Stoudemire Shakes Suns

Amare Stoudemire exploded for 42 points in helping to carry the Phoenix Suns to a nine point takedown of the L.A. Lakers in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. Phoenix cut L.A.’s deficit to 2-1 with the 118-109 defeat of the defending champions in Arizona. Phoenix was powered by the 27 year old Stoudemire, who matched a career high in points and added 11 rebounds. Stoudemire answered critics who scoffed at his defense and uninspired play by going 14-of-22 from the field and 14-of-18 from the line. The Suns are making a series out West with Game 4 set for Tuesday night at U.S. Airways Center. Phoenix will have a chance to knot the series even at 2-2 it shifts back to L.A.
The Suns’ zone defense flabbergasted the Lakers despite Kobe Bryant’s near triple-double. Bryant finished with 36 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds as the purple and gold suffered their first loss of the finals. His supporting cast was belittled. Stoudemire terrorized the L.A. interior defense, picking apart Pau Gasol and finding open space to sink buckets. Phoenix owns the second best downtown shooting in NBA history during the regular season. The Suns were even effective without their brilliant 3-point game being bright. Phoenix shot 25% from the arc, led by Jason Richardson’s 4-of-7 line. Richardson scored 19 points and Robin Lopez notched 20. The Suns’ center, Lopez, went 8-of-10 on shooting, including dazzling dunks, razzing right –handed rebounds and left hooks. It was Lopez’ third week back after a seven week hiatus but his seven foot presence was enough to frustrate the Lakers inside.
The Lakers’ bench was tamed in Game 3, hitting 11-of-37. The Suns were aggressive and took advantage of L.A.’s poor execution. Lamar Odom made four of his 14 attempts with 10 points in a mediocre performance before fouling out. Lakers’ malcontent, Ron Artest, went 4-of-13 and finished with a dozen points and half a dozen rebounds. Gasol finished at the 23 point mark and Derek Fisher contributed 18 for the visitors in the loss. It took L.A. a long time to figure out Phoenix’s zone defense and the champs found themselves down 54-47 at the break. Stoudemire broke loose for 16 points in the third quarter and topped off an impressive game with 13 in the final session. The Lakers were outscored and annihilated 18-3 in fast-break points. The Suns shot 57% in the second half but clung to only a two point lead at the end of three quarters.
L.A. took a 90-89 edge when Odom slipped a pair of free throws through the net with just under nine minutes remaining. The Suns took the lead for good when Lopez entered the contest for the struggling Channing Frye. Frye has missed 17 consecutive shots in this series. Phoenix’s Steve Nash tallied 17 points to go a long with 15 assists before banging his nose in a fourth quarter collision. Phil Jackson, the Hall-of-Fame L.A. head coach, picked up a rare technical foul after complaining about a non-call by the referees. The Suns irritated the Lakers, outperforming them entirely during the fourth quarter. A 93-92 Suns advantage quickly turned into a ten point lead.

Parting Points: Congrats to the Blackhawks for wiping out the Sharks.

The Cavs fired Mike Brown.

Jose Lima- RIP.

Home Haven

Pau Gasol put up a game high 29 points against Phoenix in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals at Los Angeles’ Staples Center Wednesday. Gasol grabbed nine rebounds and collected five assists in the Lakers’ 124-112 pasting of Phoenix. The Suns were drubbed for the second time, though they were in the game going into the fourth quarter. The Lakers broke away from a 90-90 third quarter tie to hold on for the 2-0 lead in the best of seven series. Game 3 shifts to Phoenix on Sunday, where the Suns seek to ruin the purple and gold’s eight game playoff winning streak.
Kobe Bryant scored 21 points and distributed a career playoff-high 13 assists for Los Angeles. The high scoring defending champions netted 34 fourth period points to pull away at the finish. It marked the fifth time this series L.A. has broken 30 during a quarter. Lamar Odom totaled 11 rebounds and 17 points to notch a double-double in the victory. Ron Artest also shot the ball extremely well for the Lakers. Artest finished 6-of-9 from the field and 3-of-6 from downtown to snag 18 points. Artest led all scorers at the half with 15 points as the Lakers carried a comfortable 65-56 lead into the locker room.
The Suns were outscored 34-22 during the fourth period. L.A.’s versatile and poised offense was too much for the small Suns’ lineup. They tore off to an 18-7 start in the fourth, sparking momentum as the Suns committed five turnovers. The one thing Phil Jackson’s team can do is execute. Gasol and Bryant were superb in handling the ball and plugging away at the hoop. They also make opponents look confused when they are clicking on all cylinders. Alvin Gentry’s Suns seemed to beat themselves but it wasn’t all lowlights for the visitors. Jason Richardson carved up L.A. for a team high 27 points and Grant Hill bucketed 23 in the loss. Phoenix erased a 14 point deficit to tie the game after the break. Hill knifed through the paint for 14 third quarter points to stall the Lakers, but L.A. regrouped for an explosive fourth. Amare Stoudemire figured into the mix with 18 points in 40 minutes for the Suns and Jared Dudley hit five 3-pointers off the bench. The hard-charging Lakers remain unbeaten at home during the post-season. Third seeded Phoenix endured their first back-to-back losses since January.

