"FTA:Reloaded" - 2010 Jan Recap + Player/League Overviews

Lopez for McGee?

Barbosa and Henderson played great off the bench. But then again, they had to as J-Rich was real quiet. You should really get a good starting C/PF. Amundson/Lopez can't do the job.

McGee? nah, he's so FTA; this is RELOADED

i was pretty impressed with Barbosa/Henderson; J-Rich? i guess he was in cruise-mode for the night

strangely I do like Lou in the lineup at PF; he hustles, crashes the glass and D's up without needing a lot of touches on offense. i may nickname 'Garbage Man' if he can keep doing the team's dirty work

What about starting Frye at power forward instead of Amundson? Nice win.

thx and Frye starting is definitely an option; for now though i want him to anchor the front court of the second unit and see how that works out

Nice to see my favs Gerald Henderson and STAT play well in your season debut; even better that you've got that first W off your chest as well.

And a big "woot" for former Raptor Mo Pete doing his thing.

And a big "woot" for former Raptor Mo Pete doing his thing.

thx man; peterson is actually someone i considered trying to work a deal for but he might interfere w/Henderson's development unless i used him at the 3 spot. you know mo-pete was used in Toronto at SF any? he's only off Grant Hill's physical stats by an inch and 5 lbs but has much better 3pt range which could really open things up

Barbosa slices down baseline for the silky smooth reverse

Barbosa Ignites Mavericks Late Game Implosion

October 31, 2009 Phoenix, AZ -- The Phoenix Suns erupted in the 4th-quarter to capture their second straight win of the season 124-103 over the visiting Dallas Mavericks.

Leading by 3 entering the final period after trailing by 2 at the half, the Suns scored 35 points while restricting the Mavericks to 17. The 4th-quarter outburst was partially credited to head coach Alvin Gentry's decision to leave backup point guard Leandro Barbosa and most of the second unit on the floor for an extended stretch.

"Leandro (Barbosa) was in a groove offensively," said Gentry. "They had trouble finding anyone to match his speed and quickness so I told him to just stay aggressive."

Barbosa led the Suns' reserves finishing the night with 17 points, 4 rebounds; Jared Dudley also poured in 13 points, 3 boards, 4 assists, 2 steals while newcomer Channing Frye flirted with a double-double gathering 10 points and 8 rebounds.

Dallas was led by Dirk Nowitzki who tallied 27 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals but was noticeably disappointed by his team's effort after the loss. "We couldn't get it going offensively in the final period and our defense fell apart; after that things just kind of got away from us."

Plagued by foul trouble, former Sun Shawn Marion spent most the night watching from the sidelines, outplayed by 3rd-year pro, Louis Amundson. Marion ended with 11 points, a rebound and an assist while Amundson finished with 6 points and 9 boards.

Notes:

· Maverick's Forward Tim Thomas left the game 2 seconds before halftime after colliding with Barbosa while unsuccessfully attempting to draw the charge. His injury status is uncertain at this time;

· Rookie Gerald Henderson, coming off an impressive debut last night vs the Hornets, struggled to find his rhythm and went 0-for-3 from the field but still managed to score 2 points off free throws as well as gather one rebound, assist and steal a piece;

· Center Robin Lopez was played sparingly, seeing the court for only the final minute of the first half

BOXSCORE: DAL @ PHO 103-124

SCORES AROUND THE LEAGUE

Unfortunately, this is nothing surprising from the Mavs

And a big "woot" for former Raptor Mo Pete doing his thing.

thx man; peterson is actually someone i considered trying to work a deal for but he might interfere w/Henderson's development unless i used him at the 3 spot. you know mo-pete was used in Toronto at SF any? he's only off Grant Hill's physical stats by an inch and 5 lbs but has much better 3pt range which could really open things up

Yeah, I'd say so. In fact I think he's more suited as a small forward more so than an actual shooting guard to be honest. He doesn't really have the handle for a guard but he's got really good size and strength to guard slower small forwards (at least that was back in the day when he actually had the quicks to slash to the rim once in a while, lol).

