Wednesday's News: A sh*t sandwich with a side of re-hash

[SwingMan]

Suns quarterly progress report (http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/1211sunsquarter1212.html)

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/pics/1212sunscov2.jpg
The Suns are good, but are they good enough to win it all?

Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 11, 2007 10:54 PM

(Swing's note: Follow the above link for video featuring interviews with D'Antoni, Nash & Matrix - upper right side of page)

The unwritten 20-game NBA rule stipulates that teams have found out who they are by this point of the season. But Suns fans don't know any more about their team than they did in October.

The Suns are good.

The Suns are good enough to win 13 of 15 games and score more than 120 points in three consecutive road contests last week.
http://www.azcentral.com/imgs/clear.gifhttp://www.azcentral.com/imgs/clear.gif

The Suns are good enough for it to glaringly show when they are trying to skate by without the necessary focus, desire or effort. That was how they lost to the worst team in each conference the past two games - results that make Phoenix appear unworthy of any title talk.

Are the Suns good enough to win it all? That's something we don't know at the time of this belated quarterly report, when 16-6 (the same 22-game record as last season) and a two-game skid prompts players to turn pensive, executives to shut doors and fans to have angst.

The next eight days should reveal more. It is a stretch where they play the West's four other top teams, starting with Utah at home tonight and followed by games at New Orleans, San Antonio and Dallas.

Until then, Phoenix deserves one of those elementary-school progress reports where words such as "developing" (chemistry), "proficient" (offense), "area of concern" (defense, rebounding) and "incomplete" (playoff readiness) prevail over grades. The course final, or NBA Finals, will be heavily weighted in Phoenix's grade.

Problem solving

The Suns dealt rotation players James Jones and Kurt Thomas this summer in monetary moves. In his first work as Suns general manager, Steve Kerr filled their spots well under the financial constraints of a team facing a luxury tax.

Jones' wing replacement, Grant Hill, has been marvelous. It was probably enough that his health has been a non-issue, but the Suns are getting 15.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and innumerable smart plays per night from him. Only Shawn Marion plays more than Hill's 35 minutes per game. In his 13th season, Hill suddenly has become a solid three-point shooter (37.5 percent), and his free-throw shooting is a career best (85.9 percent).

Thomas' replacement, Brian Skinner, was a Plan B to P.J. Brown and signed for a veteran's minimum deal that was not fully guaranteed. "He's better than we thought," Kerr said. Skinner earned a rotation spot and gives the team a boost with hustle and technically sound defense, whether it is impeccable timing on blocks or handling pick-and-roll defense.

Art

The offense can be picturesque when brushed with Steve Nash's creativity to accent the athleticism of his teammates or the arcs of their long-distance shots. Fans and critics wondered what Phoenix could become if Hill fit as well as the Suns hoped he would, and Amaré Stoudemire came back strong.

Neither case is perfect yet but the Suns are second in scoring average (110.36) and field-goal shooting (49.4 percent), but their three-point shooting (37 percent) has slipped some with Leandro Barbosa and Marion at lower averages.

Nash's recent run of assists was unprecedented in his career, and he's been sick for most of the past seven games in which he averaged 16 assists and 2.6 turnovers.

Chemistry

Sugarcoated criticisms amid the winning made it clear that chemistry remains an issue on and off the court. Hill and Skinner have fit in seamlessly, but the promise provided by Boris Diaw in 2005-06 remains unfulfilled.

This was going to be the most challenging of seasons to enjoy because no number of wins would silence doubts that only playoff success can address. The Suns have failed to "enjoy the ride," as they set out to do. They show no joy on the floor, criticize their wins, bicker and show jealousy.

Health

The Suns had a light camp because of their high number of veterans and did not start the season with ideal conditioning. A run of bothersome but not serious injuries slowed the quest to mesh, but the Suns seemed to come into form on last week's road trip - until a regrettable loss at league doormat Minnesota.

Stoudemire still plays with some stiffness in his right knee. It seems to keep him from being that dominating, explosive presence. Otherwise, the Suns have avoided any major ailment and are making Hill look younger.

