# Suns @ Blazers: GAME THREAD



## ABM (Dec 30, 2002)

Martell starting tonight!! :clap:


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## chromekilla (Aug 21, 2005)

cool! Who's playing sf?


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## ABM (Dec 30, 2002)

Zidane said:


> cool! Who's playing sf?


Monia.


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## ABM (Dec 30, 2002)

Martell looking good early. Already has a three.


Blazers up 5-4


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

Man I am concerned. The team is just letting Phoenix get offensive rebound after another, and Zachs head is not into the game. Twice now he has been used to screen off his own team mate.


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## Spoolie Gee (Feb 3, 2005)

Zach looks awful.


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## Fork (Jan 2, 2003)

hasoos said:


> Man I am concerned. The team is just letting Phoenix get offensive rebound after another, and Zachs head is not into the game. Twice now he has been used to screen off his own team mate.


Yeah. That tip in by Nash was unaccptable. Good lord...it seems like if Zach misses a couple shots early, his defense is horrible for the entire game. Of course, if he makes a couple shots early, his defense is still pretty bad.


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## Fork (Jan 2, 2003)

Spoolie Gee said:


> Zach looks awful.


Yes.


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## MAS RipCity (Feb 22, 2003)

Zach is at his best when he doesn't do too much. Catch n shoot for zach, get putbacks,etc. He can't dribble,etc so he should jsut stick to his strengths. Also, Bassy's shot looks great. Give him time, he'll be one of the best pgs in the L. We are about 2 years away. Just let our young guys turn into studs and we could be deadly. I am looking ahead to the draft though...LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE!


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## mgb (Jun 26, 2004)

WE need to get back on D and we need to take the shot when it's there. Jack pass on a wide open 3 and then later forces a shot when he's being covered.


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## mgb (Jun 26, 2004)

Viktor was smart enough to sense he could get a steal when the guy was in trouble and try to get rid of the ball. Nate will have to give him more playing time.


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## Spoolie Gee (Feb 3, 2005)

Khryapa should get a chance to start at the 3.


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## Fork (Jan 2, 2003)

Phoenix just isn't missing anything.

Even when the Blazers play decent defense and get a hand in somebody's face, they still hit the shot.


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## mgb (Jun 26, 2004)

Spoolie Gee said:


> Khryapa should get a chance to start at the 3.


After that assist I agree with you.


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## Spoolie Gee (Feb 3, 2005)

Wonder why Webster hasnt been back in the game. He wasnt playing that bad when he was in.


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## OntheRocks (Jun 15, 2005)

I think it's hilarious when our announcer says that were doing great @ 19 - 9 Suns. Who is this guy anyhow? He's a HUGE HOMER.


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## wastro (Dec 19, 2004)

Is that 5 assists at the half to Phoenix's 18? Ouch.

Portland's moving the ball around fairly well and isn't turning it over, but Phoenix is just too much to handle.

The ONLY player that looks even marginally good tonight is Telfair.

Watching the Suns' scattershot offense is alot like NBA Jam for the old video game consoles - shooting 3's like crazy, no set plays and non-stop transition ball. I love watching them play but recoil when it's against the Blazers.


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## Fork (Jan 2, 2003)

Spoolie Gee said:


> Wonder why Webster hasnt been back in the game. He wasnt playing that bad when he was in.


I think Juan Dixon going 4-8 is most of it.


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## Spoolie Gee (Feb 3, 2005)

Fork said:


> I think Juan Dixon going 4-8 is most of it.


 
Cant disagree with that. I got a little distracted while he was in the game and didnt notice him make 4 shots.


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## mixum (Mar 19, 2003)

watching this game has taken 1 year of my vision when im older.


BLAZERS ARE A DISASTER :brokenhea


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## wastro (Dec 19, 2004)

mixum said:


> watching this game has taken 1 year of my vision when im older.
> 
> 
> BLAZERS ARE A DISASTER :brokenhea


It's not like we played them any better when we had the vets around.

I think I heard that the average margin of defeat last season was 22 points.

Just more of the same this year.


