NBA FanHouse

Tired Pistons No Match for Rested Suns

Brett Pollakoff — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, Suns, NBA Last Night

PHOENIX -- The NBA's schedule is never something that teams will use as an excuse for playing particularly poorly in any single game.

But sometimes, the way things shake out, it can definitely be seen as a legitimate reason.

The schedule dictated that the Pistons finish up their four-game, West coast swing against a Suns team that averages 117 points per game on their home floor. And coming off of a tough, overtime loss in Utah the night before, Detroit never had a chance.

The Pistons actually put together a nice 16-4 run to take a late first-quarter lead after trailing by nine, and hung in there in the second quarter by cutting a 10-point lead to four with just under five minutes remaining.

But then, fatigue clearly set in.

The Suns finished the half on a 12-0 run, holding Detroit scoreless over the final 4:51 of the second quarter to effectively end the game by taking a 16-point halftime lead. The lead ballooned to as many as 29 points in the third quarter, so Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, Steve Nash, and Amar'e Stoudemire all sat out the fourth, and the game at that point became 12 minutes of extended garbage time.

Villanueva, Will Bynum, Jonas Jerebko, and DaJuan Summers all played well for the Pistons in spurts, but Gordon, the team's leading scorer, simply didn't have anything in the tank. He managed only 10 points on a dismal 3-for-11 from the field, which included 1-for-6 shooting from three-point land.

Gordon, like his coach and his teammates, refused to blame the schedule for the loss. But he did acknowledge that playing a team like the Suns on the second night of a back-to-back is, at the very least, challenging.

"This is probably the most uptempo team in the league, we knew that coming in," Gordon said. "It's tough on any given night to play against them. But last game of a road trip, especially on a back-to-back, it's not going to be easy."

When asked how he finds the strength to play in these situations, Gordon said that focusing on the game once he's out there is sometimes the best approach.

"You've definitely got to play tricks with yourself," Gordon said. "You've got to just try to lose yourself in the game. Try to get so enveloped in the game that you're not even thinking about your fatigue level. But that's part of the NBA, and some nights, it's tough."

It was especially tough on this night: the Suns recorded season highs in field goal percentage (57.5 percent) and three-point percentage (61.1 percent), and that's saying something, considering the fact that they lead the league in both categories.

But with the Suns coming off of two days rest at home, and the Pistons dragging at the end of a road trip, it was hardly a surprise.

Tired Pistons No Match for Rested Suns originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Power Rankings: Soaring Hawks

Brett Pollakoff — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cavaliers, Celtics, Hawks, Lakers, Magic, Mavericks, Nuggets, Pacers, Suns, Trail Blazers, NBA Power Rankings

The Atlanta Hawks find themselves at the top of our rankings this week, thanks to a five-game winning streak against some strong competition -- a gritty overtime win over the Blazers and a road win in Boston were both impressive. Now, let's see if they can avoid the top-spot-jinx on Wednesday night, when they'll host Miami in a rematch of last year's first round playoff series. As for the other 29 teams? Read on to see how they stacked up.

1. Hawks (9-2) | Prev.: 5
Early front-runner for Sixth Man Award: Jamal Crawford. And by the way, who was Joe Johnson calling out earlier in the season and why? -- Matt Steinmetz
2. Suns (10-2) | Prev.: 2
Is there any other player in the league who can go 2-for-10 from the floor - which Nash did against Houston on Tuesday night - and still be the most influential player on the court? -- MS
3. Cavaliers (8-3) | Prev.: 12
The Cavs are still miles away from where they were last year, but who cares? They've won five in a row and eight of their last nine, and haven't missed a beat with Shaquille O'Neal sitting the last two with injury. Expect this team to continue picking up steam: four of their next five opponents are currently under .500. -- Matt Watson
4. Nuggets (8-3) | Prev.: 8
Carmelo Anthony dances with the Gods and charms their eyelids to slumber. Also, this Birdman blonde goatee thing he's growing is creeping me out. In conclusion, this team's really good. -- Matt Moore
5. Lakers (8-3) | Prev.: 1
Nothing to see here, people. Move along. Lakers are doing just fine, thank you - 8-3 and Pau Gasol hasn't even played a game yet. -- MS
6. Mavericks (8-3) | Prev.: 6
The Mavericks aren't considered elite at the moment, and we're struggling to figure out why. Victories over the Lakers and Rockets, and the fifth highest point differential in the league all have led to an 8-3 record. The opening night what the what loss to the surprisingly miserable Wizards doesn't look great, nor does the utter collapse against the Spurs without Duncan and Parker inspire confidence. But in the interim, Dirk Nowitzki's playing like the elite player he is, Jason Kidd is ripping out assists at a high rate, and Rodrigue Beaubois is a surprisingly talented rookie at both ends of the floor. Why are we always surprised at Dallas? -- MM
7. Magic (8-3) | Prev.: 9
Just as Rashard Lewis returns from suspension, Jameer Nelson goes down with a knee injury. He's expected back in 4-6 weeks, but that could put is into the new year before we get to see Orlando begin to try to work on its chemistry issues. -- BP

8. Celtics (8-3) | Prev.: 3
The blistering start with the return of Kevin Garnett and addition of Rasheed Wallace has begotten a hiccup of sorts, with losses to the Hawks and Pacers. The other Celtics loss came at the hands of the sizzling Suns, and yes, one of these teams is not like the other. Paul Pierce is banged up, and needless to say his health is vital for this team's offense. -- Tom Ziller
9. Blazers (8-4) | Prev.: 7
Portland has improved with every game, and has become a defensive force. Greg Oden is finally living up to his potential, even if it's only on the defensive side of the ball. If Nate McMillan can figure out how to better work in Andre Miller, this team looks primed for a deep, deep run in the playoffs and ready to take their place as the Lakers' heir apparent. Denver might have something to say about that, however. -- MM

10. Pacers (5-3) | Prev.: 24
There's two ways to look at Indiana's five-game winning streak. On the one hand, they've feasted on some cupcakes with a combined 14-37 record -- their home victory over the Celtics was their only opponent in that span with a winning record. That said, you play the games that are on the schedule, and the Pacers have answered the call with flair, winning by an average of nearly 12 points a game. Danny Granger remains one of the most underrated stars in the game, and Roy Hibbert is emerging into a double-double machine. -- MW

11. Rockets (6-5) | Prev.: 13
The John McClane of the NBA. There's no raucous feel-good attitude to this team. They're not pleasantly surprised when their offense lets them outscore a team or two. They expect to win every single game and kill themselves in the pursuit of that goal. And keep this in mind, the Rockets have yet to lose to a sub-.500 team, and two of their losses (Portland and LA) were followed by wins over those same teams. "Yippee ki-yay, Southwest Division." -- MM

12. Bulls (6-4) | Prev.: 10
The Bulls have an intriguing mix of veterans and youth -- and sure, to his credit, Vinny Del Negro hasn't been awful -- but there's just one glaring concern: they simply can't score, at least not on a consistent basis. It's a rare night the Bulls are outworked, but can they keep up their stamina while spending the next two weeks on the road on their cursed circus trip? A decade-long sample size suggests not: over the last 10 years, the Bulls have gone 9-56 on the annual early-season rite of passage. -- MW

13. Bucks (5-3) | Prev.: 15
Remember all the questions surrounding Brandon Jennings on draft day? How he watched his name called from a hotel room because none of the teams in the lottery could guarantee he wouldn't be the last in the green room? He's needed fewer than 10 games to make a lot of seasoned execs turn red -- even before his 55-point outburst made him a household name. Forget Rookie of the Year -- at this point in the (still extremely) young season, Jennings has to be included in the MVP conversation. -- MW

14. Thunder (6-5) | Prev.: 14
Don't look now, but the Thunder are still above .500 in the middle of November. Not exactly the biggest feat, but considering wins over the Spurs, Heat, and the Magic, the potential is there for this team to make a playoff run. But they've got to get better consistency from the Big 3 (Durant, Green, Westbrook), and quit losing silly games like Sunday's banana-peel blooper against the Clippers. -- MM

15. Heat (7-3) | Prev.: 4
Dwyane Wade saved the day when the team was short-handed against the Nets, but Miami was at full strength when they lost the next time out to the Thunder. The fact that no one's showing up to their home games definitely isn't helping the Heat take care of business against teams they should beat, and that situation isn't likely to change anytime soon. -- BP

16. Raptors (5-6) | Prev.: 16
Every game the Raptors lose seems like a waste of a superlative effort by Chris Bosh, the league's best big man early this season. Toronto has a dominant offense, capable of scoring on any team in the league. But the defense is as bad as ever: the team does everything poorly. Shooting defense? Awful. Opponent turnover rate? Awful. Defensive rebounding? Awful. Opponent free throw rate? Awful. Reggie Evans can help whenever he makes his season debut (he sprained a foot in preseason), but he won't be able to fix all these problems. That's problematic, if you figure the offense won't keep clicking like this forever. -- TZ