Data analysis

It does not take much number-crunching to criticize the Suns' defense. It was underrated for a while, ranking high in steals and blocks and in the middle of the NBA in field-goal percentage.

After nine games, the Suns were giving up fewer than 100 points per game. Twelve games later, it has shot up to 105 per game - fourth highest in the league, with no other elite team close. Opponent field-goal shooting has jumped to 46.6 percent as the idea of letting teams shoot over them has backfired with wide-open looks and made their overall activity passive.

Stoudemire and Nash make the Suns vulnerable at key spots, so activity is essential to pull off an active switching defense. Phoenix continues to be the worst rebounding-differential team, especially after being outrebounded by 37 in the past two games.

Participation

At a $3.9 million salary, Marcus Banks is not playing. But with that being less than half of Diaw's salary, that deal can't be slammed too much in light of Diaw's lack of impact. Diaw, now making $9 million for the first of a five-year contract, is the team's fourth highest-paid player but is seeing his statistics decline for a second consecutive year.

The off-season emphasis was on Diaw getting in shape and becoming more aggressive. He dropped the weight but not the passivity. He is averaging 7.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists in his first Phoenix season as primarily a backup.

His shooting percentage has gone from seasons of 52.6 and 53.8 percent to 45.7 percent and fans are fed up because they saw how good he could be when he felt the need to be assertive when Stoudemire was out in 2005-06.

Scheduling

The Suns have not exactly been tested with advanced courses. They have played 18 of the other 29 teams, but those 18 entered Tuesday with a cumulative record of 154-208 (.425). Phoenix has played four teams with winning records through Monday - Orlando (16-6, beaten twice), Toronto (11-10, beat), Golden State (11-9, lost) and the Los Angeles Lakers (12-8, lost). Yet, 16-6 (.727) is nearly on par with last season's 61-21 (.744).

Wednesday's game

Jazz at Suns

When: 8:30 p.m.
Where: US Airways Center.
TV/radio: FSNAZ, ESPN/KTAR-AM (620).

Utah update: The Jazz (13-8 entering Tuesday's game against Portland) have been streaky. They won five in a row in early November. Then lost two. Then won six of seven. Then lost three. Overall, they're 5-7 on the road. Carlos Boozer averages 25.1 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. Deron Williams scores 21.2, but averaged 33 points in Utah's recent three-game trip. Andrei Kirilenko averages 10.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, six assists and 2.19 blocks. The Jazz shoot a league-best 50.1 percent from the field.

[SwingMan]

(Eeven Bob Young chips in from his blog)

Do Suns have what it takes? (http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/BobYoung/12454)

Doug Collins, the NBA analyst for TNT, cut right to the essence of the Suns on Monday when he observed that teams rarely win championships without first suffering the playoff heartaches that harden them to the point that they'll do whatever it takes to win a title.

Question is, are the Suns hardened?

Have they reached that point when they're tired of knocking on the door and are tough enough to kick it down, or are they just going to keep tapping - softly?
There aren't too many games in early December that answer those kinds of questions, but the Suns are in one tonight when the Utah Jazz visit US Airways Center.

Back-to-back losses to Minnesota and Miami were troubling enough for club President Steve Kerr, coach Mike D'Antoni, Managing Partner Robert Sarver and others to meet long after the Miami loss Monday night.

We don't know what was discussed in that meeting, although we are willing to bet at some point somebody asked: "Anybody seen Boris Diaw lately? Show of hands. Anybody at all?"

Anyway, sometimes the schedule conspires against a team, and the Suns could use that as an excuse for those losses.

They were playing for the fifth time in seven nights at the end of a five-game road trip in Minnesota, and then right after unpacking the bags, caught a Miami team that, although at the end of a trip of its own, had started picking up momentum with the return of Dwyane Wade.

Those also are teams that, despite their many weaknesses, are strong where the Suns are most vulnerable, which is defensively in the paint and on the boards.

