NBA Pacific Division

Suns Dancers Revealed In Glitzy Reality Program

Adriane Goetz​We've been covering the Phoenix Suns dance team auditions since they started earlier this month (slideshow here). So why quit now?The Suns -- who also operate a basketball team tacitly connected with their very popular dance squad -- announced the results of their fan-selected squad ... More >>

Hot Links: Stoudemire, Medical Bargains, and Conspiracies

​While delivering a lecture about education to students at Martin Luther King Jr. elementary school, Phoenix Suns star Amar'e Stoudemire indicated he may only be in Phoenix one more year. Stoudemire, who underwent surgery on his retina in July, could opt-out of his final contract year and become a ... More >>

Steve Nash Agrees to Rich Contract Extension, but Why Do the Phoenix Suns Want to Keep the Aging Superstar at All Costs?

Beats us why Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver would bend over frontwards to keep a point guard who's too old and slow to keep up defensively with practically any other starter at his position in the nba.com No way the two-time league MVP should be the Suns' top priority. National Baske ... More >>

Hot Links: Shaq Packs, Doc Prescribes, and Cows Burp

ASU basketball player James Harden worked out for the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. Harden, the PAC-10 Player of the Year, is expected to be among the top five picks in tonight's NBA draft...the Phoenix Suns traded Shaquille O'Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers the day before the draft. In ... More >>

The Big Cactus Becomes the Big Abandoned Steel Mill. Good for Cleveland, but It Leaves Us with Zilch

www.nba.com O'Neal and King James reunited on the same team, this time for what the Cavs hope is a championship season.So what's Shaq gonna be called now that he's no longer the Big Cactus? Maybe the Big Abandoned Steel Mill or the Big Mistake By the Lake. Actually, O'Neal's trade loo ... More >>

Hot Links: San Tan Valley, Abortion Bills, and Frito-Lays

Residents in an unincorporated community near Queen Creek have voted to name the area San Tan Valley. About 2,000 people voted, choosing the name over another consideration, Bella Vista...Residents of northeast Mesa held a meeting Tuesday night with Councilwoman Dina Higgins to discuss institu ... More >>

Hot Links: MCC Funds, TGen Grants, and Hitler Underpants

People marched in central Phoenix yesterday to protest the California Supreme Court's Decision to uphold the constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman. The rally, organized by grassroots organization Marriage Equality USA, drew around 200 people...An investigative repor ... More >>

Hot Links: Inmate Dies, Nash Seeks Raise, and APS Sprays

A female inmate at Perryville state prison died early Wednesday after being left outside in a holding cell for four hours in temperatures above 100 degrees. The inmate, Marcia Powell, 48, was serving a 27-month sentence for prostitution...Phoenix police have released the names of burglary ... More >>

Phoenix Suns Finish Season With Second-Best Record of Any Team Not Making the Playoffs in NBA History

www.nba.com For the first time in his career, Grant Hill played in all 82 regular-season games. He had 27 points against Golden State last night.The Suns set in the West on Wednesday evening. And they dropped below the horizion with a purple and orange glow, beating the Golden Stat ... More >>

End Game: Phoenix Suns Face an Offseason of Discontent

www.nba.com Many will go. Grant Hill will return. We hope. A mere week into the new season, the Arizona Diamondbacks' top pitcher is on the disabled list with a sore wing and the D-Backs couldn't hit a slow-pitch grapefruit with a two-by-four. You think they've got problems? This year's star ... More >>

Hot Links: Sexy Temples, Tomb Pimping, and Vatican Gone Wild

Phoenix police are keeping a close eye on the Phoenix Goddess Temple after receiving complaints from neighbors that the temple is really a brothel. The temple offers "cuddle parties" and a sex ed program on Fridays...The Phoenix Suns beat the Memphis Grizzlies 119-110 Monday night, marking their ... More >>

Phoenix Suns Win Impressively Over New Orleans, but Get Knocked Out of the Playoffs

The Phoenix Suns were impressive against a good team Wednesday night, beating the New Orleans Hornets 105-100 on sterling play by their team leaders. www.nba.com Why's GM Steve Kerr smiling? The Suns didn't make the playoffs for the first time in the Nash era.But it doesn't matter. The ... More >>

Blame D'Antoni: Sinking Phoenix Suns Take on New Orleans Hornets Tonight

www.nba.com Shaquille O'Neal has five games left as a Sun. Bank on it. The New York Knicks were eliminated from the playoffs last Saturday, less than 24 hours before the Phoenix Suns were in every way but mathematically terminated by the Dallas Mavericks. Anyone but a Mike D'Antoni/Plan ... More >>