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## crowTrobot (Jun 24, 2005)

mixum said:


> watching this game has taken 1 year of my vision when im older.
> 
> 
> BLAZERS ARE A DISASTER :brokenhea



maybe you should pick another team to watch then. please.

blazers are playing ok, not great but not a disaster. it's more the suns are playing
excellent and hitting everything in sight.


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## OntheRocks (Jun 15, 2005)

mixum said:


> watching this game has taken 1 year of my vision when im older.
> 
> 
> BLAZERS ARE A DISASTER :brokenhea



Are the blazers actually your favorite team?


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## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

Yeah, mixum. It's all about the culture of winning!

Submit to the culture of winning!

Ed O.


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## Xericx (Oct 29, 2004)

I really wish bad upon the suns this year (as far as basketball is concerned). They are runniing up the scoreboard by launching 3 after 3 with a 35 point lead....oh well...just annoys me as a Blazer fan. 

They did this last year with Quentin Richardson in a game. They also left Stoudamire in a game last year with a HUGE lead just so he can get 50 points. BOOO!


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## mgb (Jun 26, 2004)

Suns already passed my prediction score.


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## mgb (Jun 26, 2004)

If this isn't a disaster I don't know what is.

And we'll have more like these. 

But we are going to win Sunday because I'm going to the game!


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## chevelle (Feb 8, 2004)

Does anyone else find it screwed up that our starting point guard doesn't even have an assist going into the 4th quarter???

Did Telfair get hurt or something???


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## Xericx (Oct 29, 2004)

Games like this make me wanna go outside and cause wreck on a dunk hoop.

 

Embarrassing lossses like this are good because at least we know Nate Mac is gonna rip them a new one. 

HORRIBLE boarding.


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## Amareca (Oct 21, 2002)

The third quarter wasn't even over, what were the suns supposed to do? Lay down and let the Blazers back in?


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## handclap problematic (Nov 6, 2003)

Whoever said this wasn't a disaster needs to get their head out of the sand.
Now, it may not be a disaster in the "future".....but for this game, at this exact time? ****ing Disaster.
No questions asked.


Prunetang


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## Sambonius (May 21, 2003)

I dont know why people were surprised last year when we lost when our best player was out. Now, our second player is hurt. Of course we are going to decline even more, no need having an attitude about it.


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## Xericx (Oct 29, 2004)

Amareca said:


> The third quarter wasn't even over, what were the suns supposed to do? Lay down and let the Blazers back in?


You guys seem to do this alot...leave the starters in....up 35 points, leave Nash and Marion back in against the Blazer scrubs? Did it last year with Stoudamire...huge lead, he wanted to score a lot so you just left them in.


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## Spoolie Gee (Feb 3, 2005)

:cheers:


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## BlazerMania (Apr 5, 2004)

Uuuugh.


Randolph is putting in zero effort.


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## Amareca (Oct 21, 2002)

Burke, Jimmy Jackson, James Jones, Dijon Thompson yeah all those guys , that's our starters.

None of our starters played more than 30 minutes.


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## Xericx (Oct 29, 2004)

Amareca said:


> Burke, Jimmy Jackson, James Jones, Dijon Thompson yeah all those guys , that's our starters.
> 
> None of our starters played more than 30 minutes.


I just got home in the 3rd...saw the 35point lead and saw Nash and Matrix out there and the suns were launching 3 after 3. 

Grr.....just pissed about the way the blazers are playing...but I still hope we screw you guys over later in the year!


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

In Amareca's defense the Suns pulled all their starters in the 4th Q last game against Atlanta when they were up like 38

They're just a freakish team right now


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## crowTrobot (Jun 24, 2005)

Prunetang said:


> Whoever said this wasn't a disaster needs to get their head out of the sand.



no you need to get your head out the sand and look at how well phoenix
is playing. we played ok in the first half - level with them for most of it
despite the suns hot shooting. we gave up in the 2nd-half so you could
call it a disaster now, but phoenix would be blowing out almost any team
in the nba right now playing this way.


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## Xericx (Oct 29, 2004)

:brokenhea


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## Xericx (Oct 29, 2004)

YUCK...what the hell kind of shots are the Blazers taking? NONE OF THEM ARE OPEN! 

Monia...what was that?


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## Xericx (Oct 29, 2004)

Blazers need to pass the ball better...YUCK. This is disgraceful.


