NBA
Regular Season Round 27: Boston C. - Phoenix Suns 71-79
Date: January 20, 2012
The Suns just needed to visit some NBA arenas where opponents are allowed to win or the tenants are playing bad basketball. The Suns' five-game losing streak has been followed by a two-game road win streak after the Suns grinded out a win Friday night that would be considered ugly if it was not so rare. The Suns downed Boston 79-71 at TD Garden, marking the first time they have won a game with fewer than 80 points since November 2002 (75-72 at Denver). The Celtics (5-9) are struggling like New York, Wednesday's victim, and were without point guard Rajon Rondo because of a wrist injury. The Suns (6-9) started this daunting five-game trip with losses at San Antonio and Chicago, which entered Friday night undefeated at home, but held New York to 37.2 percent shooting Wednesday and allowed 40.5 percent shooting to Boston. The Suns needed every Celtics miss, as they committed a season-high 23 turnovers. "Our defense, I know it almost makes you guys pass out when I say Phoenix Suns and defense, but we have gotten a lot better defensively, and the reason we can stay in games now is because of our defense," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. Boston's "Big 3" of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen made 14 of 35 shots, with Allen, the leading scorer, taking only eight shots against a defense that began with Ronnie Price guarding him. The Suns jumped ahead early with NBA field-goal percentage leader Marcin Gortat scoring their final 14 points of the first quarter, a total that matched Allen's team-high 14 for the game. Suns point guard Steve Nash spoon-fed center Gortat baskets when Boston's attention was on Nash coming off screens. Still, Gortat also made tough shots, including two hooks and a spin move that would have made his summer tutor, Hakeem Olajuwon, proud. "I was aggressive," Gortat said. "Those points aren't only because of me. My teammates had great position. They spread the floor for me. Steve hit me on the rolls. At the end of the game, maybe I had one or two putbacks. That's the only thing I did by myself. They helped me to score. Next time, somebody else will score." Gortat finished with 24 points, one shy of his career high, on 10-of-18 shooting and added 12 rebounds. Gortat has recorded seven consecutive double-doubles and posted three 20-point, 10-rebound games in the past five contests. Jared Dudley (12 points) and Nash (11) were the only other Suns in double figures, and both hit clutch perimeter shots down the stretch. Nash added nine assists. "He (Nash) is the motor that drives the car," Gentry said. "He's everything for us." The Suns' second unit made 12 of 26 shots, helping the Suns stretch the lead to double figures in the second quarter. The Suns lost their lead in the third quarter when they managed only four points for the first 8 minutes. Boston had momentum, but the Suns showed resolve, going on a 12-0 run that bridged the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth. The run included blocked shots from Gortat and Nash and steals by Grant Hill, Sebastian Telfair (twice) and Robin Lopez. *Courtesy of www.azcentral.com
Terms:
Field Goals : 2PM-A (2 point Field Goal made-attempts) 3PM-A (3 point Field Goal made-attempts) FTM-A (free throws made-attempt)
Rebounds : OFF (Offensive) DEF (Defensive) TOT (total)
Fouls : CM (Committed) RV (received)
Blocks : FV (In Favor) AG (Against)
Other terms : MIN (minutes) AST (assists) ST (steals) TO (Turnovers) PTS (points) RNK (ranking)
Regular Season Round 27: Boston C. - Phoenix Suns 71-79
Date: January 20, 2012
The Suns just needed to visit some NBA arenas where opponents are allowed to win or the tenants are playing bad basketball. The Suns' five-game losing streak has been followed by a two-game road win streak after the Suns grinded out a win Friday night that would be considered ugly if it was not so rare. The Suns downed Boston 79-71 at TD Garden, marking the first time they have won a game with fewer than 80 points since November 2002 (75-72 at Denver). The Celtics (5-9) are struggling like New York, Wednesday's victim, and were without point guard Rajon Rondo because of a wrist injury. The Suns (6-9) started this daunting five-game trip with losses at San Antonio and Chicago, which entered Friday night undefeated at home, but held New York to 37.2 percent shooting Wednesday and allowed 40.5 percent shooting to Boston. The Suns needed every Celtics miss, as they committed a season-high 23 turnovers. "Our defense, I know it almost makes you guys pass out when I say Phoenix Suns and defense, but we have gotten a lot better defensively, and the reason we can stay in games now is because of our defense," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. Boston's "Big 3" of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen made 14 of 35 shots, with Allen, the leading scorer, taking only eight shots against a defense that began with Ronnie Price guarding him. The Suns jumped ahead early with NBA field-goal percentage leader Marcin Gortat scoring their final 14 points of the first quarter, a total that matched Allen's team-high 14 for the game. Suns point guard Steve Nash spoon-fed center Gortat baskets when Boston's attention was on Nash coming off screens. Still, Gortat also made tough shots, including two hooks and a spin move