Suns Basketball » Andrew Bynum

Amar’e Stoudemire Proves He Isn’t Worth the Big Bucks

Fanhouse NBA Blog - suns — Sun, 30 May 2010 22:05:14 +0000

Filed under: Lakers, Suns, NBA All-Star Game, NBA Playoffs, The Bonus

He missed jump shot after jump shot, fading away time and time again. He refused to compete on the glass in the most pivotal game of his career. He complained to the refs on seemingly every errant shot attempt or ridiculous offensive foul. Amar'e Stoudemire -- in perhaps his last game as a Phoenix Sun -- disappeared into the Arizona desert before he could ever give his team a chance. How a player with his bevy of skills turned into something of a mannequin is almost inconceivable, but when you consider the script had been written long before, it is very understandable.

The Western Conference's starting power forward in the All-Star Game and three-time second-team All-NBA performer will surely command a massive, max-money-type payday this summer. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade and maybe Chris Bosh aside, no player will see more interest and more dollar signs than Stoudemire entering free agency. Whether or not he remains in Phoenix is in doubt, but amidst the boo birds and bright lights, Stoudemire showed his true worth -- or lack thereof -- in Game 6 Saturday night.

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Kobe’s Special Delivery a Pain in the You-Know-What for Suns

Fanhouse NBA Blog - suns — Sun, 30 May 2010 12:03:27 +0000

by Chris Tomasson

Filed under: Lakers, Suns, NBA Playoffs

PHOENIX -- Michael Jordan had the shoulder shrug. And now Kobe Bryant has the pat.

When the dust settles on Bryant's brilliant career and the highlights all have been spliced together, this one certainly will make it.

With 34.2 seconds left Saturday night at US Airways Center, the Lakers guard put up a 23-foot jumper right in front of Phoenix's bench with Suns forward Grant Hill practically doing chin-ups on his forearm. It didn't matter.

Bryant made the decisive bucket that would lead his team to a 111-103 win over and a third straight trip to the NBA Finals. Before Bryant ran back up court, he gave Suns coach Alvin Gentry a pat on the butt, as if to say, "Nobody can stop me.''

It was similar to when Jordan hit his sixth three-pointer of the first half for Chicago in Game 1 of the 1992 NBA Finals against Portland. With the Bulls on their way to the second of six titles, he simply shrugged for the camera.

"After I knocked down the shot, I just heard (Gentry) mutter something like, 'That's B.S., you know,''' said Bryant, giving his version of the shot that put the Lakers up 107-100 and on their way to securing a 4-2 win in the Western Conference finals. ''Something to that effect about the shot. Just made me smile.''

As for Gentry's version, "I said, 'Good defense. (Bryant) said, 'Not quite good enough.' ... He just patted me.''

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‘Pride of Los Angeles’ Pau Gasol Key to Lakers’ Success

Fanhouse NBA Blog - suns — Sat, 29 May 2010 16:00:11 +0000

by Chris Tomasson

Filed under: Grizzlies, Lakers, Suns, NBA Playoffs, NBA Transactions

PHOENIX -- For a recent interview, there was a request for the "pride of Spain.'' A Lakers official, though, quickly amended that Pau Gasol also is the "pride of Los Angeles.''

Indeed he is.

Let Kobe Bryant grab most of the headlines, but if the Lakers didn't have the forward from Barcelona they wouldn't be closing in on a third straight NBA Finals appearance, with the possibility of a second straight title.

There was some talk around the middle of this season that Gasol's trade from Memphis on Feb. 1, 2008 wasn't as much of a steal as had been originally believed. Gasol, bothered by hamstring problems, had gotten off to a slow start and the Grizzlies were playing well. Memphis had been helped by acquiring center Marc Gasol in the deal for his brother and by using some of money they cleared to acquire All-Star forward Zach Randolph.

Well, the Grizzlies fizzled in the second half after their 25-19 start, finishing 40-42. It's true Marc Gasol missed all of April due to a neck injury, but Randolph slowed down at the end of the season and certainly didn't help his standing when he recently was named in a probable cause affidavit as "a major marijuana supplier in Indianapolis.''

So the trade, in which Gasol went to the Lakers with a second-round pick for Marc Gasol, Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton and two first-round picks, is back to being a Brink's job.