17. Kings (5-5) | Prev.: 20
Sacramento may be middle of the pack when it comes to these power rankings, but the Kings are among the NBA's elite when it comes to teams that play hard. All in all, a nice start to the Paul Westphal era. -- MS

18. Spurs (4-4) | Prev.: 11
Feast or famine. Win over the Mavericks or loss to the Thunder. Struggling to find an identity with the All-Stars or playing with fire without them. The Spurs are just weird right now. Every time they seem to be figuring things out (wins over Toronto and Mavericks in laughers), they turn around and do something like lose at home to the Thunder. But at least everyone's healthy...ish. For now. Eeeeee. -- MM

19. Pistons (5-6) | Prev.: 18
Considering they've played the last nine games without two veteran starters, the new-look Pistons are actually hanging in there. You want to talk about depth? Four different players have taken turns as the high scorer in the last four games. Will Bynum, who opened the year as the fourth guard, has averaged nearly 22 points a game in the last four while emerging as the team's best playmaker. So what's the bad news? This roster still needs another scoring big man to be taken seriously. Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince need to hurry back -- so Joe Dumars can put them on the trading block. -- MW

20. Jazz (4-6) | Prev.: 17
Fear for the Jazz. They're still dangerous and have time to get it together, but this team is a mess in terms of chemistry, effort, and focus. Sloan needs to do something to regain his team's attention. -- MM

21. 76ers (4-6) | Prev.: 23
The surprising problem for the 76ers, who have typically started slowly during the Andre Iguodala era, has been its defense, which doesn't reflect well on coach Eddie Jordan. Opponents are shooting an absurd 41 percent from three against Philly -- that figure was closer to league average (36.7 percent) last season. The team is still generating turnovers, but the perimeter players have apparently forgotten to stick a hand in the shooters' faces. Bummer, since the Sixers (despite adding designated sniper Jason Kapono) can't make it up with threes of their own. -- TZ

22. Bobcats (3-7) | Prev.: 19
Stephen Jackson, Boris Diaw and Gerald Wallace: Versatility or uniformity? Can't get that old Dylan lyric out of my head ... "... something is happening here but you don't know what it is ..." -- MS

23. Hornets (4-8) | Prev.: 21
From good, to bad, to worse, to oh noes, to "well, at least they beat the Clippers." The Hornets are in bad shape, with no real mercy in sight, and ownership is considering shipping newly acquired Emeka Okafor out of town, if you believe the reports. Scott's already gone, and Chris Paul's on the shelf. Long is not the word for what their season looks like. Agonizing. That's more like it. -- MM

24. Clippers (4-8) | Prev.: 22
Sure, everyone is waiting for Blake Griffin. But in the meantime, the Clippers really miss Eric Gordon. What's more, the Clippers are off to a terrible start at home (2-5). -- MS

25. Wizards (2-7) | Prev.: 25
Gilbert Arenas is back to being Agent Zero, and even has a Lil Penny-style video on his website to prove it. He's also said he'll begin doing the Twitter thing once he gets to a million followers, but Wizards fans would probably rather have some wins at this point than quirky quotes from their favorite player. Actually, scratch that: they're Wizards fans, so I've probably got that backwards. -- BP

26. Warriors (3-7) | Prev.: 26
Stephen Jackson's gone, Monta Ellis might be next and in the meantime Golden State is looking at this in the short-term: at Boston, vs. Portland, at Dallas, at San Antonio, vs. L.A. Lakers. -- MS

27. Grizzlies (2-8) | Prev.: 29
They replaced Allen Iverson who refused to come off the bench for them and then abandoned them, with Jamal Tinsley. I'm not even going to comment on that one. Just let that one stew in its own juices for a while. -- MM

28. Timberwolves (1-10) | Prev.: 27
Good news. Kevin Love is healing and the Wolves will likely have a return date on Friday after an X-Ray. Bad news. David Kahn seems to be already feeling the pressure for his point-guard splurges and the Rubio disaster. This franchise for all its excitement when Kahn was hired, somehow looks worse than it did under McHale. Yikes. -- MM

29. Knicks (1-9) | Prev.: 28
The Knicks truly couldn't be doing more to end the LeBron, Wade and Bosh speculation by Christmas. The team is awful and miserable after an awful and miserly summer. Sacrificing in the present for future success is obviously a world-worn strategy, but it's still little excuse for assembling so little talent and showing so little spirit. And the poor fans can't even root on John Wall! Sad. -- TZ

30. Nets (0-11) | Prev.: 30
Another 0-fer week for our heroic New Jersey Nets. This Saturday should provide a decent opportunity for Win No. 1: the Knicks are coming to town! And seriously, what a depressing affair that will be. Courtney Lee and Devin Harris may be back for that one; expect a full-on basketball war from the home team. -- TZ

NBA Power Rankings: Soaring Hawks originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bynum Expects to be All-Star Starter

Chris Tomasson — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:30:00 EST

Filed under: Bulls, Cavaliers, Lakers, Nuggets, Suns, NBA All-Star Game

DENVER -- Andrew Bynum was talking to his brother early this week when he got the news.

Amare Stoudemire, despite being Phoenix's starting power forward, was listed on the All-Star ballot at center for the Western Conference. That happens to be the same position played by the Lakers' Bynum, and many had considered him the favorite to be the starter after Houston's Yao Ming was lost for the season due to injury and Shaquille O'Neal was traded from Phoenix to Cleveland of the East.

"I was definitely surprised,'' Bynum said in an interview with FanHouse about Stoudemire being listed at center even though he's started every game this season at forward, with Channing Frye having opened at center for the Suns.

But Bynum is determined not to let this ballot business keep him out of his first All-Star Game.

"I'm going to go out there and play the way I need to play,'' Bynum said. "I don't think (it will be hard to be named the starter) if I play well.''

Bynum has done that so far. Entering Friday's game at Denver, he was averaging 21.0 points and 11.3 rebounds, better than the 18.1 points and 7.9 rebounds Stoudemire is putting up.

But Bynum's stats figure to go down a bit after Lakers power forward Pau Gasol returns in a few weeks from a hamstring problem. And Stoudemire has proved to be quite popular before in the fan voting.

Stoudemire last season was named a West starting forward when he accumulated more than 1.46 million votes. Bynum was third among centers with more than 549,000 votes, but has improved greatly since last season, when he suffered a knee injury shortly after the final votes were announced and missed 2 ½ months.

"He looks so big,'' Nuggets coach George Karl said of Bynum, listed at 7-foot, 285 pounds. "I don't know if he grew. (The Lakers have) got another (key) piece.''

JORDAN'S NUMBER GETS LOTS OF DISCUSSION

Much of the discussion before Friday's game was about whether the NBA should retire No. 23 for all teams in honor of Michael Jordan. Cleveland's LeBron James, who wears No. 23, made that suggestion Thursday while saying he plans to switch to No. 6.

Lakers boss Phil Jackson, who coached Jordan to six NBA titles with Chicago in the 1990s, called James' idea "great,'' and said it would be like the NHL having retired No. 99 for Wayne Gretzky. But Jackson did acknowledge there would be ample debate.

"We haven't seen this happen in basketball so it's kind of unique,''he said. "It would maybe be a little step on the toes for a guy like Magic (Johnson) and (Larry) Bird, who made this era a bigger era that Michael could come in and dominate and he had a commercial appeal. But it's up to other people (whether James' idea is heeded).''

Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony is under contract with Brand Jordan. But he's not fully committed to James' suggestion.

"I don't have a problem with it,'' Anthony said. "But I don't wear No. 23 so it's kind of easy for me to say that. You ought to ask them who wear No. 23. It doesn't matter to me either way.''

Anthony jokingly was asked what it would take for his No. 15 to one day be considered for NBA-wide retirement.

"Six (titles),'' he cracked. "(Jordan) got six.''

Chris Tomasson can be reached at fanhouse.com and on Twitter @christomasson.

Bynum Expects to be All-Star Starter originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Byron Scott Fired by Hornets

Brett Pollakoff — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hornets, Suns, NBA Last Night, NBA Coaches

How good are the Phoenix Suns this season? It may be too early to tell, but they're at least good enough to get their latest opponent's head coach fired just nine games into the season.

Byron Scott has been relieved of his coaching duties and the team will make the formal announcement at a press conference later this afternoon. This comes in the wake of a disappointing 3-6 start to the season, and, most recently, a completely lackluster and discouraging performance against the Suns in a nationally televised blowout on Wednesday night.

Ziller: Where Will Scott Land? | Jeff Bower, Tim Floyd Take Over
Moore: Did CP3 Make a Mistake Re-Signing?

Steve Nash said after the game that the Hornets team he just faced lacked a certain "spirit," and he should know: it's something Nash and the Suns struggled with last year under their head coach Terry Porter, who was similarly fired during the season.

"I think contrary to what we're doing, they don't seem like they have quite that same energy and spirit about them, and belief that they had last year," Nash said. "I feel for 'em because I've been there, but they're a capable bunch and they can turn it around."

