Suns at Hornets
THE STORY: The Phoenix Suns haven’t started 0-3 in 15 years and will try to avoid doing so this season when they visit the New Orleans Hornets on Friday. Phoenix started the 1996-97 campaign with 13 consecutive defeats so they have a long way to go to match that type of futility. The contest is a rematch of Monday’s season-opener between the teams when Eric Gordon hit the game-winning shot in his New Orleans debut to give the Hornets an 85-84 victory in Phoenix. Gordon bruised a knee late in the game and sat out Wednesday’s impressive 97-78 victory over the Boston Celtics. He is expected back for Friday’s game as the Hornets seek to start 3-0 in the wake of the trade of star point guard Chris Paul. Phoenix fell to Philadelphia 103-83 on Wednesday. Star guard Steve Nash had just four points, one assist and committed six turnovers in the abysmal home showing against the 76ers.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Arizona (Phoenix), CST (New Orleans), NBATV
ABOUT THE SUNS (0-2): Shooting the basketball has been a major issue. Phoenix is shooting only 40.4 percent and is 7-for-36 from 3-point range. Steve Nash is at 33.3 percent and four other key players are shooting worse - Grant Hill (31.8), Shannon Brown (26.7), Jared Dudley (23.1) and Channing Frye (10.0). Backup center-forward Robin Lopez has been surprisingly potent at 68.8 percent and averaging a team-best 14.0 points. The Suns have relied on offense in recent seasons so the poor shooting is a concern.
ABOUT THE HORNETS (2-0): Forward Carl Landry has been assigned the task of replacing former go-to player David West and he had a superb outing in the victory over Boston. Landry had 20 points and 11 rebounds, with five of the boards coming on the offensive glass. The sixth-year pro was a complimentary reserve in previous stops in Houston and Sacramento and will get a long opportunity to show the Hornets whether he can be a quality top-flight option.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Phoenix signed former All-Star guard Michael Redd on Thursday. Redd has a career average of 20.0 points but has played in just 61 games the past three seasons because of knee problems.
2. Gordon is averaging 20.2 points in 13 career games against the Suns.
3. The Hornets are 4-1 against Phoenix since Monty Williams became coach prior to the 2010-11 campaign.