Utah (30-17) at Phoenix (37-9)
Preview - Box Score - Recap
Game Info: 9:00 pm EST Sat Feb 3, 2007
TV: KJZZ, My45 Add to Calendar
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The Phoenix Suns finally showed they can beat one of the Western Conference's top teams. Now they'd like to do it for a second consecutive game.
Though their franchise-record winning streak ended earlier this week, the Suns still have a lengthy streak at home on the line as they try to take advantage of Carlos Boozer's absence in a matchup with the Utah Jazz.
Phoenix (37-9) is only a half-game behind Dallas for the league's best record after beating San Antonio 103-87 on Thursday. It was the team's first game since having its record run of 17 straight wins snapped with a 121-112 loss to Minnesota on Monday.
"The playoffs are going to tell it all, and we know that," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We're just trying to win as many games as we can to get the homecourt seed, and if we're good enough, we'll see in the playoffs."
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Before Thursday's victory, the Suns had been 0-6 against the other top teams in the West record-wise -- the Mavericks, Spurs, Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers.
Two of those losses came to Utah in November during Phoenix's 3-6 start. The team has since lost only three of 37 games.
"The team that played those guys in early November is not even close to being the same team today," D'Antoni said of his Suns, referring to a 111-106 overtime loss at San Antonio on Nov. 8.
That game marked the first start of the season for Amare Stoudemire, who missed most of last season following microfracture knee surgery. He had 24 points and a career-high 23 rebounds Thursday, hours after being selected as an All-Star reserve along with teammates Steve Nash and Shawn Marion.
A knee problem now has sidelined Boozer, who has missed the last two games and is expected to sit out at least a few more weeks with a hairline fracture. Utah's only All-Star selection, Boozer averaged 21.5 points and 14.0 rebounds in the two meetings with Phoenix.
The Jazz (30-17) handed the Suns one of their only three home losses all season, but Phoenix has won 19 of its last 20 home games. That run includes 10 wins in a row since a 144-139 overtime loss to Washington on Dec. 22.
Utah, meanwhile, overcame Boozer's absence to beat the Spurs 97-93 on Wednesday in its most recent outing.
"It was a must-win game for us, especially without Carlos," said Mehmet Okur, who had 31 points and 11 rebounds. "That's how we've got to play night in, night out. Without Boozer, everybody's got to step up."
In Boozer's absence, two of Utah's offseason acquisitions are being asked to step up. Rafael Araujo had seven points and five rebounds against San Antonio while playing aggressive defense on Tim Duncan, and rookie Paul Millsap had 15 points and eight boards after posting consecutive double-doubles earlier in the week.
"The encouraging thing was that Rafa played well and Millsap keeps getting better every day," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "That's a tremendous thing for this franchise."
Updated on Friday, Feb 2, 2007 2:21 pm EST
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Team Comparison
Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Utah 30-17 1st Northwest / 4th West 102.3 99.9 Road 13-11 Won 1 6-4
Phoenix 37-9 1st Pacific / 2nd West 111.4 102.4 Home 20-3 Won 1 9-1
Utah Notes
Feb 1 Utah grabbed 50 rebounds for the second time vs. San Antonio this season. That is the highest total the Spurs have allowed all season. ... In three games since Carlos Boozer went down, rookie F Paul Millsap is averaging 15.3 points and 12.6 rebounds per game. .. C Rafael Araujo, little-used since signing with the Jazz this offseason, had his best game in a Jazz uniform, registering seven points and five boards. ... F Andrei Kirilenko had nine points and eight rebounds but shot just 3-of-14 from the field. ... Coach Jerry Sloan, who missed Monday's game with the stomach flu, was back on the sidelines for the Jazz Wednesday night and said he was feeling better, but not 100 percent. ... The Jazz had lost four of their last five vs. the Spurs before Wednesday's win.
st 02-01-07 1:32 et
Phoenix Notes
Feb 2 For the second time in the last three years, the Phoenix Suns will have three players playing in the All-Star Game. G Steve Nash, F Shawn Marion and C Amare Stoudemire were all named as reserves. It is the fifth All-Star berth for Nash, fourth for Marion and second for Stoudemire. It is the third time In Suns' history they will have three players participating. The same trio played in the 2005 All-Star game in Denver, and in 1981, Walter Davis, Truck Robinson and Dennis Johnson were named to the team. Suns coach Mike D'Antoni will be the Western Conference coach. ... D'Antoni and Nash were named the NBA Western Conference coach and player of the month for January. D'Antoni led Phoenix to a 15-1 record, which ties the NBA record for January. It also was the most wins in any month for Phoenix. Nash won the award for the third time in his career with an averages of 18.0 points, 13.0 assists and a 54.5 shooting percentage in the 16 games. ... Stoudemire recorded his first 20-point, 20-rebound game Thursday with 24 points and a career-high 23 rebounds. It was his 24th double-double of the season. ... Nash registered his 10th consecutive double-double Thursday with 13 points and 11 assists.
st 02-02-07 2:48 et
It would be easy to think that the Suns should do fine with Boozer not playing.
But the Jazz beat the Spurs without him and Okur seems to always play well against the Suns.
Should be a very good game. The Jazz are going to hit the boards hard and will try to slow the tempo.
Jerry Sloan for COY!
Sloan should have around four of the awards as of now. It's amazing he still hasn't one.
lol........... He should have gotten one just for putting up w/ osterslop that long........ Most coaches would have went sprewell on his fat ass long ago..........
Will be a great game........................
The Suns are heavily favored..................
I can't see the Suns losing this game. If they come out flat and let the Jazz hang with them all night, I'll be extremely disappointed.
A loss to the Jazz tonight would almost completely reverse the confidence booster that came with beating the Spurs.
Suns gonna win.
i was looking forward to this game....like a month ago...no boozer, no win for the jazz, i don't care that they beat the spurs the other night on a btb for the spurs, the suns are not the spurs and are playing better basketball right now
Smash the Jazz
Thats why they win tonight.
I think playing this Jazz team is good for teams like the Suns and Mavs. It will definitely be a physical game just cuz that's the way Utah plays and the Suns & Mavs (especially the Suns) are not entirely comfortable playing that way.
I would imagine that Sloan is gonna tell his team to try to make it a street fight early. He knows his only chance is to try to draw Phoenix into a "manly" type game. I don't see it working though as Nash just won't let that happen to them.
With no Boozer Amare should have a big night scoring and rebounding.
Think Amare's nads have popped back out yet?
If there is a God the Jazz will win....but I doubt it so we all know what that means....
Who's next ?
99-98 UTAH, 4:00 left in 4th.
!
Okur is clutch!!
Why the is Diaw with the ball instead of Nash at the line?
Well folks that answers it...there is a God
Oh well move on to the Nuggets.
BTW my blanket response to everyone who starts bringing up the record against the other top West teams is the Miami Heat.
It answers it for the second time this week. First at Minnesota, and now.Well folks that answers it...there is a God
Amarelooms, if you haven't converted yet, you'd best get to it. You've now had two signs...
As for the loss, sucks. Jazz always give Phoenix fits. At this point, there's no easy out for the top-seed in the second round. Utah is a handful for either Phoenix or Dallas. Moreso for Phoenix, however...
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