Here they go again. This season is starting to bring about a bit of deja vu. Last year's team severely underachieved in the winter months only to go on a huge tear post All-Star break, en route to finishing 54-28 and third in the Western Conference playoff seeding. Can this year's team go on a similar streak?
Probably not to that degree, but they're starting things out right, with three straight wins after the All-Star game and their first two of a six-game road swing. Grant Hill led all scorers with 34 points and grabbed nine rebounds, center Marcin Gortat notched his second straight 17/11 game, Jared Dudley came off the bench for 15 points, and Steve Nash distributed 13 assists to only two turnovers.
Newcomer Aaron Brooks had a forgettable debut, with three points and one assist in only 10 minutes, unfortunately leaving Nash to play 43 minutes in the first of back-to-back games. But, being a day game, Steve will hopefully be able to recharge before Monday night's game against the New Jersey Nets and Deron Williams, their new star point guard.
The Suns led for most of the first half before -- as has become common for the team -- they allowed the Indiana Pacers to pull things close in the fourth quarter, ultimately leading to overtime. Channing Frye, he full of Pacers hatred, sank a long two-pointer at the buzzer to lift Phoenix to a dramatic 110-108 win.