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## It's_GO_Time (Oct 13, 2005)

crowTrobot said:


> no you need to get your head out the sand and look at how well phoenix
> is playing. we played ok in the first half - level with them for most of it
> despite the suns hot shooting. we gave up in the 2nd-half so you could
> call it a disaster now, but phoenix would be blowing out almost any team
> in the nba right now playing this way.



Are you kidding me, Blazers are down by over 40 points. In fact just given just your commets my feeling is anytime a team "gave up" that in itself is unacceptable and a disaster. 

Pick your battles and this game should not be it.


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## Spoolie Gee (Feb 3, 2005)

I know we suck but damn, the Suns can flat out shoot the ball.


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## Xericx (Oct 29, 2004)

I would NOT like to be the Blazers on the way home. 

On the bright side, the previous version of the Blazers"would be laughing and joking when we were down this big.


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## mgb (Jun 26, 2004)

Viktor does have the heart. Love to see that. First the steal, then great pass for what should have been a easy basket, then all the way back on D for the block.


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## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

crowTrobot said:


> no you need to get your head out the sand and look at how well phoenix
> is playing. we played ok in the first half - level with them for most of it
> despite the suns hot shooting.


Are you joking?

The Suns won the first quarter by 10 points and outscored Portland by 9 in the second.

Even without the Blazers "giving up" in the second half, being "level" with the Suns for most of the game would have resulted in a 38 point loss by some simple math.

Ed O.


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## Fork (Jan 2, 2003)

The Suns would have beaten any team in the league tonight.


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## It's_GO_Time (Oct 13, 2005)

Fork said:


> The Suns would have beaten any team in the league tonight.



By 45 points?


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## mixum (Mar 19, 2003)

they would have beaten any team.....but not by 45. Portland looked like a college team from Alaska playing Duke.


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## ProZach (Oct 13, 2005)

I'm just guessing, but when two individual Suns players equal or surpass the amount of assists our entire team had, I don't think that's good.. Our starting and backup PGs didn't have a single assist between the two of them.. Check the record books.

Nate has no clue what to do. MOnia plays eleven more minutes than Patterson? Outlaw doesn't play in the first half? Webster starts, then plays seven minutes in the first half? Steve Blake is still activated and Ha isn't even though we can't rebound? 

I thought my expectations were low enough to not be disappointed this year. I was wrong.


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## MeirToTheWise (Nov 9, 2005)

All I can say is keep your heads up : / Things will get better eventually.


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

It is simple, the Blazers just weren't awake. 

1. Nobody stopped the ball.
2. Players were so asleep that Suns were able to get open in the left corner all night, alley oop on the break all night, and even were using Blazers as screens on the fast break because they would not pay attention to the ball coming up behind them. 
3. Nobody rebounded. 
4. No pressure. Did the Blazers extend pressure once?
5. What good does it do to stay down at the other end and yell at the ref when you know he isn't going to give you the call? The Suns got at least 10 points tonight off of such situations, and it might have actually been worse had I added it up. Refs give fouls when you play agressive and hard. Not when you are standing around jawing at them. 
6. Midget ball does not work. Please quit putting two players under 6'3" in the back court at the same time.
7. Does anybody on this team rebound? Does anybody do anything but stand there and watch the other team rebound? 
8. Nate should throw in a zone every once in a while as well as a full court trap just to throw a loop at them every once in a while. 
9. Why is the team trying to set up Zach starting at th 18 foot line? The last thing this team needs is him having an excuse to jack up an outside jumper. 
10. I have no idea why Martell was taken out in the 2nd quarter so long. So what if Dixon hit 4 of 8. If you notice, that unit was making enough mistakes that the lead was more then doubled, easily. 

Last but not least, now you see what happens when the other team actually pays attention to game film and you don't.


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## crowTrobot (Jun 24, 2005)

Kiss_My_Darius said:


> Are you kidding me, Blazers are down by over 40 points. In fact just given just your commets my feeling is anytime a team "gave up" that in itself is unacceptable and a disaster.



gave up meaning put in our bottom 5 mid-way through the 3rd against
the suns starters instantly balooning the deficit. most blazers were still trying
- particularly VK.


