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Suns to open season against Lakers
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The NBA schedule won't be released until next week, but the Suns will open the 2006-07 season on Halloween on national television against a familiar foe.
Phoenix will tip off Oct. 31 at Staples Center against the Los Angeles Lakers, who saw last season end after an epic, seven-game, first-round playoff series against the Suns. Television (TNT, ESPN) is expected to select the game as part of its season-opening doubleheader, meaning a likely 8:30 p.m. start.
The series was loaded with memorable moments — from Kobe Bryant's overtime buzzer-beater in Game 4, to Raja Bell's forearm shiver to Bryant in Game 5, to Tim Thomas' 3-point bomb in the final seconds that forced overtime and set up a Suns win in Game 6. Phoenix finally won the series with a blowout win in Game 7, then completed an L.A. sweep with another seven-game slugfest over the Clippers in the Western Conference semifinals.
BONUS SHOT:
Phoenix also made the signing of center Sean Marks official on Thursday. Marks, a 6-foot-10 center who has played parts of six NBA seasons, including the last two with San Antonio, will sign a contract for the veteran minimum salary of $932,000 and give the team a 12th player under contract for the 2006-07 season.
Marks is the first native of New Zealand to play in the NBA and the sixth international player on the Suns' roster, joining Steve Nash (Canada), Boris Diaw (France), Leandro Barbosa (Brazil), Raja Bell (Virgin Islands) and Pat Burke (Ireland).
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