, something the Suns guard rarely knew in his first seven NBA seasons (the first six with Golden State), even though he averaged more than 20 points in three of them. Until coming to Phoenix 14 games into last season, Richardson had played on one winning team. His teams averaged a 34-48 record. Richardson has been a volume scorer again lately, going for 20 or more points in the past three games for the first time since November. His scoring is gold to the Suns, who are 18-2 when he scores at least 20 points. But he knows he can't be that everyday top scorer on ..."
Suns win 4th straight, beat Philadelphia 76ers
Comment
February 25
Arizona Republic
 
"The Suns might have liked all the excitement and moxie involved in Tuesday night's clutch victory at Oklahoma City. But domination is always nice, too. On Wednesday night, the Suns never trailed for the second time this season, led the Philadelphia 76ers by as much as 22 points and benefited from a well-rested Steve Nash to win 106-95 at US Airways Center. Phoenix won its fourth consecutive game, matching the NBA's best active streak, and has won 10 of its past 12 to stay in fifth place in the Western Conference. The Suns have won more games in February (8-2) than it won in December or January, when Phoenix went 7-9 in each month. slideshow Game photos "I like everything on the stat ..."
Suns backup Dragic fills in nicely for Nash
Comment
February 25
Arizona Republic
 
"Mistakes are an indispensable part of improving, so it was a good thing for Goran Dragic and the Suns that he was so indispensable to them Tuesday night at Oklahoma City. With Steve Nash out that night, Dragic picked up the best experience of his career with a 40-minute performance that saw him sit only 40 seconds of the second half. As the pressure of the game and the Thunder defense intensified in the fourth quarter, Dragic cracked. He had two passes stolen and a jump shot blocked during a stretch that normally would have had coach Alvin Gentry turning to Nash. But with no other point guard available, the Suns leaned on Dragic, and he assisted on three of the four field goals during ..."
Nash leads Suns past Sixers
Comment
February 25
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"Needing inspired basketball from now until the snow thaws, the 76ers delivered a below-average performance last night. And below average against the Phoenix Suns resulted in a 106-95 loss at the US Airways Center. The Suns set screens every which way. They ran their flex offense with patterned creativity and built a second-half lead of as many as 22 points. The Sixers dropped to 22-35; the Suns improved to 36-23. "We can take something from this game," said Sixers swingman Andre Iguodala, who scored 20 points. "We can take how to execute: They do a good job of everyone playing their part, setting screens, and getting a guy open for a shot. They did a good job of executing offensively." ..."
Even with extra player, Sixers burned by Suns
Comment
February 25
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash sat out Tuesday's win at the Oklahoma City Thunder due to an ailing abdomen and back, common injuries for someone of the advanced age of 36. It's never a good thing for Phoenix opponents when Nash rests. Last night was the 11th time this season Nash has played on 2 days' rest. In the first 10, he averaged 22.1 points and 12.3 assists. It was much of the same last night at the U.S. Airways Center as Nash returned from his mini-hiatus and, quite simply, put a hurting on the 76ers. Nash accounted for 20 points and 13 assists in leading the Suns (36-23) to a 106-95 win over the Sixers (22-35). "He controlled the game," said Sixers forward Elton Brand, who finished ..."
Suns set on streak
Comment
February 24
The Oklahoman
 
"The old man — and I don't mean Bill Russell, who sat courtside — kept gathering his troops at every timeout, exhorting them to hang in there. Hang in there. That's Grant Hill's job these days. Leadership. Well, leadership and scoring 21 points against the Thunder and playing backup point guard while a rookie picks him up fullcourt and chasing around after Kevin Durant, 16 years his junior. Hill does his job well. His Phoenix Suns ended the Thunder's unbeaten February with a rousing 104-102 victory at the Ford Center that was a salute to grit and experience. "We've been in that situation before," Hill said of trailing by 10 points with 31/2 minutes left. "Keep playing, play the whole game. ..."
Clutch Suns calm Thunder
Comment
February 24
Arizona Republic
 
