# Game Thread: Saturday March 5th, Phoenix vs. Portland



## ChristopherJ (Aug 10, 2004)

<center>









Phoenix Suns (44-14, 1st Pacific) 

vs









Portland Trail Blazers(22-33, 4th Northwest) 










Saturday, Mar. 5, 7:00pm
vs. Trail Blazers


Phoenix Suns

*Probable Starting Lineup:*




































PG: Steve Nash
SG: Quentin Richardson
SF: Joe Johnson
PF: Shawn Marion
C: Amare Stoudemire

*Key Reserves:*





























Jim Jackson
Leandro Barbosa 
Steven Hunter 
Walter McCarty 



Portland Trail Blazers

*Probable Starting Lineup*




































G: Damon Stoudamire
G: Nick Van Exel
SF: Ruben Patterson
PF: Theo Ratliff
C: Joel Przybilla

*Key Reserves:*






















Darius Miles
Sebastian Telfair
Shareef Abdur-Rahim




Last Meeting:Phoenix 117 Portland 98


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

Nice game thread :yes:. I'm going to be using your format now. Its nice :greatjob:. I'll keep on making the game threads. How bout you do the ones on the weekend? Cuz I don't go on much during the weekend. Anyways I think we should win. Amare is going to abuse ZBo and didn't Q make 9 threes the last time we played them?

Suns-120
Blazers-108


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## ChristopherJ (Aug 10, 2004)

^Sounds good to me :biggrin: 

After that tough win against Detroit, we should be confident about this one.

Prediction: Suns 123 Blazers 104

Nash 18/4/13
Amare 27/8/3


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## Ezmo (May 11, 2003)

That win last night was huge...

Suns 121
Blazers 105

Matrix with 21, 10 rb, 5 ast, 3 stl, 2 blk


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## underhill_101 (Feb 22, 2005)

my prediction

suns 118
blazers 101

suns are gonna run away with this one early

nash 18/4/14
amare 30/12/3


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

I hope we take this game serious. I just don't want us to have a let down after a big win when we shouldn't. Maybe the day in between will help. I am not even gonna predict in hopes I don't jinx us.


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## G-Force (Jan 4, 2005)

dissonance19 said:


> I hope we take this game serious. I just don't want us to have a let down after a big win when we shouldn't. Maybe the day in between will help. I am not even gonna predict in hopes I don't jinx us.


Yep, Just what I was thinking. You just cannot look past struggling teams like Portland. They may be going nowhere fast, but they still have considerable talent in that lineup and they just might get up for this game. There is something about beating a better team when you are down, and Portland will likely be looking to do just that.

G-Force


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## DwyaneWade4MVP (Apr 1, 2004)

I predict:

Suns 119
-
Blazers 98


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## azirishmusic (Feb 25, 2004)

Dangerous game. It is too easy to overlook the Blazers the way they have been playing, but this is a big team with some very talented players. The Suns cannot afford to get caught looking ahead to the Sonics game.

On the Dec 5th game the Suns big star was Q who scored 37 points including 8 of 12 for 3. It was also one of Hunter's better games in that he played 21 minutes and grabbed 6 rebounds, shot 4 of 6, and had two blocked shots.

On Jan 2 Amare totally destroyed the Blazers by scoring a career high 50 points (20-27 from the field) and grabbed 11 rebounds. Q scored 20.


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

Well its game time in about a little bit less than an hour. I have to admit that I am really worried about this game. I don't know if we are going to take this team seriously and we might slack off and not play so well. I am hoping Q is going to continue his hot streak from the 3 point line, and Amare should abuse Zach Randolph down low. If I were Coach D'Antoni, I would only play Nash around the 25 or so minutes, and give Barbosa a chance to step up and prove something. Jim Jackson showed me some good passing ability and defense last game vs. the Pistons, and I hope he shows that tonight too along with some good shooting. Hunter probably won't play too much unless Joel Pryzbilla yes Joel Pryzbilla and Theo Ratliff are killing us on the boards. Hopefully Hunter will play his good D on them and rebound with a fire. I just checked the Game Thread. Is Zach Randolph not playing? I hope he is because Amare can put him to work. Anywayz heres the game preview.

