Run And Gun Suns Burn Raptors 136-123

Defense? We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Defense! In a game that brought back memories of Doug Moe and the 1980’s Denver Nuggets games, Leandro Barbosa had 35 points and Steve Nash had 18 assists, as the Phoenix Suns defeated the Toronto Raptors in a run and gun special Wednesday 136-123.

?As a fan of the NBA, I could watch the Phoenix Suns play every night of the week. They play the kind of Basketball, that I grew up loving, fast break basketball. And as the Suns and to an extent the Dallas Mavericks have shown us over the last few years, it will get you a lot of wins in the regular season. The problem is in the playoffs, fast break basketball went out with “Show Time” and the Lakers. Ever since the Detroit Pistons won in the late 1980’s with the “Bad Boys” the mug and thug style slowed down the game. Now you need to be an expert at the half court game during the Post Season, hence the success of the San Antonio Spurs. And it will remain that way, until a Phoenix or another team in it’s mold can win a ring.

Never the less, this was a fun game to watch! Phoenix had 7 players in double figures, and shot 58.9% from the floor! They shot 13-28 from outside the arc, and 17-19 from the line. Barbosa, last season’s NBA Sixth Man Award Winner shot 14-23 from the field, went 5-14 from three point range, and a perfect 2-2 at the line. Amare Stoudemire scored 25 points, Grant Hill had 17 points, 9 assists, Raja Bell had 16, and Boris Diaw scored 14. Nash had 10 points to go along with the 18 assists, and Shawn Marion had 10 points, and a game high 14 rebounds.

Toronto had 5 players in double figures, led by point guard T.J. Ford who scored 27 points, coming off the bench. Anthony Parker scored 22 points, while Carlos Delfino and Jose Calderon each had 14 points for Toronto, Calderon added 9 assists. Center Rasho Nesterovic scored 12 points, while starting forward Jamario Moon had 8 points, and a team high 10 rebounds. Toronto stayed within 5 points through the first half, but Phoenix scored 45 points in the third quarter to break the game open. The Suns are now 15-4, while the Raptors after the loss are now 10-9.