It has been a tough week in pro basketball... and we're not just talkiing about the Phoenix Suns damaging their hopes for a play-off berth by giving up a crucial late season game to the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. Yes that was ugly - but were you surprised?

After all the Nuggets are known for getting some play-off action only to blow it when crunch time comes and their 118 - 107 win over Phoenix punched their ticket to another post season appearance. (Not that it will do them much good - 'cause this looks like it is shaping-up to be another 'If Only' play-off extravaganza for the denizens of the Mile High City.)

No - dear readers - by a tough week in the NBA we mean there were several unnecessarily physical displays of nastiness as the Suns Robin Lopez and - the man we still call - Ron Artest let their meanness out on the court. In the case of Lopez - by far the Suns least capable player - it was in the fourth quarter of the April 19th game against the LA Clippers that he tried what looked like a mid-air choke hold on star frontcourt ace Blake Griffin and found himself bounced from the game for a flagrant two. Sad to say it but - we have to side with Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro in calling for Lopez to have received more than a partial game ejection.

Let's face it - even the most partisan Suns fan knows that - RoLo has the temperment of an angry 12-year old in need of pysch meds and his locker smashing, and attempted referee stare down antics need to be curbed. It would be one thing if he simply sought to stop Griffin from scoring in that close, hardfought game - but to reach around a player's neck while they are in mid-air is beyond the pale.

And then there is Ron Artest - a man who should be forced to sit out more than a few games. Just check the video - which was (pulled from YouTube earlier today) - in which he successfully manages to elbow an opposing player named James Harden in the head while they are in open court. This is inexcusable trash that wouldn't even be acceptable in a hockey game. Sure the offending player is claiming his actions were a result of being "emotional" after having dunked a key shot.

Kind of like saying we can beat our neighbors after winning the lottery. But what else can we expect from Ron - the NBA has tolerated his ignorant actions for years.

Well - enough is enough. If we can get nothing else from this abbreviated NBA season let's at least bench Lopez and Artest permanently.

See ya'                           

Just think of it. That's right - don't say a word - just think about it.

In the months leading up to the start of the college basketball season the experts from a varied number of publications were talking about the death of Tennessee basketball. Yes - Bruce Pearl was forced out of his job as head coach after engaging in a less than brilliant cover-up of recruiting violations and the administration brought in a new coach who was left with a cupboard bare of big name recruits.


Sure Cunozo Martin had a reputation for solid coaching but few imagined that Tennessee could overcome its harsh schedule and make its mark in the tough SEC. The well-respectedd Athlon Sports magazine had ranked the Vols 9th in the conference in its pre-season publication and Lindy's Sports even summarized their estimation of what was to come by saying- "This situation is so bad, though, a little sleaze would help."

Not quite the nicest thing to say - is it?

But after taking Memphis to double OT, beating Florida twice, clipping the Vanderbilt Commodores in the last game of the regular season and almost gaining an NCAA bid there should be nothing but words of praise for Cuonzo Martin's squad and - while we are still smarting from Saturday's loss to Ole Miss and the missed opportunity to go to the NCAA's Big Dance - we have been glad to go along for the ride.


Simply put - cheering for the Tennessee Vols made for a fun season - that we will never forget. We here at www.sunsstufft.com will also never regret putting that $10 down on our prized 500-1 shot.

Guys - you made it worth every dime and than some.

See ya'                 

In the 11 days since a 62-50 loss at Alabama, our Tennesse Big Orange squad has done more than its share to remind partisans why they are one of the most interesting teams in the NCAA. With solid victories against a struggling South Carolina team and a once highly touted Ole Miss contingent, the Volunteers have positioned themselves as possible SEC title contenders who may be able to secure a first round bye come conference tournament time. 

Indeed - by winning 6 of their last 7 games - Tennessee has become one of the hottest unranked teams in the nation.

That said - it is quite surprising to see the Vegas/Reno oddsmakers tilting toward LSU in tonight's 9:00pm EST showdown with our hallowed Big Orange Volunteer team. 

Yes - LSU is only favored by a point - but we still don't get it.

The two big name universities have yet to face each other on the hardwood so far this season and Tennessee has a slightly better SEC record (8-6) than LSU (7-7) brings to the table. Additionally last game was a painful loss to Ole Miss that showed LSU at its worst as they struggled to hit from the floor (31%) and knocked down just 48 points versus the Rebels cool 72.

Sure the Vols are taking it on the road and with a 3-9 record away from their homecourt Tennessee has traveled poorly virtually all season. But fans shouldn't forget that Tennessee's latest win - in a 73 - 64 game back on Feb. 25th came in a game played in South Carolina. 

So what should you do tonight?

Here at www.sunsstufft.com we suggest that you take a ride across that expansive Nevada border and throw some real money across the counter and loudly exclaim - "Give me Tennessee to win"!