Wilting Phoenix Suns Scorch Kings and Get Scorched by Dallas Over the Weekend

www.nba.com Dirk & Steve: Germany dominates Canada Sunday afternoon.They're not statistically out of it, but the Phoenix Suns have hoisted the white flag. The good news is that that they destroyed the Sacramento Kings Friday night at US Airways Center, 139-111. But the disturbingly& ... More >>

Phoenix Suns Try to Save Face This Weekend Against Sacramento and Dallas

www.nba.comSuns will try to lockdown Jason Terry and postpone the Mavs' playoff party. Following the Phoenix Suns' 114-109 defeat of the Houston Rockets on Wednesday -- coupled with the Dallas Mavericks' 98-96 victory over the Miami Heat -- Planet Orange remains 4 games back from the eighth-and-fin ... More >>

Phoenix Suns Still (Barely) Alive in the Playoff Race After 114-109 Win Over Tough Houston Rockets

www.nba.com It was a battle of the behemoths at US Airways Center.The most lopsided statistic in the Phoenix Suns' 5-point victory over the powerhouse Houston Rockets Wednesday night was fast-break points. The Suns had 18 and the Rockets had 4. It was run-and-gun bas ... More >>

Suns Get Blazed in Portland Thursday Night. Up Next: Utah Saturday and Sacramento Sunday.

When you're facing a solid opponent that's the second youngest squad in the league and hasn't played in four days, it's going to be tough to win, especially when you've had to grind out two tough victories in three days while fighting for your playoff lives. That's the best way to sum up the Phoen ... More >>

Phoenix Suns Gut Out Another Big Win Against a Good Team Wednesday Night to Go 6 in a Row. Next Up: the Trail Blazers Tonight

www.suns.com "Lightening" Lou Amundson gives Phoenix the edge.Deeee-Fence! We never thought we'd be saying this, but the Phoenix Suns won the last two games against tough Western Conference foes with solid D, and now find themselves on a 6-game winning streak. Of course, this ... More >>

Keep the Good Times Rolling: Suns Need to Beat Jazz Tonight at US Airways Center

www.nba.comUtah's Mehmet Okur Hey, Suns fans. Steve Nash and company have you exactly where they want you after its epic 118-115 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. Only three games behind the Dallas Mavericks, all hopeful and stuff, and ready to Sharpie-in that eighth and final playo ... More >>

Phoenix Suns Finally Beat a Good Team Again in a Nail-biter Monday Night

www.nba.com Grant Hill has another monster game.It was the first time since March 1 that the Suns have beaten a good team. And the Phoenix Suns' 118-115 win over the Denver Nuggets gives them their longest winning streak of the year, 5-0. Unfortunately, they've had a longer losing str ... More >>

Suns Host Antawn Jamison and Washington Wizards on Saturday

www.nba.comAntawn Jamison The Dallas Mavericks haven't exactly placed a foot on the Phoenix Suns' throat and stood upright with all of their weight during the battle for the eighth and final playoff spot. See a 119-110 loss to the Golden State Warriors on March 13, a team that the Suns stomped 154 ... More >>

Leandro Barbosa Could Miss the Rest of the Regular Season, and Without Him, it May be Impossible for the Phoenix Suns to Make the Playoffs

Can the Phoenix Suns make the playoffs without shooting guard (and sometimes point guard) Leandro Barbosa, who went down with a hyper-extended left knee the other night against the Philadelphia 76ers and is now expected to be out for as many as 10 games? www.nba.com Barbosa joins Stoudemire. ... More >>

Leandro Barbosa Injured in Phoenix Suns' Impressive Win Over Philadelphia 76ers

www.nba.comLeandro Barbosa takes a sickening spill. Just when you thought the Phoenix Suns' luck was improving, another player gets injured. This time it happened at the end of the first quarter of the Suns' game against the Philadelphia 76ers when Leandro Barbosa went down with a hyper-extended lef ... More >>

Wild-Card Studs: Phoenix Suns Seek Revenge Against Young-Gun Philadelphia 76ers Tonight

search.espn.go.com Sixers rookie Marreese Speights spanked the Suns in Philly. When last we met the Philadelphia 76ers, back in Philly on February 9, the Sixers' young and relatively rested legs made quick work of the punchy Phoenix Suns, who were coming off a tough win the previous night in ... More >>

Phoenix Suns Break Six-Game Losing Streak, With (You Guessed it) Wins Over Two Teams With Losing Records

www.daylife.com Ex-Warriors Jason Richardson and Matt Barnes light up their old coach.Over the weekend, the Phoenix Suns did what they do best -- beat bad teams. The score was 106-95 against the 18-48 Oklahoma City Thunder at US Airways Center on Saturday night and a runn ... More >>