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Artest Saves the Day, Fined the Next

Fanhouse NBA Blog - suns — Sat, 29 May 2010 10:59:26 +0000

by Chris Tomasson

Filed under: Lakers, Suns, NBA Playoffs

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- No, Ron Artest wasn't out partying after hitting the game-winning layup Thursday night. In fact, he went to a local health club to work out.

But that didn't stop the Lakers' forward from being fined an undisclosed amount for showing up about a half-hour late for practice Friday morning, the day before the Lakers meet the Suns in Phoenix in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals. Artest hit a putback shot at the buzzer in Game 5 to give the Lakers a 103-101 win and a 3-2 series lead.

"It was just one of those nights,'' Lakers coach Phil Jackson said of Artest being late. "I think (Artest) was just so excited after the game that all that processing and things that were on the board (in the locker room) there didn't all register.''

Artest said Friday the Lakers were "at a high for 30 to 40 minutes'' after his game-winning shot and then were able to "settle down.'' So Artest claimed he still wasn't walking on air Friday.

"That can drain you,'' he said. "Being that high can drain you.''

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Bynum Wants Boston in NBA Finals

Fanhouse NBA Blog - suns — Sat, 29 May 2010 00:54:49 +0000

by Chris Tomasson

Filed under: Celtics, Lakers, Magic, Suns, NBA Injuries, NBA Playoffs

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Never mind Andrew Bynum was injured and didn't play in the 2008 NBA Finals against Boston, he wants the Celtics in the 2010 Finals.

The Lakers' center was asked after practice Friday whether he'd rather see the Celtics or Orlando in the Finals. Bynum's Lakers lead Phoenix 3-2 entering Saturday's Game 6 of the Western Conference finals while Boston leads the Magic 3-2 entering Friday's Game 6 of the Eastern Conference affair.

"We want to get Boston because we lost to them and we want to get that one back,'' said Bynum, who missed the 2008 Finals due to a knee injury but did play in the 2009 Finals when the Lakers topped Orlando for the crown.

Asked if the Lakers might be more motivated in the Finals against Boston due to the 2008 loss while the Magic might be more fired up facing the Lakers due to the 2009 loss, Bynum said, "Exactly.''

This isn't the first time Bynum has been looking ahead in the series. When Lakers coach Phil Jackson was asked earlier this week about Bynum discussing playing Boston, Jackson called it a "brain (cramp).''

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Zoned-Out Lakers Will Outshine Suns

Fanhouse NBA Blog - suns — Thu, 27 May 2010 23:49:38 +0000

by Terence Moore

Filed under: Lakers, Suns, NBA Playoffs

PHOENIX -- They'll still win it. They'll escape these Western Conference finals to defend their world championship in the NBA Finals. That's because the lesser of the two opponents for the Los Angeles Lakers at the moment are the Phoenix Suns.

The Lakers' biggest opponent?

Themselves.

What a mess. I mean, in the midst of the playoffs, the Lakers have usually mellow owner Jerry Buss turning into a 1970ish George Steinbrenner by suggesting that coach Phil Jackson might have to take a pay cut despite his 10 world championships rings.

The Lakers also have Jackson in news conferences denying -- well, sort of -- that he will return to the Chicago Bulls after this season or that he may cause the world to spin backwards by joining the New Jersey Nets or another NBA team with an opening and lots of bucks.

FanHouse TV: Game 5 Preview
Then, the Lakers have a roster that suddenly looks so much like Kobe Bryant and a bunch of other guys.

Sometimes, those other guys are impressive, with 7-footers Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum dominating the post. And, sometimes, those other guys feature Derek Fisher forgetting that he is 35 years old, and Ron Artest staying away from nutting up, and Lamar Odom matching potential with reality as a standout from the bench.

Other times, well, there was Tuesday night.

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Suns Force Lakers Into Pivotal Game 5

Fanhouse NBA Blog - suns — Wed, 26 May 2010 12:33:43 +0000

by Chris Tomasson

Filed under: Lakers, Suns, NBA Playoffs

PHOENIX -- The Lakers often have been in jeopardy of getting burned the past two postseasons. And now they seem a bit lax about wearing their SPF 50 against the Suns.

Last spring, the Lakers won pivotal Game 5s at home in the playoffs to break 2-2 ties against Houston and Denver en route to winning the championship. Last month, they did the same, escaping after a first-round series against Oklahoma City was deadlocked.

