Why all the clutch minutes for JRich at the 3?

[RunDogGun]

Just wondering. I was talking about this in the Cats game thread.

[Sandra]

Just wondering. I was talking about this in the Cats game thread.

My opinion is, in these critical situations Gentry just panics and becomes afraid of leaving on the floor the guys whom he, in normal state fo mind, trusts (Dudley, Lou, Goran). And I believe that more experience as a HC will solve the problem for him
So, I voted 3

[pidi]

the main problem with our team is, that we have no clutch players. nash always makes the wrong decisions, ama´re ain´t getting the ball, lopez is what lopez is, ghill can´t hit shots - so this team is no clutch team - and for j-rich, mh i don´t know but if i would coach them i would let him get the ball to post up his opponent, sad but true, he is the best post up player on this team

[Sandra]

the main problem with our team is, that we have no clutch players. nash always makes the wrong decisions, ama´re ain´t getting the ball, lopez is what lopez is, ghill can´t hit shots - so this team is no clutch team - and for j-rich, mh i don´t know but if i would coach them i would let him get the ball to post up his opponent, sad but true, he is the best post up player on this team

Nash always makes wrong decisions? I'm pretty sure Nash would love to let someone else take the clutch shot, consideriring how tired he must usually be in the last minutes of the game. The problem is, he doesn't have anyone else to rely upon
And yes, J-Rich is the best post up player on this team. The problem is, he's likely the dumbest player on this team, too. Which speaks volumes of someone playing alongside Amare, Barbs, RoLo

[pidi]

ha, he has not the highests bball iq, i gotta agree. calling him dumb is another story, i think arenas is a dumbhead, but ok, let´s move on.

yah, i mean i love nash. he is the local point on this team, he runs the offense, without him we wouldnt have that succes we have right now. but when it comes to crunchtime it seems that he loses the ball, taking a bad shot or isn´t finding his teamates. i don´t call him out, don´t get me wrong.

[Qwigglez]

No one has a backbone. No one steps up.

[Fo-Real]

No one has a backbone. No one steps up.

Yeah, that would be the job of our star/Max player.....Oh we dont have one. In close games at crunch time, when you have nothing going (like in the Bobcats game) you give it to your go to guy and get the hell out of the way when nothing else is working. Like Dirk, or Kobe, or hell Garnettt a few yrs ago and some still. What did we fo against the bobcats, the same old crap, Nash getting pressed, dribble arround for most of the shot clock, and someone winds up taking a bad shot to beat the clock, that was our 4 qtr against the Bobcats in a nutshell. When you have that go to guy, eventually someone has to help his defender because he cant do it alone, leaving someone open. We dont have that, hell i didnt even see picks off the ball to get people or cutters open. It just looked bad, and thats why Amare has to go.

[pidi]

^^^ but what happens if a player went´s hot?? is he getting the ball all the time?? no ! that´s a mistake from nash trying to get everyone involved on our offense...

but i agree, we have noone to step up when it counts.

[Miklo]

No one has a backbone. No one steps up.

Yeah, that would be the job of our star/Max player.....Oh we dont have one. In close games at crunch time, when you have nothing going (like in the Bobcats game) you give it to your go to guy and get the hell out of the way when nothing else is working. Like Dirk, or Kobe, or hell Garnettt a few yrs ago and some still. What did we fo against the bobcats, the same old crap, Nash getting pressed, dribble arround for most of the shot clock, and someone winds up taking a bad shot to beat the clock, that was our 4 qtr against the Bobcats in a nutshell. When you have that go to guy, eventually someone has to help his defender because he cant do it alone, leaving someone open. We dont have that, hell i didnt even see picks off the ball to get people or cutters open. It just looked bad, and thats why Amare has to go.

