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2. I didn't include Phoenix guard Steve Nash on my All-Disappointment team that's coming later today, but perhaps I should have. Nobody has had a rockier adjustment to the Suns' seven-seconds-or-more approach than Nash, who is having a much harder time getting free now that the middle is always occupied and the Suns are running less often.

He showed he still has some of his magic passing ability -- twice last night he threaded a bounce pass between an opponent's legs for a dunk -- but at night's end he was 3-for-9 with eight points and 10 dimes.

That's been an all-too-common occurrence this season. For the year, Nash has lost 3.5 points and 3.5 assists from his 40-minute rate of a year ago, his turnovers are up and his shooting percentage is down, and his 17.39 PER puts him below 20 for the first time since 2001-02.

And people are noticing. Our Kevin Arnovitz described him as "a hummingbird trapped in a sandwich bag." One reader e-mail more pointedly said, "Porter has totally destroyed Nash's game … [he] is Quasimodo to Nash's Einstein."

Whether it's age, the system, or a combination of both, the Suns -- who are a mere sixth in offensive efficiency after leading the league the previous four years -- look decidedly out of kilter, and nobody seems more out of place than the man who so expertly stewarded the previous system.

3. Speaking of Phoenix point guards, the Goran Dragic era came to unceremonious end last night when the Suns installed Sean Singletary, a rookie from Virginia, as the backup and didn't play Dragic, who has been brutally bad (32.6 percent shooting, 5.03 PER), until garbage time. Singletary wasn't much better, it saddens my Wahoo heart to say, and ultimately the best solution still seems like going back to square one by letting Leandro Barbosa and Grant Hill handle the ball when Nash checks out of the game.

We need a backup PG asap, and if Nash/Porter can't get on the same page...we're screwed.

rsavaj wrote:We need a backup PG asap, and if Nash/Porter can't get on the same page...we're screwed.

We need someone who can penetrate and shoot the lights out, not necessarily another PG.

Jason Terry anyone?

I'd LOVE Terry here...can't stand him, but I didn't like Bell before he got here either...

One more shooter would be nice, but one more shooter, even one who is also a penetrator (*cough*BeeeeenGordon*cough*) won't make the difference if the offense is still designed foolishly.

Arnowitz's article had a good point; don't EVER stack Amare and Shaq on the same side, or at the same depth even on opposite sides of the post.

Amare's range opens things up for Shaq with softer double-teams.

Also, put a freaking shooter in the weakside pocket; ball movement will get him open shots FREQUENTLY, especially against a team like the Lakers.

And clearly, the Suns need a better idea of how to move off-ball when Shaq has the rock; this is on Porter.

I've been defending not Porter but rather the Shaq-centric offense because it is a sensible way to use the Diesel; you don't have to let him take 20 shots, but 30 touches is good, because he can and will pass to whomever is open... you just have to get open, and standing around dumbfounded and slack-jawed won't get it done. That's a Porter problem, he's not coaching the team well enough and they're not adjusting well as a result.

Terry would be OK, but he's inconsistent and doesn't have defense to fall back on like Bell.

I know it is early, but boy, ol Kerr has air balled twice so far with some of his statements. He loves this Dragic kid, who has played pro ball overseas. So far, like I have said, the guy is nothing special and will not be anything special in this league. The other is how Sean Marks was going to be the 6th man of the year. woohoo.

Kerr overreached for a pg and overpaid.

Porter can still emphasis run n gun and play D. But for some reason, he seems stupid to not play to there strengths and teach D.

oh, and for once, I acutally agree with Hollinger about giving the ball to Barbs and Hill. If we are goign to play a halfcourt O, then I think these guys can handle it. Well, better than Dragic.

I would actually like to see Hill and Barbs put in the starting lineup over Barnes and Bell.

I like Barnes over Hill to start, but I hate bringing Hill off the bench, he is much better as a starter; and it doesn't seem to matter if Barnes starts or not.