If the Hornets are to turn it around, it will be without Scott, who won a Coach of the Year award with the club back in 2008. But the team has taken a considerable slide since then, a year in which they pushed the San Antonio Spurs to seven games in the second round of the playoffs. To end the 2009 season, you may recall New Orleans lost to the Nuggets by an embarrassing 58 points.

As Tom Ziller pointed out via e-mail, the Hornets' assistant coaches' lineup isn't exactly stacked, so you have to wonder if they had a big name in their back pocket before deciding to make this decision. Maybe someone like Avery Johnson, who is a New Orleans native and is said to have a competitive nature similar to that of the team's All-World point guard, Chris Paul?

If the team does go in that direction, it won't happen immediately. The plan for now is to have GM Jeff Bower take over the coaching duties, and to bring Tim Floyd on staff as one of his assistants.

"I want to thank Byron for the hard work he has put in during his time with the Hornets," said Hornets Owner George Shinn. "I've hired Jeff Bower to take over the coaching reign. He knows this team better than anyone, has the respect of the players and in basketball circles, is regarded as one of the best basketball minds in the business. This is our best opportunity to reach our goals this season."

Byron Scott Fired by Hornets originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 NBA All-Star Ballot Announced

Chris Tomasson — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Celtics, Clippers, Grizzlies, Lakers, Pistons, Rockets, Suns, Timberwolves, NBA All-Star Game

I wrote in September that perhaps there would be no worthy center to start for the West in the All-Star Game.

But this isn't the way I want to see that solved. Do it on the court, not with the ballot.

When the All-Star ballot came out Tuesday, Phoenix power forward Amar'e Stoudemire strangely was listed as a center. Yes, Stoudemire has played center before, but he's started all eight games for Suns this season at power forward, with Channing Frye being the starting center.

It is true the ballot, which was selected by six media members from around the country, had to be decided upon before the season began in order to provide time for printing. But it has been apparent since at least September that Frye would Phoenix's starting center, with Stoudemire at power forward.

Yes, the crop of centers in the West is not strong, with Shaquille O'Neal having departed from Phoenix to Cleveland in the East and Houston's Yao out for the season due to injury. Still, I don't think it's proper to move players on the ballot to positions at which they don't start.

Anyhow, so much for the Lakers' Andrew Bynum or Minnesota's Al Jefferson getting the starting nod at center for the West. Stoudemire figures to win the fan voting for the Feb. 14 game in Dallas in an election that conjures up memories of Nixon over McGovern in 1972.

Omissions on the ballot were Yao and New Jersey big man Yi Jianlian, but I have no problem with either. Yao is obviously hurt, so it would have been ridiculous to have listed him -- especially because he probably would have won. As for Yi, a 9.8 scoring average last season does not guarantee inclusion on the ballot.

Of course, let's find out now if Chinese-American relations have been damaged.

It was interesting to see two centers listed on the ballot for Boston in Kendrick Perkins and Rasheed Wallace. NBA teams love to tell their fans to vote for all their players, but a Celtics fan won't be able to vote for both Perkins and Wallace or else the ballot will be tossed.

Still, that was a difficult problem to solve. Wallace comes off the bench to play center and forward, and listing him at forward would have given the Celtics three forwards. Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are the others, and they're obviously not going anywhere.

Ballot results will show how popular guard Allen Iverson continues to be. Iverson has been named a starter in nine of the past 10 years (he was a reserve in 2007 after having been traded in December 2006 from Philadelphia to Denver). That includes last season when, with Detroit, he was one of the most unworthy players in All-Star history to get a starting nod.

But now that Iverson is squabbling with Memphis and could be sent packing, could he become the first player chosen for the All-Star Game who doesn't have a team? Probably not since it would be stunning if he is voted as a starter again, but it certainly is worth following the results.

And more surprising things have happened before in elections. Don't dead people vote in Chicago?

Plenty of complaints have been coming out of Clipperland with the ballot omissions of guard Eric Gordon and center Chris Kaman, just named Western Conference Player of the Week. I can understand Kaman, who was hurt much of last season and is on a team that has another solid center in Marcus Camby, being left off. But the Gordon omission is a tough one.

Still, it must be noted it's not easy to put together an All-Star ballot. Gordon is more deserving to be on the ballot than Minnesota's Ramon Sessions. But each team must be represented three times, and Sessions was the third man for the Timberwolves.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com and on Twitter @christomasson.

2010 NBA All-Star Ballot

Eastern

Guards
Ray Allen, Celtics
Gilbert Arenas, Wizards
Mike Bibby, Hawks
Jose Calderon, Raptors
Vince Carter, Magic
Jamal Crawford, Hawks
Chris Duhon, Knicks
Raymond Felton, Bobcats
T.J. Ford, Pacers
Ben Gordon, Pistons
Richard Hamilton, Pistons
Devin Harris, Nets
Kirk Hinrich, Bulls
Joe Johnson, Hawks
Courtney Lee, Nets
Jameer Nelson, Magic
Michael Redd, Bucks
Nate Robinson, Knicks
Rajon Rondo, Celtics
Derrick Rose, Bulls
John Salmons, Bulls
Rodney Stucky, Pistons
Dwyane Wade, Heat
Mo Williams, Cavs

Forwards
Michael Beasley, Heat
Chris Bosh, Raptors
Elton Brand, Sixers
Caron Butler, Wizards
Luol Deng, Bulls
Boris Diaw, Bobcats
Kevin Garnett, Celtics
Danny Granger, Pacers
Al Harrington, Knicks
Udonis Haslem, Heat
Andre Iguodala, Sixers
LeBron James, Cavs
Antawn Jamison, Wizards
David Lee, Knicks
Rashard Lewis, Magic
Troy Murphy, Pacers
Paul Pierce, Celtics
Tayshaun Prince, Pistons
Josh Smith, Hawks
Hedo Turkoglu, Raptors
Anderson Varejao, Cavs
Charlie Villanueva, Pistons
Gerald Wallace, Bobcats
Hakim Warrick, Bucks

Centers
Andrea Bargnani, Raptors
Andrew Bogut, Bucks
Tyson Chandler, Bobcats
Samuel Dalembert, Sixers
Al Horford, Hawks
Dwight Howard, Magic
Brook Lopez, Nets
Brad Miller, Bulls
Jermaine O'Neal, Heat
Shaquille O'Neal, Cavs
Kendrick Perkins, Celtics
Rasheed Wallace, Celtics
Western

Guards
Leandro Barbosa, Suns
Chauncey Billups, Nuggets
Aaron Brooks, Rockets
Kobe Bryant, Lakers
Baron Davis, Clippers
Monta Ellis, Warriors
Manu Ginobili, Spurs
Josh Howard, Mavericks
Allen Iverson, Grizzlies
Stephen Jackson, Warriors
Jason Kidd, Mavericks
Kevin Martin, Kings
O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies
Tracy McGrady, Rockets
Andre Miller, Blazers
Steve Nash, Suns
Tony Parker, Spurs
Chris Paul, Hornets
Jason Richardson, Suns
Brandon Roy, Blazers
Ramon Sessions, Wolves
Jason Terry, Mavericks
Russell Westbrook, Thunder
Deron Williams, Jazz

Forwards
LaMarcus Aldridge, Blazers
Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets
Trevor Ariza, Rockets
Ron Artest, Lakers
Carlos Boozer, Jazz
Tim Duncan, Spurs
Kevin Durant, Thunder
Pau Gasol, Lakers
Rudy Gay, Grizzlies
Jeff Green, Thunder
Blake Griffin, Clippers
Grant Hill, Suns
Richard Jefferson, Spurs
Kevin Love, Wolves
Shawn Marion, Mavericks
Kenyon Martin, Nuggets
Paul Millsap, Jazz
Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks
Lamar Odom, Lakers
Anthony Randolph, Warriors
Luis Scola, Rockets
Jason Thompson, Kings
Al Thornton, Clippers
David West, Hornets

Centers
Andris Biedrins, Warriors
Andrew Bynum, Lakers
Marcus Camby, Clippers
Marc Gasol, Grizzlies
Spencer Hawes, Kings
Al Jefferson, Wolves
Antonio McDyess, Spurs
Nene, Nuggets
Greg Oden, Blazers
Emeka Okafor, Hornets
Mehmet Okur, Jazz
Amar'e Stoudemire, Suns

2010 NBA All-Star Ballot Announced originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Power Rankings: Rising Suns

Brett Pollakoff — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: Bulls, Cavaliers, Celtics, Hawks, Lakers, Magic, Mavericks, Nuggets, Suns, Trail Blazers, NBA Power Rankings

We're just eight games into the season, but there's no doubt who the surprise team is at this point. The Phoenix Suns are off to a 7-1 start, and have road wins over two of the three remaining one-loss teams. They've done it with Steve Nash leading the league in assists at almost 13 per game, and with the team leading the league in three-point shooting at a ridiculous 47 percent. But all of that only got the Suns to No. 2 in this week's rankings -- read on to see who's on top.