Phoenix Suns Can Possibly Enjoy Some Fun Times for a Change in Cupcake City This Weekend

www.nba.comNenad Krstic of the Oklahoma City Thunder What do the Phoenix Suns have left to play for, following their epic, disheartening, and potentially playoff killing losing streak? If the Suns catch fire and the Mavs majorly choke, perhaps a postseason berth, a not-impossible-but-improbable sc ... More >>

Supermen of La Mancha: Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James, Mo Williams Visit Phoenix Suns Tonight

www.nba.com Mo Williams: Finally, a worthy sidekick for LeBron. Following the Phoenix Suns' figurative demise in their do-or-die game versus the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night, the dudes in orange have about as much chance of making the playoffs as did Don Quixote of slaying a windmill. B ... More >>

Phoenix Suns Have Only a Slim Chance of Making the Playoffs, after Eating a Dirk Sandwich Against Dallas

Nowitzki and the Mavs aren't the best show in the NBA anymore, but he's still a Suns killer.Shaquille O'Neal scored 21 points against the Dallas Mavericks to go ahead of Elvin Hayes for sixth on the NBA career scoring list (he needs 88 points to best the next guy on the li ... More >>

Math Test: Phoenix Suns Face Must-Win Game Against Dallas Mavericks Tonight

www.nba.com Dirk Nowitzki: Could another choke job be forthcoming? By the time a must-win game for the Phoenix Suns rolls around, we're usually breaking out the sunscreen and decorating the Maypole. This year, desperation's come early. In the race for the Western Conference playoffs, the Su ... More >>

Phoenix Suns Go 0-4 on Road Trip, Losing in Final Minutes to Hated Spurs on Sunday

nba.com Tony Parker owns the Suns this season.There's only bad news about the fading Phoenix Suns, whose chances of making the Western Conference playoffs get slimmer by the game. The sad thing is, the Suns could've won every one of the past four road games in Orlando, Miami, Houston, a ... More >>

Player Hater: Phoenix Suns Need to Channel Shaq's Aggro to Win on the Road This Weekend

www.nba.com As the saying goes, "Don't hate the player, hate the game." Well, considering the current tongue-lashing dished out by Shaquille O'Neal at Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy, the hate is all-encompassing for the Suns' big man. The triggering episode occurred Tuesday night in Orla ... More >>

Should the Phoenix Suns Have Gotten Rid of Amar'e Stoudemire When They Had the Chance?

The Phoenix Suns are cringe-worthy these days, after losing the first two games on a four-game road trip at a time when they desperately need to win to squeak into the Western Conference playoffs. (We're praying for a miracle tonight against the Tracy McGrady-less Rockets in Houston, ... More >>

March 6 In Blogs: Phoenix Suns, Emo, Luke's of Chicago and More

We understand that in the 24-hour news cycle it can be difficult to keep up. Worry not! We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries: Valley Fever:Should the Phoenix Suns Have Gotten Rid of Amar'e Stoudemire When T ... More >>

Phoenix Suns Continue Skid, Losing to D. Wade and the Miami Heat, 135-129

allposters.com Those were the days, my friend. Shaq and D. Wade after their 2006 NBA titleTwo of Shaquille O'Neal's old teams on the road in two nights. Two losses. Tuesday night, it was to the Orlando Magic, and Wednesday it was to Dwayne Wade, Shaq's brother in arms in the 2006 NBA ch ... More >>

Peter Pan in Converse: Shaq and the Suns Face D-Wade's Miami Heat Tonight

www.nba.com Dwyane Wade has returned to top form. That's bad news for Suns fans, good news for fans of the game. On tap tonight in Miami: basketball at its most poetic and primal. Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade, the NBA's most elegant player, will provide the athletic iambic pentameter. A ... More >>

Shaq Has His Biggest Weekend Since He was With L.A., as the Phoenix Suns Crush Toronto and Beat the Lakers

Shaq played like he was this kid's age over the weekend.What a weekend for Planet Orange, and its largest inhabitant! We're beginning to think of the Phoenix Suns as a planet again, after back-to-back victories against the Toronto Raptors and the Los Angeles Lakers at US Airway ... More >>

Phoenix Suns' Twitter Takeover Continues With a Suns Tweets Web Site

Sunstweets.com gathers together all Twitter updates related to the Suns. The Phoenix Suns have built a presence on social networking site Twitter, and now some local Twitterers and Suns fans are helping to bring Suns players and fans together via a site called sunstweets.com. Several months a ... More >>

