Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.pro
Subject: Suns Report: Phoenix clipped by Clippers, bombed by Bulls!
From: f67700241@violet.ccit.arizona.edu (Greg Franklin)
Date: 22 Nov 92 22:19:26 MST
Distribution: world,local
Organization: University of Arizona
Nntp-Posting-User: f67700241

11/21/92
Phoenix Suns (5-1) at LA Clippers (3-4)
FINAL: Clippers 111, Suns 107

I didn't catch this game, as all our major media outlets were clogged 
this evening by the soporific UA-ASU college football game, which the 
Sun Devils won 7-6.

I do know (thanks to netter Terry Wong) that Kevin Johnson returned to 
play for the Suns, forcing Kurt Rambis off the roster (yay!).  KJ got 41 
minutes of action, Barkley got 44 pts and 17 boards, but the team shot 
only 40% (bricking 21 of 28 3-point shots) and lost to the chubby 
Clippers.  A fuller game report would be appreciated.


11/22/92
Chicago Bulls (7-2) at Phoenix Suns (5-1)
FINAL: Bulls 128, Suns 111

SETTING:

America West Arena hosted the first visit to Phoenix by Michael Jordan 
in 2 years (MJ missed last year's meeting due to a league suspension).  
This game was sold out long ago.  It promised to be a highlight matchup, 
a possible preview of the 1993 NBA Championship (if only Phoenix could 
get past the Blazers!).

I got to catch the pre-game coaches interviews.  Westphal didn't say too 
much new or exciting, but sounded "coachy" enough when answering 
questions.  Phil Jackson said B.J. Armstrong has done a great job 
"filling in," and he praised the Suns' new arena highly.

STARTERS:

Chi: Pippen, Grant, Cartwright, Armstrong, Jordan
Phx: Ceballos, Barkley, West, KJ, Majerle

FIRST OFF THE BENCH:

Chi: Scott Williams, Stacey King
Phx: Chambers, Ainge, Miller

QUARTER-BY-QUARTER:

1st Quarter: 43-35 Bulls.  An incredible quarter for all basketball 
fans.  Michael started the scoring with an outside jumper; both teams 
began trading baskets soon after.  Chicago played nearly flawless 
basketball; ALL their outside shooters were hitting.  76% shooting for 
the quarter, Jordan had *18* points.  Geez.  The Suns had a pretty 
decent scoring half too, but their inability to defend the Bulls' 
shooters put them behind.  Chambers came in first this night, as West 
collected 2 early fouls.  Miller did the same for Barkley later.  
TECHNICAL FOULS: Chambers (bitching at ref Hugh Evans after a 
reaching-in foul), Barkley (slapping Williams after being held).  
TECHNICAL PLUS EJECTION: Williams (for saying "the magic words" to the 
ref).

2nd Quarter: 74-62 Bulls.  Paxson and McCray started this quarter for 
the Bulls, and Chicago kept pouring it on.  They got as much as a 
16-point advantage before Phoenix fought back to within 12.  Tempers 
were flaring between Miller and the Bulls bench.  Barkley was mostly 
invisible this quarter after a good effort in the 1st.  TECHNICAL FOUL: 
King (flagrant foul on Miller).  FOUL TROUBLE: Cartwright.

Halftime Impressions: Chicago basically blew out the Suns early with 67% 
shooting overall.  Jordan alone had 28 points.  It might be possible for 
the Bulls to suddenly go cold and let Phoenix back into it, but it might 
not happen.  Phoenix was shooting 52%, which against an average team 
would be good enough for a lead.  It was going to be uphill for the 
Suns, barring a Bulls cold streak in the 3rd.

3rd Quarter: 102-91 Bulls.  Basically, it was a push.  The Suns tried to 
score some quick hoops, and the Bulls did start out cold, but a couple 
of clutch Chicago steals, plus BJ Armstrong hitting some big shots, kept 
Phoenix at bay.  The defense got tougher this quarter; Miller and 
Barkley had some monster blocks.  The Bulls' Corey Williams got 1 minute 
of PT at the end.  FOUL TROUBLE: West, Pippen, Cartwright.

