L Cavaliers 106 Suns 115

[TheAdmin]

​

Phoenix Suns (23-12) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (20-13)​

US Airways Center
Saturday, January 14, 2006
9:00pm ET
TV: WUAB
Radio : WTAM 1100

Head Coaches

Mike D'Antoni / Mike Brown

Probable Starters

Steve Nash / Eric Snow

Raja Bell / Damon Jones

Boris Diaw / LeBron James

Shawn Marion / Drew Gooden

Kurt Thomas / Zydrunas Ilguaskas

Cleveland Cavaliers Bench

D Marshall/L Jackson/I. Newble/A Henderson/M Wilks

Los Angeles Lakers Bench

J Jones/E House/P Burke/L Barbosa/J Jackson​

Cavaliers' Notes
· Drew Gooden has posted double-doubles in each of the last three games. Over that stretch, he is averaging 14.3 points and 13.3 rebounds per game. Since Jan. 7,
Gooden is tied for the league lead in rebounds per game with Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace and leads all players in offensive rebounds per game (6.0).

· Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored a season-high tying 29 points on 11-15 field goals at Los Angeles on Thursday. It marked just the fourth time in Ilgauskas’ career that he
has made as many as 11 field goals without taking more than 15 attempts. Ilgauskas is now shooting .499 (181-363) from the field.

· Luke Jackson is coming off a career game against the Lakers on Thursday night. Jackson set career highs in field goals made (4) and three-point field goals made (3)
while tying his career high in assists (2). Jackson finished with 11 points in 16 minutes of action.

· In two games against Phoenix last season, Drew Gooden averaged 13.5 points and 20.0 rebounds per game. He posted his career high in rebounds with 21 last year at
home (Nov. 10) and then posted 19 the following game in Phoenix (Dec. 1).

Suns' notes

The Suns split the season series in 2004-05 and have won 10 of the last 12 matchups overall… The Suns have won six in a row at home and are 34-9 all-time in the Valley of the Sun versus the Cavaliers… Phoenix is 18-24 at Cleveland, but have won four of the last six meetings on the road.

 

[PIP]

Re: 1/14/06 Cavs @ Suns

We have a 2% chance of winning this game...

Hey Ben, I thought your Avatar was Patrick Ewing... :chuckles:

 

[cdt]

Re: 1/14/06 Cavs @ Suns

I think the best ways to describe the probable outcome of this game would be to say we will get..

Rocked, Bum Rushed, Pimp Smacked etc etc etc

Final
Pho 114 Cle 91

 

[LyXo]

Re: 1/14/06 Cavs @ Suns

Cavs win, 92-88.

 

[Coyote]

Re: 1/14/06 Cavs @ Suns

We have a 2% chance of winning this game...

Brilliant deduction. Are you sure it's not 3%? Or 1%? Where exactly do you draw the line?

Snow can barely contain Nash. Jones will have a s-load of trouble with Bell. He'll play about as many minutes as he did in LA. Lebron will eat Diaw for dinner. Gooden will play Marion to nearly a draw with Marion getting the nod. Z, if we get him the ball, will destroy, um, KURT F_ING THOMAS.

This again comes down to a game plan. Without Amare, they are beatable on the inside if we play solid D throughout and don't settle for jumpers. If Marshall can finally bring his game, and we get Z going as in LA, and we play smart, this is a winnable game.

The attitude on this board is depressing. Fair weather, to say the least, and it's blurring some people's vision. I guess that's because we've been having some warm days here in Ohio.

 

[Karma]

Re: 1/14/06 Cavs @ Suns

I guess any consistent help throughout the game for Z and LeBron offensively will keep us in this game. Drew is going against an undersized Marion, so working some post plays for him could be effective. At the other end I do worry what Matrix will do to Gooden. Phoenix have 2 perimeter players in Bell and Diaw who thrive on hustle plays. We need to match that effort somehow with someone. Typical story, feed Z and go from there. Cant see a win, but Phoenix are not the same without Amare terrorising opponents.

 

[hughes1988]

Re: 1/14/06 Cavs @ Suns

Cavs Lose To Suckass Teams But Guess What??? They Always Beat Good Teams Just Ask The Pistons So Suns Are Anothe Good Team, I Think Even Though We Are On The Road I Think We Will Win This One... Nash Is Good But Snow Plays Great Def And Will Be On Him So If Damon Jones Gets Hott We Won Plan As That...

 

[MarkPrice25]

Re: 1/14/06 Cavs @ Suns

Feeding Z early and often will be the key to this game. We have to go with the same game plan against the Lakers in that the number of threes taken should be limited. If we start jacking up threes and missing the majority of them, the Suns will get out and run........and that CAN NOT HAPPEN if we have any chance of winning this game.

I have a feeling about this one. Everybody is ready to jump ship in the last week, and maybe I'm just trying to will them to win, but I think we are going to get one on this trip that we all had chalked up as a loss (either tonight or in Denver). This team seems to win a big one everytime you think they are down. But, they always seem to have a clunker when we think they are rolling. Who knows? Phoenix has been playing great as of late, but long winning streaks (not necessarily consecutive games - i.e. 9 of 10, etc.) for any team usually end in a clunker. Hopefully it's tonight.