*http://www.nba.com/games/20050305/PORPHO/preview.html *


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

Eh, Q isn't playing today. Hyperextended knee I believe. Too bad for us. Jim Jackson seems to be doing a good job in place of him.


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

Awesome! Jim Jackson and Leandro Barbosa are really stepping it up! JJax is perfect from the field 3-3 with 8 points and 3 assists. Barbosa only 3 minutes, he has 8 points 2-2 from 3 point range.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

34-24 at the end of 1. We are definitely taking this game serious. A lot of guys are really stepping it up lately, like Barbosa, and Jackson in this game. I hope this continues and we get more consistency from the bench as we have been. Now, lets not just fall asleep sometime in this game.


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

Barbosa

10:15 
2nd PHO Leandro Barbosa made dunk.


Wow didn't know dude could dunk. Awesome! :laugh:


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## G-Force (Jan 4, 2005)

Portland already has nine turnovers. This is looking like its gonna be a long night for the Trail Blazers.


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

Hunter also playing really well. 7 minutes he has 4 points, 3 blocks, and a rebound!


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Wow, we are on fire. 70% from 3pt land. JJ has been sick as well.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

69-47 at halftime..


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## ChristopherJ (Aug 10, 2004)

93-76 with 2 minutes to end of 3rd. This is just a blowout. Good the get Barbosa and the rest of the bench get some time.


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## ChristopherJ (Aug 10, 2004)

wow 102 points at the of the 3rd. Good the see the Suns focused for this game.


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

Blowout...JJax and Barbosa are huge! JJax hasn't missed a shot yet and also has 9 assists and 4 boards!! 7-7 and 3-3 from 3 point land. Good job stepping it up when I was starting to doubt you!!!


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## ChristopherJ (Aug 10, 2004)

The Suns are up so much that even PAUL SHIRLEY is playing. :cheers:


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## 4-For-Snapper (Jan 1, 2003)

KidCanada101 said:


> The Suns are up so much that even PAUL SHIRLEY is playing. :cheers:


Yep. That just added insult to injury.


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## 7 (Sep 14, 2004)

You gotta love Barbosa. Some people got on him a bit when he had a few bad games, but this guy just has so much potential. He's one of the quickest guys in the league, great length and great outside shot. You need to watch this guy warmup before a game, he doesn't miss a shot. The last game I was at I watched him sink like 18 of 20 threes that he put up. Maybe I should start an LB fanclub.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Yep, and it's games like this that people see the scores and say, how we didn't play any D. Obviously, they didn't see when were up 90-66 at one point. Scores can skew so much if you don't watch. As I've said before our score usually dictates the other teams score which is why it's usually high. You don't see a 129-90 win in blowouts with a score this high..It just won't happen much.


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## 7 (Sep 14, 2004)

dissonance19 said:


> Yep, and it's games like this that people see the scores and say, how we didn't play any D. Obviously, they didn't see when were up 90-66 at one point. Scores can skew so much if you don't watch. As I've said before our score usually dictates the other teams score which is why it's usually high. You don't see a 129-90 win in blowouts with a score this high..It just won't happen much.


Yeah, the Suns played really solid D while it was still a game.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

7 said:


> Yeah, the Suns played really solid D while it was still a game.



Yeah. And I'm not saying we play great D or good D. Prolly avg or lil bit above avg at best but it's not as bad as people think or say it is. We just get a rep for no D because the teams we beat, they're scores are so high. I wonder if by scoring 110-120 range in a few playoff games or first few playoff games, then people will start to take us serious as a contender by showing we can play it in the playoffs.


