Suns have home court disadvantage
Feb 10, 2012, 9:20 PM | Updated: 9:35 pm
Whether the sign outside read “America West Arena” or “US
Airways Center” as it does now, the building in downtown
Phoenix in which the Suns play their home games has always
served as an advantage. Until now.
The Suns lost for the seventh time in front of their fans
Thursday night, dropping their overall home record to 5-7.
“This is starting to really suck,” said Channing Frye
after the game. “[Fans] pay good money to see us play
well and tonight we just didn’t do it.”
Head coach Alvin Gentry echoed Frye’s sentiments a day
later.
“You can’t be a sub-500 team at home and make the
playoffs. I’ve never heard of it. I’ve never even
remotely heard of it.”
Only once in the building’s 20-year history have the Suns
failed to win more games than they lost (2003-04).
Among Western Conference teams, only New Orleans has fewer
home wins (2) than the Suns.
On the flip side, they are playing better on the road,
winning six times in 14 games.
“Us getting away. Us not worrying about anything. You
hang out more. You bond a little more. I don’t know,”
said Jared Dudley. “Maybe you sleep better on the road.
People have kids and wives. I don’t know what it is.
Hopefully it continues because we’ve got three big road
games coming up.”