azdad1978
Championship!!!!
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 30, 2005 12:00 AM
You would not remember Suns reserve center Steven Hunter's night against Seattle on Feb. 11. He played nine minutes but had zeroes in every stat column except fouls, where he squeezed in three.
He did not see game time for another 12 days but has made most of his minutes count ever since. Hunter has not missed another game, becoming more reliable off the bench with his defense and hustle.
"This is the chance of a lifetime," Hunter said. "I realize the team needs me, so I'm going to give my all on the floor."
Favorable comparison
Memphis center Lorenzen Wright said only player he covers in the league compares with Amaré Stoudemire.
"He's similar to playing Kevin Garnett," Wright said. "He's very athletic, rolls strong to the basket and can shoot it outside."
Wright said he is more concerned with denying Stoudemire the ball inside and not giving up any easy dunks. He will surrender the midrange jumper Stoudemire likes.
"I'll take that," Wright said. "He can hit it, but you've got to play the percentages. Do you want a jump shot or a dunk?"
Over there
Phoenix seemingly would be a prime candidate to be among the three or four teams that NBA Commissioner David Stern wants to send to Europe in 2006 for three weeks of training camp and preseason games. As a means to test the market, NBA teams would play Euroleague teams.
Stern planned to meet with the mayor of Rome. With Mike D'Antoni's fame in Italy and Phoenix's rise, the Suns could be chosen.
"That'd be great," D'Antoni said. "It could save me a lot of money and keep my marriage intact."
D'Antoni met his wife, Laurel, during his playing days in Milan.
Shirley tell-all
Paul Shirley's journal entries on Suns.com earned national raves and have him in preliminary talks about doing a book. It would be a journal of his pro basketball experiences in Russia, Greece and Spain, and stateside with the ABA, CBA and three NBA teams.
"There have been lots of triumphs and failures," he said.
The last strange turn came when he became fed up with the Kazan, Russia, experience and went home to Kansas City, only to find out that the Suns had a roster spot to fill because they sent three players to New Orleans for Jim Jackson. He returned to the club that cut him on Opening Day and assumed a 12th-man role.
"It's always hard not to play, but when you're not playing for the best team in the world, it's easier to take," Shirley said. "It's not like I'm going to change the route of the ship."
Free throws
Stoudemire was seventh in the Most Improved Player voting, and Joe Johnson and Shawn Marion each received one first-place vote. "I'll never win it now," Stoudemire said.
• Suns head athletic trainer Aaron Nelson was working on the Suns' most serious injury Friday: D'Antoni is nursing a bad back.
• The Suns Wives Book Drive at Game 2 netted more than 10,000 books for underprivileged Valley kids.
• Memphis' Shane Battier, a Detroit native, is growing a playoff beard in homage to the lost hockey season.
• Having dropped out of Mike Fratello's Game 2 rotation after missing practice Tuesday with Stromile Swift (ankle sprain, turf toe), Bonzi Wells was questioned about his health Friday. "I feel better than I have all year," he said.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0430sunsnb0430.html
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 30, 2005 12:00 AM
You would not remember Suns reserve center Steven Hunter's night against Seattle on Feb. 11. He played nine minutes but had zeroes in every stat column except fouls, where he squeezed in three.
He did not see game time for another 12 days but has made most of his minutes count ever since. Hunter has not missed another game, becoming more reliable off the bench with his defense and hustle.
"This is the chance of a lifetime," Hunter said. "I realize the team needs me, so I'm going to give my all on the floor."
Favorable comparison
Memphis center Lorenzen Wright said only player he covers in the league compares with Amaré Stoudemire.
"He's similar to playing Kevin Garnett," Wright said. "He's very athletic, rolls strong to the basket and can shoot it outside."
Wright said he is more concerned with denying Stoudemire the ball inside and not giving up any easy dunks. He will surrender the midrange jumper Stoudemire likes.
"I'll take that," Wright said. "He can hit it, but you've got to play the percentages. Do you want a jump shot or a dunk?"
Over there
Phoenix seemingly would be a prime candidate to be among the three or four teams that NBA Commissioner David Stern wants to send to Europe in 2006 for three weeks of training camp and preseason games. As a means to test the market, NBA teams would play Euroleague teams.
Stern planned to meet with the mayor of Rome. With Mike D'Antoni's fame in Italy and Phoenix's rise, the Suns could be chosen.
"That'd be great," D'Antoni said. "It could save me a lot of money and keep my marriage intact."
D'Antoni met his wife, Laurel, during his playing days in Milan.
Shirley tell-all
Paul Shirley's journal entries on Suns.com earned national raves and have him in preliminary talks about doing a book. It would be a journal of his pro basketball experiences in Russia, Greece and Spain, and stateside with the ABA, CBA and three NBA teams.
"There have been lots of triumphs and failures," he said.
The last strange turn came when he became fed up with the Kazan, Russia, experience and went home to Kansas City, only to find out that the Suns had a roster spot to fill because they sent three players to New Orleans for Jim Jackson. He returned to the club that cut him on Opening Day and assumed a 12th-man role.
"It's always hard not to play, but when you're not playing for the best team in the world, it's easier to take," Shirley said. "It's not like I'm going to change the route of the ship."
Free throws
Stoudemire was seventh in the Most Improved Player voting, and Joe Johnson and Shawn Marion each received one first-place vote. "I'll never win it now," Stoudemire said.
• Suns head athletic trainer Aaron Nelson was working on the Suns' most serious injury Friday: D'Antoni is nursing a bad back.
• The Suns Wives Book Drive at Game 2 netted more than 10,000 books for underprivileged Valley kids.
• Memphis' Shane Battier, a Detroit native, is growing a playoff beard in homage to the lost hockey season.
• Having dropped out of Mike Fratello's Game 2 rotation after missing practice Tuesday with Stromile Swift (ankle sprain, turf toe), Bonzi Wells was questioned about his health Friday. "I feel better than I have all year," he said.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0430sunsnb0430.html
