ducks
06-01-2006, 12:58 PM
Suns guard sore but ready to play in Game 5
By BOB BAUM, AP Sports Writer
TNT's John Thompson: Video Suns have more to overcome
Kerr & Wetzel: Video Steve Nash drives the Suns
PHOENIX (AP) -- Though understandably sore on Wednesday, Raja Bell was confident he would be ready to play when the Phoenix Suns meet the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals.
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Bell made a surprise start Tuesday night after missing two games with a slight tear in his left calf muscle. His presence injected the Suns with an emotional intensity that led to a 106-86 romp that evened the series at two games apiece.
"It's pretty sore and it's a little stiff," Bell said after practice Wednesday. "But it still feels better than it did the first couple of days when it was injured, so that's a positive sign for me that it should feel a lot better tomorrow."
He said he just took a few stationery shots in practice and planned to work out in the pool before the team left for Dallas.
As intent as he was on playing, Bell thought he would only spell Leandro Barbosa for a few minutes. Instead, Mike D'Antoni put Bell in the starting lineup, and he played 31 minutes.
"It was at Mike's discretion to use me as he felt fit," Bell said. "He felt I could handle those minutes, and I respect his judgment and the training staff's. I didn't think I'd play 31 minutes, but I feel pretty good having done it."
D'Antoni said the way Bell played surprised him.
"I'm not surprised of his heart and his desire to do it," D'Antoni said, "I'm a little surprised that he could play as well, a little surprised that he could even start yesterday and say he was ready to go. It was a pleasant surprise, obviously."
While his teammates talked of how Bell's mere presence is crucial, he downplayed the notion that he brings the Suns their swagger.
"I don't know," Bell said. "I've heard a lot of people make a lot about that but this team, with or without me, is a really good team. We have a swagger about us, we just didn't play with it in Game 3. But I was glad to be back, and I was glad to be a part of us regaining our swagger."
Bell's impact went beyond inspiration. With him in the lineup alongside Steve Nash and Barbosa, the Suns were able to spread the court. That helped Barbosa to a team-high 24 points on 10-for-13 shooting. Nash added 21 points and eight assists.
"If we can spread the floor enough to where you're out there naked a little bit with `LB' (Barbosa), it's going to be tough for anybody," D'Antoni said.
Bell said that there was no excruciating pain while he played, except when he drove for a layup off his injured leg late in the game.
"That was the one move last night I wasn't ready to make," he said, "that explosion off of one leg. In the heat of the game, you kind of forget that you're injured, so I forgot and when I went to get up, it let me know it wasn't ready for that."
Signed by the Suns as a defensive specialist, Bell has emerged as the fiery spiritual leader of the squad, especially in the playoffs, where he was suspended for a game for bulldogging Kobe Bryant and throwing him to the floor.
Although he acknowledged it was an overreaction, Bell did not hide his disdain for the Lakers superstar, calling him "pompous and arrogant."
Then there was the dramatic 3-pointer that kept the Suns barely alive en route to a double-overtime win in the second round against the Los Angeles Clippers.
He is the backbone of the undersized, scrappy team.
"He has been put into a situation where his character has been revealed to everybody, and more so," D'Antoni said. "If you're never in those situations, it's hard to say he has it in him. We kind of thought he did, but he's proven that he's got a lot more than anybody ever imagined."
By BOB BAUM, AP Sports Writer
TNT's John Thompson: Video Suns have more to overcome
Kerr & Wetzel: Video Steve Nash drives the Suns
PHOENIX (AP) -- Though understandably sore on Wednesday, Raja Bell was confident he would be ready to play when the Phoenix Suns meet the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals.
ADVERTISEMENT
Bell made a surprise start Tuesday night after missing two games with a slight tear in his left calf muscle. His presence injected the Suns with an emotional intensity that led to a 106-86 romp that evened the series at two games apiece.
"It's pretty sore and it's a little stiff," Bell said after practice Wednesday. "But it still feels better than it did the first couple of days when it was injured, so that's a positive sign for me that it should feel a lot better tomorrow."
He said he just took a few stationery shots in practice and planned to work out in the pool before the team left for Dallas.
As intent as he was on playing, Bell thought he would only spell Leandro Barbosa for a few minutes. Instead, Mike D'Antoni put Bell in the starting lineup, and he played 31 minutes.
"It was at Mike's discretion to use me as he felt fit," Bell said. "He felt I could handle those minutes, and I respect his judgment and the training staff's. I didn't think I'd play 31 minutes, but I feel pretty good having done it."
D'Antoni said the way Bell played surprised him.
"I'm not surprised of his heart and his desire to do it," D'Antoni said, "I'm a little surprised that he could play as well, a little surprised that he could even start yesterday and say he was ready to go. It was a pleasant surprise, obviously."
While his teammates talked of how Bell's mere presence is crucial, he downplayed the notion that he brings the Suns their swagger.
"I don't know," Bell said. "I've heard a lot of people make a lot about that but this team, with or without me, is a really good team. We have a swagger about us, we just didn't play with it in Game 3. But I was glad to be back, and I was glad to be a part of us regaining our swagger."
Bell's impact went beyond inspiration. With him in the lineup alongside Steve Nash and Barbosa, the Suns were able to spread the court. That helped Barbosa to a team-high 24 points on 10-for-13 shooting. Nash added 21 points and eight assists.
"If we can spread the floor enough to where you're out there naked a little bit with `LB' (Barbosa), it's going to be tough for anybody," D'Antoni said.
Bell said that there was no excruciating pain while he played, except when he drove for a layup off his injured leg late in the game.
"That was the one move last night I wasn't ready to make," he said, "that explosion off of one leg. In the heat of the game, you kind of forget that you're injured, so I forgot and when I went to get up, it let me know it wasn't ready for that."
Signed by the Suns as a defensive specialist, Bell has emerged as the fiery spiritual leader of the squad, especially in the playoffs, where he was suspended for a game for bulldogging Kobe Bryant and throwing him to the floor.
Although he acknowledged it was an overreaction, Bell did not hide his disdain for the Lakers superstar, calling him "pompous and arrogant."
Then there was the dramatic 3-pointer that kept the Suns barely alive en route to a double-overtime win in the second round against the Los Angeles Clippers.
He is the backbone of the undersized, scrappy team.
"He has been put into a situation where his character has been revealed to everybody, and more so," D'Antoni said. "If you're never in those situations, it's hard to say he has it in him. We kind of thought he did, but he's proven that he's got a lot more than anybody ever imagined."