Phoenix Suns Blog – Page 37 – NBA Blog

Lindsey Hunter 2-0 as coach after Suns beat Clippers

The Phoenix Suns are 2-0 under Lindsey Hunter, and the Los Angeles Clippers dearly miss Chris Paul.

Goran Dragic scored 19 of his 24 points in the first half and the Suns held on to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 93-88 on Thursday night, giving Hunter his second victory in two nights as interim coach after he replaced the fired Alvin Gentry.

Marcin Gortat added 15 points, including two free throws with 23.3 seconds left. Luis Scola and Markieff Morris had 14 apiece for the Suns, who have won consecutive games for the first time since a season-high, four-game winning streak ended on Dec. 19. Dragic also had eight assists.

The Clippers, who lost their third straight, were without Paul for the fifth time in seven games because of a bruised right kneecap. The team is 3-2 without him, and he’s expected to miss two more games.

Jamal Crawford led Los Angeles with 21 points. Eric Bledsoe scored 15 and Blake Griffin had 12. Griffin said he reinjured his left ankle early in the game but still played 36 minutes.

”Our offense was stagnant,” Griffin said. ”Our defense wasn’t great. We did a poor job and it starts with me. I have to do a better job of setting the tone early and being a leader out there, especially with Chris not out there.”

The Clippers shot just under 40 percent for the game, 33 percent (7 for 21) in the fourth quarter.

— Reported by Bob Baum of the Associated Press

Dan Majerle will not return as Phoenix Suns assistant coach

Suns Ring of Honor member Dan Majerle will not resume his role as assistant coach for the second half of the season.

Majerle was in his fifth season as a Suns assistant coach but had stopped working with the team Sunday when Lindsey Hunter was selected as the interim head coach in place of Alvin Gentry. Hunter was selected Sunday over lead assistant coach Elston Turner, assistant coach Igor Kokoskov and Majerle, who had been the suggestion of many Suns players to General Manager Lance Blanks during interviews Friday and Saturday.

When Blanks called Majerle to inform him of the decision Sunday morning before practice, Majerle left US Airways Center and did not participate in Sunday’s and Monday’s practices. Majerle had been willing to return to the staff if Turner was selected.

Majerle will receive his full salary for the season.

— Reported by Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns name Lindsey Hunter interim head coach

The Phoenix Suns have named former NBA player and Suns Player Development Coordinator Lindsey Hunter the club’s interim head coach, the team announced today.

What this means is, for now, Hunter will act as the team’s head coach. The Suns could wind up keeping Hunter in charge if things go well, but otherwise, they will hire someone else to take the head coach position in a full-time, more long-term capacity.

A 17-year NBA veteran as a player, Hunter retired following the 2009-10 season after a successful career with Detroit (1993-00, 2003-08), Milwaukee (2000-01), the LA Lakers (2001-02), Toronto (2002-03) and Chicago (2008-10). A two-time NBA champion with the Lakers (2001-02) and Pistons (2003-04), Hunter’s teams made 12 playoff appearances in 17 seasons overall. Originally selected with the 10th overall pick of 1993 NBA Draft, the 6-2, 195-pound former guard averaged 8.5 points, 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 937 career games (438 starts).

Hunter joined the Suns’ scouting department in 2012 and this season served as the coordinator of the organization’s newly-formed player development department. He served in a similar post with the Chicago Bulls following his retirement.

According to Bob Baum of the Associated Press, “The Suns, with nine new players on their roster this season, have lost 13 of 15, including four straight at home, and at 13-28 have the worst record in the Western Conference. They don’t play again until Wednesday, when they face the Kings in Sacramento. Hunter’s home debut will come Thursday night against the Los Angeles Clippers, who have the West’s second-best record at 32-9.”

Also from the Associated Press: “Gentry was Phoenix’s coach since Terry Porter was fired at the 2009 All-Star break. His time included a run to the 2010 Western Conference finals in 2010, his first full season as coach. But the team failed to make the playoffs the last two seasons. Then Steve Nash departed to the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Suns, under the direction of team president Lon Babby and general manager Lance Blanks, overhauled the roster.”

Alvin Gentry is no longer head coach of the Phoenix Suns

The Phoenix Suns and Alvin Gentry have mutually agreed to part ways after his five-plus seasons as head coach, the club announced today. An interim coach will be named in the next 24-48 hours.

“Alvin’s hard work, dedication and coaching ability over the last nine years have been an important part of the success of our organization,” said Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver. “These partings are never easy but are, unfortunately, part of the business of professional sports. I wish nothing but the best for Alvin and his family.”

Said Suns President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby: “All of us, including Alvin, realized that the pieces weren’t fitting. To be sure, integrating nine new players was a challenge. Alvin is a good coach and a good person. I wish him the best. As for us, we will remain focused on moving this team forward.”

