NBA Preview from The Sports Network
Wednesday, November 7th
(All times eastern)
Phoenix Suns (1-3) at Charlotte Bobcats (1-1), 7 p.m.
(Sports Network) - The Phoenix Suns complete their three-game road trip
tonight when they visit the Charlotte Bobcats.
The Suns lost the first two games on this southern trip to the Orlando Magic
and the defending champion Miami Heat. They lost the games by a combined 46
points and have yet to reach 100 points in any of their four games.
"We have to get better offensively, we're struggling to get easy baskets,"
said head coach Alvin Gentry. "It's a long season, we have 78 games left and I
don't see any reason to hit a panic button or anything. We just have to
continue to work, and to me the whole thing we need to concentrate on is
coming together as a team as a common goal."
The Suns have enjoyed a balanced scoring attack with five players averaging
double-figures. Marcin Gortat is averaging 12.3 rpg and leads the NBA with 14
blocks.
After a pair of sub-90 point defensive efforts in their first two games, the
Suns have allowed 119.5 ppg in their last two. Phoenix has been horrendous
defending the 3-point line in those two, allowing Orlando to shoot a traffic-
stopping 81.8 percent and Miami a still horrid, though not quite Orlando bad,
57.7 percent.
Charlotte only needs six more wins to match last season's total. The Bobcats
won their season-opener by one at home against the Indiana Pacers, but on
Saturday night, lost the second of the back-to-back at Dallas by 27.
It was in that second game when guard Gerald Henderson sprained his foot.
Henderson, last season's leading scorer for the Bobcats, will be out two to
four weeks.
Against the Mavs, the Bobcats were only down eight at the half, but gave up 36
in the third quarter. It turned into a bigger slaughter when the Bobcats only
mustered 18 points in the final frame.
"We hang our hat on our defense so we know where to start," said head coach
Mike Dunlap. "But, as far as a basketball game and how we want to play it
coming in here and doing what we did for that half, that's where we start as
far as continuing to be positive with how we're doing what we're doing and
building."
The Bobcats are getting plenty of good play from the guard spots. Second-year
combo guard Kemba Walker is averaging 20 ppg and Ramon Sessions an impressive
16.5.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrest, the second pick in this summer's draft, scores 7.5
ppg, but is shooting 33 percent from the field.
The Suns won last season's only contest with the Bobcats, but Charlotte won
four in a row before that. In total, the Suns own the advantage in the all-
time series, 10-5.
11/07 10:52:03 ET

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