Warriors vs Suns: NBA Live, Live!

Warriors 129-114 Suns



I'm in the middle of chemistry homework, so I'll get back with some thoughts about this don't-blink-or-you'll-miss-it game. For now, I'll leave you with a picture of Nash in a dramatic and desperate cry to the heavens. Either that or he just turned the ball over again.

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First off, let me say that what I watched last night was one of the purest basketball games ever. The Warriors hit a layup, the Suns answer back without using more than four seconds of the shot clock. The Suns hit a trey, the Warriors stop and pop. As Fitz repeatedly mentioned in last night’s broadcast: “[Either team] won’t let you celebrate for too long.” There was no pounding, no excessive pushing, just running, sharp passing, and buckets and buckets of points. As OptionZero commented:

MEMO TO DAVID STERN
MAKE COPIES OF THIS GAME
Send one to every other team in the league.
Mandatory movie night. Suspend all games on the schedule if you have to.
Watch this game, cuz thats pure basketball.
Man that was magic.

Bliss is...

The Lineup: Remember the game against the Suns last March when Nellie unveiled Al Harrington at center? He did it again, this time inserting Monta Ellis and Matt Barnes into the starting lineup. Hello, throwback Nellie-ball!



The Assists: The ball movement was downright pretty with the offense spacing the floor and opening up plenty of passing lanes. Four of the starters had at least four assists, pacing the total of 31 assists to 52 made shots. After a frenetic first quarter, the Warriors settled in and ran several half-court plays. They took advantage of Phoenix’s double-teams by threading the needle to another Warrior cutting through the lane for an easy layup or dunk or kicking out for an open three.

The Defense: Ever since Stephen Jackson returned, the Warriors have tightened up the D, especially in the fourth quarter. They forced Phoenix into 20 turnovers, six more than the Suns’ average of 14 per game, and turned those mistakes into 37 points. Steve Nash and Grant Hill combined for 13 of those turnovers. The Suns had nice offensive distribution with 6 of 8 players scoring in double-digits. However, not one Sun was a threat throughout the entire game, courtesy of the “piranha” defense rotating effectively and forcing quick fouls and turnovers.

Hot Hands:

Jack: Jack was one of the Warriors to top 30 against the Suns, going for 32 on an effective 13-21 shooting.

Baron: When in doubt, pass the rock to him. Baron exploited his match-up with Nash, posting him up down low or hitting a jumper whenever Nash gave him too much room. Baron went 11-24 from the field, including 5-10 on three-pointers. If he scored two more points, the Warriors would have had a trio of thirty-point scorers.

Barnes: Despite (or because of) the stressful circumstances in his life right now, Barnes went out and quietly filled up the stat sheet: 8 points on 3-5 shooting including 2-2 from the arc, 7 assists, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals. He helped jumpstart the offense in the first quarter and was a lurking threat throughout the rest of the game. Welcome back, man, and my heart goes out to you and your family.

Al: Al rebounded from a lackluster road trip, going for 14 points on 5-9 shooting along with 2-2 on threes. His first three gave the Warriors their first points in the game and ignited the offense toward a 45-point first quarter.



Ellis to the Rim! Monta’s recent surge deserves a category for itself. After matching his career high of 31 points in Philadelphia, Monta had a second consecutive career night and matched his career high again. With a Sleepy-esque performance in the 4th quarter, he scored 15 straight points to put the Suns away for good. Nash was victimized again, this time by Monta scoring jumper after jumper with him as the defender. He tore to the rim if defenders came too close. They don’t call him the Mississippi Bullet for nothing.