Pheonix Suns

They're definitely surprising a lot of people but I don't know how much longer they can keep it up. They just seem that they're one injury away from the Lebron James sweepstakes.

 

Francis reminds of the T-Wolves Marbury. I just hope he doesn't need 2 trades like Marbury to become the current Suns Marbury.

 

I think Marbury's one of those players that really deserves to be on the all star team along with players like Sam Cassell and Eddie Jones who post as good of stats as the rest of the league but arn't given the same surrounding cast to work with. It finally looks like Marbury's got a team he can do somthing with.

 

Marbury's the same player he always was. People picked on him cause of his teams records, but he's never had the teammates of these other premier PG's. In Minnesota, he had a very young Garnett. In New Jersey, literally the whole team was hurt. In Phoenix last year, there was no interior presence.

The difference in that team from last year to this year is Stoudamire. As a rookie, he's a real presence inside on both ends, something they didn't have at all since Gugliotta's seizure several years back.

 

Marbury was a very "me first" player back in T-Wolves. He always wanted to be go-to guy. Wasn't he jealous of KG getting a fat contract and then forced a trade to Jersey? Imagine what a force T-Wolves would be if they had kept KG and Marbury together...

 

He forced the trade to NJ because he hated Minnesota and he wanted to go somewhere closer to home.

 

He didn't even force a trade.

He was about to become FA and told the Twolves he will not resign, and asked to be traded to NJ.

 

Tonight for Amare:

16-24 for 38 points, 6 offensive boards

Eddie, see how it's done?

 

How did they lose?!

Until he can top Acie Earl's 40-point performance, I will not be impressed

 

I see... Stephon Marbury still hasn't changed.

"(Garnett) doesn't even compare to Amare," Marbury said. "It's not even close. It's two different people. It's like Michael Jordan and Mario Elie. It's not even close."

"I won tonight," Garnett countered. "Since (Marbury) left, I've been in the playoffs every year. He hasn't. This is all about him being jealous. ... Since he left, he can't stop talking about Kevin Garnett. He has a family - a wife, three kids, big bills - and I'm still on his mind. It's like a girl. Yeah, like a girl. He just can't get me out of his mind. I'm bigger than all this. You guys know I'm more professional."

http://www.nba.com/games/20021230/PHOMIN/recap.html

 

I have to agree with CY02, the Marbury we're seeing now, court wise, is far more mature then the Marbury we saw during his T-Wolves and Nets days. In fact I posted the same thing that CY02 did, in another thread about a week ago, Francis reminds me ALOT of the old Marbury as far as being multi-talented but not harnessing that talent yet. And after reading his comments to Garnett he still has some growing up to do.

<b>He didn't even force a trade.

He was about to become FA and told the Twolves he will not resign, and asked to be traded to NJ.</b>

You don't call that forcing a trade? Essentially he said "You better trade me now or I'm walking and you're not going to get anything for me. That's forcing a trade, telling a team you're not re-signing with them midseason and telling them what team you want to be traded to. Either way we'll be in the playoffs to so I'm happy.

 

I am sure Garnett and Marbury's comments are out of context, since they are buddies.

They also got a double technical for jawing at each other in the game. They were just mocking around with each other and trash talking.

I can't believe you guys take that serious...

 

Seeing Stephon Marbury play for the T wolves against the Rockets in '98? I thought he was possibly the most talented point guard in the league. I think Steve Francis is a smarter team player than Marbury was at that time. I still think Steve Francis is the better point guard than Marbury.

It used to make me cry watching Matt Maloney try to guard Marbury. Truly pathetic.

I am a Penny Hardaway hater. He had all that talent, and did not fully utilize it. He is still a good player. He could have been an elite player for many years.

I do not like Tom Gugliotta. when the Rockets showed some interst in Googs when he became a free agent playing for Minn, I did not want him. It was sad he had the health problems though.

I will never like Jerry Colangelo. I was so proud of the Suns for trading for Barkley in '92 and giving him a new lease on life. Colangelo traded BArklley to us, then traded away Cliff Robinson, Jason Kidd, Ceballos, and Marley.

The Suns are not one of my favorite teams, but it does amaze me they can play at this competitive level. They impressed me discovering Shawn Marion, and AMare Stoudemire- both truly gifted players.

 

Guys,

Which would you rather see win this Saturday, Suns or Lakers?
Suns is competing quite closely with Rockets, so if they lose Rockets can improve its standing. But those are the Lakers after all , they may come back to playoff contender if they keep winning, and I HATE Lakers.

 

Did you forget he had some major injury problems?

 

Suns have a tough stretch coming up......2 lakers games, portland, utah, dallas,.......if they come out with a winning record, they are for real.

 

The Suns are winning because Marian is elevating his offensive game and both him and Amare are the anchors of a much improved defense.

Marbury is a good player, but he used to be a better player, and no one in his right mind thinks he is at the level of Kidd, Payton or Francis as a franchise player, point guard, or anything else.