Every sports fan in Phoenix is jumping for joy. No, not because the Cardinals didn’t get last in the NFC West, but because the Suns are the best team in the NBA.
This is the first time in recent memory that the dominant team in the NBA hasn’t had a physically dominating big man in the middle like Tim Duncan or Shaq. So how are the Suns keeping up a league-best 31-8 record? By running, running, running, and running some more.
And the man leading the charge, former Maverick Steve Nash. He led the Mavs in fast-break-always offense and has implemented it now in Phoenix. He is passing the ball like no one else this season, averaging 10.9 assists per game and lets not forget the 15 points per game on the scoring side of him.
And starting at shooting guard, 6’5″, 238 lbs, Number 3, Quentin Richardson. The former Clipper has gone from fan favorite to under-the-radar in one off-season. Not to mention being 2nd best to 4th. He was the 2nd best acquisition this off-season by the Suns, and he was a pretty damn good one at that.
Last year Quentin was the up and coming star for the Clippers. Then Donald Sterling let him go for an older and more injury prone Kerry Kittles. What has Kittles done this season? He has only played in 10 of 36 games, none of which were starts. In the 10 games he has played, he has only averaged 6.6 points per game. Quentin has averaged 15.6 points per game and has 6 years on Kerry.
While Amare Stoudamire and Steve Nash are getting all the attention, Shawn Marion is quietly proving himself to be one of the best small forwards in the NBA while having the best season of his career.
To me Marion is one of the most sufficient players in the NBA. He can shoot the three, drive to the hole and is averaging a team leading 10.7 rebounds per game as a small forward. How often does that happen? Not to mention his 19.7 points per game, 2nd behind Amare on the team.
And then there is THE most underrated player in basketball, Amare Stoudamire. He is only 6’9″ 245 lbs and playing as a center. Also, the December 20th ESPN the magazine said quote, “Amare is playing much bigger than his size.” The last two years he has played power forward and averaged 20 and 13 points per game while averaging just over 26 points per game this year. This year he changed positions and suddenly became undersized. Now anyone who has made that comment is taking it back and quickly. He has become dominant down low without size or weight. He outsmarts the other centers. He can get perfect rebounding position, defensively or offensively, using his hip to box the other centers out. And the one thing that has helped become the superstar he has always had inside is the man running it all. The man getting him the ball. The man is Steve Nash.
The Suns have dropped four in a row to Utah, Indiana, Washington, and now the Pistons without the injured Steve Nash. Without Nash this team is back to where it was last year with no point guard. He should be back to play Memphis on Wednesday and snap their losing streak and start another winning streak. Lookout for the Suns to make a run for one of the best records of all-time this season but don’t expect them to beat or tie the Bulls 72-win season.
One reply on “Sunny Days in Phoenix”
title! i liked the title, however i dissagree with Amare being THE most underrated player in the NBA. I am gonna go out on a limb and say, Udonis Haslem. He is averaging 11 PPG for the heat. Had you heard of him before the season. Amare gets a lot of press.
Overall your points were hard-hitting and accurate. good story!