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## 7 (Sep 14, 2004)

dissonance19 said:


> Yeah. And I'm not saying we play great D or good D. Prolly avg or lil bit above avg at best but it's not as bad as people think or say it is. We just get a rep for no D because the teams we beat, they're scores are so high.


Very true.


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## ChristopherJ (Aug 10, 2004)

dissonance19 said:


> Yep, and it's games like this that people see the scores and say, how we didn't play any D. Obviously, they didn't see when were up 90-66 at one point. Scores can skew so much if you don't watch. As I've said before our score usually dictates the other teams score which is why it's usually high. You don't see a 129-90 win in blowouts with a score this high..It just won't happen much.


Very true.


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

Just looked at the boxscore...Steve Nash-*24 minutes*! Excellent the guy needs rest. Also Jimmy Jackson- *10 assists*! I bet its the first time anyone besides Nash got 10 assists this season huh :biggrin:. Good job stepping up by our bench. Even Bo and Shirley played. I love Bo hes the man.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Kekai23 said:


> Just looked at the boxscore...Steve Nash-*24 minutes*! Excellent the guy needs rest. Also Jimmy Jackson- *10 assists*! I bet its the first time anyone besides Nash got 10 assists this season huh :biggrin:. Good job stepping up by our bench. Even Bo and Shirley played. I love Bo hes the man.


Bo's a vet, and has experience. He's not bad. Why doesn't he play more often?


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

dissonance19 said:


> Bo's a vet, and has experience. He's not bad. Why doesn't he play more often?


Don't know. Some people have been saying he lost his explosiveness and stuff and hes not like he used to be. I don't know about that, the times Ive seen him play he has done good. I want to see him play more.


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## DwyaneWade4MVP (Apr 1, 2004)

Nice win in a uptempo game of the suns!
129 points are great, especially without Q...


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## azirishmusic (Feb 25, 2004)

dissonance19 said:


> Bo's a vet, and has experience. He's not bad. Why doesn't he play more often?


Bo can't shoot. This team is built around the idea that no team can stop five strong offensive players who are willing to pass the ball. This emphasis on offensve means that defensive specialists like Bo can't get any minutes.


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## tempe85 (Jan 7, 2005)

azirishmusic said:


> Bo can't shoot. This team is built around the idea that no team can stop five strong offensive players who are willing to pass the ball. This emphasis on offensve means that defensive specialists like Bo can't get any minutes.


The great thing is if there was an injury Bo would step up to the challenge in an instant. He's a true professional, and while he might not score for you much he's great at cleaning things up (lifetime FG% of 58%) and can outhustle the best of them.


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

tempe85 said:


> The great thing is if there was an injury Bo would step up to the challenge in an instant. He's a true professional, and while he might not score for you much he's great at cleaning things up (lifetime FG% of 58%) and can outhustle the best of them.


True that. If Hunter, Mccarty, or even Marion or Stoudemire go down which I really hope does not happen, Bo will be ready to play and he will play good. I see him on the sidelines always in his warmups cheering on his teammates. He really has a lot of class. Its just too bad he wasn't a couple years younger.


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## Blazer Freak (Jul 11, 2004)

dissonance19 said:


> Bo's a vet, and has experience. He's not bad. Why doesn't he play more often?


The Blazer's TV crew was talking about that last night and they said that the play of Steven Hunter has really pushed Outlaw out of the rotation. Hunter just blocks, rebounds and can score some points, and has young legs and can run the floor. I can see why, Hunter was a great pickup, and I said that when you guys picked him up that he would be a great fit.


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## azirishmusic (Feb 25, 2004)

Every other team in the NBA passed on Hunter when he was waived, even though his contract wasn't much. He didn't do much with the Magic and most people thought he couldn't play.

Hunter is still pretty limited, but the Suns are the ideal team for him since they run all the time. I'm not sure he would find minutes on any other team, but he has really helped the Suns.


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