Game 9: Houston(4-3)@Phoenix(6-2)

[DaDragicShow]

Who: Houston Rockets@Phoenix Suns
When: 8:30pm(pacific time)..FSN, ESPN
Where: U.S Airways Center.. Phx,Arizona




Houston Starting lineup:
C- Yao Ming
Pf- Louis Scola
Sf- Ron Artest
Sg- Tracey Mcgrady
Pg- Rafel Alston

Bench:
Brent Berry
Chuch Hayes
Luther Head




Phoenix Suns lineup:
C- Shaquille Oneal
Pf- Amare Stoudemire
Sf- Matt Barnes
Sg- Raja Bell
Pg- Steve Nash

Bench:
Boris Diaw
Leandro Barbosa
Grant Hill

[DaDragicShow]

I'm 2-0 in game threads so far, so I hope we will win tonight.

[scootfu602]

Should be a real test for the Suns. Hope to see them pull this one off

[harshey1388]

this game is going to be great to watch!

and this one would be the perfect team to start figuring out the offense and show how we can contend against the elite teams in the west!

GO SUNS!

[Miklo]

Finally on National TV so I don't have to watch the game through the fabulous online feeds from our friends over in China. I just got a PS3 (I know, yeah I'm one of those people that still plays video games - hey, my friend had one and NBA 2K9 on PS3 is AMAZING. Looks like you are watching a game, plus I've always loved living vicariously by doing all the front office stuff). ANYWAY the point is I don't have the money for League Pass so I'm so excited for tonight.

I really want to see Nash start to be a bit less stubborn and adapt to the offense. That is the key to this game. Its the key to this season. Hell, its the key to us ever winning before the window closes. Shaq/Amare vs. Yao/Scola should be fun for us Suns fans to watch. Those two tandems are literally opposites. Finesse vs. THE MIGHT OF THE GREAT AMAR'E.

[addicted2noise]

I'm a little nervous about this one, because Houston's struggling defensively and I think they're going to try to toughen up against us. I went to the game at US Airways last year when the Rockets came in adn beat us by shutting our offense down. If we just keep the turnovers down we should be okay though.

[MaryvalesFinest]

Prediction-Suns win by 8

[DaDragicShow]

I'm predicting Dragic has a break-out game and scores 10 points, has 3 assists and 1 steal.

[Purple Palace]

Yao is soft, 16 ppg, 45% shooting this season and hasn't had a good game since the 2nd game of the season at Dallas.

McGrady is a missed shot waiting to happen, he's shooting 37% right now and is hampered by injuries.

Alston can't defend Nash. Nash shot 48% from the field/54% from 3 last year vs. Houston, while Alston couldn't even put up respectable numbers vs. our worst defensive player, Nash.

Artest will probably do well since he flat out owned us last year, 29 ppg on almost 50% shooting with 10 rpg. I remember him and Amare getting into it last year and Amare dunked on him.

We need the bench to at least do something, and we should win.

Feed Amare and it's over, he's too good to only get 10 shots a game, unless he's getting 15 FT's along with those 10 shots.

[Phx4Life08]

I predict we win 109-96. Nash will have an allstar type game and either Barnes of Bell will get hot from downtown tonight. I can feel it hehehe

[DaDragicShow]

Bell has played great this year, I thought he was going to be streaky like he was last year, but so far ive been impressed by him.

[rsavaj]

If we play like we did against Memphis, we will lose, simple as that. This isn't a team to be taken lightly.

[tsherkin]

What I want to see early is penetration and attacking Yao; I want Amare thundering down the lane on rolls all throughout the first quarter to see if the Suns can get quick fouls on Ming so he doesn't have a chance to get a rhythm early.

I want to see them hurry the ball up the court, have a look, and then take their time if they have to.

I think those are the most important things; get ahead of Houston's defense, take advantage of Amare and try to take Yao out of the game (or else he'll probably go big tonight).

EDIT:

Aside from that, I'd like to see fewer turnovers and the Suns taking advantage of Houston's small frontcourt.

[rsavaj]

I'm worried about how Amare will do with Artest guarding him.

[DaDragicShow]

lmao @ artest guarding Amare not going to happen, Scola will be on Amare.

[Purple Palace]

lmao @ artest guarding Amare not going to happen, Scola will be on Amare.

Artest guarded Amare last year in a game.

[lilfishi22]

We'll win this if we take are of the ball and pick up the pace. Defensively we're not at where we want to be yet, but we're making much better defensive plays, so couple that with a quicker offense and I think we should be able to win it. I don't think Barbs is gonna get his way again tonight, I think they're going to try and contain him and Amare, since outside of those two we haven't really had others stepping up as of late.

[A.J.]

Good luck guys tonight. Hopefully you guy's frontcourt doesnt overpower us alot, but rather teach our frontcourt a lession of toughness.

[rsavaj]

lmao @ artest guarding Amare not going to happen, Scola will be on Amare.

Yeah, the idea of them putting their best defender on our best scorer is really hilarious

[Mr. Sun]

Like the Lakers entering their big games, Rockets will be well rested.... unlike us.