SwingMan
12-04-2007, 06:49 AM
Barbosa quickly getting up to speed (http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/1204sunsnb1204.html)
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/pics/1203barbosa.jpg
Suns guard Leandro Barbosa pumps his fist after hitting a three-pointer.
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 4, 2007 12:00 AM
INDIANAPOLIS - Suns guard Leandro Barbosa may not feel as good as he wants but his offense looked as good as Phoenix wanted during Sunday's victory in New York.
Much like backcourt mates Raja Bell (ankle, back) and Steve Nash (shoulder, neck, elbow), Barbosa went from one injury (ribs) to another (ankle) in recent weeks. But that was hard to tell when he gave the Knicks a full-speed arsenal Sunday.
It was not Barbosa's best three-point-shooting game (he was 1 for 5) but he was 6 for 7 inside the arc with four of those makes coming with the midrange game he seeks. He made a step-in jumper, a spot-up jumper and a floater before capping Phoenix's critical 11-0 run to start the fourth quarter with a transition pull-up shot.
http://www.azcentral.com/imgs/clear.gif
"I still can't make all of the moves I want but it's feeling much better," Barbosa said of a bothersome right ankle sprain.
Swing's note: Chrissakes, ANOTHER one? Tell these guys any damn thing you want - they're the best fucking secret keepers known to man..... :roll:
He did not look any worse for the wear Friday against Orlando, when he continually blew by Magic guards for layups and a rare dunk.
The reigning Sixth Man Award winner leads the team in shots (14.4 per game), as he did last season, but his three-point percentage is at 37.3 after he made 44 percent of his three-pointers over the past two seasons.
Points without pace
People are quick to credit the Suns' speed when they score 115 as they did Sunday. But the pace of Sunday's game was more like Phoenix's loss to Houston than Friday's win over Orlando. The Suns were just better in execution Sunday, with 58 percent shooting and 11 turnovers.
"That's kind of a playoff pace," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "It's efficient. It's not so much running as it is we just keep coming at you."
They were opportunistic, getting 15 of their 17 fast-break points off Knicks turnovers.
Free throws
Nash said Sunday night that he probably would not play for Canada's national team if it lands a spot in the Beijing Games.
"I would say no, but I can't really talk about it until the situation arrives and this season's come to a conclusion," Nash said. "But in my mind right now, I'm not going to play for Canada anymore. I just can't do both."
Nash captained Canada's team in the 2000 Olympics and tried to help the Canadians qualify for the 2004 Games. The point guard stopped playing for the national team after signing with the Suns in 2004.
• Everywhere the Suns go, forward Grant Hill hears the same questions about playing 35 minutes per game despite his age (35) and injury history. Hill had the same average in 2004-05, the last time he was close to being this healthy and was an All-Star starter.
"If my ankle's a problem, it's going to be a problem if I play 35 minutes or 15 minutes," said Hill, who is making career-best percentages on three-pointers (31.7) and free throws (87.3).
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Tuesday's game
Suns at Pacers
When: 5 p.m.
Where: Conseco Fieldhouse.
TV/radio: My 45/KTAR-AM (620).
Indiana update: The Pacers (9-9) are coming off a 3-1 trip. Point guard Jamaal Tinsley averaged 16.3 points, 9.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds on the trip. Indiana replaced Troy Murphy with Jeff Foster in the starting lineup alongside Tinsley, Jermaine O'Neal, Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger. O'Neal had his season's best game Sunday against the Clippers (20 points, 15 rebounds) after battling knee and calf injuries since camp.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/pics/1203barbosa.jpg
Suns guard Leandro Barbosa pumps his fist after hitting a three-pointer.
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 4, 2007 12:00 AM
INDIANAPOLIS - Suns guard Leandro Barbosa may not feel as good as he wants but his offense looked as good as Phoenix wanted during Sunday's victory in New York.
Much like backcourt mates Raja Bell (ankle, back) and Steve Nash (shoulder, neck, elbow), Barbosa went from one injury (ribs) to another (ankle) in recent weeks. But that was hard to tell when he gave the Knicks a full-speed arsenal Sunday.
It was not Barbosa's best three-point-shooting game (he was 1 for 5) but he was 6 for 7 inside the arc with four of those makes coming with the midrange game he seeks. He made a step-in jumper, a spot-up jumper and a floater before capping Phoenix's critical 11-0 run to start the fourth quarter with a transition pull-up shot.
http://www.azcentral.com/imgs/clear.gif
"I still can't make all of the moves I want but it's feeling much better," Barbosa said of a bothersome right ankle sprain.
Swing's note: Chrissakes, ANOTHER one? Tell these guys any damn thing you want - they're the best fucking secret keepers known to man..... :roll:
He did not look any worse for the wear Friday against Orlando, when he continually blew by Magic guards for layups and a rare dunk.
The reigning Sixth Man Award winner leads the team in shots (14.4 per game), as he did last season, but his three-point percentage is at 37.3 after he made 44 percent of his three-pointers over the past two seasons.
Points without pace
People are quick to credit the Suns' speed when they score 115 as they did Sunday. But the pace of Sunday's game was more like Phoenix's loss to Houston than Friday's win over Orlando. The Suns were just better in execution Sunday, with 58 percent shooting and 11 turnovers.
"That's kind of a playoff pace," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "It's efficient. It's not so much running as it is we just keep coming at you."
They were opportunistic, getting 15 of their 17 fast-break points off Knicks turnovers.
Free throws
Nash said Sunday night that he probably would not play for Canada's national team if it lands a spot in the Beijing Games.
"I would say no, but I can't really talk about it until the situation arrives and this season's come to a conclusion," Nash said. "But in my mind right now, I'm not going to play for Canada anymore. I just can't do both."
Nash captained Canada's team in the 2000 Olympics and tried to help the Canadians qualify for the 2004 Games. The point guard stopped playing for the national team after signing with the Suns in 2004.
• Everywhere the Suns go, forward Grant Hill hears the same questions about playing 35 minutes per game despite his age (35) and injury history. Hill had the same average in 2004-05, the last time he was close to being this healthy and was an All-Star starter.
"If my ankle's a problem, it's going to be a problem if I play 35 minutes or 15 minutes," said Hill, who is making career-best percentages on three-pointers (31.7) and free throws (87.3).
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Tuesday's game
Suns at Pacers
When: 5 p.m.
Where: Conseco Fieldhouse.
TV/radio: My 45/KTAR-AM (620).
Indiana update: The Pacers (9-9) are coming off a 3-1 trip. Point guard Jamaal Tinsley averaged 16.3 points, 9.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds on the trip. Indiana replaced Troy Murphy with Jeff Foster in the starting lineup alongside Tinsley, Jermaine O'Neal, Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger. O'Neal had his season's best game Sunday against the Clippers (20 points, 15 rebounds) after battling knee and calf injuries since camp.