Suns don't learn, fall to Jazz

[RonnieBrewer (Ronnie Brewer)]

Suns don't learn, fall to Jazz

Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Nov. 19, 2006 12:38 AM

SALT LAKE CITY - For repeat offenders, the punishment gets steeper.

For not learning the error of their ways, the Suns sit at 3-6. They are
winless on the road in four tries after blowing another big lead Saturday,
when Utah won 120-117 in overtime.

This time, it was a 16-point Suns lead with 10:23 to go in the game. Throw
that in the scrap pile with the other losses that wasted leads of nine
(three times), 15 and 19.

Just like Raja Bell's missed free throw at San Antonio, Kurt Thomas missed
two freebies when Phoenix trailed by one with 46.2 seconds to go. Just like
when he missed a layup to tie in the first loss to Utah, Leandro Barbosa
missed a potential winning drive at the end of regulation.

And just like last season, Phoenix struggled to finish a one-possession game,
losing a six-point lead in the final minute of regulation by fouling for two
three-point plays and missing twice before the buzzer.

"It's just seems like the same ol', same ol'," said Shawn Marion, who
scored 35.

As Utah turned determined late, the cupcakes were baked.

"There's not much ice water in our veins," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said.

Both teams' stars, Utah's Andrei Kirilenko and Phoenix's Steve Nash, were out
with injuries but Phoenix looked like it could overcome a turnover-prone
first half with a hot stretch of three-point shooting. But the Suns defense
dwindled, particularly after Bell fouled out with 6:21 to go in regulation.

"We have to correct the problem before it's too late," Thomas said. "We've
got to get stops. That's all I can tell you."

Utah hit 17 of 28 shots and 12 of 13 free throws in the fourth quarter and
overtime. Six of the Jazz's overtime points were on second chances.

"We just have habits of shooting ourselves in the foot," D'Antoni said.

With the Suns ahead 106-100 in the final minute of regulation, Amare'
Stoudemire fouled out on Deron Williams' driving three-point play. He said he
was pushed from behind. At 106-103, Barbosa played Mehmet Okur too tightly at
the three-point line and picked up a foul. Okur nailed all three free throws
to put the game into overtime.

"We've got a tendency to get a little lazy and they make their run back,"
Stoudemire said.

Nash and D'Antoni expect Nash to return for Monday's game at Golden State.

"I knew I'd be doubtful," Nash said of Saturday. "If it was a playoff game,
maybe. But at the expense of maybe jeopardizing a couple weeks, it's not
worth pushing it."

The weeklong back problem "felt a lot worse" Thursday and was "really stiff"
Saturday.

"I wouldn't be sleeping if I thought (it was a potential long-term problem),"
D'Antoni said. "I slept last night."


http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/1119sunsplug1119.html

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