A Tale of Two Teams

Nov 4, 2006 - Lose Angeles, CA - Lose Angeles Clippers 114, Phoenix Suns 108 - Box Score

Suns record to date: 1-3

Man, this team has been VERY Jekyl and Hyde so far this year. It's like there's two different teams wearing Suns unis. Sure they're a different team when Steve Nash is in versus when he is resting on the bench. But tonight there was several "other" teams playing for the Suns. I'm gonna chalk it up to it being early in the season and still having some training camp in Europe hangover.

The Suns played too much like other teams and not enough like themselves tonight. The settled for jumpers, they fouled WAY too much (Kurt Thomas, Raja Bell and Leandro Barbosa all fouled out). Kurt Thomas had a good game and Shawn Marion played his usual great (25pts, 15 rebounds) and also logged his 1000th career steal. The Suns just missed too many opportunities. They settled for taking too many ill-advised long jumpers. Hell, they had about 5 airballs!

The Suns are a team of runs, good and bad. Cocach D'Antoni is still playing mad scientist, trying to find units that will flow and play "Suns basketball". It's there at times, but they haven't sustained their style for more than one quarter in any game yet in this young season.

It seems the Suns want to play to the level of their competition. That's not agood thing considering how tough the Western Conference is this year. On the plus side, we get to see Jalen Rose, who will officially sign with the Suns on Monday, try to find a way to mesh into the rotation. He may be JUST what we need right now on this mostly young team, some veteran leadership.

In other Suns news: Leading Ownership Partner, Robert Sarver was the first team owner in the NBA to be fined for complaining about officiating under the league's new "No Tolerance" crackdown. The sub-billionaire was fined $25,000 (or approximately a lunch + tip) for bitching about crappy officiating during Wednesday's win against the Clippers at home. Good for him... maybe next time, he can send ME $25,000 and I'll write a whole article bitching about the crappy officiating (just an idea, Robert)

Clippers scouting report - Brand is the modern day morphed bastard spawn of Charles Barkley with Karl Malone; and a class individual to boot. Chris Kaman has to be one of the best five 7-footers in the league. Corey Maggette is one tough dude considering how much he gets hurt. Everything they say about Shaun Livingston is true including the fact that he can't shoot a jumper with any accuracy. Overall, I'm stil not concerned with the Clippers. Sure they're not your older brother's Clippers, but they're not going to win any Division titles anytime soon, either.

Next game - Monday at San Antonio... I'm licking my chops!