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We got Gortat, a guy that has alot of potential, already looks good that early and is growing into a big role in this team.

We got Steve Nash, one of the best point guards in the league.

We got Frye, Dudley, Hill, Carter, all able to make big shots and hit threes after threes after threes, Hill and Carter also great in attacking the rim, going to the line or make spectacular plays.

There seems to be great chemistry in this team. We got great offense. I think what we are lacking is a good rebounder and our team defense is sometimes really awful to look at. Having seen Orlando often last year, a team which put great emphasis on defense is hard to watch the Suns sometimes, I look at our offense, I see miraculous shot after miraculous shot.

Great passes, great individual scorers in our team that are able to knock down the unbelievable shot and they do regularly.

Then I see the ball coming up to our half court again, and after a few passes the opposing team nearly always gets a great look because someone wasnt able to keep up with his opponent. It really amazes me how many easy shots we give the opponents every time.

It seems like our coach might be a great offensive coach, or our players are very offensively skilled, but when it comes to defense, our coach or players dont really look good.

Overall I think there is great chemistry in this team, we have plenty of guys to knock down threes and a good center who will still improve. Could this actually become a great team once everyone has a bit more time with each other.

Ah yeah and we still got Pietrus as a wild card, people in Phoenix have not yet seen the guy get into a groove but he is another great asset (if used right)

So does our team have actual potential, is our championship position and win/lose ratio not really representative of how good this team could soon become? What do you think. Does the current group of guys deserve patience and a chance? I would be delighted, I actually really like our team.

Let's see if we can get a few games above .500 first before we think we saved our season. It's too early to tell.

The team has some potential but it has a lot of missing pieces. A couple of seasons back we had all of the pieces(Passing PG, Shooters, Inside scorer etc..) except a inside defender/rebounder.

We now have an inside defender/rebounder(gortat) but we've lost a lot of players(allstar pf, SG) If the Suns can turn their assets into a legit scoring threat shooting guard and a rebounding PF then there ok but I don't think the FO has the skills to do it or Sarver will give them the green light...

We need, an inside scoring option, another reliable shooter to space the floor, and we need to run run run.

If the team gels and can ease into a playoff spot that would be great. If they put together a good run of games (like a 10-0, 11-1, or 15-2 run) near the end of the season I would be really excited. There is nothing more terrifying to a one seed than an eight seed on roll. Just remember the 76 Suns ... 42-40 record ... NBA finals runnerup!

In terms of trades for the "missing link", I think Nash would argue to quit doing all these trades and give me the same players for a couple of years. These wholesale mid-season and off-season trades hurt the stability and chemistry of a team. Look to change the makeup of the team by one, may two players per year either through FA or the draft. That being said I think the FO should let this team finish the year. With the new CBA and the possibility of a lock-out it doesn't make a lot of sense to trade Vince for long term assets. There are so many options if we buyout Vince next year. Let Dudley, Dragic, or Pietrus start at SG. Backup SG with Childress. We need to learn if Gortat is the replacement for Amare? Do we need Frye at PF to stretch the floor and make room for Gortat? What type of PF do we need? Add another stretch 4 if Frye is injured, in foul trouble, or sucking that night?? He's been logging a lot of minutes since Gentry has stabilized his rotation. He really doesn't have a backup with similar skill sets. If the FO lets this season play out then they will really know what we are missing (if anything).

Yes.

It sure seems like we'll continue to improve on both sides of the ball. Guys have to get used to playing together, and the coaches have to figure out combinations.

You have to think about who we are now, and not our record. You can chock up several of our losses to several factors that are no longer relevant:

1) Nash missed a couple games. The Suns without Nash is like the Cavs without LeBron.
2) When Lopez was injured, our NBA-caliber frontcourt consisted entirely of: Channing Frye and Hakim Warrick I can't believe we won any games in that stretch.
3) Massive transition at the beginning, to a completely new roster.
4) Massive transition mid-season, to a completely new roster.
5) A couple games in the middle there without any of the players from the Orlando trade. No JRich, no Turk, no Carter, no Gortat, no Pietrus.

Add those up: those have to account for like 10-15 losses. Hell, the transitions alone might write-off that many losses, and pre-Gortat, Lopez's injury absolutely killed us.

