NBA Southeast Division

SHAQ'S FLACKS ARE WAY OFF TRACK

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NBA All-Star Weekend 2009

The Heat Is On: Miami and Shawn Marion Visit the Suns Tonight

Rewind, for a moment, to the 2005-06 NBA season. The Miami Heat visit the Phoenix Suns in a marquee matchup. Talk of a future NBA Finals series between the two powerhouses flood the sports talk airwaves. But despite Shaquille O'Neal's (playing for Miami at the time) team-leading 13 rebounds, th ... More >>

Steve Nash Booed: Phoenix Suns Lose to Two Mediocre Opponents Over the Weekend

Two loses to two terrible-to-mediocre teams in the past two games. In fact, the Phoenix Suns are 2-2 against such opponents in the past four games. Did we mention that Amare Stoudemire got two technical fouls, the latter of which put him in the locker room and pretty much assured a S ... More >>

Suns Trade Raja Bell and Boris Diaw to Charlotte for Slam-Dunk Champ Jason Richardson, Et Al

Finally, the Suns got rid of tentative Boris Diaw -- then they threw in defensive-minded Raja Bell for good mearure. At least, these were the name players the team jettisoned to acquire talented two-guard Jason Richardson (pictured after a dunk) from the Charlotte Bobcats. The 6 ... More >>

Hot Links: Cops Arrest Four Following Hate Crime Attacks; Suns Trades Upset Nash; Cops to Enforce License Plate Cover Law

Never trust a guy who's got a swastika tattooed on his forehead: Phoenix cops arrest four suspected white supremacists after two hate crime attacks. Steve Nash says he's "emotionally drained" following the Suns' trade of Raja Bell and Boris Diaw for Jason Richardson of the Charlotte Bobcats. ... More >>

Temporarily Depleted by the Monster Trade, Suns Still Give Lakers All They Can Handle in L.A.

Down three players, the Phoenix Suns played toe to toe with the Los Angeles Lakers for four quarters before losing 115-110 at Staples Center. With the usual assortment of show-biz types in attendance Wednesday night, the Suns, with just eight players available, looked much better ... More >>

Jason Richardson Profile: Newest Sun Expected to Make Debut Against Magic Tonight

Phoenix Suns fans: Here's a quick-and-dirty introduction to the team's newest member, Jason Richardson, who was acquired in Wednesday's five-player trade that sent Raja Bell and Boris Diaw to the Charlotte Bobcats.

Prodigal Sun: Mike D'Antoni Returns Tonight When His Knicks Take on Richardson-Revitalized Phoenix

  So, when Mike D'Antoni leads his New York Knicks out of the tunnel and onto the hardwood at the Purple Palace, will you boo him or will you cheer him? What's the etiquette for a man who abandoned a listing ship? Sure, following the Suns' first-round playoff ouster by the San Antonio Spurs ... More >>

Bear Market: Phoenix Suns at Memphis Grizzlies Tonight

The Boston Celtics bought themselves an NBA Championship in 2007-08. The Los Angeles Lakers nearly stole one by snookering away the rights to All-Star forward Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies last February 1 for the NBA equivalent of nothing. Oh, Memphis Coach Marc Iavaroni, a former Suns ass ... More >>

Shaq Leads the Way in Suns Victory Over Worst Team in NBA

  The Phoenix Suns played all but nine minutes of Monday night's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder without Steve Nash, and the team seemed to pick up steam after its floor leader went to the locker room with back spasms. Even if it was against the team with the worst record in the NBA, th ... More >>

Western Conference Rival Mavs Return Tonight for Another Shot at Suns

What's the one thing the Phoenix Suns learned during their spirit-crushing Christmas Day defeat by the San Antonio Spurs? That they still have heaps of trouble with the Western Conference's elite. (They also have problems with getting clipped at the buzzer. See Wednesday night's gut-wrenching defe ... More >>

Shaq Dominates Again: Suns Beat Fading Atlanta Hawks 103-98

  It was Shaquille O'Neal's night again -- and thank God for it! Without him, the Suns would've lost to the Atlanta Hawks, who led the game at US Airways Center late in the fourth quarter before a Suns spurt. O'Neal had 26 points and 10 rebounds in 40 minutes against the 22 ... More >>

