* Shaq sent out two text messages yesterday after the swap for Marion was finalized. The first to Amare Stoudemire read: “You ready to win a ring?” Then another to Steve Nash pledging, “I will not let you down.”
* While the Suns organization can’t wait for Shaq to suit up, their equipment manager is in a frenzy trying to get sizes big enough for the Diesel. Brian Skinner, the biggest body on the team wears a 3XL practice jersey. Shaq wears a 5X. “I don’t have any of those,” Jay Gaspar said. “I’ve been scrambling.”
* Channing Frye equates the new-look Suns to a guy who can dance with a girl no matter the music. “If you are trying to go to the dance and come home with a girl, you can’t just know one dance. You got to know all the dances. You got to know how to dance slow, you got to know how to dance fast. So even though I think the Suns had a great thing going, you can go only so far with one dance. Now with Shaq, you are all right. You have the whole thing. Shaq is going to bring chemistry, and he is going to take attention away from guys who I don’t think want attention.”
* Mike D’Antoni provided an interesting history lesson: who played center on the League’s most infamous running team? “You’re from L.A.,” D’Antoni said to a Los Angeles writer. “Didn’t they [Lakers] have Showtime and they had a 40-year-old center running down behind everybody?”
* As Shaq rubbed his championship ring finger from a skybox, the Suns and Hornets dueled in one of the best games of the year down below. After Leandro Barbosa tied the game on a three with 3.2 seconds to play, Peja Stojakovic knocked down the game-winner just inside the 3-point arc, 132-130 in Double OT. “It felt like the game was never going to end,” said Chris Paul. “The last one Barbosa hit, it just felt like it wasn’t for us to win tonight. But we’re a team that shows a lot of perseverance and coach finally made the right call by giving Peja the last shot instead of me.” Paul finished with 42 points and 8 steals.
* The Bulls’ involvement in the Pau Gasol sweepstakes was short-lived because of their refusal to take on any luxury tax or package anyone in their core nucleus. “We had conversations with Chicago which were non-satisfactory. They didn’t want to take on the luxury-tax situation and Los Angeles was,” said Michael Heisley. “In this league, if you’re in a big-market area, you can afford to do those things. We negotiated as hard as we could for quality players, and (Chicago) refused to give up anybody within their core group. What they offered us were guys who play on the second and third team, so we turned them down.”
* After ‘Melo missed a wide-open jumper at the buzzer in regulation, Deron Williams hit what ended up as the game winning three-pointer with 17.9 seconds left in OT from beyond the arc. “We didn’t lose this game — I think Utah won this game,” George Karl said. “They played with intensity, they played with pride and they made the big 3.”
* Phil Jackson described his squad as ‘disjointed’ after their loss to Atlanta 98-95. Lamar Odom couldn’t agree. “I don’t even know what disjointed means,” said Odom.
* It was yet another gut-wrenching finish in Portland - this time, in favor of the Blazers - 100-97 over Chicago. “It seems like we refuse to do things the easy way,” Nate McMillan said. “But I was pleased that down the stretch we did get the stops we needed.”
* After one of the biggest pieces to the Heat’s wildly complicated jigsaw was dealt, it seemed like the rest of their squad was playing for their lives against Detroit. “They’re in a situation where they know one of their main players got traded,” Flip Saunders said, “so they know no one’s untouchable. So they’re going to go out there and do whatever the coach says. They’re going to play their butts off knowing they might be the next one out of town.” ‘Sheed had 26 points and Detroit came out on top 100-95.
* The situation with Isiah Thomas has gotten so bad that he won’t comment on anything - whether it’s related to his team or not. When asked about the Shaq deal, he replied, “Umm…I think it’s, um, I guess it helps both teams. I guess Phoenix, uh . . . I would be misspeaking if I started talking about what somebody else was thinking.”
* J.A. Adande writes that the Suns gave up on their run-and-gun style, forsaking a chance to make history as a team that succeeds without dominating the paint. “I’d rather see them go out like Tom Hanks in “Saving Private Ryan,” pulling out his pistol and firing away at the German tank in a last desperate effort to save the bridge. Or show some of that same defiance as Denzel Washington in ‘American Gangster,’ making one last trip to Asia to import more heroin even though everybody’s telling him the game is over. Instead the Suns conformed.”
