Suns Sitting at 3-6 - Bottom of Pacific Division
I don't think the Phoenix Suns envisioned their 2006-2007 season starting out this badly, but they currently find themselves in the cellar of the Pacific Division at 3-6.
Watching them blow a 10 point lead against the Utah Jazz the other night was just painful. Leandro Barbosa nearly made a layup in regulation to preserve the win and avoid another allowing another opponent to come back on the road, and then again had a chance to force a 2nd overtime or at least put the Suns in contention to win, but the ball bounced off the cylinder again. This is at least the 3rd time that I've seen Barbosa miss a game clinching layup. He works hard as hell to get open and get to the basket, but he has too much spin on the ball or doesn't focus enough as he's releasing it. The Suns would 5-4 if he'd simply made 2 easy layups.
Amare Stoudemire fouled out of the last game against the Jazz (so did Raja Bell), but he played solid before he left the court. In the last several games, STAT has nearly returned to the formidable big-man that he was in the 2004-2005 season and playoffs.
Steve Nash is ailing right now with some back problems (missing several games), so the Suns have been lucky to win at least one game without him (almost a second against the Jazz).
Shawn Marion has been playing off-the-hook!!! His effort late in the Jazz game was simply unbelievable. Rebounding, 3-pointers, and his all-around play single-handedly kept the Suns in the game late. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to stop the Utah Jazz, who are off to the best record in the history of the franchise.
I'm from Salt Lake City originally, so I've seen plenty of good Jazz teams and witnessed Jerry Sloan screw them up somehow each year. Everyone else can jump on the Jazz bandwagon, but until Sloan is gone, I'm going to sit back and watch them crumble by the playoffs (or in the 1st round).
The Suns play Golden State, New Orleans and New Jersey this week. All are winnable games, but if Nash isn't back the Suns will probably be lucky to win 2 out of 3.