Coach Donetoni off the Hot Seat?

Off the hot seat cause he's out on the street!  According to an article at si.com, D'Antoni will not be back with the Suns because of his belief that he has no support from owner Robert Sarver or GM Steve Kerr.

Steve Kerr released a statement denying this claim.  Many are speculating that Steve Kerr will have several demands regarding D'Antoni's coaching style if he were to stay.  For example:

1. Coach will devote more time to defense during practices.

2. Coach will give more touches to Amare in the post.

3. Coach will address the problem of no back up point guard.

4. Coach will play more of his bench.

According a source close to D'Antoni, this conversation took place back in NOVEMBER!  Apparently D'Antoni told Kerr, "Don't tell me how to coach my offense!"  This article is supposed to run in this week's Sports Illustrated.

Whatever is true and whatever isn't, doesn't really matter.  It seems like D'Antoni would rather quit than be fired. If he quit he walks out on $8.5 million.  If he quits, the Fredstrom would like to help him pack and hold the door open for him.

The Fredstrom really likes Doug Collins for the job.  He is a valley resident and knows the Suns extremely well.  When you watch a Doug Collins/Suns game (or any game that he calls) you can hear how intelligent he is with the in's and out's of a team like the Suns.  That's one reason why TNT puts Doug Collins in the booth for Suns games.  He's got mad game!

Coach K would be another choice that the Fredstrom would support.  His resume speaks for his amazing basketball IQ.  There are very few college coaches that get the kind of respect that Coach K gets from the NBA community.  Just ask Rick Patino.  Only problem might be that D'Antoni or Colangelo could steer him away from being the captain of Planet Orange. 

It is rumored that Toronto's GM Brian Colangelo (who brought D'Antoni from Italy) fired his head coach to make room for D'Antoni?

Who do you like? The Fredstrom doesn't want any Eddie Johnson votes either! Agree? Disagree? Why? BRING IT! oh...and don't forget to vote: )

Planet Orange: Where Giving Away Games Happens

Well?  The Fredstrom could talk about the two really bad calls when Duncan trips over his own calf or where Parker throws the ball into the crowd, trying to flail into Amare.... The Fredstrom could talk about missing 353 free throws in game 5... The Fredstrom could talk about the Suns letting Tony Longoria waltz into the lane and score 20 pts. in the 1st half...He could talk about the NBA defending champs not playing defense, but just fouling Shaq for minutes at a time using a rule technicality to win instead of talent.  The Fredstrom loves talking about how the Spurs play the refs and not basketball...But he's not!

The Suns are soft.  Not Dallas Maverick soft...but pretty dang soft.  They gave away game 1 and you'd think that that would be the last time they let that happen.  Tonight was another charity give-away for the stinkin Spurs.  Turning the ball over 3 times in the last minute is not going to get it done.  They need another coach that can help the Suns play a more controlled half court game that will allow them to compete in the closing minutes of these big games.  The Fredstrom has pure hatred for Planet Spuranus but, watch how controlled they play offense at the end of games....no rushed shots, very few turnovers...the Suns could benefit from a little offensive rigidity.

Again watching Nash dribble all over the court, forcing passes that lead to rushed and contested shots isn't working.  The Suns decide to throw it into Boris and he gets an easy layup.. the next inbound play they are going to throw it into Nash in the corner resulting in a critical turnover?

Next year Boris Diaw needs to play with the fire that he has over the last few games.  If he does this then the Suns don't have to worry about falling into the lower seeds.  The seedings would go Lakers, Hornets, then Suns.  The Fredstrom likes their chances if Boris decides to play the regular season with a playoff intensity.

Anyway...the Fredstrom regrets that this will be his last Suns post until October.  The only Suns post will be about off season moves made by (or should be made by) Planet Orange or any other significant moves by other Planets.

The focus of the blog moves on to the Arizona Diamondbacks and other areas. Any ideas are welcome: )

By the way...King Leonidas died...William Wallace died... Maximus Aurileus died...Sly Stallone and the Karate Kid's careers' died....and so did the Suns.

Planet Orange: Where We're Not Done Happens...

First let the Fredstrom say that he is glad that no one claimed his ticket for today's game. 

As soon as the game started you could feel that Raja Bell was going to take this team on his back if it killed him. He come out with 7 pts. and 2 rebs. in the first 2 minutes getting the Suns off to a hot start.

Dumping the ball into Boris created double teams and great ball movement resulting in the long lost art of the 3 point shot-9/20 from downtown.

Props to Boris Diaw for playing like we knew he could.. 20pts. 10 rebs. and 8 ast.

Interesting observation for the Fredstrom- throwing the ball into the post albeit Shaq or Boris created better offensive opportunities for the Suns than watching Steve Nash run circles all over the court with Bowen draped all over him.

BUT IT WAS THE DEFENSE THAT WON THIS GAME.

Duncan made 6 of 18, Longoria 7 of 17, and Womanu only attempted 8 shots.