However, a toughened, hardened team would have found a way to win, if not in Minnesota, then at least at home against Miami.

There are no excuses tonight. This is one of those measuring-stick games. The Suns either show that they've got the kind of resolve that Collins spoke of, or Kerr, D'Antoni and Sarver have a lot more to discuss.

This is a team that has had some bad breaks in past seasons with injuries and suspensions. But at some point they can't blame injuries. They can't blame Commissioner David Stern or the weight of expectations.

At some point, they've got to take responsibility inside their own locker room and prove it's in them or concede that it never will be.

Kerr said Tuesday that "internal growth needs to happen, for sure."

We asked what he meant by that, exactly.

"Better attention to detail, better focus," he said. "Realizing you can't take a play off. Those are the things that championship teams do. You have to understand that what you do in practice today in December could be the difference with what happens in May or June.

"I've seen it. It really is the case. We need to make improvements in that area and remember that every day is important."

The Suns either learn that or they'll be left with nothing but the heartache.

[SpecialSauce]

lol Swing you have the best thread titles

[SwingMan]

lol Swing you have the best thread titles

;)

At times like this, you've gotta laugh, Saucy. :lol:

[ShelC]

I really like that Kerr has that experience of being on a professional, veteran team that knew how to approach the NBA season, each practice, each game. Its a mentality of just going to work and taking care of business, knowing how you want to play and executing, and learning from mistakes. Again, i think this team (and its fans) get too high with wins and too low on losses. Its december, we're 16-6. Yea there are expectations, but every elite team has those. The Pistons expect to be in the finals. The spurs expect to be there, the mavs, the jazz. The Celtics probably have the highest expectations and the most pressure and they dont seem to have been affected very much yet. There are things we need to work on, but i feel like we're too self-conscious about ourselves, analyzing every little thing. Just go out an play ball.

About the last two losses, i could care less. Stevie explained the wolves loss best. The heat loss....theres really no excuse but losing to the heat isnt something i worry about cuz i know 9 out 10 times we'll kill that team. I'd rather lose to the heat on a fluke than lose to the jazz, mavs, rockets, and spurs 2 or 3 times this year. Those are the teams we absolutely need to beat to prove to everyone and ourselves that we can beat them. I dont needs to see us beating the doormats by 25 and then losing by 10 to the top WC teams. That worries me more than anything.

[jed]

I know Diaw's been a blight, but the fact that no one really has anthing to say about Shawn Marion's play speaks volumes to me. The best one can say is that he's been solid. Not great. Not great at times. Not All-Star caliber. Not All-Defensive Team caliber. He's been pretty solid at times. That's our highest paid player, ladies and gentlemen.

[AmareIsGod]

I know Diaw's been a blight, but the fact that no one really has anthing to say about Shawn Marion's play speaks volumes to me. The best one can say is that he's been solid. Not great. Not great at times. Not All-Star caliber. Not All-Defensive Team caliber. He's been pretty solid at times. That's our highest paid player, ladies and gentlemen.


Cry me a river. He's doing a HELL of a lot more than Diaw. He's giving effort. There is determination and heart present. Big difference. That's why no one really has anything to say about Shawn.

[jed]

Cry me a river. He's doing a HELL of a lot more than Diaw. He's giving effort. There is determination and heart present. Big difference. That's why no one really has anything to say about Shawn.

Now there's a bad argument -- justifying his play by comparing him to Diaw.

Make no mistake: No one in their right mind is defending Diaw right now. He's impressing no one. The fact that Shawn looks ood in comparison should be a given. He should look great. His salary demands it.

[AmareIsGod]

Now there's a bad argument -- justifying his play by comparing him to Diaw.

Make no mistake: No one in their right mind is defending Diaw right now. He's impressing no one. The fact that Shawn looks ood in comparison should be a given. He should look great. His salary demands it.

Ok :roll:

[Coop]

I know Diaw's been a blight, but the fact that no one really has anthing to say about Shawn Marion's play speaks volumes to me. The best one can say is that he's been solid. Not great. Not great at times. Not All-Star caliber. Not All-Defensive Team caliber. He's been pretty solid at times. That's our highest paid player, ladies and gentlemen.