Wolf Trap: Phoenix Suns vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Here Tonight

A mid-January game against the Minnesota Timberwolves is no big D, right? The playoffs-bound Phoenix Suns will ring up these bottom-feeding fools without stainin' their sweats, yo? Wrong on both counts. And that "playoff-bound" part is dicey, in and of itself. Everyone but the Suns seems to reali ... More >>

Suns Battle Old Pals Boris Diaw, Raja Bell, and Joe Johnson in Charlotte Tonight and Atlanta Sunday

Charlotte's Boris Diaw in his strange new role: starter. If Charlotte were Philly, the Phoenix Suns would be wise to beware of flying alkaline batteries and half-filled beer cups when they take the court against the Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena at 5 p.m. tonight. But North Carolina's s ... More >>

Think Times Are Hard for the Suns? Try Loving the Washington Wizards, Phoenix's Opponent Tonight.

In 2004-05, the Washington Wizards boasted the NBA's most fearsome backcourt. Led by ex-UA Wildcat standout Gilbert Arenas, Antwan Jamison, and Larry Hughes, Washington earned a modest forty-five victories in the regular season, but turned heads during the NBA Playoffs with its first-round conquest ... More >>

Suns Redeem Themselves vs. Atlanta After Stinking Against Charlotte

The Phoenix Suns longest road trip of the year was a disaster -- until the Big Three (no, not those Big Three) found a way to win against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday. We're talking about Steve Nash, Amar'e Stoudemire, and Shaquille O'Neal. Nash played so brilliantly against the Hawks ... More >>

What Does it Mean? Phoenix Suns Lose and Win Against Terrible Teams

You know what it means that the Suns blew out the Sacramento Kings 129-81 at US Airways Center Monday night? Nothing. The Kings are 11-39, officially the third-worst team in the NBA at 11-39 (the L.A. Clippers and the Washington Wizards are tied for worst at 10-38). Running them out of the gym ... 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 >>

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 >>

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 >>

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 >>

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 >>

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 >>

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 >>

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 >>

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 >>

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 >>

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 >>

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 >>

All-Star Schedule

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 >>

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

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 >>

Never Mind the 'Ballers

Here's the Suns

Flashes

Here's the Suns

Hot Links: Coyotes, Dogs in Heat, and Dead Sharks in the Road

A Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled yesterday that the city of Glendale must reveal records by Friday that show what incentives it's offering to a new owner of the Phoenix Coyotes ice hockey team. Among the potential team buyers are Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, and Daryl Jones o ... More >>

Don't Drink the Orange Kool-Aid Yet. Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant Are Coming Right Up.

Steve Nash and the Suns have found success in scrappiness.​Just two weeks ago, in our secret heart of hearts, we were ready to consign 35-year-old Steve Nash to the dustbin of history. Unless you're Steve Nash's mom, you were, too. Be honest. Then came that last-minute beauty shot in the regular ... More >>

Road-Weary Suns Drop Fourth Out of Last Five in 102-101 Loss to the Dallas Mavericks; Next: Friday vs. Orlando Magic

www.nba.com/sunsJason Richardson: 25 points in a losing effort​It seems as if the Phoenix Suns are playing only road games this year. Of course, they've suited up at US Airways Center a few times, but, indeed, they've been away from home a lot thus far: a league-high 15 games out of the first 22 t ... More >>

Worst Refereeing We've Seen all Season Keeps Suns from Winning Two Weekend Games in Row Against Elite Teams. Next Up: Hated Spurs

wikipedia commons Amar'e Stoudemire was fouled repeatedly by the Nuggets but barely got a call.​The refs and 21 turnovers were the culprits in the Phoenix Suns' 105-99 road loss to the Denver Nuggets, a night after they'd stunned the second-best team in the Eastern Conference, th ... More >>

