By Peyton Wesner
The Phoenix Suns were only one game back of the Dallas Mavericks for the eighth seed last year in the Western Conference as they won 48 games, almost doubling their total the previous year (25). The scary thing for Western conference teams is that Phoenix is suppose to be even better than last year since they made a sign and trade deal with the Sacramento Kings for point guard Isaiah Thomas who averaged 20 points per games last season. This season Thomas has fited in perfectly off the bench as he is their leading scorer with 15.5 PPG. The key for the Suns success through my eyes has to be their scoring power and bench strength. They have six double digit scorers...SIX! And two are coming of their bench in Isaiah Thomas and Gerald Green. They go with a very small lineup at time which can hurt them on the defensive end but the offensive side of the ball for Phoenix is one of the best in the NBA. Going into tonight Phoenix has two quality wins against the San Antonio Spurs and the Golden State Warriors, both contenders in the West. Anyone that underestimates the potential of this team will end up regretting it as they look for their first playoff birth since the 2009-2010 season when the starting lineup was Steve Nash (hurt, LAL), Jason Richardson (hurt, PHI), Grant Hill (Retired and on NBA TV's Inside Stuff), Amar'e Stodemire (NYK), and Robin Lopez (PORT). Isn't that a blast from the past? That year the Phoenix Suns would make it to the Conference Finals and lose to the eventual NBA Finals champions the Los Angeles Lakers. The funny part about this season's team is that it only has one player from the conference finals team (Goran Dragić), meaning this team will be around for a while as they are filled with young guns early in their careers.
Things have been looking up on the court for the Pacers as they entered Saturday night's game winning four of their last five, three of which coming against teams that will be competing for playoff spots this season (Miami, Chicago, and Charlotte). Off the court the Pacers have yet to receive any great news from the trainers as George Hill, Paul George, and David West remain on the shelf for at least another week. Luckily the big man down low who lives in "AREA 55", Roy Hibbert is still playing and putting up huge numbers for Indiana. To win on this evening he would have to play BIG.
On July 27, 2013, the Pacers made a big trade with the Phoenix Suns in their hope to unseat the Miami Heat as Eastern Conference Champions. One year and months later, we have learned that the Pacers could not "Beat the Heat" even when they possessed home court advantage in the Eastern Conference Finals. Also, the public learned that the Suns have a really good team with a bright future. Who would have thought that the Pacers would be the team struggling and the Suns the team thriving in the second year since the trade? I personally think the Pacers gave way too much up for Scola and will ultimately regret it as Phoenix's future is set for awhile with the additions of Plumlee and Green to Bledsoe, Dragić, and the Morris twins.
When the ball was tipped to start the game neither team wasted anytime scoring as it became a one on one battle for the first two minutes of the game, Chris Copeland (Indiana) vs. Markieff Morris (Phoenix). Copeland was working his game from the perimeter as he nailed two threes while Morris took his game to the post as he backed down his defender and hit back to back jumpers. Indiana was up 6-4 in what had the looks to be a high scoring game. Then disaster struck for the Pacers when Roy Hibbert sprained his ankle at the 6:39 mark in the first quarter with the score: Suns 11, Pacers 10. Hibbert would later try to return in the second quarter but would have to be taken out a minute and a half later ending his night with two points. With the loss of Hibbert, all of the Pacers starting lineup from last year is either injured or on a different team.
At the four minute mark with the score Pacers 17-15, Phoenix's Coach Jeff Hornacek put in a familiar face to Frank Vogel and the Indiana Pacers. Gerald Green had always been known as the man who can jump out of the gym and excite the crowd but now in Phoenix he is known as a high-flying scorer. Last season, Green averaged a career high 15.8 PPG while this year he is averaging 14.1 PPG while coming off the bench. One difference could be noted in Green's attitude during tonight's game, he was playing to prove a point and get revenge on the team that traded him. Lastly when Gerald Green entered the game, Coach Hornacek gave the veteran the "Green Light" to take shots from the very start.
First shot by Green a three from the wing, SWISH! And that was just the beginning. Green would score the final twelve points of the quarter for the Suns including a pull up three pointer right before the buzzer sounded, turning their deficit into a 30-27 Phoenix lead going into the second quarter. From there, the Suns started to outshine the depleted Pacers. The three headed monster showed up as Isaiah Thomas, Eric Bledsoe, with Gerald Green took over the game and helped the Suns lead increase to 55-48 despite Indy's Solomon Hill scoring eight points in a span of six minutes keeping the Pacers in the game. The third quarter would decide the result of the game.
The only player from the 2009-2010 Phoenix Suns team that is still playing for Phoenix came to play in the second half as Goran Dragić scored his team's first eight of ten points to begin the quarter advancing the lead to 66-53 Phoenix. Indiana would not recover as the game was unofficially over in the third quarter. The Suns would finish off the game with their reserves for most of he fourth quarter in a twenty-three point victory. Phoenix 106, Indiana 83.
What's Next
On Monday night the Phoenix Suns will be tested against a very good 11-2 Toronto Raptors team in Canada who tonight came back to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland. What was impressive about the Raptors win tonight was that originally they were down 12-0 to start the game but persevered and got the job done tonight at "The Q". If anyone has the chance I highly recommend everyone to watch this game as the matchup features two young teams that are both good now and will be good going foward. Later this week, Phoenix plays a home and home against the Denver Nuggets and finishes the month hosting the Orlando Magic on Sunday, November 30.
The Pacers schedule doesn't get any easier as they play two more Western Conference contenders in the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs both on the road. Then they play home against Orlando on Friday (Postgame Recap will be on Blog) before starting a road trip Saturday that begins in Cleveland against LeBron James, Kevin Love, and Kyrie Irving.
Players of the Game
Phoenix: Gerald Green 23 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists.
Indiana: Ian Mahinmi 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 steals.
Next Game:
Phoenix: Monday at 11-2 Toronto.
Indiana: Monday at 10-4 Dallas.
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