1. Lakers (6-1) | Prev.: 5
Pau Gasol has yet to play a game this season, and Andrew Bynum has missed the last two. But when Kobe Bryant goes for 40 or more three times in the team's first seven games, well, the wins just seem to come anyway.
2. Suns (7-1) | Prev.: 7
You could make a case for the Suns rising all the way to the top this week, especially considering the strength of their recent competition -- which they mostly steamrolled. But one or two doesn't make a whole lot of difference in November, and Phoenix will get their chance at the top-ranked Lakers soon enough: They head to L.A. for a TNT showdown Thursday.
3. Celtics (7-1) | Prev.: 2
After opening the season with eight games in 11 days, the Celtics looked weary in their last two. But they came out of it with just a single loss, and they still lead the league in point differential with an impressive + 14.1 -- the second best team in that department is only at +7.8.
4. Heat (5-1) | Prev.: 8
Contract years are a beautiful thing. Quentin Richardson is in one, and he's set a career mark for most consecutive games with at least nine rebounds -- Q has done it in five straight (and counting).
5. Hawks (5-2) | Prev.: 11
Jamal Crawford is thriving in his sixth man role, and has led or shared the team lead in scoring three times. The Hawks finally put it all together in a dismantling of the Nuggets at home, but whether or not they can take that same show on the road Friday in Boston will say a lot about exactly where this team is at this early point in the season.
6. Mavericks (5-2) | Prev.: 4
Dallas has actually looked like one of the top teams this season, but the fact that they gave away a game at the free throw line cannot go unpunished. But the next night Josh Howard returned, and so did the Mavs' solid play: They crushed the Raptors by 28 points.
7. Blazers (4-3) | Prev.: 13
Nate McMillan pushed the right button in placing Andre Miller alongside Brandon Roy and Steve Blake in the starting lineup, and the team is 2-0 since he made that adjustment.
8. Nuggets (5-2) | Prev.: 3
After the strong start, Denver has dropped two straight since Kenyon Martin went down with an injury. But Anthony Carter might have said it best after the Nuggets' first loss of the season: "When one person goes down, that's why everybody else gets paid to play. Kenyon ain't the whole team."
9. Magic (5-2) | Prev.: 1
Orlando has done well to start 5-2, playing without the suspended Rashard Lewis since the beginning, and missing Vince Carter for four of the last five with an ankle injury. Ryan Anderson had been filling in nicely, but losing him to an injury was too much to overcome, as Orlando lost by 28 without him in Oklahoma City.

10. Bulls (4-2) | Prev.: 16
Winners of three straight after the slow start, including a close one in Cleveland against LeBron and the Cavs. Joakim Noah has been so solid this season that he's making a local columnist eat his words -- literally, and with salsa no less.

11. Spurs (3-3) | Prev.: 6
Tony Parker is expected to miss about a week with an ankle sprain, but Manu Ginobili made sure the team wouldn't drop two straight. He went nuts against Toronto with 36 points, eight assists, four rebounds, and four blocked shots in 32 minutes off the bench. Batman, indeed.

12. Cavaliers (4-3) | Prev.: 10
The media circus surrounding the Cavs feasted last Friday at Madison Square Garden, when the "LeBron James to the Knicks" talk reached a fever pitch. They've had a few days to recover, just in time for Shaquille O'Neal versus Dwight Howard (and Stan Van Gundy) on ESPN this Wednesday.

13. Rockets (4-2) | Prev.: 9
The Rockets have played better than anyone expected, and have done it by playing smart, hard-nosed basketball. Unfortunately for them, Tracy McGrady is getting ready to come back and ruin everything, although the exact timing of his return is something that (surprise!) he and the team don't see eye to eye on.

14. Thunder (3-3) | Prev.: 14
Took apart a depleted Orlando Magic squad, and showed that if you don't make defense a priority against them, this Thunder team is capable of lighting you up -- they shot over 57 percent from the field, and over 53 percent from three-point land in that one. Oh, and also, there's this.

15. Bucks (3-2) | Prev.: 22
Winners of two straight in convincing fashion over the T'Wolves and the Knicks, and it could have been three in a row had they been able to protect an 18-point lead against the Bulls. But Brandon Jennings continues to impress, Andrew Bugut has done the heavy lifting, and everyone else is contributing just enough to keep the team afloat while Michael Redd is out.

16. Raptors (3-4) | Prev.: 21
It's been a pretty simple formula for the Raps this season: hold the other team under 100 points, and win (three times). Allow the other team to get into triple digits, and lose (four times). In other news, Chris Bosh continues his dominant season, with averages of 29 points and 11.6 rebounds through the team's first seven games.

17. Jazz (3-4) | Prev.: 17
Something's off with this year's Jazz team, but it's hard to tell exactly what it is yet. Consistency is something all teams struggle with, especially early on. But home losses aren't the way Utah normally does business, and they already have two to teams that, on paper, they should seemingly beat: the Rockets and the Kings.

18. Pistons (3-4) | Prev.: 23
Sure, I could drone on about the ups and downs of the team's season with Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince sidelined with injuries. But instead, do yourself a favor and read Matt Watson's excellent piece on the forced rebuilding situation in Detroit.

19. Bobcats (3-3) | Prev.: 18
Charlotte is an interesting team. They hammered the Hawks and hung with the Bulls this week, while Gerald Wallace (much to the delight of our own Matt Steinmetz) finally got himself a few assists -- three, to be exact, after going 94 field goal attempts without one through the team's first four games.

20. Kings (3-4) | Prev.: 26
No Kevin Martin? No problem for the Kings, what with the quick coming of age of rookie Tyreke Evans. Evans has led the team to two wins in Martin's absence, and is quickly making the term "combo guard" look very much like something that GMs should start to consider as a positive.

21. Hornets (3-5) | Prev.: 20
NOLA was very fortunate to beat the Mavs, looked wretched against the Raptors and Lakers, then rose up and delivered a 28-point road beatdown to the Clippers. David West's scoring and rebounding averages are down significantly from last year, and unless he can get back to having some occasionally monster performances, the team's going to continue to struggle.

22. Clippers (3-5) | Prev.: 25
Chris Kaman won the Western Conference player of the week award, which, considering he was competing against some 40-point performances from Kobe Bryant, was somewhat impressive. The Clips went 3-0 on the week, and Kaman averaged 24.3 points on .574 shooting from the field, 9.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. Sure, it all came to an abrupt end on Monday against the Hornets, but it was a good run while it lasted.

23. Sixers (3-4) | Prev.: 15
Philly seems to be still staggering after the Celtics beat them by 31 in the fourth game of the season. Since, they were lucky to beat a seriously undermanned Nets team, and followed that up with losses to the Pistons and the Suns.

24. Pacers (2-3) | Prev.: 29
After starting 0-3 against some quality competition, the Pacers have two wins over the Knicks and the Wizards -- the latter of which caused Washington to sacrifice a snack tray in frustration afterwards.

25. Wizards (2-5) | Prev.: 12
Things aren't going well in Washington, but the rumors of friction between Gilbert Arenas and Flip Saunders seem to be a bit ridiculous. Meanwhile, the team should be fine once Antawn Jamison returns, and three of the last four losses were to upper echelon teams, so it's not time to push the panic button just yet.

26. Warriors (2-4) | Prev.: 28
If these rankings were based on organizational health, the Warriors would be dead last. But as they showed in putting up 146 points on the T'Wolves on Monday, there's some talent on this roster that needs to be dealt with. Unfortunately, as long as Nellie is running the ship and Steven Jackson is in town, winning is going to be the exception, not the norm.

27. Timberwolves (1-7) | Prev.: 27
Jonny Flynn has been solid, but as long as Al Jefferson continues to struggle offensively, the T'Wolves are going to continue to have problems keeping pace.

28. Knicks (1-7) | Prev.: 19
What never gets mentioned in all the "LeBron to New York" talk is the fact that Mike D'Antoni's system appears to be just an awful, awful fit for the talents of King James.

29. Grizzlies (1-7) | Prev.: 24
The team needs to get out of the shadow of Allen Iverson -- whether it's due to trading him, waiving him, or his choosing to retire -- before they'll have any chance of moving in a positive direction.

30. Nets (0-7) | Prev.: 30
Thanks to a rash of injuries and ailments -- including swine flu taking out Chris Douglas-Roberts -- the team was actually forced to practice against furniture due to a lack of available bodies.

NBA Power Rankings: Rising Suns originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Steve Nash Goes 20-20, Suns Go to 7-1

Brett Pollakoff — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:53:00 EST

Filed under: 76ers, Suns

Be honest: you didn't think that after eight games were played in this young NBA season that we'd be talking about the Phoenix Suns as one of the best teams in the league. But after Monday night's come-from-behind win in Philadelphia to finish a five-game road trip at 4-1, that's exactly where we find ourselves.

Behind 21 points and 20 assists from Steve Nash -- his seventh 20-assist game in his career and his second of this season -- the Suns came from eight points down in the fourth quarter to beat the Sixers in Philadelphia, and claimed a share of the league's top spot in the standings in the process.

