Los Angeles Lakers vs Phoenix Suns 5 game changing moves
The first game of the Western Conference Finals was, for the Phoenix Suns, a tester to see just how far away they are from the La Lakers.
As it turns out, and just as everyone thought, they are pretty far from the Lakers’ level and if they want to advance to the NBA Finals adjustments will have to be made. The Suns players know it, their coach Alvin Gentry knows it and the Suns’ fans know it, in fact everyone knows it.
Jared Dudley, the Suns’ back-up small forward, posted on his Twitter: “Tough one tonight... Gotta Regroup.. Will Watch some film, make some adjustments and be ready for game 2 wed..”
Those adjustments will be key because the 128-107 defeat at Staples Centre in Los Angeles was a warning sign that the Lakers are not going to mess around. The game-changing moves Gentry made during the game clearly didn’t work.
Channing Frye, coming off the bench, scored only three points going 1-8 from the field and Dudley couldn’t prevent Kobe Bryant from making his 11th career 40 point play-off game. And though Steve Nash has 13 points and 13 assists it just wasn’t enough.
Amar’e Stoudemire lead the Suns in scoring with 23 points but for a power forward they are going to need much more than three rebounds from him, especially against a team like the Lakers who can put out three guys who are over 6ft 10in.
"They're probably going to continue to be taller than us as the series goes on, so we've got to ... make everything as tough as possible. We played hard, but we didn't make enough shots, and we had a few too many breakdowns,” said Nash.
Size is the main problem for the Suns and when you talk about game changing moves, size is just not an option for the Suns, simply because they don’t have it. It’s sad to say but it looks like the Lakers will coast their way to another NBA Finals.
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