Orange Crushed: Suns Fall in La-La Land, Meet Lakers Again Sunday, Toronto Tonight

www.nba.com Lamar Odom: "The Goods" played out of his skull in L.A. last night. For a precious few minutes  in the first quarter of last night's Suns/Lakers game in La-La Land, the Suns held their own against the NBA's best. No, it was better than that. They were rolling, running, g ... More >>

Feedback from the Issue of Thursday, February 26, 2009

Beat L.A.: Potential First-Round NBA Playoff Preview Tonight at Staples Center

www.nba.comKobe Bryant With a 4-1 record in the Alvin Gentry era, the Phoenix Suns are winning the games they're supposed to win. However, they're still faltering against the NBA's elite, evident by Sunday's ass-whopping against the defending champion Boston Celtics. But that's ok. The reason Terr ... More >>

Phoenix Suns Hold Off Boris Diaw, Raja Bell, and the Charlotte Hornets 112-102

There were hugs all around, before Tuesday night's game got started and after the final buzzer. Raja Bell and Boris Diaw seemed happy to be back home in Phoenix, even if they are now starters for head coach Larry Brown's Charlotte Bobcats. So much so that they were the high scorers in ... More >>

Apocalypse Diaw: Phoenix Suns Host Boris, Charlotte Bobcats Tonight

www.nba.com Boris Diaw ain't all that. Last Thursday, in one blink of Amar'e Stoudemire's bum eye, the Phoenix Suns' playoff chances took a sucker punch to the gut. Most people's first thought: "Oh. Crap." Most people's second thought: "Oh. Crap. We traded away Boris Diaw." Our second thoug ... More >>

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: The Suns Blow Out the Thunder and Get Dominated by the Celtics Over the Weekend

The good, of course, were Rajon Rondo (pictured) and the mighty Boston Celtics, who came into US Airways Center Sunday Afternoon and took care of business, 128-108, against the Phoenix Suns. The bad were the Oklahoma City Thunder, who got dominated by the Suns here Friday night, ... More >>

On the Run: Fast-Moving Phoenix Suns Host OKC Tonight and the Boston Celtics Sunday

More impressive than the 140 or more points scored in each of the Phoenix Suns' dominating victories over the Los Angeles Clippers is this quote by Clippers guard Eric Gordon, which followed the second game of the Alvin Gentry era. "They are going to be a really hard team to beat now that they are ... More >>

Phoenix Suns' Amar'e Stoudemire Undergoes Eye Surgery; Probably Out for Rest of the Regular Season

Just when things were beginning to look up for the Phoenix Suns. The team announced that power forward Amar'e Stoudemire -- on the trading block until he stepped up his game after a recent coaching change -- underwent surgery today for a "partially detached re ... More >>

Amar'e Stoudemire Scores 42 in Phoenix Suns' Second-Night-in-a-Row Rout of Clippers

The once-again run-and-gun Phoenix Suns looked great again Wednesday night, scoring 140 points or more for the second game in a row against the dog-ass Los Angeles Clippers. This time, the score was 142-119, and supposedly on-the-trading-block Amar'e Stoudemire scored 42 points of that and ... More >>

Okay, Stoudemire's Staying With the Phoenix Suns, and so's Shaq -- at Least for the Remainder of the Season

The NBA trade deadline passed at 1 p.m. today with no Phoenix Suns players moved -- not even Amar'e Stoudemire (whose departure seemed all but a done deal last week). Suns brass had been admitting for a month that they were entertaining trade offers for every member of the team e ... More >>

Looking Like the Suns of Old After the Coaching Change, Phoenix Blows Out the Hapless L.A. Clippers

It was a game in which Goran Dragic slam-dunked. Goran who? You know, the highly touted backup point guard whom fired Suns Coach Terry Porter used to ream a new one from the sidelines everytime he made a blunder. The Slovenian rookie (pictured) played with reckless ab ... More >>

Breakneck Mountain: Phoenix Suns to Revive the Seven-and-Shoot Tonight Against Clippers Tuesday and Wednesday

This just in from Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver and general manager Steve Kerr: Oops. Our bad. Terry Porter, we hardly knew ye. Here's a sack full of cash to salve your wounds. Amar'e -- ha ha. Those trade rumors? We were just kidding. Ya know we love ya, ya big lug. The rest of you guys, run li ... More >>

Good Riddance: Terry Porter's Officially Fired, but Could it be Shaq Who Now Goes Instead of Amar'e?

Well, it's official. Phoenix Suns head coach Terry Porter was fired today and replaced (on an interim basis) with long-time Phoenix assistant and former Los Angeles Clippers head coach Alvin Gentry (pictured). "I hired Terry because I believed he would be able to provide the balance o ... More >>