I know it is pre-season but still losing to a team like the suns by 41 points, with steve nash scoring 9 pts and turning the ball over 4 times is sad. Who was it that said utah would be ranked 3rd or 4th in west?? http://www.nba.com/games/20041020/UTAPHO/recap.html Phoenix 108, Utah 67 Suns Make it Look Easy PHOENIX, Oct. 20 (Ticker) -- The Phoenix Suns remained perfect in the preseason with a runaway victory. Quentin Richardson scored 16 points to lead a balanced attack as the Suns posted a 108-67 rout of the Utah Jazz. Phoenix outrebounded the Jazz, 50-39, and forced 23 turnovers to improve to 4-0 in exhibition games. The Indiana Pacers (3-0) are the only other team in the league without a preseason loss. One of the Suns' key offseason acquisitions, Richardson hit two 3-pointers, pulled down eight rebounds and led all players with four steals before sitting out the fourth quarter. Joe Johnson chipped in 14 points and Steven Hunter scored 13 off the bench, including nine in the fourth quarter when Phoenix held Utah to just 11 points. Andrei Kirilenko and Carlos Boozer scored 12 points apiece in a losing effort. Boozer, a free agent signee this summer, was making his second appearance this preseason. He led the Jazz with seven rebounds.
Utah also killed the Knicks the day before and the Sonics two days before that. Sloan tweaked the lineup, and didn't play Harpring to let him rest, as well as AK played only 19 minutes. So it's not a shock Phoenix won the game....in fact it's not much of a shock that teams do have blowouts in the preseason. I mean the Spurs have yet to win a preseason game (last I checked) and I don't think that is testament to how their season will pan out. But none the less, Phoenix is a pretty decent team. Sadly I don't think they'll make the playoffs.
Phoenix could be one of those teams like Memphis that is built to have good regular season runs. They have some depth/young players that can play major minutes if they have to. They can run and score. But in the playoffs when things are half court, get slowed down and get tougher they will have problems with teams that have size like San Antonio, Minnesota and Houston. Nevertheless, I could see the Suns being like the Mavs from the past few years. They will score points. They will get up and down the floor. Will they be able to defend? I dont know.
As you said, a preseason game doesn't make much sense. I remember Rockets beat Sacramento twice in 2003 preseaon games, but was dominated by Kings 4 times in disgrace. ouch....