Shaq played Duncan especially well. Boris guarding Longoria proved to be the right adjustment.  Way to go D'Antoni...oh wait he didn't make that move.  Grant Hill was injured defaulting Boris to the assignment. Good help defense, good rotating, good overall team defense. Let's hope the Suns can continue to make San Anstinkio uncomfortable on the offensive end.

"You want another one? Just say it..."

The Fredstrom wants another one.

The Fredstrom can't wait to see the Suns back in Phx on Thursday night!

On a side note...Did you see that NBA commercial that was half Nash half Ginobili?  Talk about grossing the Fredstrom out!  Disgusting! The picture below is not for the faint at heart.

Apparently Steve Nash has a lawsuit pending.  He didn't want to be mistaken for a professional wrestler or an over-dramatic actor.

Here's the current standings. Pistons/Sixers and Hornets/Mavs games not included.

Anyone Want the Fredstrom's Ticket on Sunday?

The Fredstrom is currently not in the mood to talk about this game.  Here comes the bullet list.

1. The Spurs score 10 points in the paint and the Suns still lose. Making them hit jumpers didn't work so good.
2. Steve Nash said that game 1 felt like a kick in the groin, game 2 a punch in the face...then what did game 3 feel like?
3. Poopavich completely out-coached Donetoni.
4. The Suns come out with a zone defense early in the 2nd quarter stopping the Spurs 4 straight times and the Suns ditch it when Longoria comes in.  Yeah because the zone would have let Mr. Eva score 45?
   

Questions to ponder?

Are the Suns going to still have the Big 3 next year?

Would you trade Amare Stoudemire?

Is Steve Nash going to retire at the end of this year?

Would you trade Steve Nash while you still might be able to get something for him?

Has D'Antoni run his course?  Who should be the next coach and why?

The Fredstrom was privileged to get the free T-Shirt that the Suns are handing out on Sunday.

NBA Analyst Kenny Smith Jumps Over a Car...Well Almost!

Many of you saw the Kobe video below, but this one is WAY better!  It's just over 4 mins. but is worth the wait. Remember you can only view this from the actual blog site.


Also, every team that was down 0-2 came back and got a win tonight. The Wizards, the Rockets, and the Raptors. It's Planet Orange's turn! 

The Squirrel ran into Steve Nash today at the Apple Store and he told Squirrel that they were going to win this series. Would Stevie Wonder lie? The Fredstrom doesn't think so.

What Are We Waitin' For?

As you read this post, The Fredstrom (he's back) wants you to have "The Eye of the Tiger" song playing in your mind.

Game 3 is coming up with the Suns down 0-2. They are going to need a little inspiration.

Did King Leonidas quit when he was outnumbered by a million? NO!

Did Maximus Aurelius give up after he was stabbed in the back or after his family was killed? NOT A CHANCE!

What did William Wallace do faced with certain death?  He opened up a can!

Remember that movie "Over the Top?" Sly Stallone is facing this huge truck-driving arm wrestling champion?  He turns his hat around, does work, and wins the tournament.

Finally, the Fredstrom would regret it if he forgot to mention one of the greatest comebacks in realistic fiction history.  WHAT DID DANIEL LARUSO DO IN ALL 3 "KARATE KIDS" WHEN FACED WITH CERTAIN DEFEAT? AFTER GETTING HIS BUTT KICKED ON THE BEACH? AFTER THAT HORRIBLE BIKE ACCIDENT?  HE REFOCUSED AND OVERCAME, DESPITE THE ODDS, DESPITE BEING A BIG WUSS.

The chances of coming back from 0-2 are not great...but neither is catching a fly with freakin chop sticks!

Look for the Suns to squeak game 3 out and blow out the Spurs by 15+ in game 4 forcing the series back to Planet Spuranus all tied up. What you think?

If It's Broken....FIX IT!

The Suns defense has been shattered...AGAIN!  These holes need to be fixed or the defense might need to be replaced altogether...like ASAP!  Call that guy that gives the free box of Omaha Steaks!

According to the Depressed's calculations, Tony Longoria scored 22 pts. in the paint!  That is ridiculous! The Depressed will make this short...why would you guard Parker or Ginobili 40 feet from the hoop only to be victims of the high screen and roll?  Automatically you put yourself in a defensive disadvantage...other defenders have to come and help...Spurs' passes lead to open layups for others. 

Juice's Coach of the Year: Doug Collins mentioned that the Suns should guard the paint and play a zone. Good idea!  It is tiring watching the Suns struggle to score on contested jumpers while the Spurs waltz into the paint and get layups.  You bloggers feelin the Depressed?

Last point- Let's put Barbosa on the bench and leave him there.  He is horrible against the Spurs. He is too fragile to be in these type of games.  The Brazilian Blob played 24 mins. scoring 0pts on 0-7 shooting.  Giricek can defend and can fill it up but he needs more minutes.

The Suns can't afford to take this much time to make adjustments.  They need to be made minute by minute. Not game by game.