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## jibikao (Nov 14, 2004)

Xericx said:


> You guys seem to do this alot...leave the starters in....up 35 points, leave Nash and Marion back in against the Blazer scrubs? Did it last year with Stoudamire...huge lead, he wanted to score a lot so you just left them in.


Actually, if you've watched Suns' games this year, you'll know that we have trouble closing game out. 20+point lead is really nothing. We can lose 17pt lead in one quarter. We just want to make sure we have even more point lead before we can rest Nash. 

Nothing against Portland, really. It's our problems.


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## Fork (Jan 2, 2003)

Kiss_My_Darius said:


> By 45 points?


Possibly. At least they would have beaten any other bad team by 45. 

They shot a ridiculous percentage even when we did manage to get a hand in their face.

Did you think we were good before this game?


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## quick (Feb 13, 2004)

I think we just beat the Sonics in having the worst blowout of the season. Phoenix shot the ball insanely well.


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## It's_GO_Time (Oct 13, 2005)

crowTrobot said:


> gave up meaning put in our bottom 5 mid-way through the 3rd against
> the suns starters instantly balooning the deficit. most blazers were still trying
> - particularly VK.



Thanks for the clarification. I still think it was a disaster, but I get what you are saying about giving up.


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## Blazer Ringbearer (Jan 28, 2003)

Sometimes in the NBA you just get the crap kicked out of you... especially when you're not that good.

No reason to jump ship or make excuses. It is what it is...

Let's see how they respond.


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## crowTrobot (Jun 24, 2005)

Ed O said:


> Are you joking?
> 
> The Suns won the first quarter by 10 points and outscored Portland by 9 in the second.
> 
> ...


that's more about the suns being scary than us being a disaster. we 
were playing at least reasonable D in the first half (down only 13 with 3
min left) but they had so many guys hitting 3's there was nothing we 
could do.


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## It's_GO_Time (Oct 13, 2005)

Blazer Ringbearer said:


> Sometimes in the NBA you just get the crap kicked out of you... especially when you're not that good.
> 
> No reason to jump ship or make excuses. It is what it is...
> 
> Let's see how they respond.



Wasn't this their response to losing to Utah at home and the Miles news?


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## mook (Dec 31, 2002)

that is the most thorough stomping I've seen our Portland team endure since....didn't we set a league record in scoring futility about 4 years ago against Utah? something like 55 points? 

anyway, it's getting embarasssing to watch this product anymore. any team on a 5 game losing streak that allows themselves to lose by 45 points just can't be taken seriously. we're truly the second worst team in the league after Atlanta right now.


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## arenas809 (Feb 13, 2003)

What an *** kicking, why even play the rest of the year after a game like this?


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## handclap problematic (Nov 6, 2003)

Crowt. I think it is a combination of both the suns playing well, and us being a "disaster". We played horrible defense against the 3 point shot. I think I saw two 3 pointers during that first half that were contested...one that J. Jones hit for isntance. But, the rest of the 3 pointers were off of Nash passes to wide open perimeter players. 
To me this game is a total disaster. Horrid.

I would never jump ship, however, I Am a fan through thick and thin. Doesn't mean I have to enjoy what just happened........

Prunetang


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## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

crowTrobot said:


> that's more about the suns being scary than us being a disaster. we
> were playing at least reasonable D in the first half (down only 13 with 3
> min left) but they had so many guys hitting 3's there was nothing we
> could do.


So did Portland play them even in the first half, or not?

And how did Atlanta do the other night when Phoenix was playing well? Did they roll over like the Blazers did? The answer, of course, is no.

The Suns DEFINITELY played well tonight. But I can't believe that anyone can look at the Blazers and not be embarrassed at how uncompetitive we were.

Ed O.


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## It's_GO_Time (Oct 13, 2005)

Fork said:


> Possibly. At least they would have beaten any other bad team by 45.
> 
> They shot a ridiculous percentage even when we did manage to get a hand in their face.
> 
> Did you think we were good before this game?