See ya'       

Sometimes you wish that the brilliant hardwood play of individual players could be awarded at the end of an individual NBA game even though their team went down in flames. We're not talking about being picked for the All Stars - although that wouldn't hurt - or being nominated for some other league award. No - we mean something that would recognize the brilliant play of an individual in a game in which their team is otherwise lacking.

If you are puzzled by the idea - just look at the incredible play of two Suns stand-outs (Marcin Gortat and Steve Nash) in valiant efforts to salvage a win for Phoenix last night. Unfortunately the game saw the Suns go down to a 111 - 99 defeat at the hands of the LA Lakers but that shouldn't take away from the excellence shown by the above dynamic duo.

During that game the Suns built a 25 - 21 first quarter lead but 12 minutes of playing time later found themselves facing a first half deficit of 57 - 48. That's a 13-point swing in the wrong direction during just one quarter of play and subsequent quarters saw little relief as the Suns dropped the third (30 - 25) and edged the Lakers by just 2 points in the last 12 minutes of play (26 - 24).

Yet through it all - Marcin Gortat and Steve Nash proved that they are nothing but brilliant when it comes to dominating their respective positions.  Gortat's 21 points and 16 rebounds came on top of 2 steals for the big man from Poland and Nash's 11 points and 17 assists were complimented by two steals of his own.

Stunning performances by both that deserve incredible gratitude from the restless masses of fandom here at www.sunsstufft.com.

As for the rest of the roster - Shannon Brown was excellent with 15 points and rookie Markieff Morris continued to impress with 14 points including 6 from beyond the arc. Deduct the strong performers and the Suns went 16 of 39 from the floor and ran into trouble when Robin Lopez proved incapable of defending against quality NBA talent like Andrew Bynum and /or Pau Gasol. That left Gortat on the floor for a full 42 minutes as Coach Alvin Gentry tried to stem the bleeding by putting Lopez on the bench after just six minutes of playing time.

See ya'    
 

There are few times in every fan's life when they just have to shake their head and wonder how the 'Powers That Be' could have gotten things just so wrong. Often it comes when we are holding the funky side of the stick - especially if you are a Phoneix Suns fan. Yes - alas - we have lived hapless lives for far toolong dear friends.

But yesterday all Suns fandom to live as if we have it made in the shade.

What do we mean? Well just look at the point spread we were offered going into the Sacramento Kings game. As those of us tending the fields here at www.sunsstufft.com noted in a post for all readers to see - the Suns were showing as 2.5-point underdogs to Sacramento before they took to the hardwood.

A truly senseless bit of oddsmaking that left some cash on the ol'money tree and ripe for the picking.

Sure conventional wisdom said the Kings deserved a little nidge for playing on their homecourt and their top player - DeMarcus Cousins - deserves some respect. But that that still left the Kings far short of the royal performance their name suggests and a brief loom at the Suns 98 - 84 victory shows what we mean. 

While DeMarcus stunned Phoenix with the shear force of his performance - 26 points and 9 boards - the rest of the Kings hit only 19 of 59 from the field as the Suns played defense with a flair that included 7 steals and 11 blocks. The Kings Tyreke Evans felt the full brunt of that onslaught as he knocked down just one of his nine shots. 

Yes - the much talked about Tyreke Evans - was held to 11% from the field. 

On the Suns side of the ledger it was a night to be proud of as four players hit for double digit scoring (Jared Dudley - 20pts, Markief Morris - 18 pts, Channing Frye - 17 pts, and Marcin Gortat - 15 pts). Steve Nash also had fun dishing for 15 assists in just 29 minutes of play. 

The impressive win puts Phoenix in the hunt for the Number 10 spot in the highly competitive Western Conference. So get some beauty sleep and prepare for Monday night's game against a Golden State team that beat the Houston Rockets earlier tonight. 

See ya'   

With the Phoenix Suns building credibility by winning three of their last four games - it truly is hard to believe that Phoenix is being touted as 2.5-point underdogs against a struggling Sacramento Kings team that has little to brag about during this 2011-12 season. And - if it weren't for the Kings playing on their home court tonight - the story might be different. 

Frankly the Suns have an offense that is primed to put in a high scoring performance against a Kings defense that gives up an average of 100.2 points per game all season. You see - with the occasional exception of DeMarcus Cousins on a good night - there is no real NBA-level defensive activity taking place when the Kings have their backs to the hoop.   

That makes them much worse than the Suns unimpressive D-unit and opens up a world of possibilities.

Imagine - Steve Nash furthering his team record number of assists as Marcin Gortat shows why more voters should have cast ballots for him to join the ranks of the Western Conference All-Stars when they take to the court in two weeks.

So - while we wouldn't recommend betting the ranch - it is time to throw a few bucks across the cage window and make a profit on this one.

See ya'   

In an SEC showdown that gave Big Orange and opportunity to shine brighter than at any point in the season, the Tennessee Vols dominated Florida on the Gators homecourt and nailed down a 75 - 70 upset that ran completely counter to what the Vegas/ Reno oddsmakers were expecting. The 5-point Vols win on the scoreboard at the end of 40 minutes of play did not reflect the utter control that Rennessee exercised after initially falling behind 0 - 2 in the opening seconds of play. 