Perhaps we dont see the same games but I think Shawn has looked pretty good so far. He has had alot of blocks and alot fo steals so far this season. His shot has looked a little better as of late as well.

I also think he has looked all defensive caliber as well.

[AmareIsGod]

I think Shawn is top 7 in steals and blocks this season. Only other player close is KG, who was top 15 in both categories. I guess jed is upset because of Shawns scoring production?

[wpmiller42]

I think, arguably, Shawn has been our best player so far this season. I'm not sure what the actual stats are, but if his scoring is down, it is because Leandro, Grant, and Amare are larger parts of the offense this year. But Shawn has been playing great, and I think he is probably one of the few on this team that has brought it every night without question.

[MTSunsFan]

I'm going w/ Grant Hill as our best player so far this year. Steve, Amare and Shawn have been fairly consistent. My only complaint of Shawn's game has been his 3-pt. shooting %. It's pretty bad, and he ought to reconsider that shot as part of his arsenal IMHO...

[Superbone]

Did anybody watch the video? Shawn is pretty funny on it and put things into perspective a little bit. Although, they better get their butts in gear...

[Mori_Chu]

Marion can't shoot any more, but other than one or two hideous bricks / airballs per game, he is invaluable on the court for us. I'm really not disappointed with him at all, so long as he doesn't start shooting more errant jumpers. Is he really the one you want to blame, Jed? So what if his contract is large? He's playing excellent ball, a fairly consistent double-double threat, and one of the most reliable guys on the team right now.

[INFORMER]

Jones' wing replacement, Grant Hill, has been marvelous.

Please. I think it is highly inaccurate to claim that Hill replaced Jones. Jones was (supposed to be) a shooter, and looking at the roster, the Suns have not replaced him or filled his intended role, which is hurting the team.


Anyway, sometimes the schedule conspires against a team, and the Suns could use that as an excuse for those losses.

They were playing for the fifth time in seven nights at the end of a five-game road trip in Minnesota, and then right after unpacking the bags, caught a Miami team that, although at the end of a trip of its own, had started picking up momentum with the return of Dwyane Wade.

Those also are teams that, despite their many weaknesses, are strong where the Suns are most vulnerable, which is defensively in the paint and on the boards.

A championship contender is trying to excuse losing to the some of the worst teams in the league? I'm not that worried about those losses, but it is almost sickening to see any writer make these weak arguments, even if he eventually asserts that the Usns should have won those games.

[jed]

Sorry, AIG -- he's our highest salary. We should have expectations for that -- as we do the heaps of money Diaw is making.

His scoring is down and his three-point shooting is nearing atrocious -- all during a supposed championship run. After all the extension talk, shouldn't those things be legit points of discussion?

[INFORMER]

I don't see the need to criticize Marion's performance thus far. I guess maybe that's because I have accepted who he is, or in other words, what kind of player he is. Marion has been producing, hitting the boards, getting blocks and steals, etc. That's good enough for me. Sure, his 3-point shooting percentage needs to be higher. But besides that, I see no reason to complain.

[sehan]

I know Diaw's been a blight, but the fact that no one really has anthing to say about Shawn Marion's play speaks volumes to me. The best one can say is that he's been solid. Not great. Not great at times. Not All-Star caliber. Not All-Defensive Team caliber. He's been pretty solid at times. That's our highest paid player, ladies and gentlemen.

Well I think its the level of expectation we have of him. Regardless of how much we paid for him, we know him to be a complimentary player doing the little things, which he is doing without complaint. In fact I am very thankful that has not been more of a menace in respects to number of shots he is demanding. One could imagine him demanding the ball more to pad this stats on what could be his contract year.