The current playoff standings are below.  Note how amazing CP3 has been, how horrible Dallas is, and Philly's upset over the Pistons.

NL WEST BEWARE!

In the wake of Grand Theft Game One: San Antonio, The Frustrated would like to write about something positive, VERY positive. The Arizona D-Backs and the D stands for Dominating!

Check out these stats.
Current record 13-4

MLB Ranks

Offense
Hits 4th
Homeruns 2nd
Triples 1st
Bat. Avg. 2nd
Walks drawn 3rd
SLG % 1st
OBP% 2nd

Pitching
Wins Tied 1st
ERA 1st
Strikeouts 7th
Walks T-3rd

Not sure if you caught the last 2 games but the D-Backs have been putting up a lot of runs...this is sweat shop production-like.  Talk about output.  It is a lot of fun to watch and The Frustrated is very excited to see this season play out.

In Case You Missed It...

Game 1

1st Quarter

First play of the game and Tony Longoria is already on the ground with a career threatening injury.  Get up pansy!

Raja hits his first 2.

Nash misses first 3.

STAT shows that he can flop too!  You can't beat 'em- join em'

Then Oberto flops and draws a charge on Shaq.

Shaq is out early with 2 fouls.

The refs start out blowing their whistles constantly!  Don't they know that Phx isn't the dirty physical team?

At the first timeout Spurs have scored 6 pts. in 6 mins. and turned the ball over 6  times.

Nash connects from downtown.

The Suns are getting a number of second chances on the offensive ends..Fredstrom likes!

Diaw looked good coming off the bench 6pts. in 8 mins.

End of the 1st. Suns 24 Spurs 20.

Start of the 2nd Pop is already crying and gets Teed up.  Then Manu pushes Raja into the front row and is confused when he is called for the foul.

Jeff Van Gundy just said that every NBA player should emulate Ginobili's body control...Hey Jeff they already have that...it's called professional wrestling!  He might have great body control on the offensive end but defensively he makes Betty White look strong.

The Suns made the trade for Shaq to overcome the Spurs and the NBA made a trade to the devil to keep Shaq out of the game.

Diaw and Barbosa are tearing it up!  Great behind the head pass by Diaw to Barbosa who finishes the 3-point play.

Middle of 2nd quarter. Suns 39   Spurs 27.

How about that amazing Spurs defense?  Let's mention the Spurs lack of offense! Suns up 16.

The Fredstrom wants the Suns to force Duncan baseline and force Manu to his right!

The Fredstrom loves how upset Duncan is getting about that one bad call...the Suns have been putting up with that for 4 years! Will someone find Timmy's pacifier?  Oh wait, they call a bad one on Boris to make Timmy Tantrum happy.  Ridiculous!

Last 2 mins. of the first half are super important..here we go.  The Spurs close the gap with a Benedict Arnold 3.  Nash answers with a 2 of his own. Then a bunch of sloppy ball.  The Spurs give that here comes that slow train feeling.  The Suns never seem to be able to pull away with the refs grabbing on to their ankles.

Halftime Suns 48  Spurs 40.

Tony Longoria comes out crying about his foul...The Fredstrom feels a make-up call coming!

8 to go in the 3rd. Spurs within 4. Fredstrom is now typing with sweaty palms! Not Whitney Houston sweaty yet!

Duncan hasn't scored in the 2nd half but Longoria has come to life, the Suns need to defend that pick and roll better.  YoDantoni needs to do some adjusting.

And he does with the 2-3 zone. Parker hits a 3 in the corner. Zone done.

Nash draws a charge on Womanu and the Spurs turn up the tantrum.

Nash draws another on Timmy's coast to coast attempt...here come the tears.

Stoudemire seems to be frustrated with not getting calls inside and is settling for outside jumpers.

2:39 to go in the 3rd- Suns up 64-57.

Kurt Thomas draws another foul on Amare with an Oscar winning flop.  Frustrating.  

End of the 3rd.  Sunny-side-up 6.

Amare misses 2 big free throws.

Kurt Thomas with another flop.  This is killing the Fredstrom!  If the Suns lose this game he will no refer to himself as the "Big Frustrated".

Ginobili throws Raja Bell to half court...must be getting ready for Summer Slam.  Vince McMahon must be watching.

Here's the foul situation. Shaq-4, Boris-5, Amare-4.  Stinkin Thomas, Duncan, Bowen, and Oberto all have 3 or less! They must not be playing that physical....NOT!

7 mins to go in the 4th Suns up 6 -79-73.

How many open layups do the Suns need to give Mr. Longoria?

6 to go Suns up 3...until the Big Cactus drops in a lay up completes the 3 point play.  Back to 6!

How is it a foul if Shaq just stands there? The Big Frustrated is frustrated.

Here comes the Hack-a-Shaq...nice work Poopavich!

Suns up 3 with 5:47 to go. The train is getting closer...louder... The Fredstrom is approaching Whitney Houston sweaty.

