| 13 April 2010
Here we are just a few hours away from playing the Denver Nuggets, almost exactly where we were three games ago when the two through five seeds in the west sat in a four way tie at 50-27. Okay, all the records may not be so perfectly aligned, but the idea of the Suns fate being completely in their own hands still applies.
Phoenix, Denver, and Utah each have 28 losses and Phoenix gets to play the Nuggets tonight at home and the Jazz tomorrow on the road. Two wins secure a rather surprising third seed in the west.
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I know, sweeping a back to back where the two games are not at home can sometimes be a tough proposition, but there is a silver lining. Utah also plays tonight in Golden State, so the Jazz will be traveling as they hit the second half of a back to back as well. Still, these teams are both loaded with professionals and when professionals need to be motivated in back to back games, they find a way.
I'm looking forward to tomorrow nights game probably even more than tonight's game. I think most of that is due to the fact that I like Phoenix's chances tonight. Denver has been a bit of a mess lately and are under .500 on the road this season. If Phoenix plays its own game and doesn't go off the rails they should slowly put the Nuggets away. Of course, I'm all for jumping out to a twenty point half time lead and cruising into tomorrow's game, but I can't expect the Nuggets to completely lie down either. Even a mess, they're too good for that.
Tomorrow night on the other hand is where I'm getting nervous. All things considered the Suns have played them well all season, but the Jazz have managed to wave some sort of magic wand and escape two games the Suns ought to have won, by allowing the Jazz to come back big in the fourth quarter. I fear the Jazz in that way. As some sort of nemesis that Phoenix may not be able to shake. Even the best team in the league has had its problems with surprising teams. Cleveland lost three of four to Charlotte this season. Why? Maybe it's as simple proximity, but even Lebron admitted
"Honestly, it's a really talented team. They have some really good pieces and they match up well with us. They play us tough every time."
That's how I see the Jazz matching up with the Suns. Couple that with the fact that Utah is a really tough home team, and tomorrow's game has me biting my nails already.
But first things first, focus on the Nuggets tonight. If we can't get past them, we may as well embrace the fifth seed and be happy about it.
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