Suns 119, Sixers 115: Recap | Scoreboard
Sun Not Setting on Grant Hill

With under seven minutes to play and Philly leading by eight, it seemed as though the Suns might have run out of gas in this, the final night of a five-game road trip over the last seven days. But just when you thought the Sixers might put this one away, back-to-back three-pointers from Jared Dudley cut the lead to one in a heartbeat, and the Suns took their first lead since the first quarter on another three from Leandro Barbosa a few possessions later.

Dudley was fantastic late, scoring 13 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, while also contributing five rebounds and three steals to his team's winning effort.

Jason Richardson continued his torrid offensive production on this trip, and led the team in scoring with 29 points on 11-of-16 shooting, while also grabbing eight rebounds.

The Suns are one of four teams with just a single loss on the season, and two out of the other three -- the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat -- saw their loss come at the hands of these Suns.

The fourth team with only one loss? That would be the Los Angeles Lakers, who have gotten their 6-1 record without the services of Pau Gasol all season, who is out with a hamstring injury. Andrew Bynum has also missed the last two games with an injured elbow.

After hosting the Hornets in a nationally televised game this Wednesday, Phoenix will head to L.A. the next night to get a crack at the only other one-loss team that they haven't already beaten.

And judging by the way the Suns have handled the first eight games on the schedule, you have to like their chances.

Steve Nash Goes 20-20, Suns Go to 7-1 originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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At 37, Grant Hill Restarts His Career

Tim Povtak — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:35:00 EST

Filed under: Suns

Grant Hill today is like that low-mileage, late-model used car you bought from the little old lady, who parked it in her garage for 10 years and hardly drove, selling it in surprising good condition for as old as it was.

He is a bargain at this age.

"For an old guy, I'm still low mileage,'' Hill told FanHouse last week. "Limited wear and tear.''

Hill, 37, is the fourth-oldest player in the NBA today, but he has given the resurging Phoenix Suns a big boost as they return to their roots as a high-scoring, quick-shooting team on the run. The Suns (6-1) go into tonight's game in Philadelphia tied with the best record in the Western Conference.

Hill, a six-time All-Star and once one of the league's most explosive perimeter players, lost much of five seasons in his prime athletic years to an ankle injury that needed five different surgeries to finally correct.

Although the period he lost was the most frustrating time of his life, he is reaping the benefits now in the twilight years of his NBA career. He isn't what he once was, but he is better and more durable now than anyone could imagine.

"When I was going through all those injuries, I always told myself -- although I'm not sure I believed it -- that I'd make up for it on the back end, down the road,'' he said. "And you know what? I feel great right now.''

Hill is averaging 30.3 minutes, 13.6 points and 8.7 rebounds, leading the Suns in rebounding in four of the seven games they've played. He has four double-doubles, just one fewer than he had all of last season. He has had one dreadful game, last week against Orlando when he failed to score, but he has been surprisingly consistent in the other six, despite playing with a sore right wrist.

A day after coach Alvin Gentry told his team he needed more rebounding, Hill responded with 13 points and 13 rebounds Sunday in the victory in Washington.

"He's like the favorite guy I've ever coached,'' said Gentry, who also coached him more than a decade ago in Detroit. "He's a different player now, not quite as athletic, but he's still pretty dadgum good. He's got a lot of games left in him. I don't see why he can't play until he's 40.''

Hill thought his career was over long ago in Orlando, laboring through seasons of 4, 14, 29, 0 and 21 games, respectively, as doctors struggled to correct his ankle problems with a variety of surgeries. He had signed a $93 million contract to play for the Magic, but he became the symbol of the lowest point in franchise history.

It was a far cry from last week in Miami when Heat star Dwyane Wade was so impressed, after losing to the Suns, that he asked Hill what he was taking that made him look so fresh for someone his age. Hill just laughed.

"During the years I was hurt, I just became fanatical about things, what I ate, my conditioning routine. I take good care of myself. I've become pretty anal about it now,'' he said. "I guess I was paranoid about things. And after I lost all that time, I hate the thought of sitting out. I'm in my late 30's but I feel like I'm back in my 20s.''

Hill was the only Sun who played in all 82 games last season -- the first time in his 16-year career. He was first player over age 36 in the NBA since 2003-04 to play in every game.

He opened this season with three consecutive games of at last 18 points, which is the first time since his final season in Detroit (1999-00) he has done that. And the only game the Suns have lost (in Orlando) was the only game this season he didn't score at least 10 points.

"I'm doing things now that I haven't done out there in a long time. Last season was such a confidence boost, and I'm just building off that,'' he said. "I'm probably going to be one of those guys who plays until they tell me I can't play anymore. I'm just happy to be out there loving the game again.''

At 37, Grant Hill Restarts His Career originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Suns' Frye Suddenly a Three-Point Threat

Tim Povtak — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:45:00 EST

Filed under: Suns

Suns general manager Steve Kerr -- one of the league's all-time best long-distance shooters -- would love to take credit for the sudden three-point-shooting prowess of newly-acquired center Channing Frye.

But he won't. And he can't.

"Yes, I worked with him for a couple days after he signed, and boom, he started hitting three-pointers,'' Kerr joked before a game in Orlando earlier this week. "We knew he could shoot -- it's why we signed him -- but not quite like this.''

Frye, a low-budget signing this summer, has had a stunning start, factoring heavily into the Suns' (4-1) early-season success.

During the first four seasons of his NBA career (with New York and Portland), Frye combined to make only 20-of-70 three-point shots. But in the first five games of this season, he has made 15-of-29.

He made six three-pointers in a victory over Golden State and made six more in another victory over Minnesota, becoming the first center in NBA history with consecutive games of six three-pointers. His previous high in a game was two, and his previous high in a season was just 11.

"It's always been there, but if you're only in a game for a minute, you can't shoot. And if you're only getting two shots a game, you're looking for layups,'' Frye said. "I've always said, 'if I get the opportunity, I'm going to ride it.'''

Frye played only sparingly last season in Portland behind Greg Oden and LaMarcus Aldridge -- two very young, very talented big men. He averaged only 12 minutes and 4.2 points, seeing his future there was non-existent.

His best season came as a rookie in New York (2005-06) when he averaged 12.3 points and 5.8 rebounds, but even then he made only three three-pointers all season.

Until now, no one ever encouraged him to shoot from the perimeter, even though he always could. It's why the Suns wanted him, and why he jumped at a two-year, $4 million offer.

The Suns wanted to return this season to their wide-open, quick-shooting style of play. Frye was perfect for the high pick-and-roll plays that point guard Steve Nash wanted to run.

"I was really adamant about wanting to add Channing this summer,'' said Suns coach Alvin Gentry. "We needed a big guy who could step out and play. We all thought he had enough range. He just never had consistent minutes in the past. He can change a game for us.''

Frye is coming off his worst game of the season. Early foul trouble trying to guard Dwight Howard took him out of his game. He played only 18 minutes and hit only one three-point shot. He believes, though, that his earlier success will continue.

"I'm still getting used to how teams are going to play me,'' he said. "I hit a few early, and now they stick to me like glue. I'll adapt.''

Suns' Frye Suddenly a Three-Point Threat originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doing Lines: Kobe and Wade Go for 40

Brett Pollakoff — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:01:00 EST

Filed under: Grizzlies, Heat, Hornets, Lakers, Mavericks, Nuggets, Rockets, Suns, NBA Last Night

Every night there are some stupendous, silly, stupid, or downright outlandish individual lines from around the lig. Doing Lines lets you know which one tops the list.

The last time we got together, three different players scored 40 points or more on the same night. Well, maybe it's not as rare of an occurrence as we thought, since we were just a single point away from it happening again on Wednesday.

Chris Paul missed by one with 39, but Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade each delivered, with 41 and 40 respectively.

Dwyane Wade's 40 points, four rebounds, and five assists were just enough to carry his team to a close road victory over the Wizards. Gilbert Arenas had 32 of his own in the loss, but did it on a far less attractive 9-for-27 shooting line, as opposed to Wade's 14-for-26.

Chris Paul was dazzling, and had 39 points (on 14-for-23 shooting), five rebounds, seven assists, and a couple of steals. On the other end of the court, Jason Terry had 18 in the fourth quarter (and 35 in the game), on 12-18 shooting and 4-5 from three-point land, But ultimately, his two missed free throws down the stretch may have done as more to influence the game's final outcome than his scoring did.

Kobe Bryant had an outstanding line of 41 points, six rebounds, four assists, and four steals. He did it by shooting a tidy 50 percent from the field, and you could tell from the opening minutes that even on the second night of a back-to-back, that Bryant wouldn't allow himself to be outshined by his former teammate, Trevor Ariza.

Speaking of Ariza, he and Ron Artest basically canceled each other out. Besides the pair picking up double technicals early, there weren't any fireworks to report, and both finished with an identical 15 points. Not only were their numbers similar, so was their play: each hit a clutch three-pointer with under 30 seconds left in regulation, Ariza's coming after Artest's to send the game into overtime.

Other notable numbers from Wednesday's action:

Carmelo Anthony finally cooled off a bit, managing just 22 points on 8-24 shooting. But when you have rookie Ty Lawson coming off the bench for 23 points in 28 minutes, on 9-10 shooting, the end result was still a blowout win for the Nuggets.

