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Bibby finds touch to fuel Kings
Guard hits 9 threes as Suns slump on 'D'
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 25, 2007 09:14 PM
SACRAMENTO - For three consecutive postseasons from 2002 to 2004, Mike Bibby and Steve Nash crossed swords with the parting joust being Bibby's 36-point game that eliminated Dallas and closed Nash's Mavericks career three years ago.
Bibby played like that again Sunday.
In fact, all the Kings players acted like a game televised on ABC meant the world, dwarfing the Suns' interest in facing a team they beat by 18 on Thursday.
Led by Bibby's franchise-record nine three-pointers and 37 points, Sacramento snapped a three-game losing streak with a 107-100 victory that handed the Suns their third loss in the five games since they beat Dallas.
"I just don't think it means much to us right now," said Nash, who had his worst assist-to-turnover ratio game (nine to seven) since Jan. 3. "We're taking it too lightly. We're not a very hungry group.
"We don't really get up for games unless it's a big team. It's disappointing."
The Suns have allowed 50-plus percent shooting in each of the three recent losses, but Phoenix got caught being outworked in one-on-one situations Sunday.
Kings starters Brad Miller and Kenny Thomas were out because of injuries, and leading scorer Kevin Martin left the game because of double vision caused by a foul from James Jones.
Yet the Kings slowed the tempo with players running weaves at the top of the key. They isolated scorers for dribble drives early, feeding confidence for a 52.1 percent shooting game. Sacramento had shot 38.1 percent in the previous four games but hit 57 percent in the first half, which ended with Amaré Stoudemire scowling and kicking the air.
"I was upset because we've got to do a better job of locking guys down," Stoudemire said. "We've got to make a conscious effort of playing defense. No time for excuses."
The Suns' offense looked crisp only in a 33-point third quarter with better tempo, but the shooting touch was vanishing. The Suns missed their last 11 three-point tries, including seven in the fourth, when Phoenix had an 82-77 lead in the first minute.
Phoenix trailed only 98-96 with 1:36 to go when two Bibby three-pointers were followed by two Raja Bell missed three-pointers.
Bibby was shooting a career-worst 40.1 percent this season. But for a day, he was the Bibby that the city of Phoenix claims as its best NBA product ever.
"It's all still right there," Bibby said of the playoff chance for a 12th-place team that is four games out of eighth place in the West. "We've just got to keep winning and hope other teams lose."
Phoenix's offense died without Nash again Sunday, including a stretch of nine scoreless possessions in the first half and eight (three after Nash re-entered) in the fourth quarter.
"We're not a real calm team right now," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We're really pressing, for whatever reason."
The Suns are six games behind Dallas and three ahead of San Antonio in the loss column.
View from press row
The Suns are much better than the Kings. So why did it take 34 minutes to take a lead Sunday? Why did they lose for only the fourth time when entering the fourth quarter leading? It mattered more to the Kings. The ABC lights made the Kings shine. "It's like the NCAA Tournament when a team that hasn't got national acclaim gets a chance to play on a national stage," Jalen Rose said. "I just chalk it up to, 'They played inspired.'." And the Suns didn't.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0325suns0326.html
Guard hits 9 threes as Suns slump on 'D'
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 25, 2007 09:14 PM
SACRAMENTO - For three consecutive postseasons from 2002 to 2004, Mike Bibby and Steve Nash crossed swords with the parting joust being Bibby's 36-point game that eliminated Dallas and closed Nash's Mavericks career three years ago.
Bibby played like that again Sunday.
In fact, all the Kings players acted like a game televised on ABC meant the world, dwarfing the Suns' interest in facing a team they beat by 18 on Thursday.
Led by Bibby's franchise-record nine three-pointers and 37 points, Sacramento snapped a three-game losing streak with a 107-100 victory that handed the Suns their third loss in the five games since they beat Dallas.
"I just don't think it means much to us right now," said Nash, who had his worst assist-to-turnover ratio game (nine to seven) since Jan. 3. "We're taking it too lightly. We're not a very hungry group.
"We don't really get up for games unless it's a big team. It's disappointing."
The Suns have allowed 50-plus percent shooting in each of the three recent losses, but Phoenix got caught being outworked in one-on-one situations Sunday.
Kings starters Brad Miller and Kenny Thomas were out because of injuries, and leading scorer Kevin Martin left the game because of double vision caused by a foul from James Jones.
Yet the Kings slowed the tempo with players running weaves at the top of the key. They isolated scorers for dribble drives early, feeding confidence for a 52.1 percent shooting game. Sacramento had shot 38.1 percent in the previous four games but hit 57 percent in the first half, which ended with Amaré Stoudemire scowling and kicking the air.
"I was upset because we've got to do a better job of locking guys down," Stoudemire said. "We've got to make a conscious effort of playing defense. No time for excuses."
The Suns' offense looked crisp only in a 33-point third quarter with better tempo, but the shooting touch was vanishing. The Suns missed their last 11 three-point tries, including seven in the fourth, when Phoenix had an 82-77 lead in the first minute.
Phoenix trailed only 98-96 with 1:36 to go when two Bibby three-pointers were followed by two Raja Bell missed three-pointers.
Bibby was shooting a career-worst 40.1 percent this season. But for a day, he was the Bibby that the city of Phoenix claims as its best NBA product ever.
"It's all still right there," Bibby said of the playoff chance for a 12th-place team that is four games out of eighth place in the West. "We've just got to keep winning and hope other teams lose."
Phoenix's offense died without Nash again Sunday, including a stretch of nine scoreless possessions in the first half and eight (three after Nash re-entered) in the fourth quarter.
"We're not a real calm team right now," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We're really pressing, for whatever reason."
The Suns are six games behind Dallas and three ahead of San Antonio in the loss column.
View from press row
The Suns are much better than the Kings. So why did it take 34 minutes to take a lead Sunday? Why did they lose for only the fourth time when entering the fourth quarter leading? It mattered more to the Kings. The ABC lights made the Kings shine. "It's like the NCAA Tournament when a team that hasn't got national acclaim gets a chance to play on a national stage," Jalen Rose said. "I just chalk it up to, 'They played inspired.'." And the Suns didn't.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0325suns0326.html