No. But I wasn't expecting a game like tonight. Oh well, it still only one in the loss column . . . although i think there might be a rule 20.062 that states if you lose to a team by 45 points at home it counts as two in the loss column. : )


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## Xericx (Oct 29, 2004)

theWanker said:


> that is the most thorough stomping I've seen our Portland team endure since....didn't we set a league record in scoring futility about 4 years ago against Utah? something like 55 points?
> 
> anyway, it's getting embarasssing to watch this product anymore. any team on a 5 game losing streak that allows themselves to lose by 45 points just can't be taken seriously. we're truly the second worst team in the league after Atlanta right now.


Uhhh...still not as bad as that one Indiana game in like 98 or 99....


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## Xericx (Oct 29, 2004)

arenas809 said:


> What an *** kicking, why even play the rest of the year after a game like this?


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## crowTrobot (Jun 24, 2005)

Prunetang said:


> We played horrible defense against the 3 point shot.


that's more about our guards not being able to slow down penetration, which
is our biggest weakness and one of the suns biggest strengths. they exploited
it well.


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## crowTrobot (Jun 24, 2005)

arenas809 said:


> What an *** kicking, why even play the rest of the year after a game like this?


because the next victory will be all the sweeter


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## BlazerCaravan (Aug 12, 2004)

Xericx said:


> Uhhh...still not as bad as that one Indiana game in like 98 or 99....



Listening to Mike Rice and Wheels got pretty funny after a while. Some point in the third quarter, Mike Rice left to get a beer. "Do you want one?" he asked Wheels on the air. "Yes, but it probably wouldn't help," Wheels replied.


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## crowTrobot (Jun 24, 2005)

Ed O said:


> The Suns DEFINITELY played well tonight. But I can't believe that anyone can look at the Blazers and not be embarrassed at how uncompetitive we were.
> 
> Ed O.


we were competetive in the first half. that's my point. there is hope.

the final score is embarrassing but 1/2 of that is nate giving up
(to rest starters + theo for tomorrow).


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## Xericx (Oct 29, 2004)

The phoenix announcer did a mock "chick hearn" jello's jiggling thing early in the 4th...

"The pork chops are getting cold..."


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## It's_GO_Time (Oct 13, 2005)

crowTrobot said:


> because the next victory will be all the sweeter


Nice response . . . wish I thought of it.


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## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

crowTrobot said:


> we were competetive in the first half. that's my point. there is hope.


They were down by *19 points* at halftime. That's competitive?

I don't think there's no hope, but if you're relying on that first half for evidence, I don't see it at all.

Ed O.


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## BlayZa (Dec 31, 2002)

well ive just gotten home from another day in the salt mines and checked the scores.

11 total assists ?
telfair zero ?
the russians 2-13
suns 33 assists
and we had 6 more FGA than them and lost by 45pts

:brokenhea 

there is no silver lining to this game cept we only had 8 turnovers....
yes we had no miles , but they had no amare - i think we were lucky it was only 45pts

heh how about this quote from the espn game wrap

"Only Sebastian Telfair, with 12 points, was an offensive force for Portland"

12pts = offensive force , whoa.


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## italianBBlover (Mar 5, 2003)

BlayZa said:


> and we had 6 more FGA than them and lost by 45pts


Blazers 2-12 from 3 
Suns 16-32 from 3 

:angel: 

The real problem of the Blazer is shooting IMO, and not from this night.
Go back to see the past games ... 2-7 ... 4-13 ... 2-8 ... 3-11 ... how can you win with so poor shooting when other teams like Suns or San Antonio do almost every game 11-22, 12-25, 8-17 etc ? 

And c'mon ... how can your starting SF (Miles) shots 0-4 from 3 in the first 15 games ? and 8-23 last year in 63 ? 
And your PF (Randolph) 0-9 from 3 in the last 62 games when guys like Nowitzki, Marion or Walker do 3-6 almost very game ?

Gretz and good luck


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## bballchik (Oct 22, 2005)

ProZach said:


> I'm just guessing, but when two individual Suns players equal or surpass the amount of assists our entire team had, I don't think that's good.. Our starting and backup PGs didn't have a single assist between the two of them.. Check the record books.
> 
> Nate has no clue what to do. MOnia plays eleven more minutes than Patterson? Outlaw doesn't play in the first half? Webster starts, then plays seven minutes in the first half? Steve Blake is still activated and Ha isn't even though we can't rebound?
> 
> I thought my expectations were low enough to not be disappointed this year. I was wrong.



