Suns Strokes: Turnovers prove costly in loss to Jazz
Jan 5, 2013, 4:59 AM | Updated: 5:06 am
Sure, you could read the box score and know who won, but we all know that won’t tell you everything that happened in a basketball game. So, we will give you Suns Strokes, providing you with the analysis, quotes and notes from the Suns’ 87-80 loss to the Jazz on January 4.
The Good:
The Suns got off to a hot start scoring 31 points in the first quarter on 14 of 18 field goal attempts. That’s shooting nearly 78% and the night looked promising, but they were unable to sustain it for the following three quarters.
Another positive was the effort of big man Marcin Gortat. He recorded his third straight double-double with 18 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks Friday.
The Bad:
The Suns would have recorded their 2,000 victory in franchise history if they had held on to win.
The Suns are also now 1-2 with the new starting lineup that has P.J. Tucker in for Shannon Brown to start the game. The Suns have used seven different starting lineups this season and will have to wait until Sunday to see if head coach Alvin Gentry switches it up once again.
Noted:
• The Suns have dropped seven of their last eight games after a season-high four-game win streak. They are 5-7 in their last 12 games overall.
• Phoenix commits season-high 21 turnovers in loss.
He Said It:
“I thought the first quarter was the best we’ve played the whole season,” Gentry said. “I thought the last three quarters were the worst we could have possibly played. We had a really good first quarter and the last three quarters we just never got anything going. We had no rhythm. It was one of those games where it was a disaster really.”
Up Next:
The Suns continue this homestand with a game against the Grizzlies on Sunday night. The game is scheduled to tip-off at 6 p.m. with coverage on Arizona Sports 620.
