Amare Stoudemire is doing his part to help the Suns win the rest of their games and gain home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. (NBAE Photos)

There is no love lost between me and the numbers game, which makes this final week of the NBA regular season a real terror for those of us who dread the “yeah, but what if” discussions this time of year.

I can handle simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Percentages are somehow no problem, either. Sure, I never met a calculator I didn’t like (or use), but when it comes to permutations – calculating the possible combinations of anything – well, no device in existence could help me keep straight every possible scenario that the impending NBA postseason poses, especially where the Suns are concerned currently.

I know seeding has something to do with conference records. And home-court advantage in a playoff series is determined by win-loss records, and not seeding.

Okay, so far.

But thanks to the playoff logjam that is the Western Conference, that’s where my personal headaches begin.

“It’s crazy right now,” said Amaré Stoudemire after Monday’s win over Golden State. “Every team is playing well. There are four teams vying for the same record. The West is as tight as I’ve ever seen it. It’s good for the fans, but it’s pretty tough for us. Whatever happens, it’s going to be a tough Western Conference team we face in the playoffs. You just have to prepare yourselves as a team, get better and accept the challenge.”

Entering Monday’s game just one game behind fifth-seeded Houston and third-seeded San Antonio, and sporting the same record as No. 4 Utah (53-26), things looked more muddled than ever before tip-off for the Suns. Sure, the sixth seed was probable, yet Phoenix still had a shot of leapfrogging all the way up to a third seed.

So, if the playoffs started Monday, it would have meant another playoff showdown against the Spurs – this time in the Opening Round. With three regular season wins over San Antonio, Phoenix locked up the tiebreaker against the Spurs, who were to play the Kings Monday.

Desperately hoping to regain some sense of mental normalcy with some answers Monday night following a Suns win, a funny thing happened.

Nothing.

Admittedly, “nothing” isn’t exactly the basis for comedy (unless your last name happens to be Seinfeld), but I and the rest of the Suns’ fans were really no closer to solving anything in terms of what’s (or in this case, who’s) next.

Obviously, Phoenix still needs to gun for a win over Portland in the regular season finale Wednesday to have some semblance of control over their fate, but they will still have to keep one eye on the scoreboard, since Monday ended with the Suns in a tie with both Houston and Utah, and all three one game behind the Spurs, who ended up beating Sacramento. To close out the regular season, the Jazz (who took care of Houston Monday) get the Spurs, and the Rockets face the Clippers.

Phoenix could face Houston to start the playoffs, and could open here at US Airways Center against the Rockets this weekend. That’s if Phoenix, Houston and Utah all win on Wednesday, finishing in a three-way tie at 55-27, in which case the Suns would win the tie-breaker with the best winning percentage in all games among the tied teams.

If Phoenix loses to Portland on Wednesday or the Spurs beat the Jazz, then the Suns travel to San Antonio for Games 1 and 2 against their rivals. If both the Suns and Spurs lose Wednesday, then Phoenix could be headed to Utah this weekend. And the possibility of tipping things off vs. the Jazz in Salt Lake City where Jerry Sloan’s club is 36-4 this season isn’t particularly appealing, but that scenario is very much still alive, too.

And all of that, of course, is assuming I understand what I’m talking about. One thing is for sure, though. Wednesday can’t come fast enough. Some of us need closure.

And next year, I’m all in favor of racking up the best record in the league. It makes for many less headaches.

]]>Tue, 15 Apr 08 05:45:00 UThttp://suns.marqui.com/blog/suns01_01290801.aspx

As the ballboys did their best to dry the rain-soaked court, the Suns front office contemplates their options before postponing an exhibition game in 1974. (NBAE Photos)

The game was delayed 12 minutes in the first quarter because of water dripping down to the hardwood, less than a foot from the baseline under the Lakers' basket.

This got me to thinking about the Suns, who must lead the NBA in all-time weather-related incidents.

Playing in a city that boasts 300 sunny days a year and a paltry average of 7.7 inches of rain a year, the Suns sure have had their issues with Mother Nature since their inception 40 years ago.