You just contradicted yourself sooo much here. Yes it is bad when everyone's favorite guards Telfair and Jack had ZERO ASSISTS TOTAL but in case you didn't notice Steve Blake played only 15 min and had FOUR ASSISTS all by himself. And he shouldn't be activated? Um ok too bad he's the only one that passes the ball and gets the team involved on offense and defense. Oh well.


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## soonerterp (Nov 13, 2005)

bballchik said:


> You just contradicted yourself sooo much here. Yes it is bad when everyone's favorite guards Telfair and Jack had ZERO ASSISTS TOTAL but in case you didn't notice Steve Blake played only 15 min and had FOUR ASSISTS all by himself. And he shouldn't be activated? Um ok too bad he's the only one that passes the ball and gets the team involved on offense and defense. Oh well.


I tend to agree with the original poster you addressed that Ha is deserving more minutes. Throw Webster into that mix too -- he has some very very nice moments when he's out there. I also happen to believe that Blake deserves a little more burn than he's getting.

I am not sure its entirely fair to single out Telfair and Jack, who are good players who had off nights on a particularly bad night against a team that in all likelihood could have schooled a team made up of all-time NBA greats. I have to bow down to the Suns -- they were white-hot that night.

That said, it still is a source of bemusement to me to hear talking heads opine about how Portland should have picked up a quote-unquote veteran point guard in the offseason. They halfway did that, actually by picking up a rather young veteran. I know a lot of people think Blake is a no talent hack so I'm positive this will go in one ear and out the other ... everybody knows what Blake did in college, but that's neither here nor there anymore. No one seems to remember that Blake started several games for the Wizards when Gilbert Arenas was hurt during the 2003-2004 season (Blake's rookie year). Blake was no Kirk Hinrich (who was having a great rookie year about the same time), but he held his own in those games. The only thing that held down Blake's numbers the following season was the fact he lost a lot of games to an ankle injury in the early part of the 2004-2005 season ... and I'll grant that Blake might have been a little slow to regain his footing (no pun intended) when he was cleared to play again. To be further fair, I'll give you two knocks I have on Blake: 1) Sometimes he has a tendency to go for the flashy pass and winds up committing a turnover (yeah he did that at Maryland too) and 2) Still needs to work on his shooting. I would add spend more time in the weight room, but considering that he is actually somewhat more defined now than he was when he was balling at Maryland, perhaps he has.

Is it possible that Coach Nate was giving Blake some garbage-time burn to showcase him for inclusion in a possible deal?

It's getting a little bit late to say that its early in the season. Does it come a time when Coach Nate decides he maybe needs to make significantly more radical changes in his lineups than he has been doing?


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## bballchik (Oct 22, 2005)

soonerterp said:


> That said, it still is a source of bemusement to me to hear talking heads opine about how Portland should have picked up a quote-unquote veteran point guard in the offseason. They halfway did that, actually by picking up a rather young veteran. I know a lot of people think Blake is a no talent hack so I'm positive this will go in one ear and out the other ... everybody knows what Blake did in college, but that's neither here nor there anymore. No one seems to remember that Blake started several games for the Wizards when Gilbert Arenas was hurt during the 2003-2004 season (Blake's rookie year). Blake was no Kirk Hinrich (who was having a great rookie year about the same time), but he held his own in those games. The only thing that held down Blake's numbers the following season was the fact he lost a lot of games to an ankle injury in the early part of the 2004-2005 season ... and I'll grant that Blake might have been a little slow to regain his footing (no pun intended) when he was cleared to play again. To be further fair, I'll give you two knocks I have on Blake: 1) Sometimes he has a tendency to go for the flashy pass and winds up committing a turnover (yeah he did that at Maryland too) and 2) Still needs to work on his shooting. I would add spend more time in the weight room, but considering that he is actually somewhat more defined now than he was when he was balling at Maryland, perhaps he has.


 :clap: I just said basically the same thing on another thread talking about how young Sebastian is....everyone just seems to forget there is a fully capable 25 yr old point guard sitting on the bench that has been on the nba for three years. hats off to you for noticing!


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