I wouldn't say he has been our best player as some are saying. Does he play with energy and consistency? Yes. Has he taken over games for us and won games for us on his own? Except for that one game where he had crazy rebounds (I think the first game against the Heat), I can't say he has. Do we expect him to take over games and put us on his back? Despite his pay check, No. (I think this is Jed's point)

But regarding Doris and Shawn comparison, I am willing to bet that if we dreamed up some metric called impact on game per $ (salary paid), that Shawn would be way above Doris. Regardless of $9 or $17 million, Doris is just not helping at all.

[ShelC]

I think it is highly unaccurate to claim that Hill replaced Jones. Jones was (supposed to be) a shooter, and looking at the roster, the Suns have not replaced him or filled his intended role, which is hurting the team.

I get what youre saying. The suns may not have replaced his (supposed) skillset, but theyve filled his spot in the rotation immensely and thats a big addition given our lack of depth overall. For the most part, we just couldnt rely on JR or played him just to keep minutes down on other guys. Now, Hill is playing JRs minutes and many more, and producing way more overall, even if hes not the shooter we need.

[INFORMER]

Fix your quote Shel. I would never say "unaccurate." :wink:

[v9]

His scoring is down and his three-point shooting is nearing atrocious -- all during a supposed championship run. After all the extension talk, shouldn't those things be legit points of discussion?


I think it is highly unaccurate to claim that Hill replaced Jones. Jones was (supposed to be) a shooter, and looking at the roster, the Suns have not replaced him or filled his intended role, which is hurting the team.


IMHO, the two are related. Hill's a playmaker. Marion's a finisher. If Marion were able to hit 3s at a high percentage, would we really be short a 3-pt gunner like we actually are?

That being said, I'm not criticizing Marion. After the Cleveland-Varejao fiasco, he's not getting the huge payday he's looking for...he looks like he might be starting a long, gradual decline. But he'll still be good for years to come, and the Suns might actually get him cheap (10mm).

[Shabazz]

I get what youre saying. The suns may not have replaced his (supposed) skillset, but theyve filled his spot in the rotation immensely and thats a big addition given our lack of depth overall. For the most part, we just couldnt rely on JR or played him just to keep minutes down on other guys. Now, Hill is playing JRs minutes and many more, and producing way more overall, even if hes not the shooter we need.

Completely Agree. JR's role was supposed to be "shooter" but in reality it was more like "decoy." He was out there to keep the floor spread and the defense honest.

Hill has actually been just as good in that "shooter" role and he does so much more than just spot up and jack open shots.

Jones 06-07: 1.2 3pm, 37.8% shooting
Hill 07-08: 1.0 3pm, 37.5% shooting

Hill's 3 point #s have also been trending upwards lately and he's knocking down that corner 3 more consistently than JR ever did.

[Mori_Chu]

James Jones and Yi Jianlian should be paired up in practice to form the most formidable combo of practice players in NBA history. They could face off against a chair and a hat rack.

[jed]

I don't see the need to criticize Marion's performance thus far. I guess maybe that's because I have accepted who he is, or in other words, what kind of player he is. Marion has been producing, hitting the boards, getting blocks and steals, etc. That's good enough for me. Sure, his 3-point shooting percentage needs to be higher. But besides that, I see no reason to complain.

That's probably the healthy way of seeing it. Me? Not so much.

Things changed with his trade demand for me. much in the same way Kidd did with his fry throwing, wife smacking and Phoenix bashing.

I have to wonder, though. Coro keeps hinting at rumors of more chemistry issues. I'd be real interested in knowing more of that, because the few I've heard include Shawn. If he's an issue right now, then I'd be all over a move today.

[sehan]

Agreed Jed. If Shawn is the chemistry issue, we should nip that in the butt right now. But I doubt that he is -- based on his demeanor on the court and his overall performance.

I would venture to guess it probably is from someone who is NOT getting the playing time. Didn't the article say Kerr was talking to Banks? :)

[Doctor_G]

Last year D'Antoni was pulling double duty as coach and GM and only had to answer to Sarver. This year NEEDS to be different for him. Kerr needs to step in and make some decisions which reflect on the floor. By that I mean, he needs to let D'Antoni know that there are more players available to him than just SEVEN.