4th Quarter: Very dispiriting.  Paxson, King, and Jordan all conspired 
to beat the Suns, along with the Suns' own unforced turnovers (throwing 
the ball away), stupid technical fouls, and not crashing the boards.  In 
mid-quarter Westphal replaced KJ with Alex Stivrins, essentially 
conceding the game.  Later he inserted Kempton and Negele Knight.  Phil 
Jackson countered with the Will "the Thrill" Perdue.  You get the idea.  
The final score was 128-111.  TECHNICAL FOUL: Pippen (god knows why).  
TECHNICAL PLUS EJECTION: Chambers (bitching at charging call, 2nd T).

AFTERMATH:

As noted in my Seattle-Phoenix game notes, the "clutch" quarter here was 
the first quarter, the one in which Chicago destroyed the Phoenix 
defense with 43 points.  Jordan led everybody with 40 points, Pippen got 
18.  Barkley had 22 points, Majerle 20, but they really didn't "school" 
the Bulls the way Jordan schooled the Suns.  King, unlike previous 
years, got major minutes and made his presence felt.  Oliver Miller, in 
his playing time, played reasonably well, getting blocks and dunks when 
he could.

I don't think any team could have held off the Bulls in the 1st quarter; 
that's how good they were.  It was basically one stop-and-pop jumper 
after another, and all of them went in.  Phoenix, with the loss of 
Hornacek, used to have this kind of perimeter power, but now they have 
lost it.  Majerle and Ainge have not produced (although they can hit a 
few three-pointers), Chambers is a total loss, and Barkley's outside 
game has been ineffectual.  This is a need that ought to be addressed.

Oh well, I guess I can write this game off.  The next game with Chicago 
isn't until March, and it's anybody's guess what level the two teams 
will be at when they meet again.

OTHER STRANGE OCCURRENCES and FACTOIDS:

KJ called out a set play.  After 4 years of Cotton Fitszimmons's 
coaching, this is quite a strange occurrence.

I've always had a soft spot in my heart for Bill Cartwright.  I remember 
his rookie season all too well.  Even though he never got back to that 
level again, his performance with the Bulls and the latter years with 
the Knicks (according to Rick Pitino's book) leads me to believe he's 
better than he looks.  He is not a stiff, don't you believe it.

QUESTIONS I WANT ANSWERS TO:

What rational NBA team would want to trade for Dennis Rodman?  He's 
already packed it in for Detroit and said he won't play for them; what's 
to prevent him from saying that to his new team?  He's nearing 30, and 
has likely given his best years to Detroit.  He's one-dimensional, with 
no scoring ability.  I think he helps your team more when he's stewing 
on the Pistons' roster than when he's playing on your side!

Are the refs calling more T's than in past years?  The officials seem to 
have some salsa up their jockstraps this year, but my impression could 
be wrong.

SUNS SCORECARD:

         Saturday, 11/ 7 LA Clippers  at PHOENIX      (6:30 pm)  W 105-111
          Tuesday, 11/10 PHOENIX      at Portland     (7:30 pm)  L  89-100
         Thursday, 11/12 PHOENIX      at Utah         (6:00 pm)  W 102- 91
         Saturday, 11/14 PHOENIX      at Minnesota    (5:00 pm)  W 108-101
           Monday, 11/16 Seattle      at PHOENIX      (6:30 pm)  W 108-117
        Wednesday, 11/18 Sacramento   at PHOENIX      (6:30 pm)  W 111-127
         Saturday, 11/21 PHOENIX      at LA Clippers  (7:30 pm)  L 107-111
           Sunday, 11/22 Chicago      at PHOENIX      (6:00 pm)  L 128-111
        Wednesday, 11/25 Portland     at PHOENIX      (6:30 pm)
           Friday, 11/27 Golden State at PHOENIX      (6:30 pm)
         Saturday, 11/28 PHOENIX      at Golden State (7:30 pm)

-- 
Greg "Mockingbird" Franklin      Interviewer: "Sir, how do you spell relief?"
f67700241@ccit.arizona.edu               Dan: "R-O-L-A-I-D-S-E."

"[George Bush is] the most ruthless white man in the history of the planet."
	-- Richard Ben Cramer, author of _What It Takes_
"The President scores much better than Bill Clinton."
	-- Dan, comparing Bush's record of marital infidelity to Clinton's