Big shot by Nash, steal by STAT...Nash misses then Suns give up another lay up.

Finley hits a 3 and we are tied with 3 mins. to go.  STAT chases Duncan off a jumper so that he can give Timmy a lay up?  Not good. 

Another lay up for the Spurs, this time it's Hurt Thomas.

Suns down 2 with 2 to go. Nash evens the score at the line.

WOW! Amare hits a tough lay up and is fouled. Tied with 1:35 to go.

Amare hits the free throw. Suns up 1.

Shaq with a big block and Barbosa takes it coast to coast. Suns up 3 with 1:10 to go.

If Whitney Houston, Shaq, and Patrick Ewing had an outdoor summer party in Florida, it wouldn't be as sweaty as the Fredstrom is getting. Sweat towel please!

A total brain flatulent..the Suns burn up the :24 clock!  7 seconds or less remember!

Suns up 3 with 20 secs. to go...Spurs ball.  Time to D UP!

Finley hits a 3 with 15 sec. to go. Suns ball.

The Fredstrom is feeling his gastroenteritis coming on...

Here comes overtime...not a great shot selection but oh well.  The Fredstrom doesn't like the Suns foul situation with 5 more mins to play.

The Fredstrom is now a stinky blogger...get rid of that sweat towel...grab that beach towel!

Here we go... Nash hits. Oberto hits. Still tied.

Amare connects. Suns played good defense forcing Ginobili to miss. Barbosa fouled.

Nash hits a leaner Suns up 4.  Fredstrom is now dawning a headband. Nash hits a BIG THREE! Suns up 5 and Shaq has a block party with Timmy!  Results in a turnover for the Suns though: (

The Spurs are now the ones getting second-chance opportunities...the Fredstrom is dipping his hands into chalk like Mary Lou Retton.  

STAT connects again, Suns up 5.  Amare throws it away...then steals it back.  Then charges through Thomas fouling out of the game. Take the jumper or dish it to Shaq!  Suns up 3 with 12 secs. to go.  Fredstrom is now wearing swimming goggles and a snorkel.

Duncan hits a 3 and ties the game with 3 seconds to go....OUCH! Sorry Squirrel but a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in awhile.

Boris misses a turn around and we end up into Double OT.  Again not good with Amare having fouled out.

Okay Double OT...feeling very dehydrated...

Suns down 2 with 2 plus to go...Spurs ball..offensive foul on Thomas-Finally!

Nash fouled on a 3 and The Desperate Househusband fouls out.  That was HUGE!

Nash hits 2 of 3 to tie the game.

The Spurs are getting really good looks and the Suns are really having to work. Nice put-back by Shaq. Then Ginobili gets another layup. Suns down 2 with a 1:07 to go. Nash misses a tough 3.  Boris misses a layup, Suns have to foul. Barry misses one.  Suns down 3 with 19.5 to go.  The Fredstrom wouldn't mind a quick 2 here.

HAVE SOME OF THAT!  NASH WITH A BIG THREE!  Of course Ginobili goes left and makes a layup with 2 seconds to go and the Spurs take game one.  You have to make someone else take that shot! 

The Fredstrom is going to go throw up.

The Suns gave them that one...it's time to take one.  Game 2 Do or Die.

Get comfortable Suns fans, this series is going to be a grind.

The Fredstrom's Playoff Preview

Okay blog fans, here it is! The Fredstrom and the Squirrel have worked tirelessly to bring you their best. They have both weighed in, now it's your turn to pick sides or bring something new. Leave your comments.

Schedule
Gm. 1:Sat., April 19: at S.A., 3 p.m. ET (ABC)
Gm. 2:Tue., April 22: at S.A., 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Gm. 3:Fri., April 25: at Phoenix, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Gm. 4:Sun., April 27: at Phoenix, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Gm. 5*:Tue., April 29: at S.A., TBD (TBD)
Gm. 6*:Thu., May 1: at Phoenix, TBD (TBD)
Gm. 7*:Sat., May 3: at S.A., TBD (TNT)
* if necessary

Season Series (Suns lead 3-1)
12/17 Suns @ SA W 100-95
01/31 Suns vs SA L 87-84
03/09 Suns vs SA W 94-87
04/09 Suns @ SA W 96-79

Keys to the Series
The Fredstrom
Amare has to stay out of foul trouble. The Suns don't need him to get any stupid reach-in fouls. Amare will be coming out emotional, The Fredstrom just hopes he takes it out on the rim and not on offensive fouls and over-aggressive defensive blunders. Amare will average 30pts. and 12 rebs. this series.

The play of Boris Diaw will be crucial. 3-D needs to average 10pts. 5rebs. and 5 ast. for the Suns to win in 6.

Believe it or not, Barbosa's play won't matter. The Spurs have had his number for the past 2 years.

Hypomanic Squirrel
Much like the Curse of the Bambino, the Curse of the Cubs, the Curse of the Blackpearl…
Much like those other curses, the Suns (the hero in our story) face the daunting task of putting to rest years of devastation and remorse due to their seemingly unending lessons of defeat at the hands of their arch-nemesis (The Spurs).