Parting Points: Song of the day- Fuel’s “Shimmer”

Crawford’s Connection Captures Contest

Ten year NBA veteran, Jamal Crawford, took an overhead pass from Mike Bibby with the Hawks trailing 101-99 in the final seconds in Atlanta. Crawford dribbled twice to his left before ascending swiftly to secure a fadeway 3-point shot as time expired. The heartbreaking Hawks dramatically stunned the Phoenix Suns 102-101 at Phillips Arena behind Al Horford’s 24 points. Crawford dropped 21 as the sun set on the high-paced, high-energy Suns Friday night. The victory, combined with an Orland loss, puts Atlanta in sole possession of first place in the Southeast division.
The Suns were the surefire favorite to win the game, coasting to a 25-17 first quarter advantage. The struggling Suns overcame a 1-6 start from the field to sail higher than the Hawks. Amare Stoudemire formulated 28 points and 14 rebounds for Phoenix but picked up two quick fouls in the first quarter. Stoudemire’s replacement, Robin Lopez, sparked the Suns’ surge before the visitors dropped their second road contest during a four game stretch. Lopez scored a season high 11 points in the loss. The Hawks went 1-11 in the paint during the opening quarter and missed 19 of 25 shots. Joe Johnson and Crawford promptly perked up in the second quarter to erase a 12 point Suns lead. Johnson finished with 19 points and six assists. Atlanta outscored Phoenix 33-30 but was slowed by Grant Hill’s 15 points during the second quarter. The 37 year old poured in nine during the first quarter. Hill scorched the Hawks with 21 total points. Atlanta tied the game at 41 before Steve Nash re-entered the game and carried the Suns to a 55-50 edge at the break. The Suns outscored the Hawks in the paint, but Atlanta won the battle of rebounds.
Horford and the Hawks responded in the second half with an early 11-0 run to built a one-point lead. The scoring spurt put Atlanta on top by as many as seven, and their first command since they led 6-4 in the opening minutes. Phoenix’s offense started to pick up at the end of the quarter. Second year Yugoslavian native, Goran Dragic, connected with five seconds in the third quarter to make it a three point deficit for the Suns. Atlanta was charged with four fouls in the final quarter and the Suns scored the first five points to re-take the lead. Atlanta went without a point until Bibby deposited a 3-pointer with just over seven minutes remaining. Lopez’s lashed out his defensive prowess to stop Johnson, one of his game-high six blocks Friday. Nash added a 20-footer to give his team a six point lead with under four minutes. Lopez’s free throw provided the Suns 94-88 gain before the Hawks tied the game on Josh Smith’s awesome dunk. The score remained deadlocked following a Nash miss from the arc. An inspired Stoudemire snagged the rebound but the Suns’ shooter was called for traveling. An uncontested Dragic dunk and Stoudemire slap made it a four point game with a minute on the clock. Horford was perfect from the charity stripe to bring the Hawks back within two before Nash extended the Suns lead with a pair of free throws. Crawford corralled a missed shot by Smith and tossed it the Hawks’ way to cut the lead to 100-99. Stoudemire made one of two frees with three ticks remaining. Crawford sank the game winning basket to sting the Suns and lift the Hawks, locking up a big moment victory at home.

Parting Points: Saturday’s tremendous tune- The catchy “I’ll be there for you” Friends’ theme by the Rembrandts.