03-24-2008, 10:29 AM
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#1 (permalink)
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Join Date: Nov 2005
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Suns Streak Turning Critics Into Believers
Suns Streak Turning Critics Into Believers
Quote:
Suns Streak Turning Critics Into Believers
Matt Paulson, Tribune
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Following the Suns’ previous meeting with the Detroit Pistons a month ago, the notion that the Shaq experiment was destined to fail began to pick up serious momentum.
In front of a national television audience on a Sunday afternoon, Phoenix played flat, out of sync and at times looked unsure of itself. Shaquille O’Neal was close to a nonfactor offensively (seven points), and his third game in purple and orange ended in a 116-86 defeat (at home no less), the Suns’ worst of the season.
As the naysayers’ voices got louder and louder over the next two weeks, the Suns were able to do little to mute them, losing four of six.
Today, though, as Phoenix prepares for its rematch in Motown, most of the doubters have sunk back into the woodwork as the general consensus has swung 180 degrees thanks to a seven-game winning streak.
“Two weeks ago, we weren’t going to make the playoffs according to a lot of people, and today (they’re saying) we’ll probably never lose again,” coach Mike D’Antoni said.
A major reason for the Suns’ reversal in fortune has been their productivity in the first quarter, which was sorely lacking in the first matchup with the Pistons (just 16 points). During their winning streak, the Suns have been on a tear in the first quarter, averaging 33.4 points and scoring 37 or more in three of those games.
“(The players) just understand the importance (of starting strong) and are playing well,” D’Antoni said.
When games start like that, they typically end in Phoenix’s favor. The Suns are 21-6 when scoring at least 30 points in the first quarter.
Their impressive play, though, hasn’t stopped there. In each of the past six games, Phoenix has shot 55 percent or better from the field and that has led to an average of 120.8 points, 10.6 higher than their season average.
“Once we start off strong, we’re maintaining our intensity,” forward Amaré Stoudemire said.
Continuing this offensive trend will be key to continuing the winning streak, especially in Detroit and Boston, the first two stops on the Suns’ current four-game Eastern swing.
The Pistons and Celtics rank Nos. 2 and 1, respectively in scoring defense. Detroit is allowing 90.8 points per game and Boston is just ahead of that pace at 90.4.
Such statistics didn’t mean much to Phoenix on Saturday when they torched Houston (fourth in scoring defense) for 122 points, 30 more than the Rockets’ season average.
“We were just moving the ball. Everybody is feeling pretty good and shooting a high-percentage shot,” O’Neal said.
“I knew at some point we were going to get to this level. Now we just have to bottle this formula and just go with it. …
“If we play the way we’ve been playing, we’ll be fine.”
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__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by rainman
Does this board just time out if someone doesn't make a Kobe thread every 24 hours?
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LOL ^_^
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Suns Streak Turning Critics Into Believers
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