National Basketball Association

Surprising Suns carry momentum into postseason

Published Apr. 17, 2010 1:43 a.m. ET

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If momentum means anything going into the postseason, the Phoenix Suns surely have it.

Disregarded at the beginning of the season as a borderline playoff contender at best, the Suns won 14 of their last 16 games, a run punctuated by back-to-back blowout wins at home over Denver and at Utah.

The victories earned the Suns the No. 3 seed in the West and a first-round matchup with the injury-ravaged Portland Trail Blazers. Game 1 is Sunday night in Phoenix.

Now, after a 54-28 regular season, comes the test of whether this combination of Steve Nash's guile, Amare Stoudemire's power and a band of long-range sharpshooters can succeed in the gritty world of postseason basketball.

Nash acknowledged the team has exceeded his preseason expectations.

``I didn't know if we would climb our way to this point and be at the top rung,'' he said. ``I still think we have some rungs to climb and this team can continue to get sharper and better. I'm really proud of these guys, a great group of guys - tremendous focus the last few months. We've improved and given ourselves a chance to get even better.''

For sure, the team is greater than the sum of its parts. The word ``chemistry'' was tossed around freely after the Suns returned from a one-day layoff to practice on Friday.

``These guys are just in tune to each other,'' coach Alvin Gentry said. ``As I've said, this is the best chemistry I've been associated with or been around ever.''

It's not a ``phony, fake thing,'' he said.

``They genuinely pull for each other, genuinely like each other,'' Gentry said. ``I just think there's a chemistry and a relationship there that you don't get with many teams.''

The Suns' 26-6 record since the All-Star break is second only to Orlando's 26-5.

``The spirit of our group is phenomenal,'' Nash said. ``We all enjoy playing together. I think our chemistry has been a big part of our achieving the success we have had this year.''

Nash, who signed a two-year contract to remain with Phoenix, is having a season that in many ways equals and maybe surpasses his two MVP years. At 35, Nash is the oldest player in NBA history to lead the league in assists (11 per game). He averaged 16.5 points while shooting 50.7 percent from the field - second among NBA guards and 42.6 percent from 3-point range.

He led the league and set a franchise record by making 93.8 percent of his free throws, a career best. Nash missed 14 out of 225 free throws attempted. He also played the fewest minutes since 1999-2000 as 23-year-old Goran Dragic grew into his role as backup.

Stoudemire, with his future contract status uncertain, stormed back from a serious eye injury to play arguably the best basketball of his career, averaging 26.6 points since the All-Star break. Nash and Stoudemire have perfected a pick and roll made all the more devastating by the many shooters on the perimeter.

Jason Richardson averaged 17.8 points since the All-Star break. He joins 37-year-old Grant Hill in the starting lineup. After a career nearly ruined by injury, Hill has missed one game in the last two seasons.

Gentry made Stoudemire a co-captain with Nash and Hill.

The move nudged Stoudemire into more of a leadership role.

``I think he's done great guys, he really has,'' Gentry said. ``He's been unbelievably responsible. He's been a great teammate, and obviously his play speaks for itself.''

A big reason for the team's success has come from the bench, an energized group that normally includes 6-foot-11 Channing Frye, who made a team-high 172 3-pointers after making 20 in his first four seasons in the league. Jared Dudley, a scrappy defender given the first extensive playing time of his career, made 45.9 percent of his 3s, fourth-best in the NBA. Super hustler Lou Amundson keeps up the energy, and the lanky, athletic Dragic looks more and more like the eventual successor to Nash.

Leandro Barbosa, former winner of the NBA Sixth Man award, is still rounding into form after coming back from wrist surgery.

``The second unit's been doing a phenomenal job for us all season long,'' Stoudemire said. ``They play hard, they're scrappy, they full-court press, they defend, they rebound. It gives us that extra boost. Once we get our rest, the first unit is ready to go full throttle after that.''

Nine-year NBA veteran Jarron Collins is in the starting lineup, although his minutes usually are limited, because 7-footer Robin Lopez is out for the series with a back injury. The Suns got much tougher under the basket when the big twin from Stanford was moved into the lineup, going 22-9.

This is not the 7 seconds or less team of the Mike D'Antoni era. The Suns still led the league in scoring (110.2 ppg) but they rely more on ball movement than outright speed and shooting. Gentry calls it a ``rhythm team.''

Oh yes, Gentry will point out, these Suns do play defense.

``Although everybody calls us a finesse team, there's a toughness about us,'' Gentry said. ``... I think the thing that I'm most proud of this team is that the last 17 games we held eight teams below 40 percent shooting. Contrary to what everybody writes, all of those were NBA teams. Every one of them.''