The starting lineup certainly struggled while spotting the Hornets a 14-2 lead just three minutes into Thursday's opener. But the Suns' second unit, which played to mixed reviews in the opening-night win over San Antonio, took a step backward as well with an ugly stretch of basketball to open the second quarter. Here are some examples:
--Rookie center Robin Lopez lasted only 95 seconds -- during which he committed three fouls and one of the Suns' 14 first-half turnovers before taking a seat in favor of 11th man Louis Amundson. Lopez didn't return.
--Amundson needed only 27 seconds to get his first foul, putting the Suns in the penalty just 2:02 into the quarter.
--Leandro Barbosa missed his first five shots, all of them three-point attempts, while committing three turnovers and three personal fouls -- all on the offensive end. He didn't play in the third quarter when Raja Bell enjoyed his first hot streak of the season with a 10-point eruption.
--Goran Dragic continued his search for his first NBA basket with six scoreless minutes. Dragic came back in the second half and picked up his first NBA point (a free throw) and basket (a running jumper).
The reserves had a better run in the second half. With Boris Diaw, Dragic and Hill joining Amare Stoudemire and Raja Bell on the floor, the Suns opened the fourth quarter with an 11-2 run to cut a 12-point Hornets lead to three. But that's as close as the Suns got.
HORNETS 108, SUNS 95: Last year, the Suns won their season opener in Seattle, only to return home and walk into a Los Angeles Lakers ambush the next night.
At least there was no rout this time, although the first three minutes had a similar feel. And in the end, Thursday's 108-95 loss to New Orleans certainly succeeded in taking some of the luster out of a satisfying opener in San Antonio the night before.
The Hornets, who have now beaten the Suns five straight times, are undeniably good. And on nights when they knock down 13-of-24 three-pointers -- including three straight in the fourth quarter after the Suns had whittled a 16-point deficit down to 83-80 with seven minutes left -- they will be downright scary.
The killer came when the Suns gave up two long offensive rebounds just before James Posey nailed the third of the big three-pointers to give the Hornets more breathing room.
The Suns aren't going to beat anyone when they collect almost as many turnovers (24) as baskets (37). And whenever the Suns found their stride and cut into the New Orleans lead, it seemed to be quickly followed by a stretch where they couldn't get out of their own way.
