SB Nation Arizona - Suns Roll Through Blakers, 111-98https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46593/arizona-fave.png2011-04-01T22:24:06-07:00http://arizona.sbnation.com/rss/stream/18496932011-04-01T22:24:06-07:002011-04-01T22:24:06-07:00Suns Roll Through Blakers, 111-98
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<p><span>Steve Nash</span> was a late scratch for the <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Suns</a> on Friday, after missing the morning shootaround due to flu-like symptoms, and being unable to go after trying to get through pregame warmups. Against a <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Clippers</a> team that appeared as if its players have already packed their bags for the summer, however, it hardly mattered. Behind 19 points from <span>Grant Hill</span> and with six players in double figures, Phoenix blew past L.A. by a final of 111-98.</p>
<p>For much of the second half, it wasn’t that close. The Suns led by as many as 22 in the third, and by as many as 25 in the fourth before the Clippers made a purely cosmetic effort to adjust the score in garbage time.</p>
<p><span>Aaron Brooks</span> got the start in place of Nash, and playing there alongside <span>Jared Dudley</span> and <span>Marcin Gortat</span>, it was the Suns’ 17th different unit to start the game this season. Brooks was average in this one, finishing with 12 points and 6 assists in 24 minutes, but had been preparing to start since this morning.</p>
<p>“Well [Nash] didn’t do shootaround and said he was sick,” Brooks said. “So, mentally I was preparing for the worst just in case he didn’t come. When I saw him come in I got excited and then when I found out he couldn’t play I got into a different mindset and went out there. It felt good to finally get a win, my first one as a starter (in Phoenix).”</p>
<p><span>Zabian Dowdell</span> played well in spurts off the bench, and finished with 14 points on 5 of 10 shooting. He also added five assists, but turned it over five times, as well.</p>
<p>This game was much more about the Clippers’ lack of effort and execution, though, than it was about how well the Suns played. <span>Vinny Del Negro</span> agreed.</p>
<p>“I didn’t think we had great energy tonight,” Del Negro said. “We let Phoenix run where they wanted to, when they wanted to. We shortcutted some things defensively. Offensively, we couldn’t make any shots and put any pressure on them. Phoenix is a shot-making team; we couldn’t shoot the ball well enough. We had 27 turnovers … a lot of mistakes. Just a lot of mistakes.”</p>
<p>Speaking of effort, you really can’t say enough about how hard Hill played for Phoenix, especially in the first half. He seemed to be running around in a gear that no one on the Clippers got close to all night, finishing acrobatically at the rim and at one point diving over the scorers table in an effort to chase down a loose ball.</p>
<p><span>Blake Griffin</span> was the one many fans came out to see, and he didn’t disappoint, finishing with 20 points, 13 rebounds, and four assists. He managed to throw down a few powerful dunks that drew cheers from even those in the stands wearing Suns jerseys, but <span>Channing Frye</span> did his best to limit the highlights, yanking Griffin down by the shorts in the first half, on a play where he was whistled for a flagrant foul after Blake fell awkwardly.</p>
<p>Griffin didn’t have any hard feelings afterward, and seems as though he’s resigned to the fact that this will be his fate as his <span class="caps">NBA</span> career continues.</p>
<p>“It’s happened over and over,” Griffin said of the hard fouls. “So it’s not really something I’m worried about. It happens, you’ve just got to keep playing.”</p>
<p><a href="http://arizona.sbnation.com/phoenix-suns/2011/4/1/2086349/jared-dudley-dunk-found-wanting-by-panel-of-his-peers" target="_blank">Speaking of Dunks, Jared Dudley appeared to barely get his ninth of the season</a> on a two-handed flush early in the third. But despite the official play-by-play calling it a dunk, his teammates overruled it, the consensus being that it was more of a drop over the rim than anything else.</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/phoenix-suns/2011/4/1/2086341/suns-roll-through-blakers-111-98Brett Pollakoff2011-04-01T18:47:54-07:002011-04-01T18:47:54-07:00Steve Nash Late Scratch Due To Illness
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<p><span>Steve Nash</span> missed shootaround this morning but was planning on playing. He came to the arena tonight and coach <span>Alvin Gentry</span> told the media in his 6:00 p.m. briefing that Nash would go. But just 30 minutes before tip, it was announced that Nash will sit out tonight’s game against the <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Clippers</a> due to illness.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Suns</a> starting center <span>Marcin Gortat</span> is also battling illness but will give it a go. The Clippers center <span>Chris Kaman</span> won’t. He too is battling a stomach virus that is making it’s way through the league.</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/phoenix-suns/2011/4/1/2086045/steve-nash-late-scratch-due-to-illnessSeth Pollack2011-04-01T15:05:03-07:002011-04-01T15:05:03-07:00Phoenix Suns Schedule: Blake Griffin Show Comes To Town, Hide Your Women And Children
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<p>The <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Phoenix Suns</a> could be eliminated, formally, from playoff contention with tonight's game. If the Suns lose and the <a href="https://www.grizzlybearblues.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Grizzlies</a> beat the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/new-orleans-hornets" class="sbn-auto-link">Hornets</a> it's over. If not, it will be over soon enough. The only reason the actual date of the playoff elimination matters is so that coach <span>Alvin Gentry</span> can officially begin playing for next season. He said again today at shootaround that he won't change his rotations until that happens.</p>
<p>Tonight's opponent, the <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Los Angeles Clippers</a> (29-46), in any other year would be an easy win. But the Suns come into this game playing horrible basketball and have lost four-straight while the Clippers are 2-2. The teams have played three times this season with the Suns taking two.</p>
<p>The obvious attraction tonight is <span>Blake Griffin</span>. Suns defensive ace, <span>Grant Hill</span>, says the key to Griffin is limiting his highlight dunks that gets his team pumped up. Expect <span>Channing Frye</span> to start with the unenviable task of slowing Blake down.</p>
<p>A virus is making its way around the NBA as it sometimes does between these guys who share so much body contact. <span>Steve Nash</span>, <span>Marcin Gortat</span>, and Clippers' center <span>Chris Kaman</span> all missed shootaround with "flu-like symptoms". Nash and Gortat are expected to play while Suns' forward <span>Mickael Pietrus</span> won't due to a quad strain that's kept him out of the last five games. He's officially listed as day-to-day.</p>
<p><i>The game tips at 7:00 p.m. local time on Fox Sports AZ and will be broadcast on Sports 620 radio. Fans can follow along during the game 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>
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https://arizona.sbnation.com/2011/4/1/2332573/phoenix-suns-schedule-blake-griffin-show-comes-to-town-hide-yourSeth Pollack