It's been a damn tough year, for sure.

I can't really say our team is in ultimate god send salvation here, but it is a pleasant surprise to see us playing our games (some-what) properly. Marcin has been on fire, which has been a huge energy boost to this team. It makes everybody in a overall happy state of mind to see a player who isn't known to play like this, play like this! Our bench has been pretty good. Dragic has been terrible, Lopez (doesn't get huge minutes) has improved drastically. Our defense has been really good, although from the perimeter it needs some work. Our season is not saved, but I'm damn well sure we have potential to be something in the league once more.

theonethatownz wrote:I can't really say our team is in ultimate god send salvation here, but it is a pleasant surprise to see us playing our games (some-what) properly. Marcin has been on fire, which has been a huge energy boost to this team. It makes everybody in a overall happy state of mind to see a player who isn't known to play like this, play like this! Our bench has been pretty good. Dragic has been terrible, Lopez (doesn't get huge minutes) has improved drastically. Our defense has been really good, although from the perimeter it needs some work. Our season is not saved, but I'm damn well sure we have potential to be something in the league once more.

Dragic is going to be fine - he needs to get a lineup he can get comfortable with and he'll be back to his old self. It's not like he forgot how to play over the summer

Still too early to tell how good we can be imo. We've beaten some solid playoff teams but we've also lost to some bottom dwellers. That just isn't the mark of a good team. We are definitely better than what our record states but just how good is something we'll have to wait and see.

Los Soles wrote:Add those up: those have to account for like 10-15 losses. Hell, the transitions alone might write-off that many losses, and pre-Gortat, Lopez's injury absolutely killed us.

Yes.

I don't think people realize how lucky we are to have Steve running the show. Seriously, the turnaround in talent on this team has been atrocious....Yet we find ourselves in the playoffs year in and year out.

I think that things are on a good way to save this season. A month after trade, I see clearly a huge improvement of whole Suns team.

First, defensively. A team defense starts to be known in the NBA, wins against Celts and Hornets were huge surprise, but now, nobody in the league thinks that Suns are a bunch of 3-pt shooters, letting opponents give open shoots from any place on the court. Suns have efficient D-rotation. And team - D will improve, surely.

Offense. Nash seems to be in better shape, not only physically. I posted that he is game-by-game worse. Yes, he was. But no more. He's rejuvenated. He started to believe again that efforts with this roster are not senseless. And he shows that Suns will compete this season. And they will, 100%.

I think, Suns will not trade any more players this season. IMHO, it's far to late to make another big trade, 'cause of possible break in chemistry, team spirit etc. Suns must make PO at all cost, win as many games as possible with this roster. I believe it's possible. BUT...

Gortat is 1000% all star caliber center, but it's unsure that he will play all the games like last ones. And, what if he gets injured? Or when he'll lost for a while his peak power? For this reason, i'll go for a inside scoring PF in a SINGLE PLAYER IN trade, sending our cannonmeat (Childress, Warrick) or Pietrus (very good player, but not matching rotation now) for somebody. I'm allways for a trade with Pistons, sending Jason Maxiell to Phoenix. We can try with Luc Mbah a Moute trade, he's expiring, so maybe they will let him go...

But, in general, i think this season can be saved.

Aha, and: I think Vince will contribute more for Suns, but someone has to tell him that he will NOT be traded. And if we want him giving 110%, FO has to assure him that Suns will resign him for next season for this 4mlns option. I think that the problem with Vince comes from his unsettlement in Phoenix. And he cannot settle, when he always thinks that Suns are sort bus-stop in his career.

In the mind of John Hollinger's computer we are currently #18, after hovering in the low-20s far too long. Hollinger's formula ignores the human element: trades, injuries, etc. However, it does emphasize recent performance, which leaves room for a team like the Suns to rise fairly quickly as they figure things out.

The Suns current rating is 99.061, which is a rather large jump from very recently. The Suns rose almost a full point after each of the last two games, because they beat teams highly ranked in Hollinger's formula.

