Suns will have lineup change for Today

[Guest]

http://www.nba.com/suns/news/report_021105.html

Looks like Joe Johnson has lost his starting spot

to Penny Hardaway.Joe is looking like a big bust.

He didn't produce last year and has played really

bad this season.

Jason Terry vs. Stephon Marbury

Ira Newble vs. Penny Hardaway

Glenn Robinson vs. Shawn Marion

Shareef Abdur Rahim vs. Tom Googs(dunno how to spell last name)

Theo Ratliff vs. Big Jake

I predict Hawks 90 Suns 98 Marbury goes off for

30 points and 12 assist and Shareef leads the way

with 23 points and 9 boards 4 assist.

[Jester]

I would like to say that the Hawks will win the game tonight against the Suns, but the match ups seem pretty even. The game could go either way. What may help the Suns is what looked like Denver would win the game last night (For a while): THE FANS! The Hawks became rattled when Denver managed to keep them from scoring for a short while in the 3rd quarter and managed to even up the game. Lon found the solution: It came in the form of DG (Dion Glover). He managed to put the right player in the game at the right time. IT is ok to give Lon some credit for this move. Tonight we're on the road again and not with our fans; however, this team is learning quicker than expected how to play together. On that note, this is not last year's team by any means. Theo was out, Hendu was out, DG was out, Emanual (I am not sure about his role, yet) was out. Big Dog was not with the team, and neither were some people we now have ont he bench. What this means is that these players should be given a good 15 oe 20 games before we decide if this thing could work. Winning is contagious and 3 in a row can do nothing but make this team think they can win against anybody. We have 3 weapons now (just what we needed): a playmaker PG, a playmaker SF, and a play maker PF, and a decent 2G who can create possible for the other team with his evergetic D. As fo Theo R. I am not seeing the things that Deke could do in him. I am still waiting for him to blow me away with his athletism and play making ability. Sure he's blocking a couple of shots and making a couple of shot, but, honestly, I am expecting more. IS anyone besides me noticing that Theo has, so far, not panned out to be all that's he's been painted out to be? 10-4. PEACE.

[Gray Mule]

Couple of things about Theo.

1- He is not the same type center as Mutumbo. He is

smaller. He doesn't manhandle people as Deke does.

On the other hand, Theo is much quicker, covers more

territory than Deke, has a better shot and is the

quarterback of the defense, calling defensive sets as

the ball comes up the floor.

2- Theo commits a lot of fouls. Part of this is due to

rule changes made last season while he was out on I.R.

Another reason, I am sure, Theo is still getting the rust

worked off of his game after missing a season and half

of another one. He hasn't played since before the

all star game year before last.

About last night's game: Everyone played. Both teams

were able to play every player available. This is good.

Some of the bench Hawks didn't show very much but

some really stepped up and showed that they were

ready to play. In a close game, they will be the ones

who are called on first.

Hawks won the first half and the 4th quarter. The

Nuggets easily won the third quarter, making us look

bad. But, by then Lon knew who was playing well

and put the right players on the floor and they responded

with the pull away victory, out scoring the Nuggets

when it really counted.

Glover and Henderson looked great in the final drive to

seal the victory. Great to see these two step up and

carry us to victory!!

Gray Mule

[ATLien_]

I totally disagree with you on theo. Theo is everything I expected defensivley and more offensively. I don't know what Theo can do more to please you. He is blocking shots and when they give him the rock in the post more times then not he scores. So what else is there? He is the 4 th option offense so what do you want from him? If we could get him to stop fouling out, scrub teams like Denver wouldn't come back on us.

I was dissapointed that we let the nuggets erase our lead. I think this is do to Theo's foul trouble and the fact that we started freelancing on the offensive end. But I was more excited when we were able to excute in the 4th and put them away by double digits.

Whoever said Jt isn't a PG is on crack. We should really trade him and start Dickau. Dickau could lead the league in turnovers compounding our turnover problems. LOL Jt did a good job of controlling the tempo of the game and making sure the team ran plays when they were freelancing. I certainly wish he would look to score more though.

