Phoenix Suns

By J.E. Skeets In case you couldn't tell by the tone of my type, I side with Matt Moore at NBA FanHouse on this one: Unless James wants to further damage his public relations capital before the biggest summer of his financial life — see: refusing to shake hands with the Orlando Magic in the playoffs, Nike Du...

By Kelly Dwyer Nate Robinson(notes) didn't play for the Knicks, mainly because Mike D'Antoni can't stand him. After the loss, D'Antoni gave us an old favorite — feigning exasperation because the assembled media declined to ask him about the other players he sat. It's an old coaching favorite, everyone...

DECEMBER 2: Zydrunas Ilgauskas(notes) #11 of the Cleveland Cavaliers points to a teammate after scoring a bucket to surpass former Cleveland Cavalier Austin Carr as the franchises 3rd all-time leading scorer against the Phoenix Suns on December 2, 2009 at The Quicken Loans Arena in Cl...

Phoenix at Cleveland There are quite a few intriguing matchups on tonight, so this was a tough call.

By Kelly Dwyer Phoenix Suns: 14-4, 96.2 possessions per game (fifth), 115.7 points scored per 100 possessions (first), 109.9 points allowed per 100 possessions (24th). Cleveland Cavaliers: 12-5, 91.4 possessions per game (22nd), 108.4 points scored per 100 possessions (12th), 103.5 points allowed per 1...

By Kelly Dwyer Did you know that the Los Angeles Lakers are second in defense thus far this season? Having Ron Artest(notes) around helps, but after losing his top assistant and second-best player for the first three weeks of the season, Jackson still has this team defending with one of the worst indivi...

By Kelly Dwyer Phoenix at New York The Suns are in New York tonight. Learning experience. Come on. Comment away. Phoenix Suns: 14-3, 96.2 possessions per game (fifth-most in the NBA), 116.4 points per 100 possessions (first), 108.6 points allowed per 100 possessions (22nd).

Phoenix at New York If we want to get studious with this, Miami at Portland would probably be the best call.

By J.E. Skeets The Oklahoman recently conducted an interesting, albeit basic poll among players and coaches to determine who has the highest basketball IQ in the NBA. 1. Kobe Bryant(notes), Lakers 2. Jason Kidd(notes), Mavericks 3. Steve Nash(notes), Suns 4. Chris Paul(notes), Hornets

By J.E. Skeets Mark Hale, New York Post: "[Steve] Nash, the Suns' superstar point guard, signed an extension with Phoenix this offseason, ensuring he'll be there for two more years after this one and robbing the Knicks of a chance to add him to their summer shopping list alongside LeBron James(notes) a...

By Kelly Dwyer Los Angeles Clippers 98, Memphis 88 Phoenix 113, Toronto 94 Grant Hill(notes) and Jason Richardson(notes) started a few breaks with nine rebounds apiece, and Steve Nash(notes) had 20 points and 16 assists because he's awesome. Los Angeles Lakers 106, New Jersey 87

By Kelly Dwyer Chicago at Los Angeles Lakers I can't believe Utah against San Antonio is the passed over, third game for this evening. Two marquee teams featuring some bankable players? Can't possibly pick it, though. Not with both teams playing last night. Not with all those injuries.

By J.E. Skeets Baron Davis(notes) asks his "step brother" Steve Nash(notes) to bust a couple of dance moves during the Clips/Suns game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Wednesday night. Best caption/imaginary conversation wins a bicycle built for two. Good luck.

By J.E. Skeets Atlantic Divison: Celtics | Nets | Knicks | 76ers | Raptors Southwest Division: Mavericks | Rockets | Grizzlies | Hornets | Spurs Northwest Division: Nuggets | Wolves | Thunder | Blazers | Jazz Pacific Division: Warriors | Clippers | Lakers

By J.E. Skeets Want just a bold statement? Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban believes his team is as good — nay, better — than the one that went to the NBA Finals in 2006. Today, it's the Lakers, Spurs, Nuggets, Jazz, Blazers, Rockets, Hornets, Mavs and, well, maybe the Suns.

By J.E. Skeets Paul Coro, Arizona Republic: "The wait on the expected release of Sasha Pavlovic(notes) turned out to be worth it for the Suns. The Suns and Pavlovic, acquired from Cleveland in June in the Shaquille O'Neal(notes) trade, agreed to a buyout that would save $500,000 more than the Suns stood...

By Kelly Dwyer Washington and Memphis will be awful, Miami and Dallas (Dallas has owned the Heat during the regular season) will be interesting, and New Orleans and the Clippers might actually be worth a watch. The Clippers have talent, but don't play like it. The Hornets do not, and David West is on one leg...

By Kelly Dwyer Cleveland Cavaliers: 35-8, 89.4 possessions per game (25th), 113 points scored per 100 possessions (3rd), 101.2 points allowed per 100 possessions (2nd).  San Antonio Spurs: 30-14, 88.4 possessions per game (26th), 107.9 points scored per 100 possessions (13th), 104.7 points allowed per...

By J.E. Skeets 5. San Antonio Spurs — Fourth in D, but 14th in offense, and the lamer mark isn’t likely to get any better with guys like Michael Finley, Bruce Bowen, and (sorry) Roger Mason Jr. contributing as little as they do offensively over about 75 combined minutes per game. [KD]

By J.E. Skeets Key Players Added: Matt Barnes (free agent), Louis Amundson (free agent), Goran Dragic (draft), Robin — ROBIN! — Lopez (draft), Sean Singletary (draft-trade combo for strawberries), Coach Terry Porter, defense Key Players Lost: Gordan Giricek (free agent, Turkey), Brian Skinner (...

You hold the Phoenix Suns to nine points in the fourth quarter of a game where they're playing at home on national TV while attempting to move up the Western Conference standings, and you're obviously a motivated bunch of sorcerers. I've no idea how a team pulls that off without some weird, h...