Intent to Liveblog
I’m going to try something a little different and liveblog the Suns-Mavs game tonight. The Suns are my team, which I suppose dates from the spring of Nash’s first season with them (in particular, the playoff series against the Mavs that year, which was very enjoyable on any number of levels). Nash and I have much in common: we’re about the same age; we both, ahem, excel at our chosen profession; Nash reads Marx and Engels, and I usually play point guard in a pick-up game (more like Eddie House, however, with less compunction about shooting); there are shirtless pictures of both of us on my wife’s computer (Nash in a whirlpool for the NYT Magazine, Goodwin covered in fish guts–guess which one’s the desktop background?), etc.
So I don’t know if it’ll keep showing up in your feeds each time I update, but that’s how it’s going to go.
8:24 I’m going to go ahead and get started a bit early, as I’ve been half-watching the Boston-Detroit game. Put me in the camp of those who think that Boston’s bound to burn out. I don’t trust Pierce’s game. He reminds of me a lot of C. S. Peirce, come to think of it. Wily, flashy, versatile–but a tendency to take on too much. (Peirce was involved in a geological survey of the Pascagoula region, for example.
What was that from Ray Allen? I’ve never appreciated the driving-and-dunking aspect of Allen’s game, though it’s clearly been there.
8:31 Pierce’s travel just then. A good example of what Bill Simmons, I think, called his hero complex. It’s going to hurt them in the playoffs.
8:32 Demoralizing block by Wallace there. My god. Garnett can be too deferential. This hurt Minnesota in their playoff series against the Lakers a few years ago. Eddie House!
8:37 Predictable shot by Allen there. I hope this doesn’t go into overtime. I predict Billups is going to hit the gamewinner.
8:40 Could still happen.
8:45 Told you.
8:48 Nash can get mugged by Harris and then have the timing to throw that alley-oop next time around.
8:51 Stoudemire’s defense. Can anything be done? Folks have suggested trading him for someone like Rasheed Wallace (if Detroit would do that, which I doubt) because of Phoenix only having a two-year window with this team. (Hill–a frightening dunk)
9:00 And he’s forcing shots. Dampier’s guarding him and is scoring on him at will.
9:04 I’ve noticed that Marion shoots a very low percentage when wide open. Like Antawn Jamison, he needs a high degree of difficulty to shoot effectively.
9:10 I don’t understand D’Antoni’s rotations. Why are Nash, Stoudemire, AND Marion all on the bench now? Foul trouble for Stoudemire is just how he plays. Putting yourself in a 17 point hole in the first quarter’s sub-optimal.
9:13 Though I, as I mentioned earlier, root for the Suns, they are an intensely frustrating team to watch. D’Antoni looks pissed in this sideline interview. Can’t blame him.
9:19 Hill with an improbable dunk.
9:25 I hope he can hold out for the season.
9:29 Marion seemed to intend to throw that down on Dampier’s head there.
9:31 A Dungeon Siege tale?
9:33 Changed it to a flagrant and of course he bricks the first free throw.
9:34 Hill’s dunk’s got them overexcited.
9:38 Stoudemire’s not shy about looking for his offense. Avery Johnson’s growing his hair out a bit, I believe.
9:39 I need to read Newton’s commentary on Daniel and the Apocalypse. I saw on Van Gundy’s blog that it’s on his bedside, but I doubt he’ll get to it in the broadcast tonight.
9:43 Great pass from Stoudemire there, even to his nemesis Marion.
9:46 This basketpool Sprite commercial–perhaps a land war in Western Europe would have prevented it.
9:47 Did I mention that I don’t care for people who can’t tell from the page of google results that I don’t rebuild Hummers. (If I did, I would make them less fuel efficient–it’s what we call heightening the contradictions.)
9:49 I don’t care what Devin Harris has to say.
10:06 Mike Breen might choose to discuss David W. Fleck’s article on the evidential system of Matses. During a lull, perhaps.
10:15 Just realized that Stoudemire’s 2-10 from the field.
10:18 Devastating sequence.
10:23 Late whistle goaltend. Wait to make that up, officials. Terrible call on the offensive foul. I suspect conspiracy.
10:30 Video went out. Diaw using the backboard. We need production from Diaw.
10:32 Now begins the crucial resting-Nash period. I suspect they can get blown out over the next five or six minutes if things don’t go well.
10:49 Phoenix is -16 with Diaw on the floor.
10:55 Some fantastic officiating here tonight. The Mark Cuban effect.
11:01 A little run here. Nash misses free throw.
11:12 Phoenix’ll make it interesting, at least.
11:15 I’d like to see a replay of what happened when they played in March, if you remember, but I guess that’s too much to reasonably expect.
11:17 Well.