One of the reasons for the Raptors advancing past the first round (other than Carter playing out of his mind) was probably Mo Pete's play after being moved into the lineup as the starting small forward and having Carter play the 2.

Frye was better in 13 minutes then Amundson in 30 minutes. I guess it's time you swapped them around.

Mavs 1-5 3PT? Seriously doubt that this year (Dirk, Terry, Kidd, Josh, Marion, Thomas, Carroll, Barea)

nice wins and it's really high-scoring, just like the real suns.. i wonder who ur gonna trade w/ lopez? the team's really balanced now.. Great pics btw

Unfortunately, this is nothing surprising from the Mavs

heheh Texas-born I'm guessing?

Yeah, I'd say so. In fact I think he's more suited as a small forward more so than an actual shooting guard to be honest. He doesn't really have the handle for a guard but he's got really good size and strength to guard slower small forwards (at least that was back in the day when he actually had the quicks to slash to the rim once in a while, lol).

One of the reasons for the Raptors advancing past the first round (other than Carter playing out of his mind) was probably Mo Pete's play after being moved into the lineup as the starting small forward and having Carter play the 2.

Interesting... unfortunately I doubt the Hornets would take Grant "over-the" Hill at age 37 in trade realistically (even if Hill's rated 80 to MoPete's 74 in-game); then again he's 32 himself so maybe in a 2-for-1 package or with future draft picks; i'll need to look into it because i'd really love a SF who's a perimeter threat

Frye was better in 13 minutes then Amundson in 30 minutes. I guess it's time you swapped them around.

Mavs 1-5 3PT? Seriously doubt that this year (Dirk, Terry, Kidd, Josh, Marion, Thomas, Carroll, Barea)

the numbers don't lie man! Mavs went frigid (as usual)

I'm bringing Frye off the bench because he's got the skills to dominate other team's secondary; Louie just has to fill his role crashing the glass and disrupting the offense any way he can

nice wins and it's really high-scoring, just like the real suns.. i wonder who ur gonna trade w/ lopez? the team's really balanced now.. Great pics btw

thx man and i do like the team's balance too; Lopez is a big body inside but he's hands down the slowest on the roster and takes forever to get up court; Nazr has better agility but his contract kills my sal cap space and I can't position for FAs so likely one of the two (maybe both?) gotta go before the trade deadline

anyway, thanx for the feedback guys

NBA NEWS

Nellie's "Small Ball" Gets Smaller

Nov 2, 2009 Oakland, CA -- The Golden State Warriors just signed the personification of 'small ball' announcing today the signing of 5'9" free agent point guard Nate Robinson. Now in his 5th season, the shortest active player in the NBA and reigning slam dunk champion expressed his excitement to be playing for Warriors head coach Don Nelson.

"Playing for Nellie is a dream come true for me," Robinson told reporters. "He's the wizard of 'small ball' offense which, of course, is the tempo I enjoy most. I'm excited to try and help this team get back to the playoffs."

Robinson averaged 17.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists last season as a starter with New York but now comes to a Golden State team loaded at the point. He will likely come off the bench behind Warriors current starter, Monta Ellis, but enter the rotation ahead of 2nd-year pro Acie Law, 7th-year pro Speedy Claxton and Golden State's 7th-overall draft pick, rookie Stephen Curry.

J-Rich struggled overall but managed to throw this one down with crowd-pleasing authority

Brand's Big Night Doesn't Outshine Suns

Nov 4, 2009 Phoenix, AZ -- Three was the magic number for the Suns who improved their record to 3-0 with a third-straight home win at the expense of the 76ers, relying on a strong third quarter and terrific overall team play.

