After a five-year hiatus from the NBA, Suns forward P.J. Tucker is happy to be back in the league regardless of what role he’s asked to fill. Just nine games in, the journeyman — played in Italy, Germany, Israel and Ukraine — has quickly become a fan favorite in the Valley, in large part due […]
With nine new faces on the roster heading into the 2012-2013 season, Suns head coach Alvin Gentry said he would not be afraid to go off of feel in late-game situations, rather than playing traditional rotations. Through nine games, the veteran coach has more than kept his word. In the Suns’ 112-106 loss to the […]
It’s always tough when you fight back from an double-digit deficit only to fall in overtime. It’s even tougher when you lose a player in the process. That’s what happened to the Phoenix Suns Wednesday night at US Airways Center. In what’s becoming more than a trend, the Suns fell behind the Chicago Bulls by […]
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’ 112-106 OT loss to the Bulls. The Good: The Suns trailed […]
The Phoenix Suns are integrating nine new players into the rotation this season, so it would stand to reason perhaps they’d have some early struggles. So to be where the team is at through eight games is, well, not bad, according to President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby. “To have all the changes we’ve made […]
Following in the steps of a future Hall of Famer is never easy, especially when that same living legend leaves for a division rival. This is the role that was placed upon Phoenix Suns starting point guard Goran Dragic. After losing star playmaker Steve Nash to the Los Angeles Lakers over the summer, the Suns […]
November 14, 2012: Suns end quick homestand with visit from Chicago Bulls It is early, yes, but if the trend continues then head coach Alvin Gentry may have no choice but to consider a change with his starting lineup. The Suns have trailed after the first quarter in each of their past three and four […]
November 13, 2012: Markieff Morris fills the stat sheet The Suns do not have a go-to scorer. What they do have, however, are a collection of scorers. The Suns are one of only two teams with at least five players averaging 12 points or more. “That’s what we have to do to win,” Jared Dudley […]
A trio of Phoenix Suns are on the ballot for the 2013 NBA All-Star Game, which will be played in Houston, TX on February 17, 2013. Goran Dragic, Luis Scola and Marcin Gortat are three of 120 players — 60 from each conference — who are on the ballot. Fans will be able to vote […]
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’ 110-100 win over the Denver Nuggets on November 12. Final Score: […]
Dwight Howard’s reputation proceeds him, there’s no two ways around that. During his final season with the Magic in 2011-2012, Howard was often publicly at odds with head coach Stan Van Gundy. As Orlando tried to shift towards a more wide-open offensive scheme to accommodate the likes of Glen Davis and Hedo Turkoglu, Howard was […]
Now Mike D’Antoni can “bust’ the Phoenix Suns. The former Suns coach is now the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, and contrary to those who object, this is an absolutely great hire for the purple and gold. Mike D’Antoni and his system are a better fit than Phil Jackson and his triangle offense with […]
It was easy to get over Steve Nash deserting Phoenix for Hollywood. He is an aging point guard whose game is declining (even if only a little), so if the two-time MVP wanted to hitch his wagon to the horse that is Kobe Bryant in search of a championship, that’s his business. But seeing Mike […]
The Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers have built up quite a rivalry through the years. It’s a rivalry that took an odd twist on July 4 when the Suns dealt two-time MVP Steve Nash to Los Angeles, but apparently the twists and turns keep on coming. Early Monday morning, despite rampant speculation that Phil […]
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’ 94-81 loss to the Utah Jazz on November 10. Final Score: […]
If there’s one thing that is certain just six games into the Suns’ 2012-2013 season, it’s that there is absolutely nothing sexy about P.J. Tucker’s game. In a league dominated by glitz and glamor, the former first-round draft pick prefers grit and effort. And for Alvin Gentry and Co. that’s quite alright. When Tucker signed […]
The Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers might be bitter rivals, but that doesn’t change the fact that the coaching profession is still a tight-knit fraternity. Before Friday night’s 107-105 victory over the Cavaliers, head coach Alvin Gentry shared his thoughts on the surprising news that the Lakers had fired Mike Brown after a poor, […]
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’ 107-105 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on November 9. Final Score: […]
The Phoenix Suns are still trying to find consistency in the post-Steve Nash era. With only five returning players from a season ago, the Suns are searching for their identity and find themselves at 2-3 through five games. “There are no easy nights for the Suns right now,” legendary Suns announcer Al McCoy said on […]
November 9, 2012: Suns home after 1-2 road trip, host Cleveland Marcin Gortat is leading the NBA with 21 blocks. That’s the most by a Suns player through five games in franchise history, and the most in the league in a season’s first five games since Dwight Howard in 2008. “Honestly,” Gortat said, “I didn’t […]
After starting the season 1-4, the Los Angeles Lakers have already fired head coach Mike Brown. Names like Indiana Pacers assistant Bryan Shaw, former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan and former Suns coach Mike D’Antoni have already surfaced as possible replacements. Source says Mike D’Antoni would be interested in Lakers job, that he’d listen. — […]
The Phoenix Suns entered the season with no clear cut leader on the court. Stars Grant Hill and Steve Nash departed in the offseason, leading the Suns to perform a complete overhaul of the roster. The final result was bringing in nine new players and basically starting from scratch. With so many new faces, the […]
Beware Jared Dudley, Shannon Brown could be poised to take your starting job. The Suns’ shooting guard came off the bench and exploded for a season-high 24 points and six three-pointers (all of which came in the fourth quarter) against his former team, the Charlotte Bobcats, on Wednesday night. Brown attributes his success to continued […]
Well, the country’s election season is over. No more campaign ads (thank you), no more looking forward to getting the “I voted today” sticker, and no more arguing with your friends, family and coworkers over who or what they should vote for. OK, maybe the last one will linger for a bit. At any rate, […]
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’ 117-110 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on November 7. Final Score: […]
Four years into his NBA career, Michael Beasley is not where he expected to be. After being drafted second overall in 2008 behind former MVP Derrick Rose, Beasley was seen as a can’t miss prospect with fantastic offensive skills. Since then, he has encountered trouble with the law, seen his name in constant trade talks […]
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’ loss against the Miami Heat on November 5. Final Score: Heat […]
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’ loss against the Orlando Magic on November 4. Final Score: Magic […]
The Suns and Magic were supposed to have a lot in common heading into the 2012-2013 season. For both squads, losing the face of their respective franchises seemed to signal the start of a rebuilding period. But while Phoenix will face an Orlando team Sunday without perennial All-Star center Dwight Howard after August’s blockbuster trade […]
The Phoenix Suns will be better off this season with Goran Dragic at the helm than they would be if Steve Nash were still with the team. This is not an argument that Dragic is a better offensive mastermind at point than Nash is, because he is not. This is about the element of basketball […]