Derek Fisher played 34 minutes, and somehow managed to record 0 points, 0 rebounds, and 0 assists -- and he's the point guard! But he did manage two steals, including the one on the game's final play where he stripped the ball from Trevor Ariza.

Allen Iverson once again came off the bench, but in his second game of the season, was more productive in that role. A.I. scored 18 points (on 8-12 shooting) and handed out seven assists in 28 minutes of action.

Amar'e Stoudemire had 19 points and 11 rebounds in the first half against the Orlando Magic. It was the first flash of the old, explosive Amar'e we were used to seeing before his injury last February. Unfortunately, it didn't last in the second half, as he finished with 25 and 14, and the Suns suffered their first loss of the season.

Doing Lines: Kobe and Wade Go for 40 originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA HouseCast: Magic Fall, Celtics Impress, Lakers Survive

Brett Pollakoff — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:35:00 EST

Filed under: Celtics, Heat, Lakers, Magic, Mavericks, Pistons, Rockets, Suns, Trail Blazers, NBA Last Night, Thunder

Welcome to the NBA FanHouse podcast, where our writers get together a few times a week to talk about everything going on in the world of hoops. Want to participate? Leave a comment, or follow us on Twitter @NBAFanHouse.

In a Wednesday edition of the HouseCast (and our first of the season), Matt Watson and Matt Moore joined me to discuss this week's Power Rankings. Of course, we couldn't do that without mentioning that once again, the top-ranked team -- Orlando, in this case -- went down the very same day the rankings were published.

We also recap a busy and interesting night of action, one where the Celtics remained dominant, the Suns remained undefeated, and the Lakers remained underwhelming, while barely surviving the Thunder in Oklahoma City.

Download MP3

NBA HouseCast: Magic Fall, Celtics Impress, Lakers Survive originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Power Rankings: Orlando on Top

Brett Pollakoff — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cavaliers, Celtics, Heat, Lakers, Magic, Mavericks, Spurs, Suns, NBA Power Rankings

We're just a week into the season, so don't get mad if your team isn't where you might have expected. It's just that if we go by what we've actually seen, as opposed to what's been predicted, then this is for the most part where teams should fall based on their early performances. But if you're offended by the spot your favorite team holds, fear not: they likely have 79 regular season games remaining to right the ship.

1. Magic (3-0)
Sure, they've only beaten Philly, New Jersey and Toronto. But they've done so by an an average margin of double digits, and they've done it without the suspended Rashard Lewis. Might be the deepest team in the league; time will tell how they match up against the big boys.
2. Celtics (4-0)
Opened the season with a solid road victory in Cleveland, before absolutely pummeling inferior competition for the next three games. If the whole team plays with that Rondo-sized chip on its shoulder for the entire season, who knows what Boston is capable of.
3. Nuggets (3-0)
Impressive wins against Utah and Portland already, and Carmelo Anthony could be to this season what Dwyane Wade was to last season: someone with something to prove, and maybe a dark horse candidate for MVP.
4. Mavericks (2-1)
Can't blame them for losing to Gilbert Arenas' supremely motivated squad in the opener, especially after they regrouped nicely by throttling the Lakers on the road in their second game. This team has one of the best pick-and-roll offenses in the league when it's firing on all cylinders, which will be extremely tough for most other teams to stop.
5. Lakers (2-1)
With Pau Gasol missing the first three games of the season, L.A. has looked far from spectacular. Their lack of depth has been exposed, and Ron Artest has yet to fit in. Still, an 18-0 run in the third quarter on Sunday put away the Hawks, and the Lakers did it with defense, offensive rebounding, and getting out on the break for easy baskets. They're the defending champs for a reason.
6. Spurs (2-1)
The one game that Tim Duncan has looked like his old self this season -- when he put up 28 and 16 against the Bulls -- San Antonio lost. In the two wins, Tony Parker was the catalyst, leading the team in scoring and getting everyone else involved. Of course, if Ginobili continues to play the role of Batman, the sky's the limit.
7. Suns (3-0)
Undefeated against the Clippers, the Warriors, and the T'Wolves, the Suns aren't exactly world-beaters. But after squeaking out a close one in L.A. to open the season, Phoenix has had no trouble imposing their will on their opponents, on the way to a couple of comfortable victories. A tough five-game road trip awaits, but this is a confident group that will likely surprise a team or two on that East coast swing.
8. Heat (3-0)
Undefeated is undefeated, and despite some fairly weak competition (Bulls excepted), that's where the Heat stand. Still, they've done it convincingly, with the second best point differential in the league at 14.3.
9. Rockets (3-1)
Yeah, I'm surprised they're this high, too. But you can't deny three straight wins, including Monday's in Utah where they held Carlos Boozer and Paul Millsap to a combined nine points on 1-of-8 shooting, while getting eight players in double figures offensively.

10. Cavaliers (2-2)
Can't really justify having LeBron and company any lower than this, but have they really earned it? It's going to be a while before the Cavs are clicking, and with the team trying to get familiar with Shaq and work Delonte West back into the offense, the gap in the standings could be pretty big by the time things get figured out.

11. Hawks (2-1)
Played two and a half solid games really, before completely falling to pieces in the third quarter against the Lakers. This is a long, athletic team that has no trouble on either end of the floor, so consistency and mental toughness will be the qualities that they search for as the season goes on.

12. Wizards (2-1)
Gilbert Arenas appears to be all the way back, and has led his team to a couple of nice wins to start the season, even as the club is missing Antawn Jamison. Tough back-to-back at Cleveland and then hosting Miami will tell us a lot about where this team is at right now.

13. Trail Blazers (2-2)
Brandon Roy can be All-World, but he's struggled shooting the ball since the Denver game. Andre Miller is -- at least so far -- a very underwhelming addition. The injuries to Nicolas Batum and LaMarcus Aldridge aren't going to help the team get straight early, but we have a long way to go, and Portland is still loaded and can be right there when it counts at the end of the season.

14. Thunder (2-1)
As Kevin Durant goes, so goes the Thunder? KD had 25 and 11, then 25 and 12 in his team's first two games -- both victories. He struggled a bit against the Blazers with 16 and 5 (on a miserable 3-21 shooting), and OKC managed just 74 points in their first loss of the season.

15. Sixers (2-1)
In just 23 minutes per game off the bench, second-year player Marreese Speights is averaging 16.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and a blocked shot per game, while hitting 18 of his 24 field goal attempts. Elton who?

16. Bulls (1-2)
Opened the season with a nice home win over the Spurs, before having to go to Boston the next night to get thrashed by the Celtics. Chicago then took Miami down to the wire, so the schedule-makers more than anyone are to blame for the Bulls' middle-of-the-pack ranking here.

17. Jazz (1-2)
Rough one against the Rockets on Monday, as Utah turned a three-point halftime lead into a 17-point home loss.

18. Bobcats (2-2)
Charlotte gets a little credit for standing at 2-2, but they did manage just 79 points against the awful Nets on Monday ... which was, in fact, good enough for a win, thanks to New Jersey's dreadful seven-point third quarter.

19. Knicks (1-3)
It took New York three overtimes to lose two of its games, before putting together a solid fourth quarter on Monday to get the team's first win of the season. Now if only they can get some consistency going so that D'Antoni doesn't have to change his starting lineup and rotations every night, they'll be in business.

20. Hornets (1-3)
New Orleans has no depth once you get past the starting unit, and the team looks to be far worse off than it was a season ago. So let me be among the first to say it: the Hornets are not making the playoffs.

21. Raptors (1-2)
Dropped two straight after beating the Cavs in their opener, but don't blame Chris Bosh: he's averaging 31 points and 14.7 rebounds through the first three games. *cough* contact year *cough*

22. Bucks (1-1)
Brandon Jennings is the story here, as he's done better than expected early, and led the team in scoring the first two games. Which is important, considering the fact that Michael Redd is going to be on the shelf for a couple of weeks with a knee injury.

23. Pistons (1-2)
Rip Hamilton has missed the last two games with an ankle injury, which has paved the way for Ben Gordon to both start and lead the team in scoring. Ws are what matter most though, and without Hamilton in the lineup, Detroit is 0-2.

24. Grizzlies (1-3)
Zach Randolph has two 30-point games in the team's first four, and O.J. Mayo put up a career-high 40 on Sunday. Allen Iverson made his debut on Monday, and big surprise: he was unhappy coming off the bench.

25. Clippers (1-4)
If Baron Davis ever finds his shot again, L.A. might become dangerous. Davis is shooting just 33% from the field through the team's first five games, having made just 18 of his 54 attempts.

26. Kings (1-3)
Kevin Martin's 48 led Sacramento to their first win of the season on Monday, an overtime joint over the Grizzlies. Between Martin and the potential of Tyreke Evans, the Kings might be worthy of more than an occasional flip over to their games on a random night of League pass action.

27. Timberwolves (1-3)
Kurt Rambis actually has his team running some basic triangle offense sets in this young season. Funny how things seemed to turn out a whole lot better with Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, and Pau Gasol involved.

