http://www.sacbee.com/351/story/94102.html
Ailene Voisin: Too old? Again, the Suns' Nash burns the Kings
By Ailene Voisin - Bee Columnist
Last Updated 12:28 am PST Sunday, December 17, 2006
High-arching jumpers over the reach of Ron Artest. Dribble-drives past the tenacious John Sal-mons. Pick-and-roll efficiency that causes coaches to break clipboards. Passes that freeze defenses. Passes that stir crowds. Plays that win games.
And he is 32 years old.
And he says he was tired.
And yet Steve Nash once again destroyed the Kings, picked them apart like so much cotton candy in the deciding third quarter, single-handedly (sometimes with the left, other times with the right) assumed control and choreographed the Phoenix Suns' 105-98 victory and franchise-tying 14th consecutive win. Fourteen games without a defeat. Pretty hefty stuff. The last time the Suns were this successful, Sacramento's own Kevin Johnson was their assists-happy point guard, Tom Chambers was one of the league's best dunkers, and Charles Barkley could squeeze into a jersey.
But at 32, KJ was contemplating retirement. Nash is just getting started, or so it seems.
Stopping the MVP is a league-wide obsession, and unfortunately for the Kings, they had about as much luck Saturday night as everyone else. Not enough. "You can't get any better than that," a weary Salmons said afterward, shaking his head. "I have never been through that many pick and rolls in my life. And in that third quarter, as soon as he got the ball, he picked his head up and (surveyed) the court. That's the sign of a great point guard. That was the game right there."
Eight points, two rebounds, four assists. In the third quarter.
And he says he was tired.
And he says he wasn't at his best.
"Even when he's bad," quipped Suns coach Mike D'Antoni, "he's still pretty good."
Unfortunately for the Kings, the less-than-best of Nash ruined one of their most energetic and collaborative performances of the season. No one left Arco Arena Saturday night quibbling about the effort or seizing on apparent discord between Artest and Mike Bibby. No, these Kings impersonated a playoff squad, a team a few notches below the San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz and these very Suns, but certainly decent enough to challenge for one of the remaining playoff berths.
Artest left his massive palm prints all over that despised synthetic basketball, swiping four balls, collecting six rebounds, making a royal nuisance of himself, and acknowledging for the night anyway, that he is not Michael Jordan, LeBron James or Kobe Bryant. Salmons defended, created for his teammates and scored on opportunities. Kevin Martin emerged from his mini-slump with an excellent all-around effort before leaving with a sprained right ankle. Kenny Thomas and Shareef Abdur-Rahim pursued rebounds. Bibby pushed the pace more often than usual, affording the Kings easy opportunities in their early offense; his defense was also enthusiastic, at times more than adequate.
Collectively, the Kings pursued loose balls, and all together now, once or twice even dove to the floor.
Heck, if Brad Miller contributed, or Bibby could have converted his normal heaves from the perimeter (6 for 22), the Kings might have escaped with a victory and arguably their most impressive two-game win streak of the season.
Of course, there was still Nash. Nothing doing.
With the 6-foot-3 guard having transported his skills from Dallas to Phoenix in 2004 (Mark Cuban, you blew it!), and with his 11.4 assists per game easily leading the league, the Suns continue to push the pace, continue to defy NBA convention -- albeit, teams can't fast-break to the championship -- and continue to influence the way league executives think about the game. Teams are signing quicker, longer, versatile athletes, are at least tempted to eschew the ever-fruitless search for the dominant low-post center. There is one Yao Ming. There is one Steve Nash, but as his coach noted, there are seven Suns who can run and jump and pass, and in other words, cram the stat sheet.
"Everybody was playing like a relay race," said D'Antoni, "and kept passing the baton to somebody. ... That's been our trademark and hopefully we'll continue to do that ... and Steve is playing great, the same as usual."
About the writer: Reach Ailene Voisin at (916) 321-1208 or avoisin@ sacbee.com.
