Nets at Suns
The Phoenix Suns are coming off an embarrassing defeat and the visiting Brooklyn Nets seek to bounce back from a close loss when the teams meet Sunday. The Suns have lost six of seven games and suffered a humiliating 117-86 home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. Brooklyn is 2-1 on an eight-game road excursion after falling 101-95 to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday. The Nets are 2 1/2 games behind the New York Knicks in the Atlantic Division.
The Suns have lost by 30 or more points in two of their last six games and the poor showing against the Timberwolves enraged forward P.J. Tucker. “It’s just got to be in you – point blank, period,” Tucker said afterward. “You can’t teach that. It’s got to be in you. It’s about pride. You have to represent yourself first and foremost and your team that you’ve been fighting all year for.” Brooklyn stands fourth in the Eastern Conference playoff race and has a two-game cushion over fifth-place Atlanta.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, YES (Brooklyn), Fox Sports Arizona (Phoenix)
ABOUT THE NETS (40-29): Center Brook Lopez grabbed just two rebounds in the loss to the Clippers, marking the sixth time this season he has accumulated three or fewer boards in a game. Part of the reason forward Reggie Evans has been able to carve out a significant role on the squad is tied to Lopez’s pattern of being a non-factor on the glass some games. Evans had 16 rebounds against the Clippers for his 10th time in double digits in 11 games and is a huge upgrade over former starter Kris Humphries. Lopez has reached double digits on the boards in just three of the last 36 games.
ABOUT THE SUNS (23-47): Phoenix has been dealing with a huge hole at center since losing Marcin Gortat with a foot injury. Making matters worse against Minnesota was that Jermaine O’Neal (flu, calf) was also sidelined, leaving journeyman Hamed Haddadi and forward Luis Scola to play in the middle. O’Neal could return against Brooklyn and the Suns also hope to have guard Jared Dudley back after he missed the Minnesota game with an illness. Scola (17 points, 12 rebounds) and point guard Goran Dragic (13 points, 10 assists) were the only Suns who played well against the Timberwolves.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Nets routed the Suns 99-79 in Brooklyn on Jan. 11 for only their third win in the last 12 meetings.
2. Evans is averaging 16 rebounds per game over the last nine outings.
3. Dragic has reached double digits in assists 15 times this season after doing so just 15 total times over his first three NBA seasons.