SB Nation Arizona - Suns Go Into All-Star Break With Loss to Mavs, 112-106https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46593/arizona-fave.png2011-02-18T00:31:41-07:00http://arizona.sbnation.com/rss/stream/17635902011-02-18T00:31:41-07:002011-02-18T00:31:41-07:00Phoenix Suns Fall To Dirk And The Dallas Mavericks, 112-106
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<p>A few weeks ago Phoenix Suns' Head Coach Alvin Gentry said the goal for his team was to be at .500 going into the All-Star break. With a 27-27 record, that's right where the Suns find themselves after losing tonight to the Dallas Mavericks. It wasn't a game that the Suns can have too many regrets about. They played well on both ends of the floor despite a few missed opportunities.</p>
<p>At this point, with this roster, against a 40-win team like the Mavericks, it's going to take a near perfect game to win. Steve Nash agreed, "We didn't play terribly but we got to play sharper to beat a team like that," Nash (15 points and 14 assists) said. </p>
<p>Offensively, the Suns shot 50.6 percent from the field against a Dallas team that's ranked 12th in the league in defensive efficiency. What hurt was the poor shooting from three (5-19) and the inability to generate offense when Nash was off the floor or late in the game when the defense changed their approach. </p>
<p>There were six Suns players in double figures and another (Gortat) who had nine points. That balance is typically a recipe for success but an off night for Grant Hill (4-14) hurt as did only two points for Jared Dudley.</p>
<p>On the other end of the floor, it was all about Dirk Nowitzki. The Suns guarded him most of the night with Channing Frye who, according to his coach, did a good job despite the 35 points and 13-18 shooting allowed. </p>
<p>"I thought Channing did a good job. Channing's been a pretty good defender for us. Could Grant have guarded him any better than Channing did? I don't know about that," Gentry said.</p>
<p>"The bottom line is we did what we wanted to do, we wanted to make him shoot jump shots and we wanted them to be challenged jump shots and at the end of the day he's only making half of them but tonight he made 13 out of 18"</p>
<p>For his part, Frye took the blame for "letting" Dirk get off to a hot start. It's the first time he's guarded the seven-foot German sniper. "Coach gave me confidence...You just have to make it tough on him and hey, he's making tough shots, give credit to him," Frye said.</p>
<p>The Suns reaching .500 is bitter-sweet goal according to Frye, "It's like we have the minimum amount of flare for all the Office Space fans."</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/phoenix-suns/2011/2/18/2000610/phoenix-suns-fall-to-dirk-and-the-dallas-mavericks-112-106Seth Pollack2011-02-17T15:08:29-07:002011-02-17T15:08:29-07:00Phoenix Suns Face Dallas Mavericks On TNT In Final Game Before Break
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<p>The <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Phoenix Suns</a> facing the <a href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Dallas Mavericks</a> on TNT, that sounds familiar. It was this exact pairing last season in last January that was the turning point for the Suns as they simultaneously broke the "TNT Curse" and with the benching of <span>Amare Stoudemire</span> in the fourth quarter got the message that they could win with defense. Things took off from there and the rest is history.</p>
<p>Tonight's game isn't likely to have as much impact on either team. Going into the All-Star break, the Mavericks are securely in second place in the conference while the Suns are essentially tied for the eighth spot with the <a href="https://www.slcdunk.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Jazz</a> and <a href="https://www.grizzlybearblues.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Grizzlies</a>.</p>
<p>The Mavericks have survived the loss of <span>Caron Butler</span> to a season-ending knee injury through the continued fantastic play of <span>Dirk Nowitzki</span> along with their bevy of guards led by <span>Jason Kidd</span>.</p>
<p>"They're playing great, they really are. They had a little skid there when Dirk was out but he's back and they're playing great. They're good defensively, they play small. Sometimes they play with three guards and play Dirk as a five so we just got to be ready for all that. We just got to be solid in what we're doing," <span>Alvin Gentry</span> said.</p>
<p>For the Suns, everyone is healthy including <span>Goran Dragic</span> who stayed late after shootaround today trying to get his mojo back. Dragic understands that in sports there's always someone ready to take your minutes if you don't deliver. He's committed to getting back in shape and will stay in town over the All-Star break working on his game.</p>
<p>Genry says that he wants to give Dragic a chance to shake the rust off and that he'll the first point guard off the bench. But, "I did tell him that he has to perform. We're in a situation now where we don't have time to waste. If we're going to put him out there we expect him to play at a real high level and perform and he if doesn't we'll have to go with Z again."</p>
<p>Today is <span>Marcin Gortat</span>'s 27th birthday. The team sang to him (you can hear that <a target="_blank" href="http://filesocial.com/efdhwxx">here</a>) and presented him with a fancy cake. The Polish Hammer has other presents in mind however, "I got a bigger birthday present actually. I'm going to play against the team who game me the best contract ever."</p>
<p>The Mavericks gave Gortat an offer sheet for five-years, $40 million when he was a restricted free agent that the <a href="https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Magic</a> ended up matching.</p>
<p><i>The game tips at 8:30 p.m. local time and will be broadcast nationally on TNT along with Sports 620 KTAR radio. Fans can follow along with other Suns fans at the live game thread at <a href="http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/" target="_blank">Bright Side of the Sun.</a></i></p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/2011/2/17/2329961/phoenix-suns-face-dallas-mavericks-on-tnt-in-final-game-before-breakSeth Pollack