Nuggets vs. Suns Preview

(Boulder-CO) I expect the Phoenix Suns to come out pissed after getting punked last night against the Pistons. I also expect the streaking (Ok, maybe three wins in a row isn’t exactly streaking…) Denver Nuggets to want to defend their home court and put a W on the Suns. So, what do these two conflicting points of interest mean? Probably one hell of a basketball game!

Here is something very interesting that I have painstakingly gone through the trouble of finding about the Suns. We all know Steve Nash is amazing. He’s the reigning two-time MVP, he’s leading the NBA in assists, he’s got great hair, blah, blah, blah, but did you know that when the Suns don’t have Steve Nash in the line-up or if he struggles to be the passing wizard we all know he can be the Suns have struggled big time?

I combed through all 15 of the Suns losses and found that nine of those losses were when Steve Nash either didn’t play or didn’t pass out more than ten assists. This leads me to believe that the Suns, eh hem, are most vulnerable when anyone but Nash has to create something for themselves or a teammate. Making my game plan for the Nuggets to shut down (Ok, maybe at least contain) the effect that Steve Nash has on this game.

My only other point of emphasis tonight is to keep Shawn Marion from doing all the little intangible things he does so well. Offensive boards, steals, and that God-forsaken set shot that he throws at the rim have to all be limited for the Nuggets to emerge the victors. How he has excelled at all levels of the game with that putrid jumper I’ll never know, but what I do know is that the Nuggets need to make sure that it’s not tickling the twine and he's running by Carmelo Anthony with his cherry picking basket in tow.

I also think that the Nuggets are finally playing something that resembles NBA defense as of late. They seem to have the interior rotations under control (Thanks, Eduardo) and have been boxing-out much better. And when you combine a little D with what the Nuggets are capable of in other aspects of the game I think that even the most die-hard of Suns fans have to be just a teensy bit worried about tonight’s game. As for me, the biggest Nuggets fan in existence, I’ll take an attitude from my childhood reading material and quote on Alfred E. Neuman when I say, “What, Me Worry?”

Time to block out the Suns, Nuggets! Bring your lunch box and hard hat. Time to do work!