28. Warriors (0-2)
Stephen Jackson and Don Nelson have completely checked out, and couldn't care less what happens to this team this season. Not cool for guys like Anthony Morrow, Anthony Randolph, and Stephen Curry, who are all talented young players with a potentially bright future in the league.

29. Pacers (0-2)
Rookie Tyler Hansbrough has been practicing, and could make his debut this Friday against the Wizards. That is all.

30. Nets (0-4)
Unbelievably bad, managing just seven points in the third quarter on Monday in Charlotte. Other lowlights included going over 11 minutes without a field goal, and getting outscored by the Bobcats 24-0 during a stretch that spanned the third and fourth quarters. Finally, the team lost Yi Jianlian to a knee injury in this one as well. I'd make a joke about how dismal things are for the Nets right now, but honestly, it's not even funny.

NBA Power Rankings: Orlando on Top originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doing Lines: Kobe, 'Melo, Mayo Drop 40

Brett Pollakoff — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Grizzlies, Hawks, Lakers, Magic, Nuggets, Raptors, Suns, NBA Last Night

Every night there are some stupendous, silly, stupid, or downright outlandish individual lines from around the lig. Doing Lines lets you know which one tops the list.

It's not every day that we get to see a player hit for 40 points or more in an NBA game. So on Sunday, when we had three different players meet or surpass the mark, it's definitely something worth discussing.

Especially when two of them did it in the same game.

Anytime the Grizzlies take the court, you can just throw defense right on out the window, because no matter what you do, Memphis is going to light it up with their dizzying array of deadly scorers.

Okay, not usually. But the Grizz had no trouble keeping pace with the Nuggets for most of the night, led by a career-high 40 points from O.J. Mayo. Mayo got there by going 17-25 from the field, and also grabbed five rebounds and handed out four assists.

On any other night, Memphis probably leaves with a win. But not when Carmelo Anthony is on the opposing team, and puts up 42 points of his own, on 15-26 shooting, with seven boards and five assists. It was the first time in his career that Anthony has posted consecutive 40-point games, after going for 41 in his team's Thursday night victory at the Rose Garden over the Blazers.

One more 40-point performance to mention, and that was Kobe Bryant going for 41 against a plucky Atlanta Hawks team. Bryant also had eight rebounds, five steals, and three assists -- all to make sure that the defending champion Lakers didn't dip below .500 after the team's first three games.

Other notable numbers from Sunday's action:

Joe Johnson had 18 points in the first quarter for the Hawks, but finished with just 27.

Chris Bosh had 35 points and 16 rebounds in a losing effort to the Orlando Magic. Dwight Howard had 24 and 11, but most importantly, he hit 14 of his 16 free throw attempts.

Channing Frye had 25 points and five rebounds, but that's not the interesting part: he made six three-pointers for the second straight game (this time on 10 attempts), and now has 13 threes on the season. This is a season career-high for him in made threes, after only three games as a Phoenix Sun.

Doing Lines: Kobe, 'Melo, Mayo Drop 40 originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Players in the Halloween Spirit

Elie Seckbach — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:53:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, Lakers, Suns, NBA Videos, FanHouse Exclusive

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

Halloween is one of those holiday that everyone loves ... including NBA players.

In this FanHouse exclusive, we catch up with NBA stars Amar'e Stoudemire, Eric Gordon, DeAndre Jordan, Ron Artest, Kyrylo Fesenko, Channing Frye, Craig Smith, Goran Dragic and Lou Amundson.

Find out who is most likely to be Hugh Hefner, Magic Don Juan, a lumberjack, Frankenstein and an Army vet.

Check out the video after the jump.

NBA Players in the Halloween Spirit originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Live Tweet: Suns Vs. Warriors

Brett Pollakoff — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:25:00 EST

Filed under: Suns, Warriors, NBA Live Blogging

When the Suns and the Warriors get together, it's always a good time -- uptempo basketball at its finest. Both teams are coming off of close first games of the season, but with decidedly different results.

Golden State blew a 10-point halftime lead at home to fall to the Rockets, while Phoenix got an "old white guy shot" from Steve Nash in the closing seconds to get his team a road win over the Clippers.

What happens tonight is as much of a mystery as Don Nelson's distribution of minutes, but it's likely to be a lot of fun either way. So join us beginning at 10PM EST by following @NBAFanHouse, or simply read on to follow along below.

Twitter Updates on Suns vs. Warriors

NBA FanHouse on Twitter

Live Tweet: Suns Vs. Warriors originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rebounding Focus Pays Off for the Suns

Brett Pollakoff — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:45:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, Suns

LOS ANGELES -- Rebounding is all that Suns' head coach Alvin Gentry has been talking about during the preseason, and with his team being an undersized bunch who would rather try to run you off the floor than stand toe-to-toe and slug it out, that's completely understandable.

But the emphasis on taking care of the boards had its consequences in the team's season opener on Wednesday, as Phoenix -- yes, the extended remix of the Seven Seconds or Less Suns -- managed just two fast break points in their game against the Clippers.

The ultimate result, however, was a positive one. The Suns' focus on rebounding enabled them to hang with a big and talented Clippers' front line, and pull out a hard-fought, last-second 109-107 road victory in Los Angeles.

"We've got to get out and run more," Gentry said, when discussing his team's lack of points in transition. "We get so conscious right now of trying to guard the boards, you know, the offensive boards -- which I thought we did a good job on -- that sometimes it limits us a little bit as far as getting out on the break.

"We still got 109 points, even though we didn't get any fast break points. And really, some of the things they don't call fast break points .. if we come down and we run a drag, and we get a wide open three-pointer, we consider that a fast break point. So it's really a little bit distorted, but they did do a good job as far as getting back and keeping us from running."

Phoenix held a 22-15 rebounding advantage at the half, thanks to seven from Grant Hill, and five each from Jared Dudley and Earl Clark off the bench. They finished the game with just one more board than L.A., but the fact that they were able to compete at all with guys like Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman down there shows how serious the team is about making the glass work a top priority.

"It's never really easy to rebound against those guys, they're seven-footers," Amar'e Stoudemire said afterwards. "Both guys are great rebounders out there. But I think from a team effort we did a great job, really attacked the boards, really boxed out well. Me and [Channing Frye] were trying to keep the big guys off the boards, and Grant was coming in and getting the rebounds, so from a team standpoint we did a pretty good job."

Stoudemire and Frye combined to grab just nine rebounds, while the aforementioned Clippers' duo came away with a combined 20. But as Amar'e mentioned, as long as someone like Grant Hill can swoop in when he's doing the blocking out, things will turn out okay. Even if the fast break opportunities might not be there because of it.

Hill finished with a team-leading 13 rebounds, which is a huge number for him.

"The year we won 62 games we got out-rebounded on the offensive boards 55 times," Gentry pointed out. "But for this team to be successful, we've got to find a way to rebound the basketball."

The Suns did that on opening night, against a Clippers team that -- at least going in -- appeared to have a significant advantage.

Rebounding Focus Pays Off for the Suns originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nash's 'Old White Guy' Shot Leads Suns Past Clippers

Brett Pollakoff — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:03:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, Suns

LOS ANGELES -- The Clippers held a seven-point lead over the Suns with about nine minutes remaining in their home opener, in a game that was the season opener for Phoenix.

But Steve Nash made sure that his Suns left with the victory, by scoring 15 of his team's 24 fourth quarter points, including the game-winner in a thrilling 109-107 contest at Staples Center.

The shot that Nash hit to win it came on a tough drive against Baron Davis, who was tightly guarding Nash behind the three-point line, with the game tied and 11.9 seconds left on the clock. Nash made a stop-and-go move, but with Davis all over him, he had no choice but to take the ball to the rack, and finish beautifully with his left hand to carry his team to a 1-0 start on the season.

"Well, I went to the old 'white guy in the YMCA' shot," Nash said. "And I was lucky to make something happen."

Nash took the shot earlier than he wanted to, and actually left the Clippers plenty of time -- 5.5 seconds -- to tie or win the game with a shot of their own. But he and Alvin Gentry talked about it in the timeout before the play, and both understood that it might be necessary to take the shot early if the opportunity were to arise.

"Nash said 'if I get by him initially, I might have to go early, because if I back it up and he gets into me, it would be hard for me to get by him a second time,' " Gentry said. "So he said 'I might have to shoot it early, and if I get by him, I have to go.' "

Talk about a veteran player and an experienced coach knowing the situation -- that's almost exactly how things played out.

"Baron was playing me so tight, and I wanted to take the last shot, but he was playing me too tight, and once I got a little step on him, I had to take it," Nash said. "It was a little early, but when I got to the paint I kept going when I saw a little daylight."

As far as winning the game with a left-handed shot, Nash admitted it's something he hasn't done or even thought about in quite some time.

"It's been a while, you know, I don't play much basketball in the summer, so the left has been a little dormant," Nash said. "I made a few with the right earlier in the game and in the preseason, but luckily it woke up for me."