The opening betting line had the Gators as 11.5-point favs but the sharpies who put their money on the line for a living pushed those odds even further in favor of Florida as cash poured in on the Gators side and the spread became a full 12.5 points. 

Little did they know - Tennessee was going to clean up big time.

Along with an amazingly staunch defense that kept Florida out of the game until it was too late - Tennessee's offense proved that the boys in the Big Orange have game. Jeronne Maymon's double/ double once again cemented his role as a team leader. 

With nightfall spreading on Saturday it seems clear that Tennessee is going to make their way up the SEC standings. It might not become a full blown run for the title conference title - but it sure is looking brighter in Knoxville.

See ya'   

Point spreads can be ugly devils that rise up and bite you in the butt when least expected. However, in tonight's hardwood showdown between the Tennesse Volunteers and the South Carolina Gamecocks we're recommending that readers of www.sunsstufft.com throw caution to the wind and go bigtime with the hometown favorite down in Knoxville. 

Tennessee's Big Orange has won 3 of their last 5 games and both those two losses have come against Top 25 teams (Vanderbilt and Kentucky). Clearly South Carolina isn't of that caliber. Coach Cuonzo Martin also deserves kudos for getting the Vols to look sharp in their showdown against a scrappy Georgia Bulldogs team that was outgunned 73 -62.

Tonight the Vols have the added advantage of playing this game at home - a court where they have gone 10 - 3 so far this season. Another reason for a big bet on this one - South Caolins has lost each of their last three games.

So just get up off that comfy couch and throw the jeep into fifth gear so you can place a good sized (legal) bet on this one.

See ya'   

Yes - we know this site is supposed to be all about basketball but Valentine's Day is less than a week away and many dear readers here at www.sunsstufft.com are facing pressure to put down a wad of cash on one of those humongous candy collections in time for Tuesday's hugfest. We also know that totally ignoring V-Day is not a very productive way to endear ourselves to sweethearts of all shapes and sizes.

So this evening we're trying a delicate blend of b-ball and the softer spirit of the season for your reading pleasure.

No -  we don't want to know the details of your love life - but we are urging every Suns fan to say a few kind words to your neighbors as part of a simple campaign of appreciation for Phoenix's own. In short - if you can buy chocolates for your intimate squeeze - you should be able to do your part to mark the improvement of the Phoenix Suns during our current 3-game winning streak. 

Those victories against a trio of Eastern Conference teams (Charlotte, Atlanta and Milwaukee) have come with the Suns averaging slightly more than 100 points per game - a  number that is much better than their season average of 93.4 ppg. That kind of uptick in scoring suggests the struggling Suns can put together the pieces that will propel them to a .500-plus season and we love it.  

So if you see one of the Suns starting players during your travels - or even the lurking visage of Robin Lopez - don't forget to blow them a kiss, wish them a Happy Valentine's Day and let them know you appreciate their growing success.  

See ya'   

Overcoming a peculiar habit of underperforming when they're not on national TV - the Tennessee Volunteers garnered a big time SEC win against the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday. The nice win gave Tennessee Volunteers stalwarts another opportunity to cash-in at the expense of those Vegas/Reno oddsmakers as the Vols 73 - 62 victory came with an 11-point margin that was comfortably above their status as 7.5-point favs on the betting line. 

Tennessee started out behind the visiting Bulldogs as Georgia knocked down two early three pointers and took a 6 - 0 lead. That was before freshman phenom Jarnell Stokes and senior Cameron Tatum scored a couple of buckets for Big Orange. The scoring festival continued for much of the first half as the two teams hit dueling shots from beyond the arc with the score board lighting-up like an old-fashioned pinball machine. The first half continued to go Georgia's way as the first seven minutes of play saw the Bulldogs hit four 3-point shots and they went on to take a startling 27 - 19 lead with just 4:55 left in the first half.

But that was the low point for Big Orange and - by the time the half was over - the Vols were showing their stuff with a 30 -28 lead. The second half saw Tennessee stumble as Georgia take a 39 - 32 lead with 16:22 left to play. But the Vols picked up the pace during the last 14-and-a-half minutes of play as they finally kicked their offense into high gear and blew past a Georgia Bulldog squad that was outgunned down the stretch.

As the dust settled the tale of the tape was revealed as the box score for Tennessee's Big Orange showed some scoring prowess as they hit 60% from 2-point range. But the real difference maker was Tennessee's success at the foul line as they knocked down an incredible total of 28 points from the charity stripe. 

Talk about making them pay.

So - for those of us who are true Tennessee fans - chalk up a nice homecourt win and brace yourselves for a Feb. 8th showdown against the South Carolina Gamecocks as Big Orange seeks a win that propel the Vols up the SEC conference play ladder. 

See ya'