Alvin Gentry’s plan almost worked.
After resting last night in Denver, Steve Nash and Grant Hill looked sharp from the beginning and the Phoenix Suns were in control. The Suns lead 31-21 after the 1st quarter and lead by as many as 15 points in the second half, but Phoenix went cold again in the closing minutes of the game, falling to the Atlanta Hawks 101-99.
“I thought we played really good basketball for a stretch,” Gentry said following the Suns third straight loss. “Just too many turnovers again, 20 turnovers and 19 points, that really hurt us. It’s just one of those deals where we played good for 35-38 minutes, but it’s a 48 minute game.”
The Suns plan on defense was to take Joe Johnson out of the game, and for the most part it worked. Johnson was held to only 6 points, shooting 2 for 10 from the field. However, that created opportunities for guys like Josh Smith and Willie Green, who combined for 50 points.
“I just wanted to be a little aggressive,” Smith said torching the Suns for 30 points and pulling down 17 rebounds. “I knew they were keying on Joe and we needed offense somewhere else. I think me and Willie picked up the slack.”
Phoenix falls to six games under .500 and 5-8 at home this season, which is baffling to the players and Gentry.
“We play good enough basketball on the road that if we were playing like we are supposed to home then our record would be some much different,” said Gentry.
“It’s frustrating,” Jared Dudley said. “You’ve got to find ways to win, especially at home, especially when you have a double-digit lead. We were playing well offensively.”
The Suns play a home-and-home set against the Los Angeles Lakers, starting Friday night at the Staples Center. LA will be well-rested, having three days off before the Suns roll into town. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
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