Offensively, Hill has added the 3 from the corner to his arsenal, and Barbs has a better stroke then Bell and Barnes. Not even mentioning that Hill plays off of Shaq better then anyone else, and Barbs is a much better slasher then Bell.

I would play Barnes at the point with the second unit, with Lopez, Amundson, and Diaw up front.

We should use Diaw or Hill as our backup point. They have shown that they are quite capable of handling and creating when they have the ball in their hands.

I think Suns fans should look at their two "best" players, and understand that they are severly limited.

Nash has never been a defensive minded point guard. Nash has never had the athleticism to attack the rim, draw contact and score. Great point guards can still exist in a half-court setting, just look at how New Jersey uses Harris, or how New Orleans uses Paul. Granted these guys play in majorly uptempo style of play, but they are efficient in half court sets. In the sense that they can drive, shoot, create and dish all in the same half court setting. Things Nash seems to, and always has been, very limited in doing. Nash is a good shooter and a good passer, and that is it. A true test of a great player is how they respond to change, Nash is being exposed as a very limited player. His turnovers, highly predictable and helter-skelter dribble-til-I-find-someone-open play is a weakness more than a strength for this team. He needs to assume a role as a distributor, and just shoot the lights out (he has the green light, any coach in the league would grant him that).

Now on to Amare. As talented as this guy is, he can't score a goddamn basket in the key area unless its a jump shot or a feed from someone else. The problem with Amare is that he cant create his own shot, and not in the guard's sense, but he cant get a basket unless its set up by someone else. He simply has to develop a post game, or at the very least, a Chris Bosh like face up game (using that quick first step to beat most of the power forwards in this league to the rim). He is explosive and very powerful; but his rep. is limited, he needs to find ways to get himself baskets without having someone feed it to him all the time (which isnt entirely a bad thing). The Suns can never get to the next level unless Amare develops a signature to his game other than jump shots and dunking off pick and rolls. He needs to develop a face up and a post up to really be the player everyone thinks he can be.


So why is everyone complaining about Shaq getting alot of touches? As far as I can notice, his teams have always been renowned for getting high quality shots, just by playing inside and out basketball. He is a willing passer, and a great one at that. The way he reads the floor is impeccable, and he still is a very effective post scorer. Shaq has always been a winner, and if this team buys into the philosophy, then we can win, because we have 90% of the pieces to do it. We cant second guess our own offense, we have to stick with what works, with the pieces we have. The days of running and gunning, were gone before Shaq even came here, we need to buckle up defensively and play within ourselves by taking quality shots and playing winning defense.

Winning in the playoffs is purely about who takes the best shots, and who plays the best defense.


The way I see it: we have a terrific passing and shooting point guard (that all I'll give him).
-we have a very potent scorer in Amare (who still needs to develop new and more useful facets of his game)
-we have the best big man of his era still doing the damage down low
- we have some crafty players off the bench
- we have the shooters we need to stretch the defenses

We are missing a good slasher, one who can make his own shot and hit big baskets (I pray to the Gods this is Vince Carter, his performance tonight against the Raptors was something to be seen!)

eastsidecrossover wrote:oh, and for once, I acutally agree with Hollinger about giving the ball to Barbs and Hill. If we are goign to play a halfcourt O, then I think these guys can handle it. Well, better than Dragic.

Especially when the halfcourt offense centers around dumping the ball into the post. You really don't need a PG for that, just a guy to bring the ball up and toss it to the wing for the entry pass. Couldn't Barbosa do that?

|||-Abaddon-||| wrote:We are missing a good slasher, one who can make his own shot and hit big baskets (I pray to the Gods this is Vince Carter, his performance tonight against the Raptors was something to be seen!)

I agree (as far as NJ taking the plunge into being a half-court team), choose a direction and go, don't try to make Nash something he isn't. I think you guys could really use a good slasher...

As a Portland fan, I (naturally) hope to take advantage...

I posted this one on the trade board
http://www.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=854524