The first incident remarkably occurred at home on Oct. 6, 1974. It started out as just another preseason game for the Suns at old Veterans Memorial Coliseum, but quickly and quite literally became a washout.

A steady rain and a constant drip from the ceiling cancelled the exhibition after a 90-minute delay and prompted an impromptu address to fans by Jerry Colangelo, telling them they could exchange their tickets for a future game and that the decision was "in the best interest of everyone that this game not be played."

US Airways Center Vice President of Facility Management and Suns Ring of Honor member Alvan Adams wholeheartedly agrees with the decision.

"That was totally the right call," the Oklahoma Kid said. "We cancelled that game against the Trail Blazers because of water on the floor. It was just common sense. Luckily, it was a preseason game. Portland had rookie Bill Walton, and you could only imagine what their coach was thinking, too.

Jerry Colangelo addresses the fans at "The Madhouse on McDowell," informing them of the decision to cancel the preseason game against the Trail Blazers. (NBAE Photos)

"Kids do crazy things, and most NBA players are still kids. They'll go out a ride a motorcycle at 100 mph. So skidding around on the court could be fun, but not when you're trying to win a game. Plus, being a preseason game, it wasn't that important."

It certainly wouldn't be the last time weather would wreak havoc with the Suns. Eleven years later, storm clouds followed Phoenix to the Pacific Northwest as they took on the SuperSonics at the old Seattle Center Coliseum.

The ballboys were once again working overtime after puddles quickly formed on the floor for tip-off. By the second quarter, the NBA had its first-ever "postponement due to rain."

"We actually had to come back the next night and finish it off," Suns broadcasting legend Al McCoy said. "It was a little unusual, but the floor got so damp, they had to do it. Waiting that extra day was something, because the Jazz were also in town to play their game, we were there, and of course, Seattle was, too."

Adams added, "It was a great place to have to spend an extra day in, though."

The game was made up a day later, resulting in a 117-114 Suns win, but that proverbial dark cloud over the Suns' schedule continued.

"It also happened in Washington when Cotton Fitzsimmons and I were doing a game," McCoy said. "They had ice under the floor, and it was a warm day. The floor got damp, and they kept mopping and mopping, and that game got cancelled. It had to be played later in the season. Cotton and I were doing the simulcast on radio and TV. We couldn't throw it back to the station, so for almost an hour we interviewed just about everybody but the usher."

Last season, the Suns got hit with a bit of precipitation of the frozen variety, when their match-up against the Nuggets was postponed due to a blizzard. In addition to having to wait to extend their 15-game winning streak, the team was stuck in Colorado as the clock began ticking down for their game back in Phoenix two nights later. After bussing it to Colorado Springs, the Suns caught a flight back to the Valley, arriving two hours before tip-off of what would be a loss to the Wizards.

Thankfully, the interior of US Airways Center has stayed rain- and snow-free since its doors opened in 1992.

Getting back to Sunday's delay in Los Angeles, everything worked out in relatively no time. And as Adams comments, that's a credit to the NBA's high level of commitment to players, coaches and fans through the use of first-class venues.

"That's why the league is as great as it is," the 13-year NBA veteran said. "They have standards in terms of their facilities. And even a great facility like Staples Center and all places have places where water can get through. It happens in the best of homes and the best public assembly buildings, as well."

As for the Suns' propensity for getting the short end of the weather stick over the years, McCoy has a simple suggestion.

"This team needs a weatherman," he smiled.
]]>Wed, 30 Jan 08 04:55:00 UThttp://suns.marqui.com/blog/suns01_12280701.aspx

Rest in Peace, microfiber ball. We hardly knew you. (NBAE Photos)

Next Tuesday marks the one-year anniversary of the return of the classic leather Spalding ball after the ill-fated switch to the micro fiber composite as the official game ball to start the 2006-07 season.

It was the first time in over 35 years and just the second time in the last six decades the league had introduced a new ball into collective play. With the same weight and circumference as the old model, the synthetic was a departure from the eight-panel version first introduced in 1970, instead going to two interlocking cross panels that made for a truer, more consistent bounce. It also boasted a “hydrophilic moisture management system” that translated into quicker moisture evaporation and a better grip for the ballhandler.