To give you an idea of the rating:
1) Spurs 106.756
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9) Thunder 102.129
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18) Suns 99.061
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30) Cavs 87.700

What I think is so interesting is that teams are really, really bunched up in the middle, from the Thunder at #9 to the Bobcats at #22. The Suns are near the bottom of that pile, but if they keep winning, they can rise really quickly.

Hollinger emphasizes:

1) Point Differential
2) SOS
3) Recent Performance

It's interesting to note: the Suns recent performance still includes the blowout loss to Denver, which is VERY significant in the rankings. That will fall out of the recent performance formula in two games. If the Suns play well against the Bucks and Thunder, they could take a leap up in the rankings by Saturday.

Also, this is how Hollinger's computer projects team's records for the final three playoff spots:

6 Denver . . . 49-33
7 Utah . . . . . 43-39
8 Memphis . . 43-39
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Portland . . . 41-41
Houston . . . 40-42
Phoenix . . . 39-43

Pretty close considering what we've gone through. But...

1) We're definitely better than we were, and getting better
2) Portland is definitely worse than they were
3) Utah is suddenly horrible
4) Really? Memphis and Houston? Really??
5) Does Denver blow it up??

I'm thinking 7th seed. I want the Lakers

I still think there needs to be a trade to get a reliable rebounding big man who isn't completely inept on the offensive side that he doesn't need Nash spoon feeding him all night.

Obviously an Amar'e caliber player isn't on the table, but at least someone who can put the ball on the floor and have the confidence to take a mid range shot.

The team has potential, but not enough to take out the Spurs.
They do have a small chance vs the Mavs and slightly lesser chance vs the Lakers.

It all depends on whether the Nuggs will finally grow some balls and realize that Melo is gonzo and now is the time to get some value.

Los Soles wrote:

1) We're definitely better than we were, and getting better
2) Portland is definitely worse than they were
3) Utah is suddenly horrible
4) Really? Memphis and Houston? Really??
5) Does Denver blow it up??

I'm thinking 7th seed. I want the Lakers

I know I was Mr. Gloom for a while but I am greatly encouraged of late, too. My dream: we make a nice little trade at the deadline and pick up a frontline guy for Hak, somehow (back away from the keyboard, FLee, I know it ain't likely ..) and a couple second-rounders.
We keep improving, defense comes together even more and we get a Lakers team in disarray in the first round. And we have nothing to lose and just whale on them.

That would be as good as a title, almost.

JohnVancouver wrote: I know I was Mr. Gloom for a while but I am greatly encouraged of late, too. My dream: we make a nice little trade at the deadline and pick up a frontline guy for Hak, somehow (back away from the keyboard, FLee, I know it ain't likely ..) and a couple second-rounders.
We keep improving, defense comes together even more and we get a Lakers team in disarray in the first round. And we have nothing to lose and just whale on them.

That would be as good as a title, almost.

impossible is nothing. just do it. dare for more. and many other spots match this idea. And i like it

gino_giode wrote:I still think there needs to be a trade to get a reliable rebounding big man who isn't completely inept on the offensive side that he doesn't need Nash spoon feeding him all night.

Obviously an Amar'e caliber player isn't on the table, but at least someone who can put the ball on the floor and have the confidence to take a mid range shot.

The team has potential, but not enough to take out the Spurs.
They do have a small chance vs the Mavs and slightly lesser chance vs the Lakers.

It all depends on whether the Nuggs will finally grow some balls and realize that Melo is gonzo and now is the time to get some value.

Like Gortat?

DBrimstone wrote:

gino_giode wrote:I still think there needs to be a trade to get a reliable rebounding big man who isn't completely inept on the offensive side that he doesn't need Nash spoon feeding him all night.

Like Gortat?

What we need is a consistent, reliable PF... and to re-hire Lou. I don't think there's really much debate

I would ring up Golden State and see if they are interested in maybe Pietrus for Lou+ Filler (Charlie Bell?). They really could use a defensive stopper and some more size on their backcourt. Pietrus can also shoot the 3, which would fit the Warrior's system.

For us, retaining Lou would be great. It provides us more size in our frontcourt/center rotation, and if we face up to a team with two great big men (e.g Lakers), we have the force and ability to be able to lock down both at the same time with Gortat and Lou.