February 7th, 2008 at 8:22 am
Rob says:
first?
February 7th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Rob says:
Good move by the Suns.
It they win it all, the trade payed off.
If they don’t, at least they tried.
It’s not like they were going to win the championship with Marion (Spurs, Lakers, even Jazz)
Btw, if they double Shaq, he’s a good low post passer & Amare is a born finisher so… (Diaw isn’t bad either)
And their shooters will get some more good looks so..
February 7th, 2008 at 9:23 am
djKianoosh says:
Sixers fans have experience with this. Back when AI had Theo Ratliff they were really hot and had one of the best records (if not the best) in the league by mid-season.. then they traded for Mutombo and went to the finals that same year, but lost to Shaq’s Lakers (probably Shaq’s most dominant year ever).
After that it was all downhill for the Sixers. So Suns fans, you better hope you win this year, cause the window closes. Don’t delude yourselves into thinking you have a couple more years.. this is it. It’s this year or nothing. I’m not sayin, I’m just sayin…
February 7th, 2008 at 10:51 am
bobby stew says:
Please read blog article on Earl “the pearl” Monroe. Gilbert recently broke one of Earl’s scoring records. This article is found at this site
www.acartervincent.com/id27.html
February 7th, 2008 at 11:15 am
Myrie says:
djKianoosh–
How did you feel about the deal for Mutombo? I have always been a fan of Theo Ratliff (I thought he was Ben Wallace before Ben Wallce–if you know what I mean).
…in 2001, I had to say I was wrong about the trade. I didn’t think Philly needed to add Dikembe and I thought they were better off with Theo.
But it worked in their favor then.
February 7th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Myrie says:
I guess the Suns trainer has never heard of Triple5Soul in a literal sense.
Channing Frye is commenting on the Suns? He need not worry about Phoenix nor dancing and concentrate on using his 6′11 body to get more than 4rebs per game.
Looks like Shaq was giving the finger to the whole crowd. Even Cedric Ceballos was laughing.
Steve Nash was getting manslaughtered by Chris Paul. So, Phoenix put Nash on Pargo. And Pargo gave him 2nd degree. If the Suns really wanna improve their defense, they gotta take a longer look at Steve Nash; seriously. He’s their weak link on defense.
Deron Williams is balling and Utah has won 10 in a row. Welcome to the flavor of the month club. Has any team in the west not won at least 10 games in a row yet? It seems they all have.
To JA Adande:
First off….were you wearing visible eye shadow on ATH last week? You lil puss! And stop jumping towards the camera everytime you speak. Relax homie.
Phoenix’s style has been the most fun since the 1999-2002 Sacto Kings. But it hasn’t even gotten them to the finals. Even Dallas made it to the finals. You can’t fault them for at least trying to make something happen for when it matters most.
And your making heroin references to basketball?
LA Times is slipping…..
February 7th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
GEE...Shawn should point to his finger for the heat fans ...the middle says:
Yo Myrie you got to love the J.A. Lounge when he wins though.
Kyle Korver is really making it happen.
For real Orlando is wrong for holding J.J. Red down like that. Let the boy go somewhere where he can get some burn. If not then give him minutes.
I so wish Houston could have gotten Deron….sigh!
Channing should have kept that to himself lol.
Bring back Ralph Sampson!
February 7th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Myrie says:
Gee–
I don’t mind JA Adande, but could swear dude had on eyeshadow this week. I live in NY, so I was waiting for ATH on Monday to hear all about the NY Giants. But JA was looking like Shah-Nay-Nay + Dennis Rodman. Ugh! Yuck!
Adande lounge is still cool though. He should film his set from the playboy mansion….
February 7th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Shep says:
Adande doesn’t work for the LA Times anymore. He’s now with ESPN.
February 7th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Kobeef says:
Shaq is awesome - I’m listening to the suns press conference righ now - here’s a few sound bites:
“I’m not worried about other teams, I’m the assistant to the sconds vice president of this team and that’s all I care about”
“I’m looking forward to kicking the ball out to someone who can make a 3 point shot at a high percentage. I’m gonna make Raja Bell the best 3 point shooter in the west” (Ouch…shot at Wade?)
“Start selling the t-shirts now, the sun will rise in Phoenix”
February 7th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Myrie says:
Shep–
Your right. Thanks for the correction.