The Phoenix Suns will once again try and extend a winning streak to a number greater than one. It's a feat the team has only accomplished twice this season and at no point have they won three-straight. Sigh. The task won't be easy on Monday in Atlanta against the Hawks (16-8).
According to the intrepid traveling beat reporter, Paul Coro, Jared Dudley will return to the starting lineup after missing Saturday's game with a thigh bruise. Michael Redd played well in his place but will return to the bench.
azcentral.com blogs - Coro's Orange Slices - PaulCoro - Dudley returns for tough tilt at Atlanta
Michael Redd filled in well for Dudley on Saturday night, when Redd started in his place and scored 17 points with four 3-pointers in a victory against Charlotte. Dudley stays in the starting lineup for what he did prior to that, averaging 16.3 points and 4.8 rebounds while making eight of 15 3-pointers after his return to the starting lineup for four games.
Projected Lineups:
- Point guard: Steve Nash --- Jeff Teague
- Shooting guard: Jared Dudley -- Joe Johnson
- Small forward: Grant Hill -- Marvin Williams
- Power forward: Channing Frye -- Josh Smith
- Center: Marcin Gortat -- Zaza Pachulia
- Key subs: Suns (Markieff Morris, Michael Redd, Ronnie Price, Shannon Brown, Hakim Warrick). Hawks (Tracy McGrady, Kirk Hinrich, Vlad Radmanovic)
It should be loads of fun watching Channing Frye try and keep up with Josh Smith. Also expect Grant Hill, if his knee is well, to spend most of the time on Joe Johnson. In a perfect world, Josh Childress (a former Hawk), would have turned out to be a good enough perimeter defender to check a guy like Joe. The world isn't perfect.
TV broadcast info:
The Suns game tips off at 5:30 p.m. Arizona time on Fox Sports Arizona. Arizona Sports 620 radio. Bright Side of the Sun will have the live game thread.
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