Minnesota @ Phoenix (9:00PM CST) - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

u2sarajevo · 03-20-2007, 07:25 AM

Timberwolves (28-37) @ Suns (50-16) Preview
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Now that they're fully rested, the Phoenix Suns may be ready to light up the scoreboard the way they usually do against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Phoenix returns from a three-day layoff and tries to avoid a third straight loss Tuesday when it hosts Minnesota.

The Suns (50-16) earned perhaps their signature victory of the season last Wednesday, winning 129-127 in double overtime at NBA-leading Dallas in a possible preview of the Western Conference finals. After that contest, though, Phoenix suffered a pair of lopsided losses.

One night after coach Mike D'Antoni blamed a 105-83 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on emotional exhaustion, the Suns traveled to Denver on Saturday and allowed the Nuggets to shoot 57.3 percent (51-for-89) from the field in a 131-107 defeat.

"We're still feeling it," Phoenix guard Steve Nash said Saturday of the game against the Mavericks. "It was a big win. We have to get back to the way we were before that game."

Wednesday's victory capped a five-game winning streak for the Suns, who are now looking to avoid their third losing streak of three games or more. Phoenix also dropped three in a row Feb. 9-14, and lost a season-high four straight Nov. 3-9.

The Suns got 25 points from Leandro Barbosa on Saturday, but fell behind by as many as 38 points in a game they never led.

"We're in a little bit of a funk right now," D'Antoni said. "Discombobulated. We have to regroup a little bit."

Facing the Timberwolves (28-37) could provide Phoenix a prime opportunity to regroup. Minnesota has dropped its last 10 road games, including a 109-102 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

The Suns typically score in bunches against the Timberwolves. Phoenix has scored at least 100 points in the last nine meetings between the teams, going 7-2 in that span. This season, the Suns have averaged 119.7 points and shot 53.2 percent from the floor to take two of three meetings versus Minnesota.

At Phoenix on Jan. 21, the Suns outscored the Timberwolves 46-20 in the third quarter and made 54 of 95 (56.8 percent) field-goal attempts.

While the third quarter gave Minnesota trouble in that contest, the opening quarter helped undo the Timberwolves on Sunday. Kobe Bryant scored 14 of his 50 points in the game's first 8:12 as the Lakers jumped out to an early 17-point lead.

"It really starts at the start," Minnesota coach Randy Wittman said. "Lately we've been digging ourselves into too big of holes at the start of the game. ... At the start of the game against good teams, you dig eight, 10-point deficits the first three or four minutes, five minutes of the game, you're fighting an uphill battle the whole night."

The defeat was the fourth in five games overall for the Timberwolves, who are entering the third of a five-game road trip.

Ricky Davis scored 33 points in Sunday's loss, while Kevin Garnett added 26 points and 16 rebounds. Garnett scored his season high of 44 points and added 11 boards in a 121-112 victory on Jan. 29 that ended the Suns' franchise-record 17-game winning streak.

Flacolaco · 03-20-2007, 08:52 AM

KG for 60?

endrity · 03-20-2007, 12:01 PM

I will try to see if I can post a stream for this game, I should be able to. However if the Mavs game is going on at the time, that is all I will be thinking about.

fluid.forty.one · 03-20-2007, 05:55 PM

No way the suns lose this one.

EricaLubarsky · 03-20-2007, 06:11 PM

check check

endrity · 03-20-2007, 07:29 PM

go to dewsaw.com for the stream link for the game, those guys have already made them public

left texas · 03-20-2007, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fluid.forty.one

No way the suns lose this one.

Maybe they don't lose, but ends up close.

DavidDaMonkey · 03-20-2007, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by endrity

go to dewsaw.com for the stream link for the game, those guys have already made them public

I hate that they are so public about these. I was hoping it'd stick around for Playoff time, but at this rate it will already be shut down.

DavidDaMonkey · 03-20-2007, 09:03 PM

Hmmm, starting with Barbosa instead of Diaw. This is going to be a heluvafast game.

dirno2000 · 03-20-2007, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidDaMonkey

I hate that they are so public about these. I was hoping it'd stick around for Playoff time, but at this rate it will already be shut down.

There aren't any league pass games in the playoffs. they're all on national tv.

endrity · 03-20-2007, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidDaMonkey

I hate that they are so public about these. I was hoping it'd stick around for Playoff time, but at this rate it will already be shut down.

Well the playoffs are not on league pass, they are on national TV so they will have to find a way to stream ESPN and TNT, I don't know if they can do that. The thing that sucks is that dewsaw.com is not the original source itself. And as I type this, the Golden State - Utah game is shut down.
I guess the shutdown was temporary; GS by the way is looking veryyy good against Utah, on the road.