Reserve center, Channing Frye, helped the Suns score 8 unanswered points after halftime which proved to be the difference maker in the game. He finished a perfect 5-5 from the field tallying 10 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. When asked if he deserved to start over teammate Louis Amundson, Frye's response was diplomatic, "I'll do whatever coach (Gentry) needs me to do; I'm here to help this team win games."

The Suns could not have performed better as a team with every active roster player scoring, usually off second chance opportunities. At times the Suns' up-tempo offense seemed to completely confuse the slower, half-court minded 76ers, who gave up 17 offensive rebounds and 12 more shot attempts to Phoenix.

Philly's center, Elton Brand, captured Player-of-the-Game honors but appeared to succumb to frustration and fatigue during the final period. Brand did not mince words about his teammate's efforts following the game, "As a team, they wanted it more than we did tonight. Iggy and I can only do so much; other guys are gonna have to step up."

Brand and Andre Iguodala combined for 53 of the 76ers 111 points; individually Brand dominated both ends of the court finishing with 26 points, 7 boards, 2 assists and 6 blocks.

The Suns will attempt to keep a 3-game win streak alive on their first road game of the season at Staples Center, California against the 2009 #1 draft pick, Blake Griffin, and LA Clippers who are looking to snap a rough 0-4 start.

Notes:

· Suns Jason Richardson appeared to injure his foot during an awkward landing midway through the third - he immediately went to the locker room then returned to the bench some minutes later but did not return to play - team doctors informed that X-rays need to be taken before his injury status can be determined

BOXSCORES: PHI @ PHX 111-119

SCORES AROUND THE LEAGUE

That Robinson signing is pretty typical of Golden State. What does that make it now, 123894 guards that are vying for playing time? Good job on outlasting the Elton Brand show, he also plays center in my dynasty too and he's tearing it up as an MVP candidate.

Great start to the season. Isn't Elton Brand a little small to be starting at center? He's only 6-8.

Still undefeated, great job man. I already said it before, Frye is playing really good!

Nice dunk by J-Rich! hopefully he won't be sidelined by the injury..

When I read the title about Brand I thought like 40-20. In my dynasties (Heat and now Bucks) he is unbelievable and gets 30-15 any given night.

Nice that you survived. Damn, If Frye continues like this he may get the 6th man award.

· Its_asdf - Ellis/Law/Claxton/Curry and now Robinson all vying for Nellie's affection yeah, i forgot how beastly Brand is; should've worked out a blockbuster in the off-season and yoinked him away from Philly heh;

· xxCavs - yeah Brand's definitely small but doesn't play that way; if i remember correct he rotated between 4/5 spots in LAC too;

· TH50 - honesty i was set to move Frye early in the season but he's growing on me; don't know much about him and i always kinda laughed at him since the first time i heard of him was this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC0u9th0xEU it still cracks me up how he's all screamin'

in-game, however, he's becoming a big difference maker

· Homi - thx and stay tuned man!

· Martti - hahah time for your Bucks to do some blockbuster trade negotiations with philly 6th man award? hmm, i like the sound o' that...

NBA NEWS

J-Rich Air Show Temporarily Grounded

Nov 5, 2009 Phoenix, AZ -- Team doctors confirmed X-rays revealed no stress fracture to Suns shooting guard Jason Richardson's left foot, who came down awkwardly on it during a rebound attempt in last night's game versus the 76ers. However, the hard landing did re-aggravate an old bone spur injury so Richardson is expected to be sidelined approximately 10-12 days for observation and recovery.


Sessions Joins Hawks

Nov 6, 2009 Atlanta, GA -- The Atlanta Hawks announced today the signing of free agent point guard Ramon Sessions, now in his third NBA season. Sessions will enter the Hawks rotation as backup to veteran Mike Bibby after averaging 3.4 rebounds, 5.7 assists and career best 12.4 points last season with the Bucks.


Clippers Add Martin

Nov 6, 2009 Los Angeles, CA -- Free agent 2nd-year forward Cartier Martin has reached an agreement to play for the Los Angeles Clippers and is projected to receive 8.57M over the next 4 seasons.

