Suns finally getting it done at home

Normally, a stretch where an NBA team plays 9 out of 11
games at home is reason for celebration and optimism.

That wasn’t the case for the Phoenix Suns as they looked
at their post All-Star break schedule. Why would it be?

The Suns limped into the break after a heart-wrenching
106-104 loss to the Golden State Warriors — a defeat that
sunk their home record to a less-than-stellar 7-9 on the
season.

“Unless we get ourselves together and understand that we
can’t afford to lose games like this at home, and we’ve
got to play right from the start, these things are going
to happen for the rest of the season,” head coach Alvin
Gentry said during a podium-pounding post-game session
after the loss to Golden State.

Apparently, Gentry’s message has been received.

The Suns defeated the Sacramento Kings 96-88 Sunday night
to push their post All-Star break record to 3-0. All
three wins have come at home, marking just the second time
all season the Suns have won three straight at the “Purple
Palace”.

“It’s very important,” point guard Steve Nash said about
winning at home. “If we have any chance of getting back
in the playoff picture, we’ve got to win these games and
give ourselves a chance to creep back in there and get to
.500 and see what we can do from there.”

The Suns are now above .500 at U.S. Airways Center (10-9),
and are “creeping” back toward that mark overall. Phoenix
now sits at 17-20, and are 3½ games behind Houston and
Denver for the final Western Conference playoff spot.

The Suns will have to leave the friendly confines of
downtown Phoenix for a single road game at Oklahoma City
before returning for consecutive home games against
Dallas, Memphis, Minnesota and Utah — four teams the Suns
are chasing in the Western Conference.

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