Use The Bench, Mr. D'Antoni (Frm KTAR)

[Mr. Sun]

I put my hands up when I'm on the couch every time Bell gets a kick out pass. Unfortunately, my hands don't stay up in celebration very often. If Raja was playing great, there would be no need to see what DJ can do.

D'Antoni wasted a season of DJ development. Now, DJ won't be a contributor in the postseason. Let's look at the last Lakers game for an example. The focus was on Shaq and rightfully so, but did anyone notice DJ. He came in and went right after Kobe with his defense. It should have taken D'Antoni 10 seconds to recognize he just struck gold.

Every time Raja gets lit up or isn't hitting shots, go to DJ. This is a good policy for November. Give Raja time to work it out. November was a long time ago. It's now March 6. That Lakers game was February 20th. Look at the time DJ would have had to work itself into the rotation.

http://www.ktar.com/sports/?nid=21&sid=755815

If anyone has soundcard that can listen into this, please post highlights of D'Antoni's excuses:

D'Antoni visibly agitated over questions about him utilizing his bench

[HootieRules]

Here's the highlights of Mike's stuff. He's very "ticked off" when people question what he's doing:

The whole point of the game is to win. You want me to play DJ ahead of Steve? Suns starters play less than anyone in the league. If Chris Paul is playing 40 minutes, I've gotta have the MVP out there or we don't win. The object is to win and not play everybody and make everyone happy. We need to play well and wins will come.

Skinner isn't playing because Shaq is here. That's the only reason. Doesn't want to play the same way the whole game, that's why Boris is in there instead of Brian.

We're frustrated because we know we should be winning more. But the schedule is tough. We're excited. We know we believe we can win the whole thing.

[HootieRules]

The KTAR article nailed it. No Mike, we don't want you to play DJ ahead of Steve. We want you to give some of Raja's minutes to DJ because Raja has sucked all year. We don't want you to play Skinner ahead of Shaq. We want you to give some of Boris' minutes to Skinner because Boris has sucked all year. Period. If he thinks developing a bench is going to hurt the team and cost us a bunch of wins, I wonder what he was thinking after JJ went down in '05, Raja went down in '06, and Amare and Boris got suspended in '07 and he looked down at the bench and had no idea who could do what?

[Melon Yellow]

I agree. Raja has been great for this team in the past, but this year, he hasn't been that special. I don't see his D being mega amazing or even great. I feel DJ needs some time to bring up his confidence and to get comfortable. Mike will regret it if he doens't play them.

Also, I agree with the whole 'fixed rotation is bad' thing. Its so predictable that I think some of our guys get comfortable. If their playing time was threatened, they wouldn't be so comfortable.

Mike is a good coach. I just think he needs to really think about what he's doing or else we wont have a chance this year.

[HootieRules]

It's funny because it's pretty common knowledge some of the Pistons' starters went to Flip Saunders and said he should play the bench more. I wish our guys would do the same.

[Mr. Sun]

I don't buy this Skinner excuse one bit.

[guaves13]

He basically said that other team's stars play more than our starters. Whenevery I hear people argue that our guys are tired (which seems to be after every loss) I think back to what MD once said about one of his coaches in Italy. I'm paraphrasing here so bear with me: "My coach always played me 40+ minutes, even towards the end of my career. He never thought it was a problem so I didn't either. If he starts talking about scaling my minutes back because I needed a break then I'm going to start thinking...yeah maybe I am tired." If you look at our guys minutes, none of them are playing anywhere near 40min/game.

I have always felt that the rotation concerns were overblown. Here's the minutes played for our top 8:
http://www.nba.com/suns/stats/

Cmon guys, Raja is leading us in minutes played at only 35/game. You could argue that he isn't playing up to his potential but I don't see any evidence that can't be explained away by a simple shooting slump. As far as his D goes, we lost our best perimeter defender. Raja was usually matched up against the opponents 2nd best perimeter scorer and for the most part played them pretty tough. Well now Matrix is gone and he draws the toughest matchup every night.

DJ is a good but inexperienced defender who is overmatched on the offensive end. He isn't ready. Giracek is the one who is going to start getting more time. I just don't see there being much more than 12-18 min/game available on a consistent basis. That won't leave any time for anyone else.

[toucansma]

I started a hypothetical post on rotation mins, but despite that, I do agree that their minutes are no where other team's. I was thinking at from the aspect of using different players to fire up the team a little bit. I forgot myself, but J-Kidd, an older PG than Nash, is playing 37.2 mpg and no one is saying anything.

I like MD as a coach, and glad he came out and said something. At least its better than sitting back and saying nothing. No its time for them to come out and prove him right.

[ClosAZ]

The KTAR article nailed it. No Mike, we don't want you to play DJ ahead of Steve. We want you to give some of Raja's minutes to DJ because Raja has sucked all year. We don't want you to play Skinner ahead of Shaq. We want you to give some of Boris' minutes to Skinner because Boris has sucked all year. Period. If he thinks developing a bench is going to hurt the team and cost us a bunch of wins, I wonder what he was thinking after JJ went down in '05, Raja went down in '06, and Amare and Boris got suspended in '07 and he looked down at the bench and had no idea who could do what?

Good Post Hootie, spot on.

Playing your bench is not only a necessity due to player fatigue which might or might not be the case with what we're all seeing lately.....BUT, as Hootie points out Mike needs to look to our bench when some of our regular guys are sucking out there (Bell, Diaw, Barbosa, heck even Nash lately).

Skinner and DJ both need some mintues. They deserve it defensively and last I checked we haven't been stopping anyone lately. Heck we all know come playoff time Mike will only be playing our top 7 per game anyway...

