<div align="center"> vs. <font color="orange">Phoenix Suns (32-8)</font> vs. <font color="blue">Washington Wizards(24-16)</font> Date: January 23rd, 2007 Time: 7:00 P.M. Eastern TV: CSN and My45 Place: Verizon Center</div> [div=50%]<div align="center"><font color="blue"><font size="3">Wizards Starting Lineup</font></font> <font size="1">(G. Arenas, D. Stevenson, C. Butler, A. Jamison, B. Haywood)</font></div> <font color="blue">2006-07 Wizards Stats</font> Leading Scorer: Gilbert Arenas - 29.7 PPG Leading Rebounder: Antawn Jamison - 8.3 RPG Leading Assist Man: Gilbert Arenas - 6.3 APG Points Per Game: 107.5 Field Goal Percentage: 45.9% 3-Point Field Goal Percentage: 37.0% Rebounds Per Game: 41.0 Assists Per Game: 20.3 <font size="3">Backcourt</font> [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/gilbert_arenas.jpg[/imgl]<font color="blue">Gilbert Arenas</font> PPG: 29.7, RPG: 4.5, APG: 6.3 [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/deshawn_stevenson.jpg[/imgl]<font color="blue">Deshawn Stevenson </font> PPG: 9.7, RPG: 2.5 APG: 2.6 <font size="3">Frontcourt</font> [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/caron_butler.jpg[/imgl]<font color="blue">Caron Butler</font> PPG: 21.0, RPG: 8.1, APG: 4.1 [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/antawn_jamison.jpg[/imgl]<font color="blue">Antawn Jamison</font> PPG: 19.2, RPG: 8.3, APG: 1.8 [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/brendan_haywood.jpg[/imgl]<font color="blue">Brendan Haywood</font> PPG: 6.7, RPG: 6.9, APG: 0.7[/div]<font size="3"><div align="center"><font color="orange">Suns Starting Lineups</font></div></font> <div align="center"> <font size="1">(S. Nash, R. Bell, S. Marion, B. Diaw, A. Stoudemire)</font></div> <font color="orange">2006-07 Suns Stats</font> Leading Scorer: Steve Nash - 19.3 PPG Leading Rebounder: Shawn Marion - 9.9 RPG Leading Assist Man: Steve Nash - 11.5 APG Points Per Game: 111.5 Field Goal Percentage: 49.9% 3-Point Field Goal Percentage: 39.9% Rebounds Per Game: 41.1 Assists Per Game: 26.9 <font size="3">Backcourt</font> [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/steve_nash.jpg[/imgl]<font color="orange">Steve Nash</font> PPG: 19.3, RPG: 2.8, APG: 3.2 [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/raja_bell.jpg[/imgl]<font color="orange">Raja Bell</font> PPG: 15.0 RPG: 3.2, APG: 2.4 <font size="3">Frontcourt</font> [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/shawn_marion.jpg[/imgl]<font color="orange">Shawn Marion</font> PPG: 18.8, RPG: 9.8, APG: 1.8 [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/boris_diaw.jpg[/imgl]<font color="orange">Boris Diaw</font> PPG: 10.2, RPG: 4.8, APG: 5.3 [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/amare_stoudemire.jpg[/imgl]<font color="orange">Amare Stoudemire</font> PPG: 18.5, RPG: 9.1, APG: 0.7 <div align="center"><font size="3"><u>Keys To The Game</u></font><ul></div>[*]<font color="orange">Ball Movement</font> ? The Suns lead the league in assists per game with 27 assists per game and it's very easy to exploit the Wizards' defense, so Mike D'antoni will want his players to find open looks behind the perimeter and Stoudemire in the post. The Wizards are the second worst team in the league in giving up baskets with 105.9 points per game.[*]<font color="orange">Pressure/Double-Team/Annoy/Kill/DO WHATEVER to Arenas.</font> ? The Suns haven't forgotten the first meeting of the year when Arenas just manhandled the Suns on offense and led the Wizards to victory. The Suns have tried different guys like Bell, Marion, and Nash on this guy, but he still came through with 54 points. If the Suns have been scouting the Wizards' opponents the past week, they'll know to start off with a big body on Arenas or give him no room to breath. More importantly, double-team him and force someone to make the plays on offense. [*]<font color="orange">Secure Ball on Offense</font> ? The Wizards are one of the best teams in the league in steals, and the Suns cannot allow the Wizards to pick up easy points on this team, espicially off turnovers. Caron Butler and Gilbert Arenas are among the top 3 players in the league in steals. [*]<font color="blue">Butler In Service</font> ? The Eastern conference reigning player of the week will be heavily relied on to help lead this offense, expecting Arenas to not breathe on the court. Caron this year has had a standout year scoring from the post, shooting from beyond, and hustling like a motha. Caron will be the x-factor if the Wizards will be able to go down the last minute with the Suns.