Skinner has been a nice surprise, and we've all seen the energy he interjects when out on the floor. This team needs more of that type of energy. How about using Marks? When given the chance in preseason he delivered. He showed us all some nice glimpses of excitement and energy. Of course we all know how D'Antoni feels about rookies, and he's got got a young kid in Stawberry that needs to get on the floor in real action, and not just garbage time. Again, that's where Kerr needs to step in. I'm hoping and praying that during that long meeting of the upper brass the other night, they were discussing some of these things..and not just discussing Doris.

I'm not looking to reinvent the wheel here, instead, I'm saying we need to use our bench when guys are...

1) Ailing
2) In foul trouble
3) Not producing (having an off night)
4)The games getting away from us and a change-up is in order

Kerr needs to take charge of things and send a message to coach plain n simple. He doesn't need to become a micro-manager (not the role of a GM), but his VOICE and ideas need to be heard by one Mike D'Antoni.

[Shabazz]

I feel like all this talk about chemistry is a bit overblown. The on-court chemistry needs improving (although it looked great during the latest win streak), but that's pretty normal for a team incorporating 2 new rotation players.

As far as the off-court stuff, the only player with a semi-legitimate beef about his role is Banks. I know it's not a popular stance to take on this board, but he did come into camp this year with a better attitude and what appears to be an improved shot, but he basically gets 3 minutes every 6th or 7th game to prove he can contribute before getting yanked. It's an impossible situation to be in as a player because you feel the need to prove yourself with every play and that leads to forced shots and bad fouls. Meanwhile Boris is just humming along putting up 2 points and 1 rebound in 22 minutes and D'Antoni puts the blame on himself for not getting Boris more involved, all the while maintaining that Boris was doing a ton of stuff that didn't appear in the stat-sheet by basically staying out of the way.

Even if Banks is bitching and moaning, I can't see how that could be the impetus for our poor play the last 2 games.

[Miamisun]

I think our coach gets most of the blame here for his failure to try new things. Shawn has been solid yes, and that is what you need. A foundation of solidness. At this point Shawn has had more "thank god we have him" games than anybody else on the team. Boris....well, I dont know what to make of it. Somehow the reputation of D'antoni not trying different looks and different schemes may be the root of Boris problems. That and maybe the equiptment manager is putting too much fabric softner in when washing Boris uniform.

[CNY_xplant]

Suns leave losses in past

Doug Haller
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 11, 2007 10:55 PM
The losses weren't pretty. One to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the other to the Miami Heat, two struggling franchises with nine wins between them.

Such setbacks are common in professional basketball, but not so much here in the desert, where the Suns are known for winning streaks that stretch from one month to the next.

Shawn Marion, the team's energetic forward, offered perspective after Tuesday's practice and also a word of advice for fans and media expecting championship basketball just in time for the holidays.

"It's y'all overreacting,"

Marion told reporters. "We just got to take one game at a time, (but) y'all be going ballistic when we lose. Like we can't lose games or something. I don't understand it. You can't expect a team to win every game. This is the NBA. People do have good teams."

The words might read harsher than intended. Marion wasn't ticked. Just confused - and mildly amused. After a game, win or lose, he leaves it in the locker room. The season is too long, he said, to let a bad loss bleed into the next day. Especially at this time of year.

"What are we, 16-6? The third-best record in the league?" Marion said. "Y'all are blowing it out of proportion. I'm reading that (expletive) in the paper, going, 'Wow.' . . . That game's over with. We lost. Deal with it. Suck it up. We play the Utah Jazz (tonight), that's who we got to think about right now."

The Jazz, tied with Denver atop the Northwest Division entering Tuesday, offers a significant test at US Airways Center. In some ways it's the perfect opportunity to erase the recent past. A win over Utah could go a long way in convincing fans that the M&M losses were nothing more than a fluke, just a successful team losing its concentration.

