02-17-2020, 02:39 AM
PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns will put their improved defense on display Sunday afternoon when they seek to avenge an earlier high-scoring loss to the Denver Nuggets in a duel of struggling Western Conference teams.The Suns are coming off a 98-85 home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night, a game in which they blew a 10-point, fourth-quarter lead.Despite the loss, the Suns held a second consecutive opponent below 100 points after having allowed 14 of the first 15 to reach the figure.In the process, the Suns have gone from the bottom of the NBA rankings in points allowed to the fourth worst at 111.7 per game.The mindset we have to play with and understand how to win in this league, a lot of it is defensive, Suns coach Earl Watson explained to the media last week. There are great offensive teams, but the defense carries you throughout the season.The Phoenix defense failed to show up for the earlier meeting with the Nuggets in Denver. The Suns allowed the Nuggets to shoot 48.4 percent from the field and 47.1 percent (8 of 17) on 3-pointers in a 120-104 loss on Nov. 16.The Suns were led in that game by reserve Wilson Chandler, who made half of his 22 shots from the field and two of his three 3-pointers on a 28-point night.Chandler has since been promoted to the starting lineup as the Nuggets have had a hard time finding healthy bodies. They suited up only 10 players in Fridays 132-129 overtime loss at home to Oklahoma City.Chandler was even better against the Thunder than the Suns, posting a season-high 30 points. Jameer Nelson also had season highs for points (21) and assists (13) in the loss.Among the players missing for the Nuggets on Friday were Will Barton and Mike Miller, both of whom were excused from the team for personal reasons.It is unclear how long they will be out, as is the case with Danilo Gallinari, who is questionable for Sundays game with a strained thigh.The Suns also had a player away for personal reasons when Tyson Chandler missed eight of nine games after the death of his mother.The leagues sixth-leading rebounder returned for Fridays home loss to Minnesota but was limited to 11 minutes off the bench, during which he contributed six points and seven rebounds.Chandler and Len combined for 12 points and nine rebounds out of the center position in the earlier matchup with the Nuggets.Like the Suns (5-12), the Nuggets (6-10) let one get away Friday night when they squandered a late 13-point lead in regulation en route to their overtime loss to the Thunder.I thought we played well enough offensively for sure to win the game, Nelson noted to reporters afterward. We just couldnt get stops when we needed them.The Nuggets-Suns matchup pits two of the NBAs rising stars, University of Kentucky products Jamal Murray and Devin Booker.Phoenixs Booker, who turned 20 on Oct. 30, logged 1,078 NBA points as a teenager, the sixth most in league history behind LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant and Dwight Howard.Denvers Murray, meanwhile, is the active scoring leader among teens, averaging 10.6 points per game as a 19-year-old. The Suns Marquese Chriss, also 19, ranks third on that list at 6.2. Calgary Flames Shirts . Los Angeles star goalie survived those perilous gymnastics with no problem, and he eventually backstopped the Kings to a skid-snapping win. Quick stopped 27 shots in his return from a 24-game injury absence, Jeff Carter scored the tiebreaking goal with 7:55 to play, and the Kings snapped their five-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night. Stitched Flames Jerseys . Laudrup revealed Thursday he was notified of his dismissal in "the briefest of letters which gave no reasons why such hasty and final action was deemed necessary. https://www.cheapflames.com/ . -- Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings was selected Monday to his second straight Pro Bowl, while guard Kyle Long made it after a solid rookie season. Custom Calgary Flames Jerseys . The 43-year-old closer, in his 19th and final big league season, has said hed like to play the outfield. Yankees manager Joe Girardi says hes thinking about allowing Rivera to do it this weekend, when the Yankees finish their season with a three-game series at the Houston Astros. Flames Jerseys 2021 . Kiriasis and brakeman Franziska Fritz finished two runs in one minute 55.41 seconds -- a mere 0.01 seconds ahead of Meyers and Lolo Jones, who likely bolstered her Olympic hopes by helping give USA-1 a huge push in the second heat.CHICAGO -- The boos Nick Swisher heard before his first plate appearance were nothing compared to the reception he received after his tiebreaking single in the eighth. Swishers single helped the Cleveland Indians beat the Chicago White Sox for the third time in less than 24 hours, 4-3 Saturday. His homer in the ninth inning Friday night propelled Cleveland to a sweep of a marathon doubleheader. "Its that never die attitude," Swisher said. "I just feel like we keep fighting. We keep doing our thing. This is a good squad." This time, Cabrera, Jason Kipnis and Swisher hit consecutive one-out singles off Jesse Crain (2-3) in the eighth. Crain allowed his first earned run since April 12. He went 31 outings before Saturday without giving up an earned run. "Its one of those hes always going to come in, kind of the toughest situations," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "That eighth innings just one of those, depending on where that lineup is, its usually a nasty situation. Its impressive just kind of the run hes been on." Joe Martinez (1-0), called up from Triple-A Columbus Saturday, earned the victory in his first major league appearance this season. He pitched two innings and held Chicago to two hits and no runs with one strikeout. "He really clutched up," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said about Martinez. "Thats not the easiest situation to be put into. "Its not like there was a safety net there," Francona added. "He did really well." Cleveland closer Chris Perez earned his seventh save in nine attempts. Kipnis tied the game 3-all with a two-run home run in the sixth inning. Kipnis said he caught a cutter from White Sox starting pitcher Dylan Axelrod. Michael Bourn started the inning with a walk and Cabrera flew out to right field before Kipnis homered beyond the bullpen in right field. "It wasnt a big swing," said Kipnis, who has a 12-game hitting streak and has reached base in 32 consecutive games. "It was more reacting in and letting the hands do the work. I got it well enough." Chicago rallied with two oouts in the fifth inning to take a 3-1 lead.dddddddddddd Conor Gillaspie and Dayan Viciedo had back-to-back RBI singles to score Alex Rios and Jeff Keppinger. Catcher Tyler Flowers had a chance to add on but struck out looking with the bases loaded. Cleveland shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera hit his sixth home run of the season to tie the game at 1 in the fourth inning. White Sox left fielder Viciedo made a pair of terrific catches that easily could have been base hits for the Indians. His first was a diving grab of a looper from Cabrera that was fair and in shallow left field, where Viciedo snagged it just as it was about to hit the ground. His second highlight catch prevented Michael Bourn from reaching base in the third inning, when Viciedo sprinted into the gap to make the play. He also went 3 for 4 with an RBI and a double. "Today, energy wise, he was up and ready to go," Ventura said. "Swinging the bat, he was a lot better, too. Just something that seemed a little calmer with him." Chicago took the lead in the bottom of the second inning when Flowers had an RBI double, but the White Sox stranded runners on second and third. NOTES: White Sox 1B/DH Paul Konerko took batting practice Saturday, his first action since last playing June 23 in Kansas City. Konerko, who has pain in the lower right side of his back, doesnt think hes headed to the disabled list and hopes to play Sunday. Ventura said Konerko probably wont play Sunday but theres a good chance he would be in the lineup Tuesday against Baltimore. ... Before Saturdays game the White Sox recalled pitcher Simon Castro, who has never pitched in the major leagues. ... Chicago right fielder Alex Rios snapped an 0-for-13 streak at the plate with his single in the fifth inning. ... Francona was surprised to hear Fridays doubleheader was the longest in Major League history. "I guess thats the one advantage to waking up every day feeling (lousy), you really dont feel all that different." ... Chicago will start Chris Sale (5-6, 2.75 ERA) and Cleveland starts Justin Masterson (9-6, 3.76) in todays series closer at 1:10 p.m. ' ' '