Game 28: Cleveland(20-8) @ Phoenix(18-9)

[jazzy_jeff]

Reasons I'm not totally discouraged about tonight:

- this game was 5 points with 7 minutes to go
- the three-ball has played a large part in the Suns success this season, and they couldn't hit from the outside tonight


We need to get a win against a semi-quality opponent though. All the recent wins have been against garbage teams. OKC isn't bad, so that's a place to start on Weds.

[HootieRules]

Amare got outplayed by Andy freaking Varejao. Nice heart tonight #1.
LeBron had that look in his eye.
Mo Williams couldn't miss.

It's amazing we were in this thing halfway through the 4th... move on to the next one

Still think Lou and Dudley need waaaaaaaay more minutes....

[HootieRules]

For all those who want to trade JRich... seriously? With Barbosa's injuries the last 2 years? Guy is as frustrating as they come next to Amare but there's no trade out there that makes us better. Dalembert sucks.

Should've done the damn Wallace for Tyson Chandler trade and this team would be miles better. #%#$ Sarver.

[jazzy_jeff]

Amare got outplayed by Andy freaking Varejao. Nice heart tonight #1.

He just got out-acted by Varejao. Amare didn't get any calls, got T'd up for looking the wrong way. Varajeo was in his prime dramatic form tonight, and was getting the calls.
Not to excuse a subpar second half for Amare, but that's the truth.

[alldayeveryday]

Was in Dallas last night, Phoenix tonight. Robert Sarver yells at refs more than @mcuban

@PDcavsinsider via twitter

I hope the excuses come to an end about teams (suns) can't win on back to back games. Clearly the Cav's had no problem doing it. When you turn the ball over 15 + times, and the other team scores 30 points off of it, your not going to win. Rest up boys, well move onto OKC -

Once again J-Rich disappears, but I will give him a pass on this game cause I think he's still nursing his injury. There are many games to be played, I hope the trade rumor threads don't start to come out like a wild fire.

[garrick]

I hate Varejao and his floppy hair, sad thing is the refs reward him for his "defense".

[Qwigglez]

Shaq should pull a prank on him and shave a piece of it off.

[Blackification]

Meh cavs = elite, suns = playoff team. We all knew this come on guys we aren't winning this year we all know it. Cavs show how to win on a second night of a back to back and thats what makes them elite. Unfortunately we are not and we know it. Just go through this year because we can't rebuild anyway, try to make a trade for amare and or jrich and lets see what goes from there cause amare is not getting a max here. I don't really want him to i'd rather draft our way up or sign a free agent for a good price than to overpay one player and then screw us up later. Amare isn't going to win us a championship and you don't pay your number 2 guy a max contract. Orlando did it but they got very lucky with dwight.

[BurningHeart]

I'm REALLY sick of Jason Richardson's STUPIDITY.

[BurningHeart]

The wheels fell off when it was 85-81. Jared Dudley misses an OPEN three, then Mo Williams comes down and hits a REALLY predictable three to put them up 7. Goes from being a 1 point game to a 7 point game just like that. Then when it was 86-92, Mo Williams gets the ball and BLATANTLY travels on his three in the corner to put them up 95-86, and after that it was done.

[Blackification]

I'm REALLY sick of Jason Richardson's STUPIDITY.

seriously it felt like right when we were about to make a comeback he would take a stupid shot or turn it over or something or when things were really bad he would just chuck up a three and make it worse. Its really sad to see players like nash and dudley making good plays and then you watch jrich just chuck away and amare turn the ball over like its on fire.

[Nando88]

i need to change my sig lol

[lou_skywalker]

the Suns are obviously not an elite team.....good teams like the Cavs take care of business on the road..they have the sense of urgency after they lost to the Dirk-less Mavs so they worked harder to get the W in Phoenix.

[JohnVancouver]

Seriously, I think J-Rich is our only movable piece. Him and Nash just don't have that chemistry as a backcourt duo should have. Richardson is one of those players that is only good on bad teams.

Still wondering why Amare only had 4 points in 20 minutes.

I think you mean, JRich is IMMOVABLE. Dalembert is about the only person I could see getting for JR.

Which is a deal I've been advocating for since June. Dalembert would fit in nicely here.

I'm so disgusted I would applaud that deal, and I think my distaste for Sammy is well-known to all.
Watching JRich play lately has suddenly made the drunk-driving, kid in the back seat stuff all make sense. he really just is that dumb

send him to NY take back Curry and .. someone

[JohnVancouver]

Reasons I'm not totally discouraged about tonight:

- this game was 5 points with 7 minutes to go
- the three-ball has played a large part in the Suns success this season, and they couldn't hit from the outside tonight


We need to get a win against a semi-quality opponent though. All the recent wins have been against garbage teams. OKC isn't bad, so that's a place to start on Weds.

I'm with you on this - we simply hung in for nearly three quarters with a much better team, and then they pulled away. We were not embarrassed, we were beaten by a championship contender.
Now, that said, the loss highlighted some deficiencies. We know what they are. No big news here.

Good things - Duds defending LBJ, Frye showing some presence inside defensively, Amar'e boarding with some authority.

As always, when we go dry offensively we lose a lot of ground to good teams. We had at least one near 6 minute span with no points. We don't go 6 minutes keeping other people from scoring, so there you have it.

Barbs would not have made that much of a difference. He might have added a dozen points but how many would he have given up? I'm much more upset by the Portland loss than this one. This one is just - who we are