Gentry originally joined the Suns organization as an assistant coach prior to the 2004-05 season, and was named Phoenix’s interim head coach in Feb. 2009 before officially becoming the 14th head coach in franchise history on May 9, 2009. In five-plus seasons leading the Suns, Gentry’s teams compiled a 158-144 (.523) record, earning one playoff appearance and a trip to the 2010 Western Conference Finals. The Suns currently own a 13-28 (.317) record at the midway point of the 2012-13 season.

“After nine years with the Suns, the organization and I came to a mutual agreement to go in different directions,” Gentry said. “I have the utmost respect for (Suns Managing Partner) Robert (Sarver) and what he’s done with the organization. It’s unfortunate that I was unable to accomplish what I set out to do here.”

According to the Associated Press, “Gentry had coached the Suns since replacing the fired Terry Porter at the All-Star break of the 2008-09 season, compiling a 158-144 record. His 2010 squad, led by Steve Nash, went 54-28 and advanced to the Western Conference finals. But Nash left and the team underwent what has been a disastrous rebuilding effort. The Suns have lost 13 of 15 and four straight at home. Their 98-94 loss to Milwaukee on Thursday night snapped the Bucks’ 24-game losing streak in Phoenix. The Suns’ 13-28 record is the worst in the Western Conference and fourth-worst in the NBA. Only Cleveland, Charlotte and Washington are worse.”

More from the AP: “The rebuilt team lacked a go-to scorer and struggled with depth as Gentry continuously tried new lineups. He had said recently that the team, with the season obviously headed south, might simply turn to its younger players and look to the future.”

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Bucks win 98-94 to end long drought in Phoenix

Mike Dunleavy hit a 3-pointer with 57.4 seconds left to cap a 10-0 run and the Milwaukee Bucks pulled away to beat the Suns 98-94 on Thursday night, snapping a 24-game losing streak in Phoenix.

Monta Ellis scored 24 points and Larry Sanders added 19, while Dunleavy and Brandon Jennings had 16 apiece for the Bucks, who had not won in the Valley since Feb. 21, 1987, at the old Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Milwaukee has won four of six since interim coach Jim Boylan replaced Scott Skiles on Jan. 8.

Shannon Brown scored 20 points off the bench and Luis Scola added 16 for the Suns, who have lost four straight at home for the first time since 2004 and have dropped 13 of 15 overall…

One game after logging more than 40 minutes, Suns big man Marcin Gortat was limited by early foul trouble to seven points and five rebounds over 29 minutes. . Dunleavy added three of the Bucks’ 11 blocked shots. . Jennings has scored 53 points in his past two games against Phoenix after scoring 30 points in his first four appearances against the Suns.

— Reported by Jonathan Dalton of the Associated Press

Kevin Durant scores 41, Thunder beat Suns

When Kevin Durant takes over a game, it’s quite a show.

This time, it was at the expense of Marcin Gortat and the rest of the Phoenix Suns.

Durant scored 27 of his 41 points in the second half – 19 in the fourth quarter- and the Oklahoma City Thunder became the NBA’s first 30-game winner this season by beating the Suns 102-90 on Monday night.

Russell Westbrook added 36 [with eight rebounds and five assists] for the Thunder, but it was Durant who took over late in his fourth 40-point game, falling one shy of the season-high 42 he scored two games earlier against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Durant sank an array of pull-up jumpers, added a couple of casual 3-pointers, made a handful of layups, then punctuated his night with a spectacular dunk over Gortat for a three-point play.

”I am just having a lot of fun out there,” he said. ”I got away with a carry on that (last) play, but I was able to free myself up. I saw the lane. Everyone knows he does a great job of contesting in the lane. I just tried to finish with some strength.” …

Shannon Brown scored 21 for the Suns. Gortat had 19 points and 15 rebounds, but was the unfortunate would-be defender on Durant’s spectacular dunk late in the game…

The Thunder were without Serge Ibaka for the second game in a row with a chest contusion. Phoenix didn’t have Jared Dudley (right wrist strain) or Jermaine O’Neal (back spasms).

— Reported by Bob Baum of the Associated Press

Suns assign guard Diante Garrett to D-League

The Phoenix Suns today assigned rookie guard Diante Garrett to the Bakersfield Jam, Phoenix’s NBA Development League affiliate. The assignment is the record 100th of the 2012-13 NBA and NBA D-League seasons while Garrett becomes the record 49th NBA Player to have been assigned this season.

Garrett (6-4, 190, Iowa State) has appeared in six games for the Suns this season, scoring five points and dishing out seven assists in 30 minutes.

Signed by Phoenix as a free agent in Oct., 2012, Garrett was a member of the Suns’ Las Vegas Summer League team following a season playing overseas in 2011-12. A four-year contributor at Iowa State, he is one of only three players in Big 12 history to amass 1,300 points and 600 assists in his collegiate career.

