GT: Golden State (16-34) at Phoenix (26-21)

¹²³ · Feb 6, 2009

The Phoenix Suns suffered through one of their worst defensive games of the season against Stephen Jackson and the Golden State Warriors this week. They hope a return to the US Airways Center will help them put that performance behind them as they try to end a three-week slump.

The Suns look to win their seventh straight home game against the Warriors on Friday when the teams conclude a home-and-home series.

Phoenix (26-21) has been struggling since mid-January, and a meeting with the league’s second-highest scoring team Wednesday did not help. The Warriors (16-34) scored 43 points in the first quarter and Jackson recorded his first career triple-double as Golden State beat the Suns 124-112 at Oracle Arena.

The loss was the eighth in 12 games for the Suns, who had held four of their previous six opponents below 100 points and gave up 81 to Sacramento two nights earlier. The 124 points allowed matched their season high.

“We just never really recovered from that first quarter,” said Suns coach Terry Porter, whose team is battling Utah for the eighth spot in the Western Conference. “They just came out gave us a TKO punch. … It concerns me, the level that we’re playing at right now. We’ve got to get back to playing consistent basketball every night.”

The Suns are trying to become more dominant at the US Airways Center, where they’re 13-10 this season. Phoenix, though, has had little trouble against the Warriors at home, winning six straight and 42 of the last 47 meetings there.

The Suns’ six consecutive home victories in the series have come by an average of 11.5 points, and Golden State hasn’t won in Phoenix on March 18, 2005. Forward Amare Stoudemire, who struggled defensively and had just 13 points versus the Warriors on Wednesday, averaged 32.0 points and 8.5 rebounds in the two home wins against them last season.

Phoenix’s home winning streak against Golden State could be in jeopardy, however, if the Suns can’t find a way to contain Jackson, who finished with 30 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists Wednesday.
Click to expand...

Link

¹²³ · Feb 7, 2009

Phoenix 115, Golden State 105

Box Score

The Phoenix Suns were in a funk and awash in trade rumors. A victory over Golden State made them feel a little better, at least for now.

Grant Hill scored a season-high 27 points and the Suns pulled away in the final 3 1/2 minutes Friday night to beat the Warriors 115-105.

“It’s been a trying week, a trying couple of weeks,” Hill said. “But I think it was important for us to come out and get a win despite all the speculation that’s going on and all the negativity. We came out and played together and played hard and did what we had to do.”

Jason Richardson scored 17 of his 25 points in the second half as the Suns defeated the Warriors two nights after losing at Golden State 124-112. All-Star starter Amare Stoudemire, the main subject of trade speculation, added 19 points and 15 rebounds for the winners.

“It was tough,” Stoudemire said. “I think once the ball goes up, everything is put aside. You get totally ready for the game, you get focused for the game and what takes place on the court. But beforehand it’s a little tough and frustrating—everything is coming at me at once.”

Phoenix had lost eight of 12 going into the contest and blew most of an 11-point fourth-quarter lead before Steve Nash put the game away with six points in the final 1:25. Nash had 19 points and eight assists.

“It’s never easy to hear trade talk and rumors about teammates and stuff,” Nash said, “but I think everyone has faced that in their career, and you just have to keep fighting and root for each other.”

Coach Terry Porter called it “a solid win.”

“We did a good job of moving the ball offensively, getting attempts at the basket, and had a good mix of things,” he said. “I just thought defensively we did a much better job of taking the challenge and really making those guys work for everything that they had at the offensive end.”
Click to expand...

Recap

Log in or Sign up

GT: Golden State (16-34) at Phoenix (26-21)

¹²³ ¼½¾

¹²³ ¼½¾

Share This Page

Log in or Sign up

GT: Golden State (16-34) at Phoenix (26-21)

¹²³ ¼½¾

¹²³ ¼½¾

Share This Page

Useful Searches