What week four taught us about the Suns: Still surprising people, just not on TNT

Week Recap: 3-1 with wins against the Raptors in Canada, Rockets in Houston, Pistons at home and the loss coming in New Orleans against the Hornets.

The Suns Are Jinxed On TNT

The Suns are 0-16 on TNT in the last two seasons. I sarcastically tried to explain it last Thursday, but I’m officially confused by the whole thing.

The Suns were 10-2 and riding high while the Hornets were off to a horrible start, fired Byron Scott after losing to the Suns the week before and were without Chris Paul. If there ever was a “gimme game” on TNT for the Suns it was that one. The loss seems to leave only one explanation, the Suns are jinxed on TNT. I don’t know the cause of the jinx but we should put the “usual suspects’” names in a hat and pick (Kerr, Sarver and Shaq take the wrap for everything).

The Suns have five more shots on TNT this season. Is 0-21 really possible?

Grant Hill Had Rough Week

Grant Hill had a rough week, by Hill’s standards. He shot 13-for-29 (45%) for the week and averaged 8.75 points and 6 rebounds. Hill is averaging 12 points and 7.6 rebounds a game this season.

It wasn’t a horrible week, but Hill seemed to be missing the “little something extra” he had early on this season. He struggled shooting wise in Toronto turning in a 1-for-6 performance and in New Orleans, 4-for-11. In both games the Suns’ offense wasn’t as potent as it has been for most of the season. The Suns managed 101 points in a nail-biting one point win against the Raptors and scored only 103 in the loss to the Hornets.

As Hill went, so did the Suns this week.

Amare Is Back To His Scoring Ways

Suns fans expectations of Amare Stoudemire on the court are like a 1970’s NBA fan’s expectation of Wilt Chamberlain in a night club, he’s going to score.

Even though everyone expects Amare to score, they also knew it would take a little while to regain his stamina following his eye injury. I think it’s safe to say his stamina and offense is back.

For the first time this season, Stoudemire scored 20 or more points for four games in a row (30,23,23,21). He looked to have his explosiveness back and had some “highlight reel” dunks.

Stoudemire’s offense looked in mid season form and, unfortunately, so was his rebounding. Stoudemire averaged 6 rebounds in the weeks four games. His highest rebounding total, 8, came against Toronto’s Chris Bosh.

Barbosa Still Doesn’t Seem Quite Right

Leandro Barbosa injured his wrist early in the season and he hasn’t been the same since. This week Barbosa seemed to struggle from the field and has yet to gain his stroke from long range. He’s failed to score more than 11 points since the first two games of the season and hasn’t had the same spark that he’s provided in the past.

Barbosa thrived in the first two games of the season as a starter scoring 17 points against the Clippers in the season opener and 24 against the Golden State Warriors. His wrist may be holding him back and causing hesitation in his play. Week four didn’t do anything to help dispel that idea.

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