Man SAR was a turnover machine last night. Every time he did that spin it went to the other team. Big dogg had quite a few also. Man we have got to take better care of the ball if we want to beat the good teams. Thats really why New Jersey beat us.

I'm pretty excited we have what seems to be an offesive game plan now. I thought I may never see that.

[Traceman]

in the first 3. Still, 9.3 ppg on 55% shooting, 5.8 rbg and 4.0 bpg in 23.8 mpg is VERY solid, particularly considering he hasn't played in almost a year and a half.

As for Theo versus Deke, Theo will never be the game changer that Deke was in his prime but that Deke has been gone since around '98. Deke is just a shadow of his former self and now, I'd MUCH rather have Theo. Theo is going to bring so much more offensively that I don't think there is any question that as long as he stays healthy, he is a better fit for this team. Theo's ability to get out and run the floor is going to be a tremendous asset and I think that will be a key to our success this season. On the otherhand, Deke slows down the fast break. Watch his minutes end up being a career low in NJ this year becaasue they are going to discover that he slows them down and that team is best when it runs.

I don't know what you're expecting out of Theo but all I expect is for him to continue to give us what he's been giving us but instead of 23.8 mpg, I'd like to see him give it for about 32 mpg. As the season progresses, if he plays 32 mpg and averages 11 ppg while shooting a high percentage, 7.0 rbg and 3.0 bpg, he is doing his job in my opinion. Anything more than that is cotton candy.

[JTFan31]

I expected exactly what Theo is giving us right now and that is interior Defense. Theo is one of the few centers in this league that is a intimidator inside with his defensive presence and can change a game with out scoring 1 point. You have to remember we dont need Theo to really score thats why we have Reef, Big Dog, and JT. All we need from Theo is defense and rebounding and allthough we only need that from him, he is avg 10 ppg in limited mins, I think thats pretty good considering he is the 4th option, but he dont mind that at all, he just wants to win. I must admit, I never remember Theo having this good of an outside shot, he drains alot of them.

Now I like to comment on the bench .........Dion and Hendu were superb and Hendu very well can be the 6ht man of the year, he is playing great right now for us off the bench. Dion was amazing last night, made some good hard drives and made very good decisions. He also played pretty good d-amn D.

I know Dickau is a rookie, but the kid is not looking very good right now and he has landed in Kruger Dog house it seems, Email is coming in before him, I honestly think E-mail ran the team quite well when JT was out.

As for turnovers, you are right, we need to cut them down, because when we play the great teams in this league they will definitely take advantage of them.

[Blunt91]

Yeah Dickau is looking more like a 2ndrounder than a 1strounder. If he would quit trying to make the lobpass or bounce pass, he wouldn't commit all those turnovers. Email played okay, but he needs to knock down th open looks that the teams give him when they collapse on the player in the post. He needs to spend extra time in the gym practicing his jump shot, in particular his 3point shot. BTW did anybody catch the comments they said about Amal McCaskill, they said the coaching staff is very pleased with him, Nique stated that he is someone that you would want to keep on your team if possible.Is Amal of Muslim faith like Reef and Nazr? One last comment on tonights game against Phoenix watch out for the highschoole phenom Amare Stoudemaire, I hear the kid has game.

[coachx]

Both teams played last night, so alittle fatigue may show.

Lon saw this coming, therefor he played everyone last night vs. Denver so none of the starters got too wore down to be effective tonight. Big Dog played reduced minutes b/c he goes against the Matrix (Marion) tonight.

On the other hand we all know Penny's knee will feel sore tonight in the 2nd of a back to back. So Penny will look sluggish tonight.

Marbury has been complaining of a bad ankle that did not get better in the off the season. He is playing through major pain and will need surgery at the end of the season. This equates to that ankle really being sore on the 2nd of a back to back game.

Glover and Newbel must shut down Marion (20 points or less).

Theo must stay out of foul trouble to keep the Matrix out of the lane.