Similar to all quests that involve the breaking of a curse, the keys to victory in this series will all revolve around our hero’s ability to maintain physical and mental toughness in the midst of adverse circumstances (Spurs fans, the officials, Horry’s hips, Bowen’s hands, feet, elbows, legs, teeth, and eyes).

Series MVP Predictions
The Fredstrom
MVP means the most valuable player. Every citizen on Planet Orange knows that Nash runs the show. MVSteve averaged 15 and 10 this season verse the Spurs. He will have to do better than that, fortunate for the Planet he usually does.

Hypomanic Squirrel
While seemingly any of the Suns big three (Nash, Stoudemire, O’Neal) could be considered a viable candidate for series MVP, my choice lies with the Big Saguaro. For me, Shaq holds the keys to victory in this series if for no other reason than Nash and Amare’s failure to accomplish said feat on their own. Shaq was brought in to become a Spurs-slayer, and if the Suns are victorious in this series, I have to think it will be because of him.

Series Outcome Predictions
The Fredstrom
The Suns scored 93.5 points/game this season to the Spurs 87.
The Suns only lost 1 game to the Spurs this year and that was by 3 points.
The Suns have been dominate over the Spurs during the regular season and will continue to do so with a fired up spirit looking for revenge from last years grand theft series.

The Suns will drop Game 2 and Game 4 of this series. The Fredstrom isn't giving the Chumps any respect but is accounting for a few ref screw ups. That’s why The Fredstrom is picking the Suns to win the series, 4-2.

Hypomanic Squirrel
While the Suns have undoubtedly owned the team from San Antonio since the introduction of the Big Diesel, no-one can deny the fact that a) the Spurs are a different team in the playoffs and b) the Suns have some mental demons from previous playoff experience that must be conquered.

How will the Suns answer when a Spurs dirty play goes un-punished, or when the officiating is unbalanced, or if a player goes down with an injury? In short, I think they’ll fare pretty well. Due in large part to the veteran leadership of Nash, Hill, and O’Neal, the Suns will put the nightmare that is the Spurs to bed on May 1st, winning the series 4-2.

Well, what do you all think? Let us know.

Shaq Marks and MVG Finish Off the Blazers

The Suns bench got their first look of a real game tonight.  Considering that they have never seen any time they showed some real solar energy.  Shaq Marks played 24 mins. scoring 16 pts on 6-8 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds!  MVG played over 40 mins. scoring 17 and pulled down 9 rebounds.  The Fredstrom wished that these guys saw a lot more action this year.  He has a feeling that we won't see much of them in the playoffs.

Also a new poll question has been added regarding NBA Coach of the Year.  For those of you that voted 8-3 for the Suns last 11 games-Nice Job!  We were all wrong in predicting the Suns seeding at the end of the regular season, but you will all get another shot by voting on the results of each series.

The Fredstrom will be compiling a playoff preview of the Suns first round match up against the Spurs soon.  Stay tuned and let him hear your comments.  

Manu Ginobili and Fabio Umberto were caught by amateur videographers preparing for this epic 1st round match up.  A must see for sure!

YoD'antoni Allowing the Suns to Fail He Does Not!

The Suns come out on fire scoring 71 in the first half.  They then repeat another bad second-half quarter-see 3rd quarter against the Rockets last Friday night and that horrible 9pt. quarter verse the Mavs last Sunday.  Yodantoni chalks it up to a lack of focus...the Fredstrom doesn't like the sound of that!

The Squirrel tells the Fredstrom that you can tell the difference between Star Wars: A New Hope, the Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi, by just seeing Luke Skywalker's swagger.  The Fredstrom is making a far stretch to compare the Suns current swagger to Luke's in the Empire Strikes Back.  This is not going to get it done!

The Suns remain in 6th place tied with Utah and Houston.  The Fredstrom is caring less and less about who the Suns face.  Planet Spuranus almost lost to the Kings tonight, they look weaker and older as this season wraps up.  

Not sure if you heard about this or not but this has to be the biggest waste of time and money that the Fredstrom has ever heard.

A construction worker on the new Yankee Stadium in New York buries a David Ortiz jersey (Red Sox DH), in 2 feet of concrete in the foundation of the new stadium.  Workers put in 5 hours of overtime to exhume the jersey so that a "curse" could be avoided. The Yanks spent over $50,000 excavating the jersey, and are considering pressing charges.  Are you kidding the Fredstrom?

Rockets Soar, Suns Sore, Kobe Jumps Over a Car?

OUCH!  So that confidence that the Fredstrom was building is totally gone now.  The Fredstrom doesn't want to keep saying "It was just one game." or "No need to panic."  The Suns can not continue to give up that many offensive rebs. or have that many turnovers.  The Rockets got 14 additional shots tonight.  It's going to be tough to beat playoff caliber teams giving up that many shots on goal.