The Clippers did have a final crack at it, but a long three-point attempt from Eric Gordon wasn't close -- thanks to Amar'e Stoudemire stepping out to contest -- and the Suns came away with the win. And since Phoenix isn't a team that's exactly known for their defense, you can bet the part about the game ending with them holding defensively didn't go unnoticed by their head coach.

"Nobody's talking about it, but we won the game with a defensive stop, okay?" Gentry said. "That, in itself right there, is progress."

Nash's 'Old White Guy' Shot Leads Suns Past Clippers originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amar'e Stoudemire Ready for Swine Flu

Brett Pollakoff — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:52:00 EST

Filed under: Suns

PHOENIX -- The Suns and the Sixers played a close preseason game in Phoenix on Friday night, and the same two teams will go at it again this Sunday in Monterrey, Mexico. The NBA last hosted a game in Monterrey in 1996, although that was obviously before Mexico was known as the birth place of the swine flu.

Teams are taking precautions stateside to prevent unnecessary exposure to the disease, so it's of course going to be even more of a hot topic as players venture out of the country. And in fact, the subject of swine flu was the first thing on the mind of Amar'e Stoudemire, when he was asked about the impending trip to Mexico after Friday night's game.

"We just gotta stay away from the swine flu," Stoudemire said. "That seems to be the name of the trip so far."

As was initially rumored to be a league-wide precaution for players this season, the teams will try to keep hand contact to a minimum during their brief stay in Mexico.

"Keep your hands clean," Stoudemire said, when asked if there were any special guidelines in place. "If you see us kind of high-fiving with the backs of our hands, you know that's for the, 'swine flu precautionary measures.' "

And as for any of the team's fans in Mexico who might be hoping to get a glimpse of their favorite Suns out and about, they can pretty much forget it. According to Stoudemire, the team has no plans to do any exploring while they're in town.

"I don't think we're supposed to go anywhere once we get to Mexico -- I don't think the crime rate is the best," Stoudemire joked. "So we just want to stay safe, go out there and perform, and hopefully the fans enjoy our game out there and we can get back to the states."

Amar'e Stoudemire Ready for Swine Flu originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Player to Watch: Leandro Barbosa

Tom Ziller — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Suns

FanHouse previews a player to watch from each NBA team in advance of the 2009-10 season.

The conventional wisdom is that every Suns wing or guard champed at the bit for the end of Terry Porter's reign so that they could do what they do best, which is to run and gun. Upon taking over for the deposed Porter during the All-Star break, former D'Antoni assistant Alvin Gentry couldn't exactly replicate Seven Second or Less -- he still had Shaquille O'Neal, after all, and he lost Amar'e Stoudemire after only a few games.

But Gentry certainly unleashed Steve Nash, and by extension the offense. As we head into 2009-10, with Gentry still in place and with Shaq having become someone else's superhero/problem, the theory is that a fully unleashed Phoenix with Amar'e back in the saddle will be a massive improvement on last season. Top to bottom, the guards and wings most comfortable under D'Antoni should improve. This means Nash, of course, but also guys like Leandro Barbosa ...

Right?

Perhaps not. In comparison with the other high-minute Phoenix guards and wings, Barbosa thrived under Porter.

(All credit to Kevin Pelton of Basketball Prospectus for pointing out what should have been an obvious simplification of offensive rating to be used for our purposes.)

Barbosa was the most efficient among the Suns' top five backcourt players under Porter's slower system last year, scoring roughly 105 points per 100 individual possessions. If Porter + Shaq hurt anyone the most, it was Nash. Barbosa's style and on-court persona is so tied to D'Antoni's Suns that we conflate Nash's struggles to be shared by Barbosa. But that just wasn't the case under Porter. Nash suffered, but Barbosa held out fine.

But what happened upon the coaching change in February? Did Barbosa get even better?

Barbosa did improve ... a little, from 105 to 107 points per 100 possessions. Nash, meanwhile, saw a 20-point jump in his (simplified) offensive rating, which is incredible. With Porter, Nash as a scorer was below-average, run-of-the-mill. With Gentry, he was elite.

Richardson also improve mightily (from average to very good), and Barnes got a decent boost from the faster system. Hill suffered a touch ... but there have never been any concerns as to whether could play in multiple styles of basketball. Nash has heard those concerns, and those concerns were at least partly justified last season.

Barbosa has also heard those concerns, but the numbers don't bear it out. The numbers say that Barbosa isn't dependent on a Seven Seconds or Less style offense to be a great contributor. And that should be music to 29 NBA executives ears. No one can really tell which way Phoenix will go this season, with everything waiting on Amar'e, who could be traded at any moment or could sign a mega extension next summer. The Suns would probably like to cut some salary to slip under the tax line, but given the free agent moves the team made it doesn't seem like a mandate from owner Robert Sarver has been implemented. Phoenix could very well ride out the season with what it's got, especially if the team gets off to a hot start.

But if something goes wrong, or if for some reason the team needs to move Barbosa, NBA GMs shouldn't have fears about whether Leandro will fit into their non-D'Antoni system. Barbosa showed last year that he's not a one-trick pony.

Player to Watch: Leandro Barbosa originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Preview: Suns

Brett Pollakoff — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Suns, NBA Preseason, NBA Previews

FanHouse previews all 30 NBA teams in advance of the 2009-10 season.

The 2009-10 Phoenix Suns are caught somewhere between the past and the future. But just because they don't know where they're going, and have one foot stuck in a place where they've already been, doesn't mean that the team can't win this season, while playing an entertaining style of basketball along the way.

The Suns had more turmoil than most teams a year ago, yet, through it all, still almost managed to make the playoffs, finishing just two games behind the Jazz for the final spot in the Western Conference postseason picture.

This season, everyone from the players to the coaching staff to the general manager all seem to think that the continuity and the positive atmosphere that the team was lacking in the Terry Porter/Shaquille O'Neal era will translate to a year that, at the very least, will be enjoyable for all involved.

With head coach Alvin Gentry firmly installed, and his system being the same one employed by former fan favorite and current Knicks' head man Mike D'Antoni, there's a strong chance that this team will once again be among the league's elite, at least on the offensive side of the floor.

But defensively, can the Suns improve just enough to get some key stops down the stretch of games against the top teams in the league? Once again, that will be the all-important question.

Meanwhile, with Shaquille O'Neal having departed for Cleveland, and Amar'e Stoudemire returning from last year's season-ending eye surgery, the Suns will rely on Amar'e more than ever for their interior scoring. That's because the team's starting center, the newly-acquired Channing Frye, will be expected to stretch the defense by knocking down shots on the perimeter -- including from three-point land.

But again, scoring isn't going to be an issue. What will determine the Suns' fate this season, both as a regular season winner and as a playoff contender, is going to be the team's ability to get stops when games are on the line.

This was definitely a point of emphasis for Gentry's coaching staff when he took over in the middle of the season last year. We'll see if a full training camp to install his line of thinking, along with his end-of-game defensive sets, will be enough to make this team a legitimate playoff threat as the season unfolds.

Whether they are or they aren't, don't sleep on the Suns: with players like Steve Nash, Grant Hill, and Stoudemire playing in that uptempo system, win or lose, they're once again going to be a joy to watch.

Last Season By the Numbers

Record: 46-36. Finished second in the Pacific Division, 9th in the Western Conference -- just two games out of the playoffs.

Offense: 113.6 points per 100 possessions, 2nd in the NBA. 1st in shooting, 26th in turnover rate, 11th in offensive rebounding, 8th in free throw rate.

Defense: 111.6 points per 100 possessions, 26th in the NBA. 23rd in shooting defense, 21st in opponent turnover rate, 22nd in defensive rebounding, 14th in opponent free throw rate.

Top Performers: Amar'e Stoudemire led the team in scoring with 21.4 points per game, but appeared in only 53 of them due to the season-ending eye injury. The Suns had seven players average double digits in the scoring column, due to their elite offense. Stoudemire also was second on the team in rebounding with 8.1 per game, but the team was led last season by Shaquille O'Neal's average of 8.4. Shaq and Amar'e led the team in blocked shots with 1.4 and 1.1 per game respectively, while the team assist title belonged to Steve Nash, with a more-than-solid 9.7 dimes per game.

All statistics via Basketball-Reference.com.

Player to Watch

FanHouse's Matt Moore and Tom Ziller preview one player to watch from each team. Here's a snippet of Ziller's post on Suns guard Leandro Barbosa.

Barbosa was the most efficient among the Suns' top five backcourt players under [Terry] Porter's slower system last year, scoring roughly 105 points per 100 individual possessions. If Porter + Shaq hurt anyone the most, it was [Steve] Nash. Barbosa's style and on-court persona is so tied to D'Antoni's Suns that we conflate Nash's struggles to be shared by Barbosa. But that just wasn't the case under Porter. Nash suffered, but Barbosa held out fine.

See Ziller's full post on Barbosa.

Offseason Tracker

IN: Earl Clark (draft), Taylor Griffin (draft), Channing Frye (free agency).

OUT: Shaquille O'Neal (trade), Matt Barnes (free agency).

FanHouse Preview: Suns originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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