Problem is, the Jazz bring talent. When folks talk Western contenders, they talk San Antonio, Phoenix, Dallas and Houston. For whatever reason, the Jazz get lost in conversation, even though they advanced to last season's Western Conference finals.

"And they've only gotten better," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "Deron Williams is one of the best point guards in the league, and he's on a roll. Maybe some people have forgotten, but we haven't. They're good. They're very good."

Like his forward, D'Antoni didn't dwell on the Miami loss. The Suns' defense wasn't great. Leandro Barbosa and Steve Nash didn't shoot well. The intensity was average. It happens.

It's not time to panic, D'Antoni said, but maybe tinker. Brian Skinner's performance seems to have earned him a rotation promotion. Instead of inserting him late in the second quarter, D'Antoni said he would try to get him involved sooner, but it's a tough balance.

"It's just a matter of when to start the rotation," D'Antoni said. "Making sure Brian gets on the floor and not just the last five minutes of the first half, stuff like that. But at the same time we don't want to lose guys. We don't want them knocked out of their comfort level. We're not quite there yet, and we shouldn't be. We're still hunting and pecking."

Just in time for the one of the season's tougher stretches. After Utah, the Suns visit New Orleans, San Antonio and Dallas, offering an early measuring stick heading into Christmas.

"We have a lot of time," Nash said. "You lose five or six in a row, and you've got a problem. But two in a row is not the end of world, especially at this point in the season. I admit, we have a lot of work to do, (but) sometimes it's necessary to have some valleys so you can fight out of them and highlight some things we need to improve."


Didn't see this posted. Marion's comments don't sound like something being said by a player disrupting chemistry.

Coach AND Nash say it all. It's time to stop panicking, kick back, and enjoy the ride.

[scosuns]

We might be overreacting slightly, but those both are teams we should have beat. Especially the Wolves. And its not that we lost, but more how we lost. I agree with what their saying, but theres also a need to try to see what you did wrong. Because if you don't fix that, then you will lose. Teams will understand how to beat you.

[sehan]

Basically coach will begrudgingly give Skinner more time, but he still will not start him. He says he doesn't want to disrupt other players. Who the hack is he talking about? Diaw? He doesn't want to disrupt him from the 0 / 0 he is throwing up there every night?
He can't be talking about Hill? Hill is a veteran and a pro.... can't imagine he will have performance issues coming off the bench.

Start Skinner. UGH!!!!

[Miamisun]

in other news...Penny cut again!

[scosuns]

I agree, Skinner should start. We didn't start very well on Monday. Skinner brings that passion and effort. And he brings that beautiful rebounding. But, we don't want to disrupt Diaw. I mean, Diaw is lighting it up. :mrgreen:

[sehan]

in other news...Penny cut again!

We need a shooter, we should sign him - hehe. :D

[AlanS]

I know Diaw's been a blight, but the fact that no one really has anthing to say about Shawn Marion's play speaks volumes to me.

OK, let's talk about him. Shawn Marion is:
• in the top 10 in rebounding (10.8 rebs, 8th)
• in the top 10 in steals ( 2.32, 4th)
• in the top 20 in blocks ( 1.73, 18th)
• shooting 57.9% on 2s
• shooting FG% (50.3%); which exceeds his career average (47.9%)

His scoring is down, but that's because his field goal attempts are down. And that's because the Suns are sharing the ball. So credit Shawn for not being selfish.

Yes, his 3PT shooting is atrocious. But that's the one big weakness in his game. Otherwise, he's having a good year so far. And that's why nobody's talking about him.

PS, I would invite you to look at his game log stats on ESPN. Shawn has had some of his best performances in games the Suns have lost - when the Suns are doing poorly, he steps it up.

By contrast, in losing games, Leandro Barbosa has had some of his worst games of the early season (could it be cause and effect?)

[scosuns]

Barbosa is just jacking up threes like an unconscious maniac. Mike definitely needs to talk to him about that. Sometimes, if a team is expecting you to take a shot, you surprise them and take it inside. Thats exactly what Barbosa should do. Then they wont know what to expect.