Suns start brutal stretch in Atlanta
Feb 6, 2012, 6:38 PM | Updated: 10:28 pm
They may not be racking up wins at the desired pace, but
the Phoenix Suns are definitely about to rack up some
serious frequent flier miles.
Alvin Gentry’s team will take to the court seven times in
six different cities in 10 days, a brutal stretch that
begins Monday night in Atlanta against the Hawks.
The Suns flew from the Valley to Atlanta Sunday for a game
on Monday, then it’s off to Milwaukee Tuesday, back home
to host Houston on Thursday, on to Sacramento and Oakland
for games on Saturday and Monday, Denver on Tuesday and
back home to host the Hawks at U.S. Airways Center next
Wednesday.
In all, the Suns will log 7,616 miles over the next week-
plus.
More importantly, the Suns are trying to find a way to
string together victories. Phoenix (9-14) hasn’t won more
than two consecutive games all season. The Suns have won
three of their last five, including a 95-89 win over the
banged-up Charlotte Bobcats Saturday night.
In that game, Michael Redd made his first start as a
member of the Suns and left his fingerprints all over the
victory, sinking four three-pointers on the way to scoring
17 points.
“One of the proudest moments of my career,” Redd said.
“And to get the win was obviously the key, but to come
back though the tears, through the hurt, through the hours
of rehab training, to come back and accomplish this may be
the proudest moment of my career, actually.”
But despite his season-high output, Redd will find himself
coming off the bench again. Jared Dudley will be back in
the starting lineup Monday after sitting out Saturday’s
win over the Bobcats with a thigh bruise. Dudley had been
playing better before being sidelined, averaging 16.3
points per game in his last four contests.
Atlanta (16-8) comes into the contest in fifth place in
the Eastern Conference, just three games behind top-seeded
Chicago. The Hawks have played without All-Star center Al
Horford, who will miss at least two more months after
tearing a pectoral muscle in mid-January. Led by former
Sun Joe Johnson, who leads the team in scoring at 18.6
points per game, Atlanta has gone 9-4 in Horford’s
absence.
Arizona Sports’ Eric Saar contributed to this
report