[*]<font color="blue">Identify and Cover Shooters</font> ? The Suns have led the league in scoring with a field goal percentage of 50% and leads the league in 3 point percentage. The Wizards continue to struggle in defending the perimeter, and if they don't start here, they won't go far competing point-for-point. [*]<font color="blue">Paint Presence</font> - Brendan Haywood and Etan Thomas has been rising to become of the conference's dominant big men duo, and it's been showing since Etan's injury. The Wizards have gone 14-4 with Haywood starting showing the ability to put back points off missed baskets, and rebounding the ball. They'll go up against a tough task with a quick and tough Amare Stoudemire and they can't afford to have him dominate the paint, so this is a must for the Wizards' big men/[/list]
Suns are going to win this one, Wizard aint break our great streak again. Im very confident cause i believe in Nash & The Company GO SUNSS!
While I love Gilbert Arenas, I have to root for the Suns tonight. Any loss added to the Wizards record helps Orlando in the long run and the battle for the division lead in the Southeast is so close that one loss can make a big difference.
<div class="quote_poster">Will637 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I'm predicting a game winning layup by Arenas to win it by 1.</div> Close, unfortunately the NBA doesn't have 23 point layups. I'm shocked there are people who underestimate the Suns still. Phoenix is 17-1 against the East, win by an average of 9.3 PPG, now have 15 & 14 game winning streaks already this season, are 32-3 since their 1-5 start, could have a 32 game winning streak if not for a snowstorm and Dirk's cold blooded shot. The last few games the Suns were up/won by double digits and weren't playing with much heart; after the Wiz/snowstorm beat Phoenix last time and with Arenas adding fuel with his comments, the Suns actually had something to play for, so winning by 22 is closer than I expected. This isn't some East team, the Suns and Mavs are for real, they've been mowing down the best the West has to offer, so East teams don't stand a chance. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Gilbert is going to kill marion all game again</div> I don't know why they didn't put Marion on Arenas, Gilbert started cold but once they played Nash on him without any double teams he heated up. In the 4th they finally put Bell on him which cooled him off. Marion is always in the running for Defensive Player of the Year, yet people still make remarks like this, as if he was Peja.
Man, was that Wizards defense horrific. I haven't seen more easy and fast baskets given up in any game. Steve Nash commanded that offense having that quick dribble penetration to get himself in the paint, guys like James Jones and Leandro Barbosa roaming around and an all-around player like Shawn Marion to spare, the only way to beat this guys is to beat them at their own game, which is what the Wizards couldn't do in the first quarter. They missed the first 12 of 15 and only scored 20 points and sadly but true, that was the only bad quarter in the game. The Wizards did have a run in the 3rd quarter led by Caron Butler, but the refs BS'ed us calling a "foul" on Caron Butler went towards James Jones on a 3 point attempt, but never came close to touching him. It stopped a 9-0 run that cut it under 20, then they called a blocking foul on Arenas, which should've been an obvious charge after setting his feet a mile outside the circle for a minute and Barbosa trying to avoid the contact. The Wizards cut the lead to as close as 13, but never got closer.
Man the first half was amazing by the Suns. The Suns had 7 players in double-figures in the end of the game. Gilbert was marvollous and Caron really impressed me now. Heck of a player he is ! Nice dunks and "and-one's". It was a great game and it's always a pleasure to watch Gilbert & Company vs the Suns (two most scoring teams in the league). The Suns still won the game by 20+ if I remember correctly.