that would have made his summer tutor, Hakeem Olajuwon, proud. "I was aggressive," Gortat said. "Those points aren't only because of me. My teammates had great position. They spread the floor for me. Steve hit me on the rolls. At the end of the game, maybe I had one or two putbacks. That's the only thing I did by myself. They helped me to score. Next time, somebody else will score." Gortat finished with 24 points, one shy of his career high, on 10-of-18 shooting and added 12 rebounds. Gortat has recorded seven consecutive double-doubles and posted three 20-point, 10-rebound games in the past five contests. Jared Dudley (12 points) and Nash (11) were the only other Suns in double figures, and both hit clutch perimeter shots down the stretch. Nash added nine assists. "He (Nash) is the motor that drives the car," Gentry said. "He's everything for us." The Suns' second unit made 12 of 26 shots, helping the Suns stretch the lead to double figures in the second quarter. The Suns lost their lead in the third quarter when they managed only four points for the first 8 minutes. Boston had momentum, but the Suns showed resolve, going on a 12-0 run that bridged the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth. The run included blocked shots from Gortat and Nash and steals by Grant Hill, Sebastian Telfair (twice) and Robin Lopez. *Courtesy of www.azcentral.com
 BOSTON C. (coach: Joe Mazzulla)71 |
| FIELD GOALS | REBOUNDS | FOULS | BLOCKS | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | NAME | MIN | 2PM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OFF | DEF | RB | AS | F | RV | ST | FV | AG | TO | PT | RNK | +/- |
| 85 | SllRj, eiF | 42 | 8-0 (35%) | 8-4 (11.9%) | 3-3 (655%) | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 63 | 60 | 5 |
| 43 | OaRQZR, Oiul | 42 | 0-68 (36.9%) | 5-8 (5%) | 8-8 (655%) | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 68 | 66 | 5 |
| 0 | GiQjRUU, KRLaj | 44 | 0-64 (42.0%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5-6 (5%) | 6 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 65 | 0 | 5 |
| 5 | mQidlRF, SLRQF | 44 | 0-7 (00.1%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 65 | 65 | 5 |
| 9 | P'XRil, zRQBiajR | 89 | 8-1 (44.4%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 8 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 5 |
| 45 | miss, mQijdIj | 83 | 0-65 (05%) | 5-5 (5%) | 6-8 (05%) | 6 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 66 | 65 | 5 |
| OaRUQus, baZViRl | 88 | 5-6 (5%) | 8-4 (11.9%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 5 | |
| 00 | bIIQR, q'wTiuj | 68 | 6-3 (80%) | 5-8 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 8 | -0 | 5 |
| 05 | gijaRls, biQEuas | 65 | 6-3 (80%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | -6 | 5 |
| 03 | AUaRBsBi, GQRDIQF | 4 | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 5 |
| 68 | zIhjsIj, zizuij | gXO - CIiZh's gRZasaIj | ||||||||||||||||
| 7 | eIjdI, einIj | gXO - CIiZh's gRZasaIj | ||||||||||||||||
| 66 | OiLlILaZ, Aishi | gXO - CIiZh's gRZasaIj | ||||||||||||||||
| wIUil | 81-13 (35.1%) | 3-65 (35.5%) | 9-7 (99.2%) | 9 | 80 | 48 | 85 | 67 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 62 | 96 | 08 | |||
 PHOENIX SUNS (coach: Jordan Ott)79 |
| FIELD GOALS | REBOUNDS | FOULS | BLOCKS | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | NAME | MIN | 2PM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OFF | DEF | RB | AS | F | RV | ST | FV | AG | TO | PT | RNK | +/- |
| 3 | GIQUiU, biQZaj | 42 | 65-62 (00.1%) | 5-5 (5%) | 3-3 (655%) | 8 | 65 | 68 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 83 | 81 | 5 |
| 64 | Xish, AURLR | 42 | 4-0 (15%) | 5-6 (5%) | 0-1 (24.4%) | 5 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 66 | 69 | 5 |
| 44 | Hall, GQijU | 40 | 3-1 (11.9%) | 5-4 (5%) | 6-8 (05%) | 6 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 60 | 5 |
| 8 | OQaZR, eIjjaR | 45 | 5-4 (5%) | 8-3 (05%) | 5-5 (5%) | 6 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 5 |
| 2 | yQFR, ChijjajD | 88 | 5-6 (5%) | 6-3 (80%) | 5-5 (5%) | 8 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| 4 | gudlRF, ziQRd | 86 | 4-3 (90%) | 8-3 (05%) | 5-5 (5%) | 8 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 68 | 63 | 5 |
| 66 | bIQQas, biQVaRff | 85 | 5-8 (5%) | 5-6 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 5 | -8 | 5 |
| 81 | mQITj, AhijjIj | 69 | 4-9 (38.7%) | 5-6 (5%) | 6-8 (05%) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 5 |
| 46 | wRlfiaQ, ARMisUaij | 65 | 8-4 (11.9%) | 5-6 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 60 | vIpRJ, eIMaj | 65 | 6-6 (655%) | 5-5 (5%) | 6-8 (05%) | 5 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 5 |
| eRdd, baZhiRl | gXO - CIiZh's gRZasaIj | |||||||||||||||||
| 6 | ChaldQRss, zIsh | gXO - CIiZh's gRZasaIj | ||||||||||||||||
| 86 | WiQQaZV, HiVaB | gXO - CIiZh's gRZasaIj | ||||||||||||||||
| wIUil | 81-05 (08.5%) | 0-67 (81.4%) | 68-61 (90.5%) | 2 | 41 | 33 | 85 | 61 | 5 | 65 | 2 | 5 | 86 | 97 | 28 | |||
Terms:
Field Goals : 2PM-A (2 point Field Goal made-attempts) 3PM-A (3 point Field Goal made-attempts) FTM-A (free throws made-attempt)
Rebounds : OFF (Offensive) DEF (Defensive) TOT (total)
Fouls : CM (Committed) RV (received)
Blocks : FV (In Favor) AG (Against)
Other terms : MIN (minutes) AST (assists) ST (steals) TO (Turnovers) PTS (points) RNK (ranking)