Ailene Voisin: Too old? Again, the Suns' Nash burns the Kings
By Ailene Voisin - Bee Columnist
Last Updated 12:28 am PST Sunday, December 17, 2006
High-arching jumpers over the reach of Ron Artest. Dribble-drives past the tenacious John Sal-mons. Pick-and-roll efficiency that causes coaches to break clipboards. Passes that freeze defenses. Passes that stir crowds. Plays that win games.
And he is 32 years old.
And he says he was tired.
And yet Steve Nash once again destroyed the Kings, picked them apart like so much cotton candy in the deciding third quarter, single-handedly (sometimes with the left, other times with the right) assumed control and choreographed the Phoenix Suns' 105-98 victory and franchise-tying 14th consecutive win. Fourteen games without a defeat. Pretty hefty stuff. The last time the Suns were this successful, Sacramento's own Kevin Johnson was their assists-happy point guard, Tom Chambers was one of the league's best dunkers, and Charles Barkley could squeeze into a jersey.
But at 32, KJ was contemplating retirement. Nash is just getting started, or so it seems.
Stopping the MVP is a league-wide obsession, and unfortunately for the Kings, they had about as much luck Saturday night as everyone else. Not enough. "You can't get any better than that," a weary Salmons said afterward, shaking his head. "I have never been through that many pick and rolls in my life. And in that third quarter, as soon as he got the ball, he picked his head up and (surveyed) the court. That's the sign of a great point guard. That was the game right there."
Eight points, two rebounds, four assists. In the third quarter.
And he says he was tired.
And he says he wasn't at his best.
"Even when he's bad," quipped Suns coach Mike D'Antoni, "he's still pretty good."
Unfortunately for the Kings, the less-than-best of Nash ruined one of their most energetic and collaborative performances of the season. No one left Arco Arena Saturday night quibbling about the effort or seizing on apparent discord between Artest and Mike Bibby. No, these Kings impersonated a playoff squad, a team a few notches below the San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz and these very Suns, but certainly decent enough to challenge for one of the remaining playoff berths.
Artest left his massive palm prints all over that despised synthetic basketball, swiping four balls, collecting six rebounds, making a royal nuisance of himself, and acknowledging for the night anyway, that he is not Michael Jordan, LeBron James or Kobe Bryant. Salmons defended, created for his teammates and scored on opportunities. Kevin Martin emerged from his mini-slump with an excellent all-around effort before leaving with a sprained right ankle. Kenny Thomas and Shareef Abdur-Rahim pursued rebounds. Bibby pushed the pace more often than usual, affording the Kings easy opportunities in their early offense; his defense was also enthusiastic, at times more than adequate.
Collectively, the Kings pursued loose balls, and all together now, once or twice even dove to the floor.
Heck, if Brad Miller contributed, or Bibby could have converted his normal heaves from the perimeter (6 for 22), the Kings might have escaped with a victory and arguably their most impressive two-game win streak of the season.
Of course, there was still Nash. Nothing doing.
With the 6-foot-3 guard having transported his skills from Dallas to Phoenix in 2004 (Mark Cuban, you blew it!), and with his 11.4 assists per game easily leading the league, the Suns continue to push the pace, continue to defy NBA convention -- albeit, teams can't fast-break to the championship -- and continue to influence the way league executives think about the game. Teams are signing quicker, longer, versatile athletes, are at least tempted to eschew the ever-fruitless search for the dominant low-post center. There is one Yao Ming. There is one Steve Nash, but as his coach noted, there are seven Suns who can run and jump and pass, and in other words, cram the stat sheet.
"Everybody was playing like a relay race," said D'Antoni, "and kept passing the baton to somebody. ... That's been our trademark and hopefully we'll continue to do that ... and Steve is playing great, the same as usual."
About the writer: Reach Ailene Voisin at (916) 321-1208 or avoisin@ sacbee.com.