"The last time Steve Nash sat out a game, the Suns beat the Los Angeles Lakers on March 1 for their best victory of the season. What are the chances of that? Lightning struck twice with Thunder in the building Tuesday night. With Nash staying home to heal up for Wednesday night's home game against Philadelphia, the Suns got 40 quality minutes out of Goran Dragic at the point, another 30-point game out of Amar'e Stoudemire, continued efficient scoring from Grant Hill and one heck of a shot from Jason Richardson. After the Suns blew a 15-point lead, Phoenix held Oklahoma City without a field goal for the game's final five minutes to set up a last-second Richardson game winner that gave the ..."
Hot-shooting Grant Hill speeding up offensive attack
Comment
February 24
Arizona Republic
 
"Steve Nash was not present Tuesday night but the Suns still had their best pace igniter. As the Suns transform from a fast-break team to a tempo team with Nash walking the ball up more, Suns forward Grant Hill has been a hot shooter the past three games and has been speeding up the way Phoenix attacks. Hill, 37, is the fourth-oldest active player in the NBA but can look like the liveliest one on the floor when he thrusts toward the rim to create transition opportunities. That was evident in his second-quarter slam and multiple early offense jumpers. "I like to get out and run," Hill said Tuesday. "It keeps me loose and involved. "I feel like if I run hard, I might be able to create an ..."
Suns' Goran Dragic ready to start for resting Steve Nash
Comment
February 23
Arizona Republic
 
"About the only thing rarer than Goran Dragic playing with four Suns starters is Steve Nash being called an ironman. But both story lines have merit Tuesday night as the Suns visit Oklahoma City. Nash, 36 and with back issues, has the Suns' longest active streak of consecutive games played at 80 - but it will end Tuesday night. The Suns kept him home to heal a lower-abdominal strain and back pain that has lingered for four weeks. He is expected to return for Wednesday's home game against Philadelphia. That makes Dragic the starting point guard Tuesday night for the first time this season and second time in his career, although he started at shooting guard once this season. The Thunder are ..."
Aging, aching Nash still has too much for new-look Kings
Comment
February 22
Sacramento Bee
 
"Steve Nash almost didn't play. That was the kicker, the final piece of the dirt-in-face ending to the Kings' latest defeat Sunday. At his age (36), the Suns' All-Star point guard isn't exactly ready for the rocking chair, but he needs therapy and ice packs and more than an occasional massage. Given his frenetic schedule these past 10 days, what he needs most is some time in an easy chair. No, that's not a slam at the Kings. They weren't cushions. They just weren't very good. Nash eviscerated the visitors with 17 assists, though bothered by a sore lower back. He controlled the tempo at critical segments, punctuated the Suns' 104-88 victory with his only three-pointer of the evening and ..."
Suns' Steve Nash paces home win against Kings with 17 assists
Comment
February 22
Arizona Republic
 
"Steve Nash handed out parting gifts Sunday for his team's trip Monday to Oklahoma City. With a plan to hold Nash back to get his body healed, Nash sent his teammates away with his usual gift that keeps giving. Nash's 17 assists, his best in 34 games and one more than the Sacramento team had, are part of the Suns' usual winning formula, but Phoenix could get used to some other things that resurfaced in Sunday's 104-88 home win against Sacramento. Amar'e Stoudemire again controlled the boards, grabbing 14 rebounds with six coming on offense to give him an average of 11.6 over the past nine games. The Suns, who have won eight of 10 games, trailed by 10 in the second quarter when they were ..."
Suns' Steve Nash will skip trip to Oklahoma City, try to heal
Comment
February 22
Arizona Republic
 
"The Suns are planning to hold point guard Steve Nash from Monday's trip to Oklahoma City for Tuesday night's game to let him better heal from the lower-abdominal and back pain that has bothered him for nearly four weeks. That would put Goran Dragic in the starting lineup with center Robin Lopez, giving the lineup two second-year players who were used lightly as rookies. With everyday use this season, Dragic and Lopez might be approaching a rookie wall they never got a chance to see last season. Dragic already has played more games than last season. Lopez already has played more minutes than last season, despite being inactive for the first 15 games this year. "I worry about it more with ..."
Suns' Steve Nash will skip trip to Oklahoma City, try to heal
Comment
February 22
Arizona Republic
 