Check out these numbers.

Grant Hill- 2pts. in 30 mins.

Steve Nash- 6pts. 6 ast in 32 mins.

Raja Bell- 3 pts in 35 mins.

4-21 from the field from these 4.  The Fredstrom knows the Rockets are good defensively but come on!

MVG- 10pts. in 16 mins.! Why does G. Hill get so many minutes and Giricek doesn't?

It looks like the Suns will be in 6th and not catch the Spurs or Lakers.  The Spurs have fallen behind the Lakers and would square off against the Suns in the 1st round if the playoffs started today...The Fredstrom thinks that wouldn't be too bad.

On a side note...the Fredstrom came across this alleged leaked video of Kobe Bryant and his soon to be released shoe, The Hyperdunk (aka The Hyperpunk).  The Fredstrom has his opinion about it but will wait to read yours.  If you are viewing this in your email you will have to visit the blog to see the video. Holla at cha boy! Get your vote on!

Love Shaq Baby Love Shaq!

This is the reason that the Suns made this deal!  The Suns are 2-0 against the Spurs with Shaq and 3-1 this year against Planet Done-can! The Suns haven't done that in the Steve Nash era. Shaq misses 2 shots in 24 mins. adding up to 16pts. and 9 rebs. Head-to-head Shaq owns Duncan!  The Suns held the Spurs to only 34 second-half points!  

Not only did the Suns totally hand it to the Spurs, the Suns starters played limited minutes.  Props to Raja for holding Womanu to 8 points in 28 mins.  Tony Longoria had 15 in the first half and only 5 in the second.  Does the Fredstrom need to give props to D'Antoni for making defensive adjustments at half time?  The zone was working and the Fredstrom is glad that the Suns are feeling more comfortable with mixing it up defensively.

The Suns remain in 6th place. Houston and Utah continue to win games.  Again it is getting interesting.  The Suns are building some momentum that is giving the Fredstrom a feeling of confidence that he hasn't had in a long time.

Congrats again to the D-backs for taking care of business. It's good to see the guys on the bump holding other teams to just a couple of runs a game. 

Other questions to think about. Will the Suns destroy Houston again? Will they be able to hold off the Warriors on Monday night? How will the D-backs fare against the Rockies this weekend? Any predictions?

Would You Like Some Hot Sauce With Your Raja Bell Grande?

Holy cow!  If Raja can even do half of what he did tonight from here on out then the Fredstrom is really excited! Raja scores 15 in the 3rd to put the game into the ole' deep freeze. Amare didn't disappoint either with 28 pts. on what seemed like 14 dunks.

 And of course the Fredstrom has to talk about the play of his new favorite player- Oh My Gordon Giricek! M-V-G shoots 7-9 for 14 pts. in 21 mins. Did the Fredstrom not tell you? Overall it was a great team game, everyone played very efficiently- 7 players in double figures. The Fredstrom is glad that D'Antoni subscribes to his blog and played Giricek more minutes!

Let's talk about a busy night in the NBA. Utah hands it to New Orleans holding the Hornets to 66pts.  Dallas beats Seattle-who cares... The Lakers lose to Portand. Portland! Denver wins, and Golden Girls...Oh..The Fredstrom means Golden State wins as well.  The Suns remain in 6th, but gain a game on the Flake Show. The Fredstrom needs to be corrected about the Utah matchup if it happens.  Apparently if the Suns finish in 5th and have a better record than the Jazz then they will get home court.  That confuses the Fredstrom? Why give Utah the 4th seed then.  Squirrel- you know something about seeds. Juice you know about flack seed oil- straighten the Fredstrom up!

D-Backs Win Home Opener by Bringing the Whoopin Sticks!

While the Fredstrom calms down from his existential meltdown he would like to address the Arizona Diamondbacks!  They have started 5-2, hitting 16 homers (leading the majors), and their pitching staff (except Lyon) have looked stellar.  The D-Backs have won 4 in a row and look to continue the streak this week against the Dodgers and the Crockies.  The Fredstrom won't start posting the baseball standings for a long while, however, the D-Backs are 1st in the NL West and the Fredstrom is excited to not only see them play in person tomorrow, but to see how far they will go in the playoffs this year!  Any other areas you would like to discuss?

It's (almost) Playoff Time!

In lieu of our Suns less than inspiring play as of late, and also due to my total lack of knowledge pertaining to the Diamondbacks play, my hypomanic attention has turned to the NBA playoffs.

In efforts to supply the readers something to further discuss/argue about, I have compared each team likely to make the Western Conference Playoffs with the Suns playoff roster in efforts to predict a possible series outcome.

I give you the first annual Hypomanic Squirrel Playoff Prediction. Enjoy!

New Orleans Hornets
Good team, but inexperienced. Chris Paul has been on a tear recently, making any claim that he is not the rightful MVP a hard one to make. Regardless, I think placing Raja Bell in charge of guarding Paul with playoff-like intensity might rattle the point guard’s playmaking capabilities and halt the Hornet juggernaut to a standstill. Suns win 4-2.