Unfortunately, the new material was sometimes gripping more than just the players’ palms. According to Steve Nash early in the 2006 preseason, it was sticking to “the floor… the backboard,” but it wasn’t until the point guard found his hands taking a real beating (or as he referred to them, “paper cuts”) on game nights that the real furor started.

The good times were short lived for Steve Nash and the composite ball. (NBAE Photos)

With a pair of NBA MVP trophies on his mantel, the league’s best assists man is about as shy speaking his mind as he’s been when it comes to playing floor general on game nights.

In other words, he had no qualms voicing his displeasure about the new ball’s results, and it wasn’t long before many of his peers across the league, including LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade, began to share a similar opinion publicly.

By December 2006, the writing was on the wall and the “switch back that was never going to happen” happened. Bowing to negative overall player response, as well as a reported grievance filed through the Players Union, the composite’s run – a run that was believed to statistically improve shooting, scoring and ball-related turnovers – would officially end December 31.

Well, at least in the NBA.

Alando Tucker, fresh off his recent stint with the Albuquerque Thunderbirds in the NBA Development League, was still going up and down the floor for the Wisconsin Badgers during last year’s NBA ball switcheroo. Nonetheless, he’s still very familiar with playing with the synthetic. That’s because the micro fiber composite continues to be the official ball of the NBDL.

“It’s all about the feel,” the rookie forward said. “The old one is better. I could immediately tell the difference in shooting. The traditional ball seems a lot lighter than the other ball and a lot easier to shoot. It just comes off the fingers a lot better.

“Originally, I thought it wasn’t that drastic of a change, but it was nothing like when I got back to the Suns. I had to get re-adjusted to the old ball. It took me awhile to get used to it again, too. I’m in love with the traditional leather.”

Like most major professional sports, tradition is one thing that is never taken lightly. This game’s most recognizable implement has come a long way since basketball inventor Dr. James Naismith first approached sporting goods pioneer A.G. Spalding to develop a new ball in 1894. From the removal of laces on the ball in 1937 to new outer shell materials, change is inevitable, especially when talking about a game that’s continually evolved since its inception 116 years ago.

With the composite still in use somewhere, never say never when it comes to re-introducing a “revolutionary” concept. Down the road, who knows? Maybe someday composite technology will re-emerge in the NBA.

Just don’t expect it anytime soon.
]]>Sat, 29 Dec 07 05:33:00 UThttp://suns.marqui.com/blog/suns01_12130703.aspxWorking as a reporter for Suns.com for a game night at US Airways Center certainly has its ups and downs. Okay, make that one “down.” Being employed by the Suns, the usual media impartiality of covering a professional sporting event is admittedly a bit skewed to the home side. That being said, we obviously root for the team, but professionalism wins out, meaning most of our cheering stays on the inside when mingling with regular media (with the exceptions coming on those game-winning shots and wins). When you grow up a sports fan, suppressing those natural emotions to cheer along with every home three-pointer and slam dunk is a bit odd, but those disapproving looks from outside media keeps you in your place. Usually.

As with just about every area of the arena on a game night, plenty goes on before, during and after every event at the arena. And that’s includes Suns.com’s responsibilities covering the defending Pacific Division Champs. And that’s where “the best” happens. The website not only gets some pretty enviable access to the team on a season-long basis, it’s also a great chance to see the inner workings of an NBA game. And thankfully no night is ever exactly the same.

About 90 minutes before the start of a game, the media filters into the locker room to get player quotes about any breaking stories or in most cases try to work the room for any bits of info that can be used as fodder for their columns or newscasts later in the night. On Wednesday, the biggest questions making the rounds included the team’s concerns on dropping the last two games and the condition of Toronto’s T.J. Ford, who left Tuesday’s game in Atlanta on a stretcher with a neck injury.

For the players who dress in a hurry (either because they really want to hit the training room/court as soon as possible or they just want to high tail it out of there before the inevitable onslaught of voice recorders and cameras begins), they are usually long gone by the time media access begins.

For the late player arrivals and/or the slow dressers, they’re left to mentally prepare for the night’s action while handling media chit chat, getting in a quick snack and watching any one of the plethora of NBA games airing on the locker room big-screen TV.