From what I've seen without Hughes, my mind wants to say Suns 114 Cavs 97, but I think it's going to be Cavs 102 Suns 99.

 

[highplainsdrifter]

Re: 1/14/06 Cavs @ Suns

We must believe in whats possible, not probable. Its still five men against five men for 48 minutes. You gotta play the games.

Hopefully DJones and Marshall are hitting their shots, Drew continues to play well, Z is a force, and LeBron dominates. Cavs can win this one.

 

[Coyote]

Re: 1/14/06 Cavs @ Suns

We must believe in whats possible, not probable. Its still five men against five men for 48 minutes. You gotta play the games.

Hopefully DJones and Marshall are hitting their shots, Drew continues to play well, Z is a force, and LeBron dominates. Cavs can win this one.

Well said, my small green friend.

Phoenix without Amare is weak inside. Mr. Kurt Thomas went off against Golden State and Denver, but he's been averaging about 9 pts and 8 rebounds this season. After him, the terrifying PAT BURKE awaits. There's a huge mismatch inside waiting to be exploited. It's the old saw of making them play our game. If we run and gun, with no D, their guards will shred us. But it's there to win. Really.

KEEP THE F-IN FAITH, KIDS!

 

[PIP]

Re: 1/14/06 Cavs @ Suns

Oh NO!!!! Coyote does not care for my post... I'm devastated...

I hope the Cavs win... (Maybe I should've clear that up for you)

However, given their style of offense, and our poor defense, I do not believe the Cavs have a chance in this game (maybe a tiny chance...say 2% ? ) ... I apologize if you do not find that answer to your liking...

If I would have know before hand that Coyote would have seen it, I would have sugar-coated for those who were not emotionally capable of handling that...

With that said, GO CAVS.....I hope they win by 79...

 

[RuanuLaw]

Re: 1/14/06 Cavs @ Suns

Los Angeles Lakers Bench

WHAT? We are playing the Lakers again? :chuckles:

 

[Coyote]

Re: 1/14/06 Cavs @ Suns

Oh NO!!!! Coyote does not care for my post... I'm devastated...

I hope the Cavs win... (Maybe I should've clear that up for you)

However, given their style of offense, and our poor defense, I do not believe the Cavs have a chance in this game (maybe a tiny chance...say 2% ? ) ... I apologize if you do not find that answer to your liking...

If I would have know before hand that Coyote would have seen it, I would have sugar-coated for those who were not emotionally capable of handling that...

With that said, GO CAVS.....I hope they win by 79...

You're right, my West coast-transplanted friend, I am a weak man. Why, after the loss to LA, I drank myself into oblivion and cried all night. On my little chalkboard here at home (a hobbit hole), I let myself write in a 'W' before forcing myself to stop sugar-coating life and chalk in the 'L.'

At least this time you said WHY you think they have a 2% chance of winning. (The % thing is just silly. I'll forward it John Hollinger and see what he can do with it. I'm sure he has a formula.) I just happen to disagree. Our defense has not been poor of late - some individual lapses, yes (like LBJ on Kobe's next to last shot...where was he?...chasing down Kobe from behind a la Jeff McInnis) - and I'll stand by my claim that if we can keep from getting into an up-and-down game, use Z, and have one other role player step up, we have a decent chance of winning this game.

 

[PIP]

Re: 1/14/06 Cavs @ Suns

I'll be waiting...I religiously follow John Hollinger...So as I await for those dynamic results, I will remain here quivering with anticipation...

My take is as follows...

Up and down game...3/5 of our starting lineup play as if they are stuck in gum on most nights.. Z/DJ/Snow..

Steve Nash runs around all game... With our late rotations (if we even rotate, as we still struggle with this) it doesn't make for a recipe of success with our squad...We barely rotate within the interior (they're just now starting to get this) ...Having to rotate and switch everything along the perimeter might just be too much for a couple of our mental midgets...

But that is not what scares me about this game.. What scares me is the following:

Eric Snow has guarded the best perimeter player since Larry has been down (and even before Larry went down-->Vince Carter)... The problem with Snow guarding nash is not from preventing him to score, like he has done with these other guards.. But, to prevent him from making the pass...Much harder.

Snow will be on top of his game defensively, he usually always is, and I have no reason to doubt he won't be tonight.....I can't say the same for LeBron, and god knows Damon Jones will not be on top of his game defensively...

Guys like Raja Bell and James Jones should be able to carve us up...

The fact that Drew has to step out on Boris Diaw is scary... Although Diaw is the center, I could not imagine Mike Brown sticking Z on him out there...

Then there is Shawn Marion.... Who excactly is going to keep him off the glass ? Not to mention guard him on the perimeter and his drive ? ...

Hell, even Eddie House is a scary matchup for this team....

Perhaps I am completely off, and the Cavs will blow those guys out ? Like I said earlier, I hope they do.... I just don't see it... If I am wrong ? I will come on here later and say I was wrong...

All I can ask for in this game is to at least stay competitive...

 

[Eriefeelin]

Re: 1/14/06 Cavs @ Suns

Why does Coach Brown insist on starting Amon Ones.This guy should be coming in off the bench.With the way he's been shooting lately the bench is the best place for him.In 5 starts he averages about 2 points a game.If he was not the best shooter in the world,he'd probably average about 1 point a game.Sad...very sad.