Predicted Matchups
PG Chris Paul / Raja Bell
SG Morris Peterson / Steve Nash
SF Peja Stojakovic / Grant Hill
PF David West / Amare Stoudemire
C Tyson Chandler / Shaquille O’Neal

San Antonio Spurs
The reigning champs. Getting older as a team, but every bit as potent during playoff basketball. Once vulnerable to the Spurs “dirty” physical playmaking tactics, the Suns have displayed an ability to answer their toughness since the Shaq trade. While questionable officiating and foul trouble from Shaq and Amare may complicate success, I still see the Suns finally conquering last year’s demons. Suns win 4-2.

Predicted Matchups
PG Tony Parker / Raja Bell
SG Michael Finley / Grant Hill
SF Bruce Bowen / Steve Nash
PF Fabricio Oberto / Amare Stoudemire
C Tim Duncan / Shaquille O’Neal

Los Angeles Lakers
Ever since the highway robbery that was otherwise known as the Paul Gasol trade, the Lakers have been on nothing less than a tear. Tallying up wins on a consistent basis even with Bynum’s absence due to injury, many believe the Lakers are ready and poised for their first title since the dismantling of the Shaq/Kobe dynasty. Personally, I think this team poses the biggest threat to Phoenix’s first title. Regardless, banking on Bynum’s struggle to regain the momentum lost due to injury and the Lakers subsequent struggle to acclimate him into the offense, I’m staying loyal and picking the Suns in 7, 4-3.

Predicted Matchups
PG Derek Fisher / Steve Nash
SG Kobe Bryant / Raja Bell
SF Lamar Odom / Grant Hill
PF Paul Gasol / Amare Stoudemire
C Andrew Bynum / Shaquille O’Neal

Utah Jazz
Even with all of the buzz surrounding the Utah’s homecourt advantage, I still consider them a typical overachieving Jerry Sloan product. The Jazz play slow-paced, mistake-free, defensive-minded basketball, and any team that wants to win needs to plan on playing a grinding, tough-it-out, every-possession-counts series. While the Suns have shown considerable lapses in these areas throughout the season, they also have shown the ability to play mistake-free basketball. Playing the Jazz away, they are going to need a lot of the ladder, especially with Okur’s tendency to shoot the three at a high percentage. Still, I believe the Suns have the ability to sustain sufficient levels of focus in the playoffs in this mini-Spurs series preview. Suns win 4-3.

Predicted Matchups
PG Deron Williams / Raja Bell
SG Ronnie Price / Steve Nash
SF Andrei Kirilenko / Grant Hill
PF Carlos Boozer / Amare Stoudemire
C Mehmet Okur / Shaquille O’Neal

Houston Rockets
The most over-rated team in the Western Conference Playoffs. While Houston has supplied this years Cinderella feel-good story of the regular season, Hollinger’s pick for the NBA title will unfortunately go home quickly due to their personnel and style of basketball. If they survive long enough play the Suns, their up-tempo style will certainly lead to their demise. Suns win 4-0.

Predicted Matchups
PG Bobby Jackson / Steve Nash
SG Tracy McGrady / Raja Bell
SF Shane Battier / Grant Hill
PF Luis Scola / Amare Stoudemire
C Dikembe Mutombo / Shaquille O’Neal

Dallas Mavericks
The second most over-rated team in the Western Conference Playoffs. Since the Kidd trade, this team looks like an old, one-trick pony. Don’t expect yesterday’s loss to go unremembered if these two teams meet in the playoffs. Sorry Dirk, your team is way too soft to make any extended playoff run. Based on the premise that they score more than 9 points a quarter, the Suns win the series against Dallas in a snoozer, 4-2.

Predicted Matchups
PG Jason Kidd / Steve Nash
SG Jason Terry / Raja Bell
SF Josh Howard / Grant Hill
PF Dirk Nowitzki / Amare Stoudemire
C Erick Dampier / Shaquille O’Neal

Denver Nuggets
This young, talented group seems like it could give a great many teams fits in the playoffs. Utilizing the classic Iversen/Anthony one/two punch, the Nuggets would provide some defensive issues that the Suns would likely need to address. Where to place Nash and Bell the greatest of these concerns. Assuming that Bell and Hill are able to do an adequate job on the Nuggets two main (and only) scorers, the Suns win in a high scoring, low-defensive series, 4-2.

Predicted Matchups
PG Anthony Carter / Steve Nash
SG Allen Iverson / Raja Bell
SF Carmelo Anthony / Grant Hill
PF Kenyon Martin / Amare Stoudemire
C Marcus Camby / Shaquille O’Neal

There it is boys and girls. Feel free to discuss, criticize, and rip apart the picks as you see fit. Let me know what you think!

Hypomanic Squirrel Out!

The Fredstrom Wants Done-toni's Job!

