Beasley under Hunter

[bigfoot]

So far a really nice sixth man

16pts
5+ rbds
1+ assists
51% FG
50% 3PTR
100% FT
22 MPG

He's definitely driving the ball to the basket more instead of settling for long twos. Defensive is slowly improving too.

[bigfoot]

Hard to root against this guy ... may have to change my sig

http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2013/01/2 ... with-suns/

edit: could be the chicken finger/french fry grease affecting his shot.

[Cutter]

So far a really nice sixth man

16pts
5+ rbds
1+ assists
51% FG
50% 3PTR
100% FT
22 MPG

He's definitely driving the ball to the basket more instead of settling for long twos. Defensive is slowly improving too.

The one huge stat missing here is FTA. Since Hunter took over Beasley is playing much better, but is only averaging 1.7 free throw attempts per game. So many times he looks like he is taking it to the rim, but pulls up and takes the little 12-15' jumper. For comparison James Harden is averaging 13 (yes 13!) free throw attempts over the last 4 games.

I realize a Beasly - Harden comparison is a bit of a stretch, but if Beas could get his FTA up to 6-7 per game I think he would turn the corner and begin living up to his potential on this team.

[bigfoot]

Agreed ... Beasley needs to be willing to accept the contact to get the foul call. Edit: especially when his outside shot isn't falling

I think Hunter is really pushing his players to drive to the basket. So far the team is +4 in FTA/game since he took over. Hope this trend continues.

[grumpysaddle]

Let's hold off on the praise for at least a month, or two. If he can keep it up until the end of the season, the Suns might not have to trade him off for scraps. His +/- was pretty bad in the last game...

-17 in the Dallas loss (the worst +/- on the team)

Overall, since the coaching change, he's -13.

He's had moments of showing he can play decent defense, but more often than not, he's still giving up more than he's getting.

[SunsRback4Good]

But will it continue as the season goes on? I guess we'll find out soon.

[thamadkant]

I think it's confidence and mental approach to the game...
I think Gentry put too much pressure on him unintentionally by telling him to shoot as much as he can.

Plus he was playing SF when he should be playing PF, with spot up SF minutes against slower SFs.

[sunskerr]

I don't know how he can play such bad D. If he just played fair (marginal, even) and was in the right spot he'd be a half decent player, since his offense is not too awful (although he is a ball stopper). Is he a ball-watcher on defense?

[schnakenpopanz]

still hope they trade him anytime soon.

[Qwigglez]

Whoever and whatever can get Beasley rolling in the right direction is fine with me. If Hunter can do this, I applaud that man. I was looking through my Twitter and found my gem back in December 2011 that said something along the lines of the Suns signing Beasley over the summer in free agency and hearing about it from me first. I really thought he was going to average 20 and 6 and was going to have an all-star season. Honestly though, if he plays marginally well for the rest of the season and we continue to lose games I'll be fine with it, as long as he improves his game next season.

[Sun Scorched]

The thing that shocked me the most, sitting on the 1st level of the Mavs game the other night, is just how high Beasley actually elevates on his shot. There wasn't one shot that was within 3 feet of being contested with the way he was pulling up.

Was something I hadn't noticed from the angle at which they film NBA games.

I say that because I do think he needs to get closer in towards the basket, but if he raising up less than 10 feet from the rim, he'll have a much easier time getting them to go through.

But as mentioned here, if he's not taking to the rim he won't get the high % foul shots.

[phrazbit]

He is easy to root against. A lazy, selfish and stupid player... I find him very difficult to root for.

Beasley is a chucker, all chucker go through brief moments where they are hot. For the most part Beasley is taking the same ill-advised, low percentage shots as usual, except for the moment he is hot and he is making them. And just like has happened throughout his career, this brief moment of production will prove to be... brief, and before long he will be bricking and moping again.

I guarantee it.

Oh, and he continues to be a horrific defensive player. He would have to shoot about 60% from the field on a regular basis to merely cancel out his laughable defense.

[SUN]

Beasley is a streaky player, so don't start sipping on his sweet juicy Mango kool aid before realizing this is just a hot streak.

[SunZel]

Beasley is a streaky player, so don't start sipping on his sweet juicy Mango kool aid before realizing this is just a hot streak.

LMAO...good stuff.

[bigfoot]

He is easy to root against. A lazy, selfish and stupid player... I find him very difficult to root for.

Beasley is a chucker, all chucker go through brief moments where they are hot. For the most part Beasley is taking the same ill-advised, low percentage shots as usual, except for the moment he is hot and he is making them. And just like has happened throughout his career, this brief moment of production will prove to be... brief, and before long he will be bricking and moping again.

I guarantee it.