A project by most team's standards, Martin expressed his enthusiasm upon hearing the news, "I'm excited. With (Blake) Griffin on board, this team is going places." But perhaps he hasn't been keeping up with current events as the Clippers are already off to a rough 0-4 start.

Martin will be eligible to play in tonight's game vs the Phoenix Suns.

Who will replace Richardson in the staring line-up? Barbosa or Henderson?

Who will replace Richardson in the staring line-up? Barbosa or Henderson?

Barbosa's getting the thumbs up to start

Blake Griffin - a man among boys tonight

STAT vs Griffin, "One For The Ages"

Nov 6, 2009 Los Angeles, CA -- "I've seen the future… and his name is Blake Griffin," said the Suns Amar'e Stoudemire after tonight's loss on the road to the Los Angeles Clippers in a 125-117 classic.

Previously unbeaten, the Suns came into the match 3-0 on the season facing a 0-4 Clippers team desperate for a win; but none of that mattered to the Clippers new rookie phenom, Blake Griffin, who carried his team to victory almost single-handedly.

Both teams played at a frenzied pace from opening tip and fans were quick to realize they were in for a special night after Griffin poured in 4 consecutive buckets and Stoudemire countered with 3 blocks in one sequence on the Clippers following possession.

Griffin continued to push the tempo into the 2nd quarter aggressively dominating at both ends of the floor, unstoppable offensively in the paint and controlling the defensive boards; at the half he had given LA a 10-point advantage.

The Suns retaliated after halftime led by Stoudemire who punished all defenders, scoring or getting to line on nearly every touch. However his biggest impact was felt on the defensive end where he issued 4 more blocks and intimidated anyone driving the lane.

Not to be outdone, Griffin responded in the final period swatting 3 shot attempts by the Suns, scoring 3 consecutive "and-1" baskets and making all 3 resulting free throws to essentially snuff all hopes for a Suns final push.

When the dust finally settled Griffin ended the best game of his early NBA career 3 blocks short of a triple-double amassing 25 points, 11 boards, 7 blocks, 2 steals and an assist; Stoudemire finished a rare double-double with 24 points and a staggering 10 blocks in addition to 5 rebounds and 2 steals for Phoenix.

"Definitely one for the ages," said Stoudemire with a smile after the show. "(Blake) Griffin's a rare talent and showed us all tonight why he was drafted number one."

Griffin also commented about his first match up against Phoenix's resident wrecking ball, "STAT? He's an absolute beast, both ends of the court. Playing against him definitely brought out the best in me. I'm just relieved we pulled through and notched our first win."

Next up, the Suns fly home to face Corey Maggette, newcomer Nate Robinson, and the Golden State Warriors.

Notes:

· For the second time in his career, Stoudemire tied a Suns franchise record with 10 blocks; his first 10 block feat took place vs Utah, Feb 7, 2004;

· Suns rookies, Gerald Henderson and Earl Clark, continue to impress coming off the bench. Tonight Henderson finished second in scoring with 18, also tallying 3 assists and 2 steals. Clark had the best game of his young career on 6-of-7 shooting and a perfect 4-4 from the line; he finished with 16 points and 5 rebounds

BOXSCORES: PHX @ LAC 117-125

SCORES AROUND THE LEAGUE



BONUS BLAKE!

Wow, 17 blocks between the two. Your bench played superbly, but when Barbosa and Hill combine 7-29, it's hard too win.

Great battle between the two bigs.. Too bad your team didn't get the win, its always tough going against a team that is desperately looking for their first victory..

wow, 10 blocks from amare i also think blake's the "future", the clips will be a different team this year

Martti - yeah better choice of shots by those two might've changed the tide. hard to blame them too much though with Griffin and Camby patrolling the paint

Homi - desperate they were but even though we came short, it was such an exciting game

Xplosibo - let's hope so!