Some Pregame Thoughts

It's the tenth game of the season, and it's a real doozy. Suns in a nationally televised game. I admit that I'm pretty nervous as a fan going into this game. I can't say the same about my mood before the game in Boston, since this one is against the reigning NBA champion and long time Pacific Division arch-nemesis Los Angeles Lakers.

It's still a young season. Coach Gentry is doing his best to temper his team's and its fans' enthusiasm, but we haven't been this elated since the Suns led the hated San Antonio Spurs with 18.5 seconds to go in a justice-infused game four of the Western Cofnerence Semi-finals. A tenth of a second later, two years of misery ensued. Forgive us, Coach, if those of us not in uniform tonight are all a little excited.

This game has to be nerve racking for the most die hard Suns fan with a memory. In an 82-game season, 1 game has little meaning (forget the implications for potential playoff seeding - our job is to live in the moment). But each game so far has given us more insight into the Gentry-Nash era of Suns basketball, and we have plenty of reason for optimism regarding the current regular season.

What have the Suns shown us so far this season?

Opening night taught us that the Suns can fight against a bigger team, as well as the significance of coaching and team identity.

We learned against the Warriors that the Suns are still the premiere offensive team in the league.

Against the Timberwolves, we learned that the Suns are no longer the fluke whipping boy of bottom feeders. They will win the games that they are supposed to win.

Collectively, the next five games showed that the Suns are a durable road team with a heart to be reckoned with.

The Suns book-ended the trip by fighting back in the fourth quarter against the Heat and Sixers, the former telling is that even superstars aren't immune to the Suns tenacity, the latter showing that there is no Q-U-I-T in S-U-N-S. That Philadelphia game also cemented Alvin Gentry as a man who can make adjustments and inspire a road-weary team to victory.

Orlando demonstrated that the Suns are not in elite company, yet.

Boston suggested otherwise. Also, we learned that our Suns can play the front runner against a championship caliber team for 48 minutes. There is a lot of pride in that.

We learned in Washington that the Suns can overcome a shaky start and impose their will at the drop of a hat.

Comeing home, The Suns proved that, not only can they play the front runner, they have the wherewithall to put their collective foot down and build upon a first half blowout to cruise to easy victory.

What will tonight's game show us?

Well, if the Suns win, we can accept the mantle of dragon slayer and solidify our place among the top teams in the NBA...at least until the team makes its second trip around the league. Then we would see if the Suns can overcome in-season adjustments from their opponents.

If they lose, then it will validate Nash's and Gentry's tempered enthusiasm, as well as remind us that our team still has a long way to go with plenty to learn.

Either way, this meaningless early season Divisional match up will tell us something new about our favorite team - OUR Phoenix Suns.

BEAT LA!!!