FINALLY! The season is here!

Training camp is over, the preseason is over, and now, FINALLY, it’s time for the 2006-07 NBA Season to begin.
There are high expectations for the Suns this year. A number of publications, including Sports Illustrated, have picked the NBA championship to come to Phoenix this year. Much of the success will depend on the knees of Amare Stoudemire. There have been three preseason games at home (two of which I have attended) and Amare has shown flashes of his former self at times. At other times, however, he has looked tentative and scared to go up strong to crash the boards and take the ball to the basket. He seems to only go strong to the hole when there’s nobody in his way. Hopefully that will get better as the season goes on. Right now, Amare is the highest paid sixth man in the NBA, as the Suns are using a starting lineup of Nash, Bell, Diaw, Kurt Thomas, and Marion.
The Suns went 4-4 in the preseason, with losses to the Sixers, Lakers, Sonics, and Clippers. Not that any of that matters. Preseason is for trying different lineups and working out the kinks. Not to mention getting new guys used to the run run run style of Phoenix Suns basketball
Some observations of preseason: Leandro Barbosa will have an excellent season. He doesn’t have to worry about playing the point this year with the addition of Marcus Banks. This allows him to concentrate on scoring and getting to the basket and using his speed as a weapon. Barbosa probably won’t ever be a point guard, but he’s a very good shooter and an excellent scorer in the lane.
Marcus Banks has looked like he’s not quite sure what to do in the Suns system. He’s almost playing too fast for his own good. His shot hasn’t fallen and he’s had a high number of turnovers. He’s an upgrade from Eddie House, but he’ll really need to start shooting better in order to take the pressure off of Steve Nash.
The regular season starts on Halloween, as the Suns go to Los Angeles to play the Lakers. That should be fun. The next night the Clippers are in Phoenix as the Suns have their nationally televised home opener.