"The Suns are planning to hold point guard Steve Nash from Monday's trip to Oklahoma City for Tuesday night's game to let him better heal from the lower-abdominal and back pain that has bothered him for nearly four weeks. That would put Goran Dragic in the starting lineup with center Robin Lopez, giving the lineup two second-year players who were used lightly as rookies. With everyday use this season, Dragic and Lopez might be approaching a rookie wall they never got a chance to see last season. Dragic already has played more games than last season. Lopez already has played more minutes than last season, despite being inactive for the first 15 games this year. "I worry about it more with ..."
Suns' Amar'e Stoudemire can see clearly now
Comment
February 21
Arizona Republic
 
"Amar'e Stoudemire can envision what lies ahead with no problem. Figuratively, the Suns star knows he won't be traded. Literally, his vision is a blessing given that Saturday was the one-year anniversary of his retinal-detachment surgery. With no lingering vision concerns, Stoudemire has cranked up his play (averaging 26.0 points and 11.3 rebounds in the past eight games) just as he wanted to do at this point last year for a playoff push. He scored 42 points in his final game before the Feb. 20 surgery, the second but most serious of three right-eye operations he had over nine months. Stoudemire played two games after Alvin Gentry was made head coach, hitting 24 of 32 shots. "I was more ..."
Suns' reserves, defense lead team to win against Hawks
Comment
February 20
Arizona Republic
 
"Amar'e Stoudemire hopped on the Suns logo at midcourt, chest-bumped teammate Robin Lopez and popped the "SUNS" across his jersey toward the in-arena camera. The US Airways Center fans roared, just as they had when their All-Star was introduced, a day after many likely were relieved that he had not been dealt before the NBA's trade deadline. With Stoudemire, the Suns can be more than just another playoff team, especially when he gets to enjoy wins such as Friday night's 88-80 victory against the Atlanta Hawks that was highlighted by Phoenix's reserve play and a defense that held Atlanta to 30 second-half points, its best half since a Charlotte 30-point second half on Dec. 10, 2007. "We ..."
Amar'e Stoudemire says he has no 'ill will' toward Suns
Comment
February 20
Arizona Republic
 
"When the Suns gathered for their morning shootaround Friday, coach Alvin Gentry said he asked his team to look around the practice floor. "This is it for the rest of the year," he told them. It was the Suns' first gathering since the NBA trade deadline passed Thursday without a deal involving Suns forward Amar'e Stoudemire, which had been expected by many. "Definitely, there's a little bit of pressure being lifted off everyone, because we feel this is our team now," Gentry said. Stoudemire proved as professional in dealing with the aftermath as he was with the deadline lead-up, which involved several prospective deals, including long-standing talks with Cleveland and a last-hour ..."
Hawks Squawks: Suns 88, Hawks 80
Comment
February 20
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"The Hawks limited Steve Nash to six points. The Suns made just two 3-pointers, scored more than 20 points below their average and had their lowest-scoring game since Feb. 22, 2008. - And yet the Hawks still lost. What happened? "I'm not sure," Jamal said. "Maybe we lost focus a little bit and it caught up with us." - Or maybe the Hawks' starters lost their legs. Woody didn't play any bench players other than Jamal in the second half. "I decided to go that route," he said. "I learned a little something tonight because that won't happen again." - With that, Woody walked off. Maybe he was peeved at his starters for letting the Suns' reserves outplay them or ticked at himself for not using ..."
Hawks at Suns, AKA Stoudemire's Still With Suns
Comment
February 20
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"There's no doubt the Hawks caught a break on Wednesday when the Clippers traded away half their team and Baron Davis decided his back was too sore to play. Props to the Hawks for handling their business, but they will get no such break tonight. After what seemed like months of speculation, the Suns didn't trade Amar'e Stoudemire before the deadline. He talked with Suns brass over dinner last night and says he has no hard feelings. So the Suns are at full strength except for Leandro Barbosa (wrist). They are also trying to hang onto a playoff spot in the Western Conference. No doubt they also remember this (dang that was my first game as beat guy and it seems like a year ago.) The Hawks ..."