<div align="center"> <font color="Navy">Utah Jazz</font> (9-12) @ <font color="Indigo">Phoenix Suns</font> (18-3) </div> When: Wednesday 15th December, 10:30 PM (EST) Where: America West Arena Local TV: FSAZ / KJZZ National TV: ESPN <div align="center">Likely Starters <font color="Indigo">Suns</font> <font size="1">Steve Nash, Joe Johson, Quentin Richardson, Shawn Marion, Amare Stoudemire</font></div> <div align="center"><font color="Navy">Jazz</font> </div> <div align="center"><font size="1">Carlos Arroyo, Gordan Giricek, Matt Harpring, Carlos Boozer, Jarron Collins</font></div> Injured List <font color="Indigo">Suns:</font> Jackson Vroman, Jake Voskuhl <font color="Navy">Jazz:</font> Keith McLeod, Jarron Collins, Andrei Kirilenko Key Matchup Carlos Arroyo vs. Steve Nash Steve Nash is thriving in Phoenix, and he leads the Suns incredible offense. Carlos Arroyo has to stop Nash from making the assists, and not let him run. The Suns can beat you on the fast break, so Arroyo has to slow Nash down. This would make the Suns play a structured style of Basketball and not a fast break type, I think they'd be playing into Utah's hands doing this. Prediction The Suns are a great team, and playing the day after a game on the road just adds to the odds for Utah, who are already without All Star Andrei Kirilenko. Utah don't have much chance in this one, unless they have one of their best games of the season. Phoenix 110, Utah 94
The Suns have this game won before even playing it, even though the Jazz are 2-0 when playing on ESPN this year. The Suns are better and faster in every position, yet if the Jazz play hard and hustle, like last year, they could keep it close. Steve Nash would get my vote for MVP of the season thus far, he is having a season close to Stockton of the late 80's early 90's, and without Nash, the Suns would be floundering in the West. I say Suns by 12.
If the Suns are smart they will trade Q-Rich for another big man (if possible) to be legit title contenders, i know thats a risk however for the teams chemisty
Phoenix 108, Jazz 86. Nothing too surprising here, although the Jazz had a great start, and were up 26-19 at the end of the 1st quarter. Then the Suns scored 41, yes 41, in the 2nd quarter. Mehmet Okur had a double double, and has made a good transition to starter.
Watching the Suns last night reminded me painfully of how my senior year of basketball ended. We was playing a team similar to the Suns, in that they played decent defense, yet their offense was unstopable. It seemed like when the Jazz got a run going the Suns would hit a couple of three's to basically neutralize the past three or four possessions. Playing a team like this you got to go to their weakness and force them to play our game. Last night we did that for awhile, but then we would fall right back into Phoenix's game. One thing I did not understand is that once the Jazz got Amare and Steven Hunter on the bench in foul trouble, the Jazz did not pound it inside like I thought they should. Boozer is above average on the post, in skills and strenght, yet he seems to want to shoot the mid-range shot. I'm not saying for him not to shoot that shot, but he needs to go to the post and play in the post more. I also really like how Okur played last night other than a few times when he left Lampe open at the top of the key. Plus I figured out that RAUL LOPEZ is our best point guard. The played a lot better with him calling the shots, Arroyo just takes too long to get the team in the offense and causing the shot clock to go off before we can get a good look at the basket. I hope with Arroyo being benched for the first half gets across to him.