Garrett is expected to join the Jam today and be available on Friday, Jan. 11, when the team hosts the Los Angeles D-Fenders at 10 p.m. ET.

The Suns are struggling this season, and with a 12-25 record are currently the 14th seed in the Western conference. They are in Brooklyn Friday to face the Nets.

Supporting cast steps up in Celtics win over Suns

The ”Big Three” leading Boston to its latest win was an unlikely bunch.

Jeff Green, Jason Terry and rookie Jared Sullinger carried the Celtics through a game of streaks, each outscoring their starting teammates as Boston recovered from a dreadful third quarter and held off the slumping Phoenix Suns 87-79 on Wednesday night.

Green had 14 points, Terry scored 13 and Sullinger finished with 12 points and pulled down a career-best 16 rebounds as Boston’s reserves outscored their Phoenix counterparts 47-16.

”They won the game for us basically. The bench played well. The starters didn’t play good at all tonight,” said Rajon Rondo, who had eight points and eight assists.

It was an emotional game for Green, who was playing exactly one year after having surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm.

”I can’t put it into words. I mean, it’s a wonderful day,” said Green, who missed all of last season with the heart condition. ”I reflect a lot on what I’ve been through and it’s just a blessing and I’m glad I’m here.”

Kevin Garnett was the only Boston starter to score in double figures, finishing with 10 points and five rebounds, and Paul Pierce had seven points and seven rebounds…

Marcin Gortat had 12 points and 14 rebounds, and Jared Dudley scored 14 while pulling down 10 boards for the Suns, who lost their fourth straight and fell to 2-16 on the road. Luis Scola scored 16 and Goran Dragic finished with 10 points for Phoenix, which gave the Celtics a scare in the third quarter with a 17-0 run…

Boston coach Doc Rivers was called for a technical late in the third period, then Rondo and Phoenix’s P.J. Tucker drew dual technicals early in the fourth.

— Reported by Doug Alden of the Associated Press

Bucks beat Suns in first game under coach Jim Boylan

Brandon Jennings glanced over and expected to see coach Scott Skiles on the end of the Milwaukee Bucks’ bench. Instead, he saw Jim Boylan sitting in Skiles’ old spot.

Jennings scored 29 points and the Bucks gave Boylan a win in his first game as coach with a 108-99 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night…

The Bucks parted ways with Skiles on Monday in what was called a mutual decision, and the Bucks tapped Skiles’ top assistant Boylan as a replacement…

Jennings, who before the game said he was frustrated that he learned of the coaching change from Skiles himself instead of someone from the Bucks organization, made 9 of 15 shots and had nine assists…

Goran Dragic scored 21 points and Jared Dudley added 18 for Phoenix.

Larry Sanders had 10 points, eight rebounds, six blocks and three steals for Milwaukee. The Suns scored only 10 points in the paint in the second half as Sanders dominated defensively…

The Bucks won despite an off-night from leading scorer Monta Ellis, who missed 14 of 19 shots and committed five turnovers. Ellis finished with 13 points after coming in with a 19.4 average.

Boylan made a couple of significant changes in his first game at the helm, inserting forward Ersan Ilyasova into the starting lineup and giving more minutes to rookie forward John Henson, the team’s first-round draft pick.

Ilyasova had 12 points, six rebounds and four assists in 26 minutes. Henson had 12 points and 11 rebounds in 19 minutes.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Zach Randolph leads Grizzlies over Suns

When Zach Randolph found his shooting stroke Sunday night, the Memphis Grizzlies took off.

Randolph scored 21 points and Rudy Gay added 20 to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 92-81 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

”Zach got going in the post and so we had a few options to run with,” said Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins. ”It was a solid win.”

Randolph had been dominant in the team’s first two meetings, averaging 16 rebounds and 28 points on 66.7 percent shooting. Though his numbers were slightly lower this time around – he had only eight rebounds, none on the offensive end – they were more than enough.

Randolph upped his shooting percentage against Phoenix, connecting on 9 of 11 shots from the field and was 3 of 5 on free throws. He also had a steal in 36 minutes…

Tony Allen scored 11 and Marc Gasol had 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who have won three of their last five games.

P.J. Tucker scored a career-high 17 points and Marcin Gortat added 12 points and eight rebounds for the Suns…

Memphis became the first team in the series to win on the road since the Grizzlies won in Phoenix on December 8, 2010. … The Suns had one fast-break point. … Phoenix remained stuck on 1,999 franchise victories. … Memphis is 7-28 in Phoenix. … Suns guard Wesley Johnson played in the first half for just the seventh time in 35 games, scoring his six points on a pair of 3-pointers. … The Suns’ 38 first-half points were one more than the team’s season low.

— Reported by Jonathan Dalton of the Associated Press