PHOENIX SUNS

Suns Strokes: Phoenix comes out sluggish in loss to Knicks

Dec 2, 2012, 7:38 PM | Updated: 8:41 pm

Sure, you could read the box score and know who won, but we all know that won’t tell you everything that happened in a basketball game. So, we will give you Suns Strokes, providing you with the analysis, quotes and notes from the Suns’ 106-99 loss to the Knicks on December 2.

The Good:

Marcin Gortat recorded his sixth double-double of the season(18 points and 10 rebounds) in a losing effort.

Despite being held scoreless in the first half, Shannon Brown caught fire in the third quarter, scoring 13 of his 17 points on the afternoon.

The Suns didn’t win, losing their third straight on the road, but after falling behind by as many as 20 in the first half, Alvin Gentry’s squad proved yet again that no game is out of reach.

The Bad:

The Suns fell to 1-4 on their season-long, six-game road trip.

Sunday’s 12 p.m. Eastern start time was the team’s earliest of the season, and it showed. The Suns forgot to wake up from their early morning slumbers, committing nine turnovers in the first quarter alone.

While the Suns made an admirable comeback, on two separate occasions Phoenix cut the Knicks’ lead to four and six points respectively. Both times, they failed to make the key stop or shot to reduce the deficit even further.

Noted:

With the win, the Knicks improved to 7-0 this season at Madison Square Garden.

Carmelo Anthony came into Sunday’s contest No. 3 in the league in scoring. Against the Suns he was at his best, exciting the matinee crowd with a game-high 34 points.

Michael Beasley scored just nine points, but his biggest struggles were at the defensive end. Both Anthony and Chris Copeland exploited Beasley’s slow feet for easy buckets. Beasley finished with a team-low plus/minus of -20.

The Suns are now 2-8 on the road in 2012-2013.

Up Next:

The Suns will finish their six-game road trip on Tuesday night against the red-hot Memphis Grizzlies. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

Phoenix Suns

Jusuf Nurkic...

Damon Allred

Jusuf Nurkic questionable for Suns’ matchup with Thunder; Bradley Beal no longer listed

The Phoenix Suns are listing center Jusuf Nurkic questionable for a matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.

14 minutes ago

Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets is guarded by Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns during th...

Kellan Olson

Suns respond to season’s low point with thorough win over Nuggets

The guessing game of which Suns team shows up on which night persists. The best current version did on Wednesday in a win over the Nuggets.

18 hours ago

Bradley Beal #3 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the second half against the Boston Celtics at T...

David Veenstra

Bradley Beal in, Jusuf Nurkic out for Suns’ matchup with Nuggets

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal is active for Wednesday's matchup with the Denver Nuggets while center Jusuf Nurkic is out.

22 hours ago

Tyler Kolek, Marquette...

Damon Allred

Here’s who Phoenix Suns fans should watch in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

The Suns' first round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft sits at No. 19 overall, and they could select a star from the NCAA Tournament.

1 day ago

Phoenix Suns take on San Antonio Spurs...

Arizona Sports

O’Neale: Phoenix Suns took Spurs ‘too lightly’ in glaring loss

The Phoenix Suns' lack of effort was on display Monday night against the San Antonio Spurs, leading to an honest film session.

2 days ago

...

Arizona Sports Video

Video: Royce O’Neale: Suns took Spurs “a little too lightly”

Phoenix Suns forward Royce O'Neale joined Burns & Gambo to talk about the team's disappointing loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night, and to look ahead at the team's remaining schedule, as they continue to make a push toward the NBA playoffs.

2 days ago

Suns Strokes: Phoenix comes out sluggish in loss to Knicks