Oh, and he continues to be a horrific defensive player. He would have to shoot about 60% from the field on a regular basis to merely cancel out his laughable defense.

Here is the difference. Take some time to read the recent articles that contain quotes from Beasley. He's admits the problems are his. He admits the problems in the past will be hard for fans to get over. He is holding himself accountable and lays the blame squarely on his shoulders ... not his coaches nor his teammates. Compare this to articles from when he was playing with the Heat and/or TWolves.

Find me another 23 year old kid (just turned 24) willing to do this. Look at Tucker when he was 21-22. He got into arguments with his coaches, got the boot, and then had to comeback to the NBA through high quality play in Europe. He's 27 ... a four year age gap. Look if Beasley sat on the bench whining about playing time or fighting with his teammates then I'd understand your position. Here is kid who recognizes he has problems, on and off the court, is taking advice from mentors (Norm Nixon) and is trying to do the right thing. Look at Dwight Howard, complaining about SVG in Orlando, can't get along with Kobe, wants to be the man on his team but can't make free throws, holds Orlando hostage ... he's 27 and hasn't got his **** figured out. He should actually take some advice from Beasley.

People should be encouraging Beasley because I can tell you this ... in the real world there are not many people brave enough to take claim of the own faults, let alone publicly, and try to improve themselves.

[schnakenpopanz]

my god bigfoot you must be his brother or agent or both
show me players in recent history who had the same skills, lazy mindset like beasley and who turned their carreer round?
jr smith?
latrell spreewell?
kenyon martin?

[bigfoot]

my god bigfoot you must be his brother or agent or both
show me players in recent history who had the same skills, lazy mindset like beasley and who turned their carreer round?
jr smith?
latrell spreewell?
kenyon martin?

Look I'm not saying Beasley is the Suns savior. But the three guys you listed are flat out gangster-types, whiners, and problems in the locker room. Find me a comparable Beasley quote to Sprewell's "I've gotta fed my family" or Beasley choking his teammate or coach. I'm just pointing out the guy is young, 24, is "saying the right things" and is so far doing the right things (staying out of trouble/limelight). As I see it, Gentry put a heavy burden on Beasley's shoulders by saying he's our "goto" superstar before the season even started. As such Gentry bears some of the responsibility for his poor play. Do you see Beasley complaining about that? Nope! I haven't found any article where Beasley points fingers at anybody but himself this season. For those of you who didn't read the article here are some of his quotes:

http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2013/01/2 ... with-suns/

“Hey, I definitely want the fans to support me and understand me, but I realize with my past, it’s a long shot.”

“It’s life. My past is my past and mine’s not pretty. Nobody has a pretty past,” Beasley said. “Everybody in the world did things they regret, are not proud of. I get that a lot from a lot of different people saying, ‘Man, in my 20s, you’ve got a long way to go to mess up as bad as I did.’ I say that because we all have pasts, every single one of us. Nobody’s perfect.

“We all have things we’re not that proud of, things we wish we could take back. The great ones learn from them and that’s what I did, I learned from my mistakes. The lunatics just make the same mistakes.”

In regards to being called Toxic by NBA write Shaun Powell, Beasley said
“Tomato, to-mah-to, I guess,” Beasley said. “It really don’t matter. Only thing you can do is look forward to the future. I realize what I’m doing — career-low in every category. But it’s time to, like I said, I’m going to go hard. I feel like if I play hard, I have great games, not even great games, good games. I haven’t had a good game yet, haven’t had a great game in a while. If I play hard I have good games, we win most of the time.”

Just the kids self-awareness of his problems is huge plus for me and makes it easier for me to cheer for him. It would be sad to see him not turn it around as basketball player, but I to me he's headed in the right direction as human being.

P.S. I wouldn't mind being his agent either. I think I could handle 4% of his $6M per year contract or a cool $240K.

[RunDogGun]

To be fair, he was saying the right things before the season started. I do like what he is saying, but I also liked things that Amare was saying, until the lack of follow through.

As long as he puts forth the effort, and doesn't looked checked out during games, I have no problem hoping the best for him.

As for the change in coaching that helped this happen: I hope that to be the truth, somehow we can turn this frown upside down.

[RunDogGun]

I really think it is impossible to compare JR Smith with Beasley. JR purposely ran a stop sign, crashed into a car, and killed his passenger. He also has numerous speeding tickets, some well over twice the posted limit. The dude should be in jail.

[Qwigglez]

To be fair, he was saying the right things before the season started. I do like what he is saying, but I also liked things that Amare was saying, until the lack of follow through.

Exactly my thought. Amare said the same toilet spew.
There's a difference between recognizes your weakness and doing something about it.