NBA Preview: Phoenix Suns (6-7) vs Houston Rockets (3-9)
Both teams have their key players injured and on leave, and won’t be showing up in the match tonight. This is going to be a challenging game for both the teams, as they will have to prove themselves without the main players on board.
The Phoenix Suns starting point guard and center will not be playing this game due to an injury. Suns coach Alvin Gentry will be looking forward to seeing his team to play a better defence without one of his side’s strongest members.
The Houston Rockets coach also finds himself in the same predicament. This has been Houston’s worst start in five years. The Suns will try to come out from behind the clouds as they have had continuous losses to their record in this trip.
The Suns without Nash
The Phoenix Suns have been reduced to 0-3 without their team leader Steve Nash. They fell to 123-105 defeat to the Charlotte Bobcats on Sunday, in the absence of Nash who has an average of 19.7 points and 8.9 assists per game.
The Phoenix Suns have been outscored to an average of 20.3 points per game since Nash has been missing. Perhaps Nash’s absence has had a negative impact on the Suns, as the team is 9-19 without Nash ever since the 2004-05 season. The Suns coach sounded a little defensive when he said, “This isn't about Steve, guys. We had 12 guys out there and didn't play with any kind of effort.”
The Suns could not make it past the Charlotte Bobcats, as Boris Diaw scored 26 points to lead his team to victory. Channing Frye will be playing his fourth game as a replacement for injured center, Robin Lopez, who has two moderate knee sprains. The Suns need to improve their defences in order to give themselves a chance against the Rockets.
With centres like Yao Ming and Aaron Brooks out because of injuries, the Rockets face a huge challenge. Yao, who was expected to return early, will now be out for two more weeks because of his bruised left ankle. Brooks, who has already missed seven games, will also be out for two more weeks with a sprained left ankle. Houston lost their third straight game at Toronto 106-96 on Friday. The absence of their key centres might explain why the Rockets could not make it past the Raptors.
The Stats
The Phoenix Suns have 48.6 (17 of 35) percent from long range, meaning the Rockets have to defend their three point line as their opponents are very good at hitting those shots.
The Suns now also have a franchise record of 22 three-pointers, which they scored while playing against the Los Angeles Lakers on 14 November. It was then that they handed the Lakers their second defeat of the season 121-116. The Suns are now enjoying 17 of 78 (21.8 percent) from the three point range in a period of four games.
The Sun’s Jason Richardson, who missed 15 of 16 three pointers, since he made seven against the Lakers later said, “Regardless of how we're shooting the ball, we have to play better defence.”
The Suns were successful in hitting four consecutive three-pointers against the Rockets in a 116-106 win in April. Two of those were made by Channing Frye and one each by Steve Nash and Jason Richardson. It was in this match that the Suns clinched a 14-0 run and beat the Rockets by ten points. That was the first time since 2005-06, that the Phoenix Suns gave the Rockets their first sweep of the season.
Tags: