| 02 December 2009
Hmm - so let's see - consider this hypothetical.
A team - let's call them S - with the best record in the NBA comes into the hometown of their former coach. He just happens to be leading another team - call them K - with one of the worst records in the league. And that spry S team also has a proven history as offensive giants on the court that is unrivaled in the regular season.
And their opponents - that badly struggling K team - are a statistical mess with a losing record. Their performance on the court is so bad that only two other teams out of the 30 in the entire league have allowed their opponents to score more points per game. And they have scored an average of 7.29 fewer points per game than their foes.
Whatya' say - this game should be easy pickins', right? Well - guess again young readers.
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No - this was the night to bet against the odds. It was time for David to beat-up poor Goliath and the giant was felled in what is arguably the best known arena in the country. It was time for the true underdog - you know that K team - to become a tripwire for that high flying S bunch. The damage was high and the surprise 126 - 99 victory will not soon be forgotten.
Of course it is an improbable story - a fairy tale of sorts. But it really happened on Tuesday evening and it may be weeks before our Phoenix Suns live it down because they were on the back end of a butt whipping that never should have happened - especially in the glamorous environs of Madison Square Garden at the hands of the New York Knicks.
Painful - yes, aggravating - certainly.
A lesson that will prove to be a longterm positive as the season moves forward - hopefully. But if the drubbing that saw the Suns hit just 23.5% from behind the 3-point line in the Big Apple isn't learned quickly our team's impressive start may evaporate in a desert of exaggerated hopes and dreams.
Hitting just 35 buckets from the field is not a winning formula for any team in the NBA - especially a team like the Suns that has relied on its ability to outscore virtually all comers. And shoveling mucho minutes to uncertain second stringers like Goran Dragic - he lays claim to a goose egg for the game by missing every 2-point, 3-point and free throw shot he took in 23:37 minutes of play - is not the way to reach for a championship ring.
Sure Steve Nash tried to hold it all together with 20 points and 8 assists but sitting through this game was like watching a salmon struggle to swim upstream. And we have to tip our hat to Amar'e Stoudemire for being the only Suns starter to hit better than 50% from the field. Thanks for showing some precision STAT.
But other than those bright spots we can only hope for the best and brace for what looks to be a tough contest coming against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. Time to say a little B-ball prayer.
See ya'.
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