Final
Suns-Timberwolves Preview
Nov 26, 2009 - 5:45 PM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS WriterPhoenix (12-3) at Minnesota (1-14), 9:30 p.m. EDT
Coming off their best shooting game of the season, the high-octane Phoenix Suns look to improve upon the Western Conference's best record.
That doesn't bode well for the slumping Minnesota Timberwolves.
Phoenix opens a four-game road trip Friday night when it takes on a Timberwolves team approaching the franchise record for consecutive losses.
The Suns (12-3), the only team that has scored 100 or more in each game, posted their second straight blowout win Wednesday - 126-111 over Memphis. Led by Amare Stoudemire's 13-of-18 shooting effort and 28 points, Phoenix hit 35 of its final 48 shots and made a season-best 61.9 percent from the field.
It was the Suns' best shooting performance since hitting 62.1 percent in a 154-130 victory at Golden State on March 15.
"We did a great job of exploiting (the Grizzlies') defense," said Stoudemire, who has scored 21 or more in five straight games. "I was taking what the defense was giving me."
So were the rest of the Suns, who are tied with Cleveland as the NBA's top 3-point shooting team at 44.8 percent. After hitting 11 of 18 from long range in Sunday's 117-91 win over Detroit, Phoenix made 9 of 17 versus Memphis, with Channing Frye and Jason Richardson hitting three apiece.
In a 120-112 victory over visiting Minnesota on Nov. 1, the Suns hit 14 of 26 3-point attempts. Frye matched a career high with six 3s and had a season-high 25 points.
Steve Nash, who leads the league with 11.9 assists per game, had 14 points and 14 assists in that game for one of his nine double-doubles - tops among the league's guards.
The Timberwolves (1-14), meanwhile, have lost all 14 of their games since a season-opening victory over New Jersey on Oct. 28. The franchise record for consecutive losses is 16, set from Feb. 29-March 29, 1992.
Minnesota set a team record for the worst start to a season with Wednesday's 124-111 defeat to Denver.
"I told them I was very disappointed with them at halftime and I was disappointed with them at the end of the ball game," said first-year coach Kurt Rambis, whose team trailed by as many as 24 in the first half. "... But the effort, the energy, the passion, just that competitiveness, it just wasn't there tonight."
Minnesota now must face a Phoenix team that's scoring an NBA-high 111.4 points per game and shooting 50.1 percent - also best in the league. The Timberwolves are allowing an average of 104.1 points.
Guard Corey Brewer posted his first career double-double Wednesday with a career-high 22 points and 13 rebounds, while Al Jefferson had his fourth straight double-double with 14 points and 12 boards.
Suns center Robin Lopez is expected to make his season debut Friday after being sidelined with a broken bone in his left foot. In Phoenix's last visit to the Target Center, Lopez had six points and a career-high 11 rebounds in a 110-97 victory April 11.
- NBA
PHOENIX 120
MINNESOTA 95 FINAL
Nov 27 11:53 PM - NBA
END 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
PHOENIX 32 28 32 92
MINNESOTA 22 17 26 65 END 3RD QTR
HIGH SCORERS AFTER 3RD QUARTER
PHO - JASON RICHARDSON 22, GRANT HILL 17,
AMAR'E STOUDEMIRE 12
MIN - RAMON SESSIONS 17, AL JEFFERSON 14,
JONNY FLYNN 10
Nov 27 11:24 PM - NBA
HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
PHOENIX 32 28 60
MINNESOTA 22 17 39 HALFTIME
HIGH SCORERS AT HALFTIME
PHO - GRANT HILL 14, JASON RICHARDSON 13,
STEVE NASH 9
MIN - RAMON SESSIONS 14, JONNY FLYNN 8, AL
JEFFERSON 6
Nov 27 10:42 PM - NBA
END 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
PHOENIX 32 32
MINNESOTA 22 22 END 1ST QTR
HIGH SCORERS AFTER 1ST QUARTER
PHO - GRANT HILL 10, STEVE NASH 7,
ROBIN LOPEZ 6
MIN - JONNY FLYNN 6, AL JEFFERSON 5, RAMON
SESSIONS 4
Nov 27 10:08 PM
Related News
- NBA Injury Updates: Karl Anthony Towns and Ben Simmons to Miss Significant Time Mar 7
- Should we be worried that people with the Phoenix Suns can “feel the frustration with Durant”? Dec 26
- Suns vs. Mavs Final Score: Phoenix continues to struggle, lose 128-114 to Dallas Dec 26
- Suns JAM Session Podcast: Suns (14-15) vs. Mavs Post Game Podcast Dec 26
- Open Thread: Mavericks vs. Suns Dec 25
- Game Preview: Struggling Suns face struggling Mavericks in Christmas Day showdown Dec 25
- Stephen’s Study: Scouting Udoka Azubuike’s minutes against the Sacramento Kings Dec 25
- The Beal gamble isn’t paying off Dec 24
- Suns Week 9 Stock Exchange: Udoka gives us hope while coaching and three-point shooting do not Dec 24
- Wolves 110, Kings 98: Ant Crowned the King Dec 24
- Suns Injury Update: Bradley Beal wants to be ready to go for Christmas Dec 23
- Vogel: “I’m not doing a good enough job in making sure [Eric Gordon]’s involved in the offense” Dec 23