If I owned a big screen TV as large as what’s in the player’s locker room, I’d probably take my time getting out of there, too. Still, the locker room tends to fill up quick, eliciting that familiar cry, “TV,” meaning you’re blocking some seven-footer’s view of the boob tube and you’d better get out of the way, right quick.

Sitting in on Head Coach Mike D’Antoni’s pre-game press conferences reminds me of those basement scenes from the TV sitcom “That 70’s Show.” Of course there’s no drinking or smoking of any kind going on in there... then again I don’t remember Kelso, Hyde and Fez ever watching a countdown to tip off clock, either.

My point is, what there is a lot of in the coach’s office is hanging out. The media uses the allotted time to plant themselves on one of the couches and very informally ask the coach just about anything, and with D’Antoni you’ll get just about any answer possible. One of the most amiable coaches in the NBA (except maybe when a call doesn’t go his team’s way out on the floor), he holds court while flipping TV channels between the multiple other NBA games on the docket for the night. And no, this TV isn’t as big as the players’ version, but in there, the media know well enough not to block the view.

Some of what is discussed in there is “on the record,” meaning the media is allowed to run with it and attribute it to D’Antoni. Tonight’s gamut of topics included him praising Brian Skinner (“Brian’s fooled me. He’s better than I thought. We’ll put him out there more and see where it goes.”) and Jazz point guard Deron Williams (“He’s got the body, the shot… He’s got all the tools, except maybe experience, which he’s getting now.”), the Suns’ defense (“We just have to buckle down and guard somebody. It’s been like this for two years and it’s our biggest weakness... guarding and rebounding. Until we solve that problem, were going to have some ups and downs. Everybody knows that. We’ve improved some but the last two games we took a step back and it cost us.”) and a partial travel itinerary of Team USA Basketball next year (“Macao, Shanghai, Beijing… It’s tough.”)

And then there is the stuff which is “off the record,” too, which includes… well, I should probably save that for what will undoubtedly be a final blog entry at a later date.

I’ll spare you what happens during the game, especially since it’s very reminiscent of what the average NBA fan does – a lot of watching the game.

Win or lose, post-game press conferences are much more structured than what transpired before the game. They are held in a neutral room of the arena a few minutes after the final buzzer, where D’Antoni fields questions from the media on the game. No matter how well the Suns do on any given night, he usually always hints that there’s always room for improvement, but tonight he seemed pleased with the overall result that ended Phoenix’s two-game skid, especially on the topic of defense.

“There were some really good things, and it started on the defensive end,” he said after the Suns’ 103-98 win over the Jazz. “I thought we were active, and that’s what we need. We need guys who aren’t hesitating and are using their instincts – especially on defense. I thought the energy was there the whole night and low and behold we scored 36 points in the fourth quarter because of the energy and because of the way we played.”

And then the mad rush into the Suns locker room begins. The media jockeys for position for all the major players of the night, camping out at their respective lockers to break down the game. Fans of ESPN’s “Sportscenter” or the local sports segment of their favorite news channel know the drill, all too well.

From Amaré Stoudemire talking defense, “When I missed my first three shots I kind of figured I would step it up defensively. Tonight wasn’t quite my night shooting the ball from the field, but it happens that way sometimes and you just have to find a way to will it out defensively,” to Shawn Marion on a season-best 26 points and five blocked shots, “You can definitely score, but if you can get that big stop when you need to, it seals the win and makes it that much easier.”

As for Suns.com, well, the end of the post-game is the start of crunch time for us, whether we’re writing stories or posting game night videos. Not saddled with the same deadlines as those of most media outlets, our motivation is to get our content up on the website as soon as possible, and hopefully, as entertainingly as possible, too.

So, while I’m at it, I may as well wrap this up by lifting yet another very appropriate final line from that same Dickens novel: "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known."

Thankfully, my “rest” does not include a trip to the gallows like in the book. It’s of the sleep variety, and with that, “from the US Airways Center where the Suns beat the Jazz 103-98 tonight,” that’s a wrap.
]]>Thu, 13 Dec 07 08:14:00 UT