[walkingart]

I think the big thing with the minutes isn't necessarily how many minutes guys are getting, but rather guys who are struggling still getting big minutes. Raja, Diaw, and Barbs are three of the most inconsistent players in the league. When they are off they are worthless, it is at those times that Giri, DJ and Skinner should be getting minutes.

Mike D likes to let his guys play through slumps, but if he gave his bench guys more of an opportunity to play then he could use them when his normal rotation guys get hurt, suspended or are playing horribly.

[mkot]

I have been a Mike supporter and I believe that he could have won with the style he played if circumstances had gone our way. I still think that he is a good coach, but I am worried about all the same things that everyone else is right now. He isn't using his bench like he needs to be, he isn't using his personnel on the floor like he needs to be. I am worried that he isn't going to figure it out, and that he may have lost his team's confidence.

This isn't entirely on Mike, this team isn't built for his coaching philosophy anymore and that's unfortunate because I'd love to win his way to prove all the doubters all these years wrong. But, sh*t happens.

[Arles]

He basically said that other team's stars play more than our starters. Whenevery I hear people argue that our guys are tired (which seems to be after every loss) I think back to what MD once said about one of his coaches in Italy. I'm paraphrasing here so bear with me: "My coach always played me 40+ minutes, even towards the end of my career. He never thought it was a problem so I didn't either. If he starts talking about scaling my minutes back because I needed a break then I'm going to start thinking...yeah maybe I am tired." If you look at our guys minutes, none of them are playing anywhere near 40min/game.

I have always felt that the rotation concerns were overblown. Here's the minutes played for our top 8:
http://www.nba.com/suns/stats/

Cmon guys, Raja is leading us in minutes played at only 35/game.

This wasn't a concern prior to the Shaq deal because the minutes were OK. However, here are some numbers:

Prior to Shaq:
Nash - 34.0 MPG
Bell - 34.4 MPG
Amare - 32.2 MPG

After Shaq:
Nash - 37.1 MPG
Bell - 38.8 MPG
Amare - 37.5 MPG

What's killing us is that Mike just piled on the 10 more MPG that Marion averaged over Shaq to the minutes of Nash, Bell and Amare. Instead of working in DJ to get those 10 extra minutes, we are burning out our starting backcourt when we go small.

Cmon guys, Raja is leading us in minutes played at only 35/game. You could argue that he isn't playing up to his potential but I don't see any evidence that can't be explained away by a simple shooting slump. As far as his D goes, we lost our best perimeter defender. Raja was usually matched up against the opponents 2nd best perimeter scorer and for the most part played them pretty tough. Well now Matrix is gone and he draws the toughest matchup every night.

Raja was getting worked earlier in the season too, we just didn't notice it because guys like Boozer and Al Jefferson were getting 30 and 15 against us.

DJ is a good but inexperienced defender who is overmatched on the offensive end. He isn't ready. Giracek is the one who is going to start getting more time. I just don't see there being much more than 12-18 min/game available on a consistent basis. That won't leave any time for anyone else.

Hey, if we want to give those extra Bell/Nash minutes to Giricek, I'm OK with that. I just think that there are nights (esp in the 2nd quarter) where because we don't have Marion, we need a better perimeter defender out there and I wouldn't mind an extra 15 minutes taken collectively from Bell, Barbs and Diaw to let DJ be that presence.

[eastsidecrossover]

There is a HUGE difference in the play, games and travel these guys have to go threw in an nba season vs when MD was in Europe.

To me, its the way he uses our guys, and has not prepared the guys on the bench for the long run. Look what phil has done to his young guys and bench in LA? Look at what pops does in SA? These guys get it, and have won how many championships?

When barbs and nash can't stop AI, well really no one can, but bring in DJ to harass him when needed. You have to be smart about how you use your team, and the time you do it. MD does not I think.

Also, we have guys that are getting old, and have had injuries in the past. The season is long, and you want to pace yourself.

[nevetsov]

Agree 100%.

4/7 of our rotation is over 30 years old. Old guys get worn out quicker, especially when they do as much running as they do playing at the suns pace (and have been doing so for years). These guys cover a lot of miles!

Sooner or later, over the course of the season, they are going to get tired. In games, we have been witnessing lately how we start strong and build a lead, but push on with the starters and have them relinquish that lead.

If Mike D wants to win, he needs to figure out that a DJ/ Skinner/ Giricek playing with 100% energy will play better for you than a Raja/ Steve/ O'Neal playing winded at 70%.

This isn't NBA live where you can turn 'fatigue' off and just play your starters for the whole game. That's one of the reasons teams employ a coaching staff.

[pidi]

This wasn't a concern prior to the Shaq deal because the minutes were OK. However, here are some numbers:

Prior to Shaq:
Nash - 34.0 MPG
Bell - 34.4 MPG
Amare - 32.2 MPG

After Shaq:
Nash - 37.1 MPG
Bell - 38.8 MPG
Amare - 37.5 MPG

think this minutes are up because he tries to get those guys
known to each other. they are the guys who need to win in the playoffs-
they need to get used to each other.
think he

[BringinDaRuckus]

Under the Mike D'Antoni era, we as fans will never see any bench outside the 7(rare 8 ) man rotation. During the playoffs it's almost a sure thing we'll only see the 7 man rotation.

Period.

Once the Mike D era is over, this seeing the bench play with the new coach will be foreign to us fans.

Again, Mike won't play his bench. PERIOD.

[Arles]

Yep, that's the reality. Every game is "too important" to trust with anyone other than Nash, Bell, Diaw and Barbosa.