Now, it's happening again.

After a 115-106 loss to Phoenix on Tuesday night in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals, this series is suddenly tied 2-2 after it had been 2-0. And it's driving the Zen Master zany.

Title runs, you see, once were a bit of a breeze for Phil Jackson in Los Angeles. When his Lakers won crowns in 2000, 2001 and 2002, they either led 3-1 or had swept eight of nine seven-game series. Only once was a seven-game series tied 2-2, that being the epic 2002 West final against Sacramento.

Suddenly, Jackson now sees a series tied 2-2 for the fourth time in two seasons, with the Lakers facing a pivotal Game 5 at home. Might the odds at some point catch up with them?

"Obviously, disappointed,'' the Lakers coach said of how he felt after the Game 4 setback at US Airways Center. "We thought we could come here and get a game. And, unfortunately, you know we weren't up to the task.''

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Andrew Bynum Will Play in Game 4

Fanhouse NBA Blog - suns — Tue, 25 May 2010 01:22:42 +0000

by Chris Tomasson

Filed under: Lakers, Suns, NBA Injuries, NBA Playoffs

PHOENIX -- There won't be an Andrew Bynum benching.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson, after watching Bynum stagger through a two-point, two-rebound showing in eight foul-plagued minutes Sunday, said his center might miss some game time due to the torn meniscus in his right knee. But, after talking to Bynum on Monday, the coach said he has no plans now to sit him.

"I was worried he was impinging his ability to play by concern about his health and his status, and he says he's OK,'' said Jackson, whose Lakers lost 118-109 Sunday to Phoenix and now have their lead in the Western Conference finals cut to 2-1. "I wanted to talk to him [Monday] morning and he said he was fine.''

Jackson said he watched a tape of the game. He saw one play early in the second quarter that offered some reassurance.

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Suns’ Defense, Stoudemire’s Retro Moves Confuse Lakers

Fanhouse NBA Blog - suns — Mon, 24 May 2010 10:14:58 +0000

by Chris Tomasson

Filed under: Lakers, Suns, NBA Playoffs

PHOENIX -- Amar'e Stoudemire wears No. 1, and Sunday night he was looking like the guy who was the first star in Phoenix Suns history.

Stoudemire was swooping to the hoop like Connie Hawkins did 40 years ago. He had a baseline drive for a reverse layup and enough dipsy-doo moves that it appeared he, rather than Suns center Robin Lopez, should have been wearing a Julius Erving-like Afro.

Put it all together, and the forward scored a playoff career-high tying 42 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as his Suns beat the Lakers 118-109 at US Airways Center to cut the deficit in the Western Conference finals to 2-1.

"A lot of practice,'' Stoudemire said of the moves he displayed. "But I think just trying to keep those guys off guard, just really trying to bring out a lot of different moves, because they scout you so well and they know what you do best. So, if you can count on your go-to moves, it's hard for them to guard you. ... I wanted to be very, very versatile and try to catch them off guard with a few moves.''

Stoudemire sure did, and nobody on the Lakers claimed anything he did was "lucky.'' It was Stoudemire who uttered that claim after Lakers reserve forward Lamar Odom grabbed 19 rebounds in Game 1.

So, Lamar, how was Stoudemire's performance Sunday?

"He had a wonderful game,'' said Odom, not wanting to elaborate much. Then, after some prodding, he added, "He got to the hole and was forceful. He was great.''

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Ailing Bynum Can’t Keep Up With Suns

Fanhouse NBA Blog - suns — Mon, 24 May 2010 10:14:57 +0000

by Chris Tomasson

Filed under: Lakers, Suns, NBA Injuries, NBA Playoffs

PHOENIX -- Andrew Bynum's great size mostly has been looked at as an asset. Now, some are seeing it as an anchor dragging down the Lakers.

While the Lakers' 7-foot, 285-pound starting center won't admit the small cartilage tear in his right knee is the primary reason for his recent poor play, coach Phil Jackson is being a lot more candid. Or at least as candid as Jackson can be without having some side motive.

After the Lakers fell 118-109 to Phoenix on Sunday night at US Airways to have their Western Conference finals lead cut to 2-1, Jackson went so far as to say Bynum could miss an upcoming game to provide some rest for his ailing knee.

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