Blame it on the lockout.
Head coach Alvin Gentry sat his co-captains, Steve Nash and Grant Hill, to rest them during the Phoenix Suns first back-to-back-to-back set of the shortened season. With the two stars out of the lineup, the Denver Nuggets cruised to a 109-92 win in a game that resembled the level of play you would expect in the preseason.
The Suns shot a season-low 33 percent from the field and committed 21 turnovers. Despite the sluggish play, Phoenix was able to tie the game at 62 with 8:47 left in the third quarter. But that’s when Denver took over for good.
The Nuggets went on a 24-8 run, due in large part to the Suns struggles. Phoenix turned the ball over nine times and made only five field goals during this stretch, giving Denver a 86-70 lead to start the final quarter.
Nash and Hill are both expected to start tonight when the Suns return home to host the Atlanta Hawks. Still, Gentry believes the loss had more to do with his team’s play.
“We’re still fighting this whole consistency thing,” Gentry said. “We don’t know what we’re going to get night in and night out. That’s the toughest thing.”
The lone bright spot from the night was rookie Markieff Morris, who scored a season-high 21 points before fouling out. Morris has scored in double figures in three consecutive games.
As far as tonight goes, the Suns will need a team effort to avoid their third straight loss.
“For us to win, we have to have four or five guys in double figures,” Jared Dudley said. “We can’t have two guys with big numbers, we’re not talented enough.”
Phoenix won their first meeting against the Hawks with a 99-90 win last week. The rematch will be televised on Fox Sports Arizona at 7 PM.
Add comment