I hate to make a prediction against our cities beloved Phoenix Suns, but I have too…For the Suns to be swept (4-0) by the New Orleans Hornets reminds me of last season’s NBA first round playoffs between the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks…

The Warriors clinched a spot in the Western Conference Semifinals by knocking off the #1 seed Mavericks 111-86…Golden State closed out their 4-2 series victory, thereby becoming the first #8 seed in NBA history to win a best-of-seven playoff series over a #1 seed…Now I understand the Suns won’t be a #1 seed and the Hornets won’t be a 8^th seed…

But my point is that the Warriors owned the Mavs during the regular season – 3 games to 0…Golden State was so confident going into the playoffs that there was no way Dallas could be beat them…They beat them by an average of 16.3 points over the three contests…

Now if you look at the four games between the Suns and Hornets, New Orleans has won by an average score of just 7.5 points a game…Not bad…One more thing, the Hornets have beaten the Suns five straight games going back to October and game two of the preseason, 111-106…Phoenix was 3-0 vs. New Orleans/Oklahoma City in 2006-07… Unfortunately, the same may play out into a playoff series if the Suns and Hornets meet…If that’s the case and you are betting person, you would have to like New Orleans…And, I don’t care how much better this team may be with Shaq…Right now there is really no improvement 2-3…

This game was a huge test and they failed…I hope they can go a 5 or 6 game win streak…They need it…However, the next six games the Suns have a combined record of 4-2;  Philly (0-0), at Portland (0-0), at Denver (1-0), Utah (1-1), San Antonio (1-1) and Memphis (1-0)…At least the Jazz and Spurs are at home…

I will note that there is a stretch in March where the Suns play five straight home games – Jazz, Spurs, Grizzlies, Warriors and Kings…This stretch of games could make or break their playoff seed and/or season…

By the way, is Tyson Chandler just a stud!  That guy can leap out of an arena!

written by Roc