I disagree. It is the job of our star for sure - so we have to PASS to Amar'e. I trust the ball in his hands in late-game situations. Despite all of the criticism you can't knock his inside scoring and FG%. We have the star you refer to; we just don't use him correctly. He needs to get 20+ shots a game and he WILL be that star. This is why I find all of the Amar'e hate rather unfounded; we aren't giving him the chance that we gave him earlier in his career, at which point he WAS dominant with the ball. So give him the ball and if we don't improve on scoring and clutch situations, THEN talk to me about not having our star.

[Qwigglez]

I agree with Miklo. The Suns don't utilize Amare's skill set as often as I'd like. He could easily be the man if we given him the chance instead of giving it to a 6'1 white guy.

[JohnVancouver]

Nash always makes wrong decisions? I'm pretty sure Nash would love to let someone else take the clutch shot, consideriring how tired he must usually be in the last minutes of the game. The problem is, he doesn't have anyone else to rely upon
And yes, J-Rich is the best post up player on this team. The problem is, he's likely the dumbest player on this team, too. Which speaks volumes of someone playing alongside Amare, Barbs, RoLo

Sandra got wisdom - Nash's decision making is pretty damn bankable. JRich works hard, can't deny, but he also needs to be told which shoe goes on which foot.

[tsherkin]

Amare's scoring skill set consists largely of the following:

a) set jump at the foul line extended
b) set jumper popping off the PnR from around 17 feet
c) diving to the rim off of a PnR
d) alley-oop
e) transition bucket
f) awkward back-to-the-basket move that sometimes works
g) high-TOV% face-up attack that he should get more of anyhow

Amare's not the greatest iso scorer, so no, he shouldn't be getting 20 shots a game. But he should be getting at least 15-17, that's true.

The Suns need another perimeter player who can play on the perimeter. Richardson is a post player with the height of a guard and a fondness for 3s, we all know that.

[Miklo]

Amare's scoring skill set consists largely of the following:

a) set jump at the foul line extended
b) set jumper popping off the PnR from around 17 feet
c) diving to the rim off of a PnR
d) alley-oop
e) transition bucket
f) awkward back-to-the-basket move that sometimes works
g) high-TOV% face-up attack that he should get more of anyhow

Hmm..seeing as how I've looked through this list 5 times and can't really think of any items to add, I'll have to take the point But seriously, I guess 20 was a bit of an exaggeration because of what you said about iso scoring. I mean, you take a look at his most prolific/efficient seasons and you see him right at that 15-17 FGA range. This season? 14. He's almost always scored very efficiently, though, so you definitely want to see him over 14. Even with a limited arsenal of moves, 16 or 17 shots has always treated him well. Plus looking beyond the numbers, he has proven to be a very good option as the clock winds down - even more of an opportunity now since defenders crowd the perimeter based on our threats.

[hunterxaz]

Amare's mid-range shots aren't always set... he could take a clutch shot from there on the move.

[tsherkin]

Hmm..seeing as how I've looked through this list 5 times and can't really think of any items to add, I'll have to take the point But seriously, I guess 20 was a bit of an exaggeration because of what you said about iso scoring. I mean, you take a look at his most prolific/efficient seasons and you see him right at that 15-17 FGA range. This season? 14. He's almost always scored very efficiently, though, so you definitely want to see him over 14. Even with a limited arsenal of moves, 16 or 17 shots has always treated him well. Plus looking beyond the numbers, he has proven to be a very good option as the clock winds down - even more of an opportunity now since defenders crowd the perimeter based on our threats.

He seriously should be getting 15-17 shots a game, no question. The Suns don't do enough work in the halfcourt to get him mid-range jumpers, and even though he's a half-wit doucherag, he should have developed at least a few more moves in the post (even if it means facing up from 13 feet, because even Duncan and Hakeem did that as their pseudo-primary option).

The Suns give too many shots to lesser scoring threats like Jason Richardson, for sure.

Amare needs to be a feature scorer, not just a pick-and-roll option who's treated like Paul Millsap Plus.

He's not going to be a savage monster like he was pre-injury, but he could well be scoring 25 ppg, and that would be big, since this team couldn't defend a team of JV girls right now.