Webzone Showdown! Suns @ Kings

I won't be here commenting because I'll be at the game.... but bring it, b***hes!

Hopefully, this thread stays basketball related.

Predicting Phoenix by 3, but our boys always put up a fight. Wouldn't be surprised to see us pull it out, especially with Tyreke getting back to full strength.

Good luck.

Suns-Kings Preview

STATS LLC

The Phoenix Suns blew out two of the NBA's best teams to end 2009, but began the new year with a lopsided loss to one of the Western Conference's up-and-coming clubs.

The young Sacramento Kings have shown plenty of promise as well, but they have had trouble pulling out close wins.

The Suns look to bounce back Tuesday night against the host Kings, who have Tyreke Evans back but have been on the losing end of plenty of tight games lately.

Phoenix (21-13) was 5-9 following its 14-4 start heading into a Dec. 28 matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers, but rolled over the defending champions 118-103 behind 26 points from Amare Stoudemire.

Stoudemire posted the same total in a 116-98 win over Boston two nights later, but the momentum generated by those victories disappeared when the Suns hosted Memphis on Saturday. Stoudemire had 29 points but Phoenix fell behind by 36 in a 128-103 loss to the Grizzlies.

Steve Nash had his 13th game with at least 13 assists this season, but found the letdown very disheartening.

"The Lakers and Celtics are bonuses," Nash said. "The key thing is to beat the teams below you in the standings. These losses hurt, especially the way we played tonight."

Sacramento (14-19) is 6 1/2 games behind the Suns in the Pacific Division and out of playoff position, but it has played some postseason contenders tough recently.

With the exception of a 106-101 win over Denver on Dec. 28, though, the Kings have been unable to pull out victories. Sacramento has dropped five of six, including an overtime loss to Cleveland and two devastating defeats against the Lakers -- 112-103 in double overtime at home Dec. 26 and 109-108 at Staples Center on Friday on a Kobe Bryant buzzer-beater.

The Kings nearly beat the Lakers the second time without Evans, who missed a third consecutive game with a sprained right ankle. The star rookie returned Saturday at home against Dallas.

Omri Casspi had 22 points and 11 rebounds, but Evans was 6 of 18 from the field and Sacramento shot 40.2 percent in a 99-91 loss.

"We can learn. We've got to learn how to play with fatigue -- that's a part of this league," coach Paul Westphal said. "You've got to play when you're tired, you've got to play when things aren't going your way and you've got to play against really good teams."

Evans played off the ball while Beno Udrih directed the offense, and was not nearly as effective as he was in averaging 22.1 points during December.

"I knew I wasn't going to come back and play at my same pace," Evans said. "Hopefully the next game I can be more effective and get the rust off."

Evans had 21 points, seven assists and six rebounds at Phoenix on Dec. 5, but Nash scored 32 points in the Suns' 115-107 win.

Nash averaged 30.7 points and 9.3 assists in his last three games versus Sacramento. Phoenix won eight of the last nine in the series, but fell 126-118 at Arco Arena on March 29 as six Kings scored at least 16 points.

It would be really nice to get a win here, we need one to stop the slide.

Great performance by Sac, but again, too many unforced mistakes. These close losses are becoming too common.

Originally posted by SacRock14:
Great performance by Sac, but again, too many unforced mistakes. These close losses are becoming too common.

Wow! This game was closer than I thought it would be.

Even though they're playing WAAAAAAYYYYYY better than I expected them to coming into the season, this team is really frustrating to watch. They play well during most of the game, then they fail to wrap it up.

Bwahahaha! When everyone else was chanting DE-FENSE down the stretch, I was yelling "STEVE-NASH!", and then he dropped that deuce with 45 seconds to go.

All the Kings fans giving me the stink eye!

I always show up to these late.

Originally posted by lazy:
I always show up to these late.

You stay true to your username

Originally posted by silkyjohnson:

Originally posted by lazy:
I always show up to these late.

You stay true to your username

except now that I graduated from college now I have to find a job.

[ Edited by lazy on Jan 6, 2010 at 16:43:28 ]

It's on again, Kings fans! This time I'm staying at home to watch this s**t, so expect some smack talk heading your way when the Suns get up 20...

And some crying when the lead gets blown by mid-4th.

Naw, f**k it! That ain't happening tonight!

Suck it Kings!

I've got the Suns on my ESPN's Streak for the Cash pick, so go Suns.

Originally posted by StOnEy333:
I've got the Suns on my ESPN's Streak for the Cash pick, so go Suns.

Wow. Usually those streak picks could go either way. Love my boys, but the money's gotta be on Phoenix.

Kings are slumping right now, and everyone's looking for scape goats. It's not a good stretch right now. We've got it in us to surprise -- we're still playing teams competitively (lost to Denver in OT, lost by 2 to the Spurs). But I'm not as confident as I was a month ago.

Should be a fun game, though.

Originally posted by SacRock14:

Originally posted by StOnEy333:
I've got the Suns on my ESPN's Streak for the Cash pick, so go Suns.

Wow. Usually those streak picks could go either way. Love my boys, but the money's gotta be on Phoenix.

Kings are slumping right now, and everyone's looking for scape goats. It's not a good stretch right now. We've got it in us to surprise -- we're still playing teams competitively (lost to Denver in OT, lost by 2 to the Spurs). But I'm not as confident as I was a month ago.

Should be a fun game, though.

FWIW, I'm horrible at the SftC. I think my longest streak is something like 5.