DavidDaMonkey · 03-20-2007, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirno2000

There aren't any league pass games in the playoffs. they're all on national tv.

Is that where these streams are coming from? League Pass?

Ok, of course they are, where else would they come from. Mental slip.

Flacolaco · 03-20-2007, 09:09 PM

wherever they come from, everyone go to dewsaw.com and watch as often as you can.

Their site says "If they don't get the traffic up, dewsaw goes bye-bye"

Flacolaco · 03-20-2007, 09:10 PM

lol minnesota's lost 14 of 15 on the road?....yeah tonight's their night alright!

Dr.Zoidberg · 03-20-2007, 09:11 PM

Here the link:

DavidDaMonkey · 03-20-2007, 09:12 PM

Ok, so here's the way I see this game. If the pup's win, then thats

A) A loss for the Suns, which is always nice
and
B) A move up to the 8 seed for the TWolves, which removes GSW from that spot.

Cmon KG, light em up!

Flacolaco · 03-20-2007, 09:16 PM

well the timberwolves are shooting like crap

DavidDaMonkey · 03-20-2007, 09:16 PM

Did anyone see that Nash no-look? I mean, they are always impressive, but that was sweet.

Flacolaco · 03-20-2007, 09:17 PM

and a little "The Roomstore" ad appears everytime anyone scores right underneath the scoreboard overlay...

thats annoying

endrity · 03-20-2007, 09:19 PM

2 quick observations:
- nash has made garnett his bitch too, whenever they switch on the pick and roll
- it is always better to pack the paint against the Suns and take the chance with the 3 point shot, rather than letting Stat and Nashty get all they want inside

Flacolaco · 03-20-2007, 09:19 PM

lol idiot timberwolves trying to run with them

DavidDaMonkey · 03-20-2007, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

and a little "The Roomstore" ad appears everytime anyone scores right underneath the scoreboard overlay...

thats annoying

I thought maybe that was just for the first shot, like a "Roomstore First Shot of the Game" thing. Then I thought maybe it was for the first 3pt. Then I realized it wont quit. That was a sad moment.

endrity · 03-20-2007, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

lol idiot timberwolves trying to run with them

Well they beat them in a high scoring game earlier this year, so they think they can do it again. You know the style Phoenix plays somebody might just be hotter than you a specific day and beat you in your game. Look at that Denver game, eventhough Denver is the fatest pace team in the league, so that is their game as well as Phoenix's

WraithXx · 03-20-2007, 09:23 PM

Garnett bringing the Wolves to back on top status!

go Wolves

DavidDaMonkey · 03-20-2007, 09:25 PM

Well I guess we know who the refs are favoring...

big_pth · 03-20-2007, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WraithXx

Garnett bringing the Wolves to back on top status!

go Wolves

Are you pretending to be a Wolves fan for the purposes of this thread?

DavidDaMonkey · 03-20-2007, 09:28 PM

I can't remember ever noticing, but how does a KG/Dirk matchup usually go? Two 7 footers right around .500 FG%

WraithXx · 03-20-2007, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big_pth

Are you pretending to be a Wolves fan for the purposes of this thread?

I'm a fan of anyone playing the Suns (at that moment only)

endrity · 03-20-2007, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidDaMonkey

I can't remember ever noticing, but how does a KG/Dirk matchup usually go? Two 7 footers right around .500 FG%

Usually Dirk wins out, but he rarely defends KG, and KG takes few but not many turns at him too.

DavidDaMonkey · 03-20-2007, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by endrity

Usually Dirk wins out, but he rarely defends KG, and KG takes few but not many turns at him too.

So would I be right in looking at KG as a poor man's Dirk?

endrity · 03-20-2007, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidDaMonkey

So would I be right in looking at KG as a poor man's Dirk?

Not nearly enough range for KG, but he is a little bit better on the block, not much though. The thing with KG is he doesn't have many moves, basically two, a 20 foot jumper, and a turnaround on his right shoulder along the baseline. He just hasen't worked on adding more to his arsenal.

DavidDaMonkey · 03-20-2007, 09:39 PM

Does anyone else hate the font for the TWolves numbers on their jerseys?

Oh geez....two of my roommates are design majors, and I'm just realizing how much its rubbed off on me.

WraithXx · 03-20-2007, 09:41 PM

a couple of minutes into the 2nd quarter, and KG already has 14 points and 7 rebounds

endrity · 03-20-2007, 09:48 PM

by the way GS, keeps giving Utah a tough game. They are playing them the same way they played Dallas, crowding the lane, running the break. They are freakishly athletic, even moreso than then Suns.