The following article is not real. It is our best guess
as to what would have happened had the NBA season actually
started on time, playing every game on the 2011-12 schedule. Clearly that’s not the
case, and every stat, quote or observation below never
actually happened. But without REAL NBA basketball to talk
about we needed something to stir our imaginations, so
please take a read and enjoy the Suns 2011-12 season —
sort of.

New arena, same Suns.

Phoenix took to the road for the first time this season,
topping the Grizzlies 103-95 in Memphis.

The Suns’ record now stands at a perfect 4-0.

“That’s another real good team we played right there,”
Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. “To come away with a victory
says a lot about our guys.”

It does, as the Suns have now beaten four playoff teams in
four games, showing that this year may be more return to
glory than fade to the background.

“It’s always good to see how you measure up against the
league’s best,” said Grant Hill, who scored 17 points for
the Suns. “It’s early but we’ve got a good thing going
here.”

Maybe that’s the thing to remember with this team, that
it’s early. But a 4-0 record against the opponents they’ve
faced surely wasn’t expected, and the team certainly won’t
apologize for winning so much.

“I always thought we were a good team,” center Marcin
Gortat said. Gortat, who posted another double-double with
15 points and 13 rebounds, has been a steadying force down
low for a team that desperately needed one.

“I’m just very comfortable with this team, with Steve and
the rest of the guys,” Gortat said. “I’m excited about
what we can do this season.”

At this point, it’s hard not to be.

The Suns are firing on all cylinders, playing the kind of
offense that made them the toast of the league for a
while. Combined with decent defense and an emerging bench,
the sky may very well be the limit for this team.

Not that the team wants to think about the future or
anything.

“We’re not going 82-0 guys,” Gentry said. “Let’s just
focus on one game at a time.

“We’ve got Minnesota next.”

Suns Spotted

• Suns rookie Markieff Morris had arguably his best
game as a pro, scoring 11 points and grabbing 9 rebounds.

• Michael Redd continued his solid play, making a
trio of threes on the evening.

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