Raja Bell out, Nash doubtful

Raja Bell will be out for the next two games, thanks to Ginobili's elbow into his chest. Paul Coro reports:

Suns guard Raja Bell will miss at least two games — home games tonight against Dallas and Saturday against Memphis — because of a left rib contusion he suffered in the final minute of Phoenix's overtime loss Wednesday at San Antonio.

Manu Ginobili struck Bell — away from the ball — and was called for the offensive foul. Bell then pinballed into Tim Duncan and pitched forward onto the floor.

Nash is doubtful for tonight's game because of a hip strain he suffered last night.

Some news on Diaw too:
Boris Diaw also suffered a mild ankle sprain when he slipped in the first quarter but is expected to play tonight.

A sprained ankle is what happens when you're too heavy for your feet, you croissant-hogging, chcolate milk-chugging pig!

M

How to lose when your opponent wants to as well

Last night, the Suns demonstrated how to suck misery out of prosperity. It was one more of their horrible games this season, squandering a 6 pt lead late in the game.

The defensive effort was patchy at best, with Fabricio Oberto setting a Spurs franchise record shooting a perfect 11-11 from the field. Huh? Oberto!?!? That guy whose top score last season was 10? The same guy whose career high score is 12? The same frikkin' guy who Popovich called the 'most productive ugly player' ever?

Suns-the Kingmakers
-The Suns made it look like Oberto was unguardable -- only they did so by not guarding him at all. Give me a freaking break now. A career scrub makes 5-5 and still Mike Antoni couldn't make an adjustment to shut him down for the rest of the game? Antoni has never displayed an ability to make in-game adjustments and Oberto's career numbers last night bear that out.

-And then there was this guy called Nazr Mohamed who Poppovich didn't give a rat's ass about when he left the Spurs to sign with the Pistons. Nazr has averaged 9.6/7 in his uneventful 8 year career and has done nothing to merit attention as a legit post threat. Enter the Suns in the 2005 playoffs. They had to make him look good at any expense. Who can stop the Suns when they make up their mind?
Result : Nazr had a career night scoring 30/16 in one of the Western Conference Finals games.

You're a high octane offense and all that but for God's sake why don't you guys get a few defensive stops when you have a frikkin 9 point lead against the Spurs? Is it that hard to play decent defense? Gaaawd!!

Save for Tony Parker, the Spurs played pretty badly for most of the game. When Raja missed a free throw that could've potentially won the game, Ithinkisoiledmyself.
*drops head in shame*
To their credit, the Spurs played like champions in OT to send the Suns packing.

I've got to say the Suns earned the defeat though.

M

Raja's basketball diaries

Highlights from Raja Bell's latest journal on ESPN.

His best buddies - Nash, LB, Sen. Burke :
the guys I took with me are the ones that I click with pretty well and roll to dinner with, so when I was able to get four tickets, those are the guys I invited.

On Andrew Bynum:
He's a great young player who, like most big men, shoots a very high percentage, but I was most impressed with his passing out of the triangle offense. Young guys, and especially 7-foot-plus young guys, aren't usually able to pass with such a deft touch, but he's got that down.

Suns are Piranhas:
I think Elton Brand used the word "Piranhas" when he talked about our pace offensively, and he's right.

Back to School:
Something else I've been hitting hard is the books. Yup, I've decided to go back to school. I just got the results back on my midterm from my Religious Analysis class, and I did pretty well, scoring an 87.

On how he met his wife:
..they told me she had a man.
It's kind of corny, but at that point, I was like, "Yeah, right! We'll see about that." Sure enough, she broke up with that guy and we've been together ever since, 10 years now, and got married in August '04.
Sorry, pal, wherever you are.

M

Raja Bell chronicles the pre-season

Raja Bell talks to Sam Alipour about the Suns' training camp and pre-season. Raja is one of the more well-spoken, articulate guys around and the entire piece is an excellent read. (espn)

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