Suns speak out on defense issues

[pidi]

Excerpt from ESPN about how the Suns basically have the worst defensive rating in NBA history:

Because the Suns have a long and storied history as a defenseless team, I'm not sure people truly understand just how awful they've been this season. According to Basketball-Reference, the 2010-11 Phoenix Suns are currently the sixth-worst team of all time in terms of Defensive Rating (which, again, is 114.1).

For perspective, the 1992-93 Dallas Mavericks have an all-time worst D-Rating of 114.7. In other words, this year's Suns team is a mere seven-tenths of one point per 100 possessions away from being the worst defensive team ever.

Here's another ugly fact: The five teams that rank behind the Suns in Defensive Rating averaged 20 wins.

Look, the Suns have shown over the past several seasons that a team can compete without being an elite defensive squad. But no amount of scoring is going to overcome a potentially worst-ever defense. If the Suns are going to turn their season around, they need to start getting their hands in some faces. And fast.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_ ... -you-think

can´t agree more.

[cold5]

From Coro's Twitter: suns practiced for nearly three hours, hill said it was toughest defensive practice we've played, Hopefully this lights a spark for us. We need to take lessons from Adelman teams playing fast but hard and smart. Rockets actually hustle.

[JohnVancouver]

I liked Gortat's attitude from his first interview here. Now I love the guy - good for him.

In my youth, my earliest years playing, I was a very good offensive player and I never bothered myself to play defense. As I got older and the level of competition increased other players scored as easily as I could and played much, much better defense. I had to learn to play D if I wanted to get on the court. Along the way I became much less a threat offensively - I never grew past 5'10" and went form forward to point guard over a summer - and had to become a Duds kind of player, the one who dove for balls, took charges, set up people and played defense like it was life or death. It became a point of pride.
By the end of my high school career it was the only thing keeping me on the court. Even now at the Y I get a charge out of defending bigger, better players and ruining their day, blocking out a guy 6" taller than me and keeping him from the ball.

I mention this because that's really what this team needs - an attitude adjustment. Hill, Gortat, VC, Duds - they need to call people out and demand involvement. What's really embarrassing is that defense is largely a matter of desire and with the level of athleticism on this roster it's clear that there's just no will

they should be embarassed

[NiGhtWiSh]

What's really embarrassing is that defense is largely a matter of desire and with the level of athleticism on this roster it's clear that there's just no will they should be embarassed

i'm with you in this opinion, 100%

[BurningHeart]

I think Gentry really needs to change something.

For all the flack Mike got about not coaching defense, ALL of his teams were better than any one of Gentry’s teams have been for the past ~2 seasons cumulative. Every single one. Our supposedly “improved” defense last season was still pretty bad(19). Our “Seven Seconds or Shaq” offense was the best EVER for that stretch where Gentry coached 08/09, but it was a really, really terrible defensive team( http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/s ... iem-090317 )

Honestly…I like Gentry as a coach, but our defense has been miserable ever since Mike left, which is stunning to think about. A team with this many talented defensive players(Chilly, Peaches, Hill, Dudley, Frye, Gortat, Lopez, Goran) should not be the 6th worst defensive team of all time.

Our best defensive team was the 05/06 squad. Up until January of that season, right before Kurt Thomas got injured, we were ranked FIFTH in defense, and it makes sense, seeing as how we had some strong defensive players: KT, Junior was decent, Marion should have garnered DPOY consideration, Raja was awesome, Diaw was very good, etc. I understand the personnel we have right now do not matchup defensively to their 05/06 counterparts, but 6th worst defensive team of all time? Are you flipping kidding me? That’s disgusting.

I’m glad Marcin said something, because this ish is mothereffing unacceptable.

I'm stealing this, lol.

[Velociraptor]

During the D'Antonio years when the Suns were running and gunning up and down the court, what I noticed was everything the Suns did was for the purpose of keeping the game at a high octane level for both teams. That included the way they played defense. They did this by playing very aggressive defense early in the shot clock taking risks like playing the passing lanes for steals or causing turnovers. If they cheated on defense and gave the offensive player some room for a jumper or a driving lane, then it wasn't that bad because it was forcing the other team to take shots early in the shot clock. Some times team wouldn't take that jumper early in the clock even if they had it so the Suns could get away with gambling like that.

They were bending the other teams style of play to their own by forcing them to play at such a frenetic pace that other teams were just not comfortable with and couldn't keep up with. If the Suns want to be that dominant fast break team then they need to start gambling on defense early in the clock, pressure the ball up the floor, and play the passing lanes and put pressure on teams to make plays or take shots early the shot clock and force them to play to the tempo that Suns want to play at for most of the game.

[JohnVancouver]

nice piece for Bright Side on Suns defensive schemes - I never knew this stuff about Amar'e; I feel for the guy. I have the same trouble with some things


http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2010/ ... -set-fixes

[Mr. Sun]

Zones and rotations are the worst thing you can do against a team hitting outside shots.

[Frank Lee]

The ol' Dribbling Penetration. Sounds rather ominous.

When it comes to defense, we are instantly at a disadvantage when the opposition has a PG with speed and handles.... which is 90% of the league. Nash just cant stay in front of anyone anymore. He has difficulty fighting through screens and I dont recall him ever blocking a shot from the front. His best defensive technique is the flop.

We give up a lot for his offensive talents.

And this yr, he seems more frustrated than ever. Perhaps his personal probs are contributing some, but the constant complaining and last night's outburst indicate our little whirling dervish is wound tight. He has flat out given up on plays as well. All this defensive interest will display even more his inadequacies.

I could see this contributing to a desire to be elsewhere.

[Mr. Sun]

I don't buy the Nash can't stay in front of anyone mantra. He just doesn't play anyone close or makes any effort to knock the ball lose from the other PG when facing Nash.

[asubennett]

All this defensive interest will display even more his inadequacies.

I could see this contributing to a desire to be elsewhere.

I dont see this as a bad thing for our franchise if we can secure a couple more first round picks and a solid youthful talent for him. Problem is all the fringe contending teams have solid PG options already. Unfortunately he is more valuable to our team than any other team currently.

It is 100% amazing to me that the Amare, Lou and Barbosa are the only equations changed on a team that was 2 wins away from the Finals and now here we are.

To me that means we are SO close to finding some magic I just dont think we are magical with the roster as is. EVERYONE can tell we need to thin our wing rotation and need a scoring option down low. If only those type of players grew on trees.

[cedric76]

Dudley should start

[Wannabe MEP]

Dudley should start

[JohnVancouver]

Dudley should start

I'm in -

[RocPHX]

Duds may need to start at the 3 if gortat is gonna be at pf. I like what he brings off the bench though.

[hunterxaz]

No room for Dudley in the starters. Nash, Carter, Hill, Gortat, Frye/Lopez.

[PHXfan85]

Still reserving judgement on Carter NEEDING to start. I think he can do more helping the offense with the second unit (in regards to ball handling and play making - Dragic just isn't doing it atm). As I've stated before though, if he can play the minutes to start AND help the second unit, then let him roll. He has to be rolling though...

Hedo is proof that we have no problem letting a high paid player come off the bench... lol........