The Fredstrom is calling for D'Antoni's job!  How can your team completely handle the Mavs for 3 quarters then totally collapse?  How can you only score 9pts in the 4th quarter? How can you not get any of your players an open look in the final quarter?  This isn't hockey D'Antoni, you have to play all 4 quarters. Where is that killer instinct?  The Suns looked so far from a championship caliber team today.

You played Oh My Giricek for 3 minutes and he scores 7pts, sinking 3 of 4. Giricek saw only 2 minutes in the 2nd half? Why? He is tough defensively and has been on fire from downtown. Between Grant Hill and Barbosa they combined for 63 minutes and 8 points?

Boris Diaw was doing a great job on Dirk for the entire time he was in the game, then Boris draws his 4th foul with 8 mins. to go in the 4th quarter and never came back.  Dirk then gets Shaq and Stat and takes them both?

Back to D'Antoni, let the Fredstrom ask you a couple of questions that he would like answers to.  Take the Suns roster over the last few years and ask yourself, "Would the Suns still be able to win 50+ games with any other coach?" Fredstrom's answer - "YES, easily." Next question, "How would D'Antoni's win/loss record look without Steve Nash?" Fredstrom's answer- "Maybe .500?"  Steve Nash is the coach of that team, you don't see D'Antoni calling plays or calling timeouts at the end of today's game did you?

His style of basketball may be fun to watch but it doesn't include defensive and isn't getting it done.  D'Antoni got completely out-coached today in his building by a team that hadn't beaten a winning team with Jason Kidd, the Mavs were 0-11 against winning teams prior to today.  Not acceptable.  Steve Kerr-get on your Blackberry and start making some phone calls for next year.

Let the Fredstrom give you a positive spin for today's meltdown.  The Suns move down to 6th place and could avoid playing Utah in the opening round, instead it would be the Lakers. Maybe that was D'Antoni's plan all along?

So that you don't have to picture Dirk taking it to the Suns, the Fredstrom would like to leave you with another image of Dirk to cement in your mind. Friends don't let friends drive dirk!

Planet Orange: Where beatdowns happen.

The Suns took care of business Friday night with a beatdown on the not so big but just bad wolves.  Planet Orange plays every player tonight- all of them scored. The Suns shot over 56% from the field including 53% from downtown.  The Fredstrom is a-lookin' and a-likin'. No Suns player played over 29 mins. in tonight's blowout which bodes well for them with a desperate Dallas coming to town Sunday morning. You don't want to be the first team with a winning record to lose to the post-Kidd Mavericks.

With 6 games left the Suns are holding steady in 5th place.  This is probably the worst spot for any team in the West to be in- facing the Jazz at home where they have the best home record in the entire league: 35-4.  The Jazz handed a beatdown of their own tonight but it was on the Spurs. The Jazz held the Spurs to 64 points total! Planet Orange wants no part of Planet Sloan.

New Orleans just keeps winning albeit a win over the Knicks is no big deal.  CP3 dropped 33 pts. and 15 dimes on the Knicks continuing to prove why he is the MVP.

The stinkin Lakers won tonight, not because of MVP hopeful Kobe, but because of Lamar Odom's 31. He and Gasol look very good together, not sure if Amare and Shaq can keep up with that. If the playoffs started today the Lake show would draw Houston...there's a free pass to the second round. As far as their remaining schedule goes, only 2 out of the next 6 are going to be a real challenge.  The Fredstrom doesn't see the Suns catching the Lakers.

Because Utah is guaranteed that 4th spot, the Suns have to catch San Antonio, L.A. or the Hornets.  The Suns have their work cut out for them. Can they do it? Your thoughts?

3 Hypersensitive Blind Mice Ref an NBA game

Well... The Suns only lost by a bucket (excluding a couple of free throws). Consider the following:

One of the worst refereed games The Fredstrom has ever seen and he's seen a lot of games! Thanks to Google for having pictures of the 3 refs from last night's game.

Suns playing back-to-back games (yes, so did Denver).

Suns played 7 players Monday night, Denver played 10. Their starters played 41 less minutes than the Suns Monday night.

Suns lost Raja Bell early in the 3rd quarter for laughing and playing defense.

Grant Hill didn't play again.

Suns played on the road and in the altitude of Denver.

Suns turned the ball over 7 more times than Monday and missed 12 free throws.

The fricken Nuggets shot 47 free throws, the Suns 26.

The Suns also had to play against the zebras. These refs were way too trigger happy. Chalk up another 4 technicals for our Nashty Suns. The Fredstrom can't be too disappointed considering the Suns gave that game away, they just can't do that any further. If they want home court advantage they have to go at least 6-1 from here on out.

The Suns stay in 5th unable to gain any ground on Planet Kobe. The Hornets and Spurs win to pull farther ahead in the West.

It's good to see the readers voting on the polls.  Don't look now but CP3 has caught up in the MVP race.  The Fredstrom couldn't agree more...see his take on the comments below from a previous post.  Weigh in!