Suns Fall Short to Warriors in Autotrader.com Open

Double-rims? Chain nets? Not quite. The Autotrader.com Open was the NBA-version of a blacktop battle, just “suped-up” with state-of-the-art sound, a beautifully manicured hardwood court and hosted at one of the most prestigious tennis centers in the United States.

Think Rucker Park, but with an espresso machine and photos of Roger Federer lining the walls. In the second outdoor game in the NBA’s modern era, the “host” Suns fell to the Warriors, 104-101, at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, CA.

“I would have liked to have won the game but I saw some good things out there,” Suns Head Coach Alvin Gentry said. “I think we’re getting better defensively. The rotation and communication are getting better.”

The Suns have proved for the second straight year at the Autotrader.com Open that the only defense that can stop them is the outdoor environment. Having led the league in points per game and field goal percentage last year, the Suns shot a mere 40 percent from the field Saturday night and only 23 percent from 3-point land.

It was a balmy and beautiful night, but a slight breeze persisted throughout the arena for much of the night.The Suns were led by Channing Frye’s 19 points and Grant Hill’s 16. Phoenix led by seven at the end of the first period, but weren’t able to connect when it found open looks.

Grant Hill went 6-of-9 to finish with 16 points in the first half. Hill, who ended up with only 16, was a stat-sheet stuffer, adding six rebounds, four assists steals and two blocks to his line.

The Warriors’ Anthony Morrow was the only player whose shooting didn’t suffer, knocking down 11-of-21 shots to total a game-high 30 points.

Otherwise, the stat sheet was fairly even. The Suns were within three rebounds of the Warriors, turned the ball over five less times and shot within two percent of their divisional rival.

Overall, it was a good opportunity for Gentry to see what his reserves could do at the end of the game. With five minutes to go in the contest, Gentry played the entire end of his bench, giving no dressed player the night off.

Although the Suns’ head man is still ironing out his completed rotation, he’s getting a better idea what it will be. As much as the game proved to be another test for Gentry to see where his team is, the Suns’ Head Coach believed that the game was still a unique and enjoyable experience for Phoenix fans.

“Who wouldn’t want to be in Palm Springs this time of year,” Gentry said. “The weather is great. We just have to learn to shoot the ball better from the outside.”

No Small Frye

Newly-acquired Sun Channing Frye started off hot out the gate, draining 4-of-6 from the field in the first quarter. The 6-11 big man nailed 2-of-3 from downtown and 2-of-2 from the charity stripe, unaffected by the on-court breeze.

“The wind took one of my balls, but one wasn’t too many,” Frye said jokingly. “This was a game if you shot an air-ball you could say, ‘Well it was the wind,’ and get away with it. That was my excuse for every shot that I missed.”

His offensive outburst helped lead the Suns to a 27-20 first-quarter finish. But this is no surprise to anyone who has caught a peek of Frye during his preseason workouts.

During the pre-Labor Day pick-up games, it seemed as if Frye never missed from behind the arc. He was so automatic that Suns President of Basketball Operations and GM Steve Kerr predicted that Frye would hit 100 3-pointers this season.

His new head coach is already a fan.

“I think you can see Channing Frye is going to be a big help to us as far as spreading the floor and causing the opposing big guys to come away from the basket,” Gentry said.

The former Arizona star could be a dangerous matchup for opposing clubs. His ability to step outside only opens up the paint for Amar’e Stoudemire to operate. Also, when Frye is hitting from deep, his athleticism allows him to pump-fake and drive by the player defending him.

“I think it’s going to help us a lot because a lot of teams can’t just focus on me finishing at the basket,” Amar’e Stoudemire added. “With Channing out there at the three-point line they are going to have their hands full.”

Defensively, Frye isn’t worried about guarding bigger and more physical centers because they’re going to have to contend with his skills on the offensive end. He said the key to his success is that the team keeps the pace fast.

“If we establish an upbeat tempo for him, I’ll take myself every night,” he said. “If we’re running up and down the court, it’s going to be tough for a big guy to pound on me.”

For the night, Frye shot 7-of-13 from the field to total a team-high 19 points, while also adding eight boards a steal and a block.

“He adds a great dimension to our team,” Nash said. “He’s one of those big guys that can stretch the floor in our system, that’s a huge value. He’s a great guy and everyone loves having him on the team and being around him so that’s a huge plus for us this year.”

The Sequel

In last season’s Autotrader.com Open, the Suns lost, 77-72, to the Nuggets. The game saw only Steve Nash finish in double figures (16 points) and the Suns shoot a woeful 32 percent from the floor.

The Nuggets weren’t much better, connecting on only 36 percent of their shots. Both teams were a combined 3-of-27 from long distance. The Suns shot poorly again Saturday, hitting only 40 percent of their shots.

“It’s the first basketball game I’ve played in six months,” Nash said. “My goal is to be ready the last preseason game and the first regular season game. I need my preseason because I don’t play basketball in the summer.”

After missing the first preseason game against Partizan Belgrade with flu-like symptoms, Nash played his first preseason game tonight. Although, it turned out that all he needed was a little fresh air to remedy his ailing stomach, Warriors’ veteran Stephen Jackson didn’t suit up because of “conduct detrimental to the team.”

The Suns’ next preseason game is on the road against the Thunder in Oklahoma City.

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