Local Kid Jerryd Bayless Sticks Dagger in Suns in Tough 105-102 Loss to Blazers; Next Up: the Washington Wizards on Saturday

www.nba.com/blazersJerryd Bayless: The Phoenix native scored 29 against the Suns.​Ouch. This one stings: The Portland Trail Blazers totally dominated the fourth quarter and overcame a 15-point deficit to beat the Phoenix Suns 105-102 Thursday night in Portland. Steve Nash had an opportunity to bri ... More >>

Hot Links: UA's Nuclear Reactor, Salvation Army, and Circles

​The University of Arizona plans to shut down its nuclear reactor by mid-2010. The license for the 51-year-old reactor, used for research, expires next year, and Director John Williams says it isn't used enough to warrant a vigorous re-licensing process with the Nuclear Reg ... More >>

Behind The Scenes at Phoenix Suns Game: Steve Nash and Gilbert "Trouble Man" Arenas

Fantastic game downtown last night between the Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets, as my colleague Ben Leatherman already has detailed in Valley Fever. We were fortunate enough to be courtside for the thriller, which had the intensity of a do-or-die playoff game. ​Down in the bowels of th ... More >>

Suns Do What They Do Best and Lose Big Lead, but Still Manage to Win Against Lowly Bucks. Gentry Explodes!

wikipedia commons Coach Alvin Gentry was livid over his team's play against Milwaukee.​When haven't the Phoenix Suns blown a double-digit advantage in a game this season? Damned if we can remember.Often they've blown a big lead and lost, as they did Friday night at US Airways Center. After ... More >>

Suns Do It Again (Lose a Huge Lead, That Is) As Pacers Rally for Upset

www.nba.com/sunsSteve Nash: A busted lip won't slow him down.​What is wrong with the Phoenix Suns? These guys simply can't hold big leads. For what seems like the 20th game in a row, the Suns jumped out to sizable advantage before watching that advantage evaporate. This time, it was to the Pacers, ... More >>

After Two Tough Road Losses, the Suns Don't Appear to Have Much Going for Them Right Now; Next Up: A Day Game in Memphis Today

www.nba.com/sunsSteve Nash: A rough weekend on the road.​The Phoenix Suns are not a very good basketball team right now. And it was a particularly dismal weekend on the road for Alvin Gentry's squad, whose impressive start to the season (they went 14-3) has been all but squandered in recent weeks. ... More >>

Amid Amar'e Trade Speculation, Phoenix Suns Lose Fourth in Row. Next up: New Jersey on Wednesday

nba.com Robin Lopez had the game of his short NBA career in the loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.​We wouldn't want to be Suns Coach Alvin Gentry. Amar'e Stoudemire trade talk has bubbled up again. The wheels have come off his team. And he's gotta do something to fix it. The Sun ... More >>

In Seventh Loss in Past Nine Games, Phoenix Suns Wimp Out to Charlotte. Next Up: Mavs Thursday Night

The Bobcats' Stephen Jackson lit up the Suns last night.​Finally, it's official: The Suns suck. With that strong start, we wanted to believe. Oh, how we wanted to believe! But after heart-breaking back-to-back losses to Utah Monday night and Charlotte last night, we're giving u ... More >>

Amar'e Stoudemire Trade Talk Swirls, as Phoenix Suns Drop Road Game to Dallas Mavericks; Up Next: Atlanta Hawks

Amar'e Stoudemire: 30 points in his possible Suns finale. ​If the Phoenix Suns' game Wednesday night against the Dallas Mavericks was the last game with Amar'e Stoudemire in a Suns uniform, at least the All-Star went out with a bang. Stoudemire scored 30 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in the ... More >>

It's Official: Amar'e Stoudemire Is Staying Put

Amar'e ain't going anywhere.​The NBA trade deadline passed mere moments ago and Amar'e Stoudemire is still a member of the Phoenix Suns. Yeah, we know you've heard rumor after endless rumor this week about how the Phoenix Suns superstar was getting a one-way ticket to either Cleveland or Mi ... More >>

Hot Links: Ballot GPS, Phoenix Suns, and NHRA Spectator Death

​Maricopa County elections officials are launching a new program to track ballot boxes with GPS. The goal is to be able to track all 17,000 pieces of voting equipment in the Valley. The program will be tested in March during school-district elections, and is expected to be fully ready for the elec ... More >>