Suns Sting Hornets, Put Eight in Double Figures
Posted: Nov. 11, 2009
Postgame Video: Gentry | Stoudemire | Richardson | Nash
The Suns veterans came through on Veteran’s Day, leading an explosive charge out of the gate. Steve Nash totaled seven points and seven assists in the first quarter, while Grant Hill poured in eight points to give the Suns an 11-point lead at the end of the first period before cruising to a 124-104 home victory over the Hornets.
“We got people and shots in the spots that we wanted to and they shot them in,” Suns Head Coach Alvin Gentry said. “I was real proud of the way we played the first half. I thought we did a good job defensively throughout the game.”
Amar’e Stoudemire scored 21 to lead a well-balanced attack that saw eight players finish in double figures. Hill added 18 points while Nash racked up 12 points and 10 assists in just under 23 minutes.
The Suns erupted for 75 first-half points, which accounted for an NBA season-high this year. They led by as many as 29 against a team that had won six of its last seven games against them.
By nailing 13 three-pointers tonight, the Suns became the fastest team in NBA history to reach 100 three-pointers made in a season (102). The previous mark was set by the 2008-09 New York Knicks, who did so in 10 games, while the Suns accomplished that feat in nine.
Lastly, the Suns shot a season-high 55.4 percent from the field tonight, marking the seventh time in nine games that Phoenix has made at least half of its shots. Those type of numbers will get you out to an 8-1 start.
“We play well together , we like each other and since Day 1 Alvin has instilled in us a confidence and a system that we clearly all understand and enjoy,” Nash said. “So we’re able to build each day and there wasn’t any question of what we’re going to do in practice or in the games and that has allowed us to develop.”
Green Day
In addition to it being Veteran’s Day, the US Airways Center hosted a “green game” where APS provided a variety of fun activities and giveaways, including orange LED bike reflectors and Steve Nash magnets.
One fortunate section received energy efficient light bulbs, while the APS Renewables – a team of clean energy super heroes, representing solar, wind, geothermal, hydro and bio-mass energy – entertained fans at the Bud Light Paseo.
One initiative that the Suns also started tonight was the Lou Amundson Bike Valet service for fans who ride their bicycles to home games. Amundson, who made daily treks to the arena last season via his bike, was flattered by the program being named after him.
“I think it’s a cool idea,” Amundson said. “I guess it’s the first stadium to do it.”
The fact that the Suns forward is a native of Boulder, CO, a city known for its conservation, has rubbed off on Amundson.
“I try to be somewhat conscious of that and I think it’s good that we’re doing things to promote green energy,” he said. An avid recycler, it’s clear that not just Steve Nash on the Suns “gives a hoot.”
Great Western Shootout
With only four teams remaining with only one loss, one squad is certain to fall from that list after the Suns visit the Lakers tomorrow on TNT. The Celtics, Heat, Lakers and Suns all only have one defeat, with the Suns and Celtics tied for the best record in the league at 8-1.
After the Suns’ splendid road trip, fans everywhere were looking forward to the Suns battling their divisional rival. But Coach Gentry isn’t really working himself up about it. When asked if it was a “message game” he replied, “It’s not. if we win it counts as one. If they win it counts as one."
The Lakers, who will have been idle for three days heading into Thursday, will be playing without All-Star Pau Gasol, who is hampered with an injured hamstring. But they will have the services of center Andrew Bynum, who has been sidelined the past two contests with a torn right medial collateral ligament.
“Going into L.A. tomorrow night is going to be a tough back-to-back game,” Stoudemire said. “But we’ll go in tomorrow, have a breakfast meeting so we can know their strategies offensively and defensively.”
Due to the Lakers’ size, rebounding always is a concern against them, but the Suns have been doing an admirable job on the glass this season. Coming into tonight, the Suns were even on the boards with their opponents this season (334-334).
They outrebounded the Hornets by 16 tonight.
Globetrotting
The Suns just completed a five-game-in-seven-days Eastern Coast road swing that covered 6,849 miles. This was on the heels of a preseason where they played three neutral-site games, made two international trips and logged 8,070 total miles traveled.
So after returning from a brutal East Coast trip where they faced three undefeated teams, they get a day’s rest before playing a home-and-away set of back-to-back games. For those scoring at home, back-to-backs are difficult enough, but playing the first game at home and then traveling right after to play the next one away, is like being set up to fail.
However, the team’s momentum seems to have them unfazed by the challenge.
“The Lakers are on a three day rest and at home, waiting on us, so tonight we were able to get in and play great basketball for the first three quarters and the starters had a chance to rest,” Stoudemire noted. “The second unit played great and got the win for us, so it felt good – we got a chance to really rest up and ice there in the fourth quarter.”
J-Richer Not Poorer
Since being held scoreless on Nov. 4, Jason Richardson came into tonight averaging 28.3 points and while leading the Suns in scoring the last three games. In those three contests, Richardson has shot 62.5 percent from the floor, including 73 percent from downtown.
He’s nailed 16 treys over that span. So what clicked since his bagel against Orlando?
“When you score 0 points as a scorer, that messes with you,” he explained. “So I just made it a point to be more aggressive on the offensive end.”
Against the Hornets, he totaled 13 points on 2-of-5 shooting from deep, but in just 26 minutes. Richardson believes this is just the tip of the iceberg.
“I think we can still play better,” the former slam dunk champ said. “The funny part is I don’t think we’re running yet.
“Steve is doing a great job of penetrating and kicking the ball out. With Steve and Amar’e in the pick-and-roll it leaves open shots for myself and Channing (Frye).”
Bench-mark
After leading 37-29 towards the end of the first period, the Suns used a 17-4 run over a 2:07 span in the first and second quarters to take a 21-point lead with 8:23 to go in the first half. 13 of those 17 points were scored by Suns reserves (Jared Dudley, Leandro Barbosa, Amundson and Goran Dragic).
The Suns led by as many as 29 points, a season high, en route to a 20-point victory, their second-largest this season. It was due in large part to the bench, which accounted for 47 points.
Dragic paced the reserves with 14 points, seven assists and a team-high seven rebounds, while Dudley and Barbosa each chipped in 11 points apiece.
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