<div align="center"> @ </div> <div align="center"> <font color="Orange">Phoenix Suns (31-6)</font>@ <font color="DarkSlateBlue">Washington Wizards (21-13) </font></div> <div align="center">Where? MCI Center (Washington, DC) Time? 8:00 PM EST | 5:00 PM PST</div> <div align="center">_________________________</div> <div align="center">Head Coach</div> <div align="center"></div> <div align="center">Mike D'Antoni</div> Mike D'Antoni and crew will have to rebound from their first 2 game losing streak of the season. They lost to the Jazz and the Pacers, in both games we shot poorly and in the Pacers game we lost our MVP, Steve Nash to injury. <div align="center">______________</div> <div align="center"><font size="2">Starting Lineup:</font></div> <div align="center"></div> <div align="center">(Steve Nash, Joe Johnson, Quentin Richardson, Shawn Marion, Amare Stoudemire)</div> Injury: Steve Nash: Day to Day If Nash does not play expect Suns backup point guard Leandro Barbosa to take over the point guard duties. <div align="center">__________________</div> <div align="center">Wizards Head Coach</div> <div align="center"></div> <div align="center">Eddie Jordan</div> Eddie Jordan has the Wizards running some of the best ball in the east after they finished with the 5th worst record in the league last year. The Wizards are led by a trio of players, Gilbert Arenas, Larry Hughes, and Antawn Jamison. <div align="center">_____________________</div> <div align="center"><font size="2">Starting Lineup:</font></div> <div align="center"></div> <div align="center">(Gilbert Arenas, Larry Hughes, Antawn Jamison, Jared Jeffries, Brendan Haywood)</div> <div align="center">__________________________</div> <div align="center">Game MVP</div> <div align="center"></div> <div align="center">Predicted Stats: 26 points, 4 boards, 2 assits</div> With Nash day-to-day with his injury, Amare will most likly be slowed down on the offensive end. JJ steps it up this game, hitting 4 threes in the first half, which opens up some inside game for Amare in the second. <div align="center">________________________________</div> Prediction Time: The Suns are stuggleing and now with their point guard possibly out of the lineup it doesn't help. Players such as Shawn Marion and Joe Johnson will have to step up their play to fill for Nash. This game will go down to the wire, all three of the Washington trio with over 20 points, and same with the Suns trio (Amare, Matrix, JJ). The game will be tied going into the final quarter where Amare dominates, scoring 12 of his 20 points in the 4th the Suns will win. Suns - 103 Wizards - 100
Without Nash, the Wizards take this one 111 - 100, with Nash the Suns take this one 119-114. I'm a big fan of Barbosa cause he's cool, but Barbosa is not a PG. Without Nash Joe Johnson is the primary playmaker. When you have 2 players who wouldn't be considered good playmakers even at SG running your offense you're in trouble. JJ would be considered above average at SG, but an above average passer at SG is a bad passer at PG. Barbosa is a much better defender than Nash is, he's got quick hands, he's got a 6'10 - 6'11 wingspan at 6'3 ish, and he's got quick feet. Offensively though he can't bring the ball up againt pressure, so the Wizards should play their pressure defense, and Barbosa can't really run an offense and isn't a playmaker. The Suns should've invested in a veteran PG, or gotten someone like Brevin Knight [he played like 3 games in PHO last season].
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Windmill360?:</div><div class="quote_post">What happened to Nash? Did he trip over his wallet?</div> Shows how much you (don't) know about Nash. Grow up and get a life or at least troll somewhere else.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting unbeliever:</div><div class="quote_post">Shows how much you (don't) know about Nash. Grow up and get a life or at least troll somewhere else.</div> Thanks, but no thanks.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Windmill360?:</div><div class="quote_post">Thanks, but no thanks.</div> I'm not trying to be overly rude, but everything I've heard/read about Nash is directly contrary to your wallet statement. Nash seems to genuinely love the game and not be too concerend about the bling bling and distracting off-court drama and showboating. He didn't show up in a $10k suit with diamond earrings and a $50k rolex on his arm when he was sitting out the game while injured. He also does a lot through the NBA charity type programs. I just don't think it's cool to sling some baseless insult and have nothing else constructive to contribute.
Orange jersey's are killing us, burn them now It just goes to show you what kind of team we are without our top playmaker Steve Nash, I mean Lenardo Barbosa is a good young player don't get me wrong and he had a very nice game (15 points) but he ain't no Steve Nash for sure. A total of 0 bench points for the Suns! I realize that our starters play 40 minutes each and all that but anytime you score 0 bench points it can't be good. I would love to see Hunter more involved in the Suns offence who only played 4 minutes last night...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Kobe 8 Ball:</div><div class="quote_post"><font color="red"> Please, do not argue in the thread, take it to PM's.</font></div> Yes, it's much more constructive to officiate with annoying red text! But hey, if you want on-topic talk... Suns looked like last year's squad in this game, to a T. They played halfway decent, made a run in the 4th quarter but couldn't lock it down. I watched that garbage all last season. On the other hand, as one of the players said in an interview, I forget who, maybe the team needed it. Part of the reason our bench isn't as good as it could be is because so far they've seen so little time. In any case, I guess it's better to have it happen now than in the middle of the playoffs.
