Interesting stat at this point in the season

[rsavaj]

Here's another stat. We've played all of 2 games at home out of those 7. Ironically, we've lost both.

Y'know SanAn is 6-5 against play-off teams. I know it's better than our record but they're not exactly blowing good teams away either. Spurs are only 5-7 away from home. I bet they aren't exactly storming the streets with pitchforks and torches tho are they.

Like I said in the game thread. As long as we learn from our mistakes then that's fine with me. Some ppl just think we go thru the motions but lets not forget Hill didn't just magically work his way into the system and Diaw hasn't just magically worked his way into form. The coaching staff work hard to make adjustments and see what problems we've had in the past and how to counter them. Just because we aren't there witnessing it some ppl just think it doesn't happen. I'll reserve my judgment later in the season if I see things are better or if we are making the same mistakes.

Agreed, the Spurs aren't "blowing anyone away", but 6-5 is a hell of a lot better than 1-6. That's a pretty large difference, and the degree of separation is what I'm most worried about. I guarantee you we would all feel a lot better if we were 3-4(or 4-3) instead of our current record against playoff teams.

[Ballings7]

But they both ran the offenses at the PG position.

Actually, the play-making responsibility is significantly different between Nash/Suns and Bibby/Kings. Webber/Vlade/Miller did a good deal of the facilitating, from the high-low posts. Bibby played as more of an off-guard and helper set-upper, rather than a top-playmaker on the team. That was a main aspect of the Princeton Adelman used.

[BringinDaRuckus]

Here is a stat. The Suns are 13-0 when Amare gets a double-double.


Averages are up-to-date to the 12th win. This does not include the win over the Sonics.

32.5 MPG 127-196 64.8%fg 1-5 20%3pt 76-106 71.7%ft 3.16ORPG 7.67DRPG 12.3TRPG 1.25APG .92SPG 2.0BPG 2.42TOPG 3.8PFPG 27.6PPG

Yes, we have a really good chance of winning when Amare gets his. The Suns are good. There is no need to worry. They are giving and taking and when everything is put together there will be no stopping them.

That is a very interesting stat. Judging by that it almost seems like by allowing Amare to get his, it forces the opposing defenses to focus on Amare. Either that or teams are choosing to focus on Nash and the three-point shooters, in which case Amare can usually beat his guy one-on-one (whether it's just a little post move or shooting the J over their Center camped down in the paint).

Numbers cannot lie(not unless you are horrible at Math). So I say let's keep this up with Amare. As long as he stays out of foul trouble that is.

[impulsenine]

1-6 against the West's top 8 is definitely something to be concerned about. No need to give up on the season, but it's pretty stupid to pretend that the regular season is 100% meaningless. You hear talk all the time about teams "flipping the switch." I think it's mostly BS, but even if it isn't, who are the teams that supposedly do it? The post-championship Pistons, the Spurs, the Kobe-Shaq Lakers, Shaq with the Heat, any others? What's the common thread here? They're all teams/players who have already won championships, not teams still looking for their first. Guys with rings are supposed to not care until the playoffs, then "flip the switch." Guys without them are supposed to be "hungry."

Occasional lineup experiments from MD, and persistent injuries, make me less worried. But in response to the 'hungry' thing, normally I'd agree with you, but the Suns seem to be playing like they DID win. They seem to care only for winning because they hate losing. It's irritating to them (as of course, it should be!).

These things tell me that the Suns are a team capable of throwing a switch, when they start getting excited and have fun and kick ass instead of wondering what's wrong. One big reason that we love the Suns is because when they are 'on,' they have a TON of fun, and it's infectious.

Will they actually flip the switch? Who knows? I hope so. But again, these factors tell me that Phoenix has, finally, built one.

In many ways, I'm glad they're struggling, too - Phoenix has done better when they're scrappy underdogs, anyway. Otherwise they'd have won a championship in the mid-90's.

Plus, you know, they aren't exactly in the middle of the heap in the standings.

[-SDU-]

stat boozer and dwight are the only big men in the top 11 in the league in scoring

basically proving that stat is a truly elite big man

[Cash]

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Agreed, the Spurs aren't "blowing anyone away", but 6-5 is a hell of a lot better than 1-6. That's a pretty large difference, and the degree of separation is what I'm most worried about. I guarantee you we would all feel a lot better if we were 3-4(or 4-3) instead of our current record against playoff teams.

Agreed. Being around .500 against playoff teams would not be cause for concern this early in the season.

[Cash]

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Occasional lineup experiments from MD, and persistent injuries, make me less worried. But in response to the 'hungry' thing, normally I'd agree with you, but the Suns seem to be playing like they DID win. They seem to care only for winning because they hate losing. It's irritating to them (as of course, it should be!).

These things tell me that the Suns are a team capable of throwing a switch, when they start getting excited and have fun and kick ass instead of wondering what's wrong. One big reason that we love the Suns is because when they are 'on,' they have a TON of fun, and it's infectious.

Will they actually flip the switch? Who knows? I hope so. But again, these factors tell me that Phoenix has, finally, built one.

In many ways, I'm glad they're struggling, too - Phoenix has done better when they're scrappy underdogs, anyway. Otherwise they'd have won a championship in the mid-90's.

Plus, you know, they aren't exactly in the middle of the heap in the standings.

Well, we'll see. You certainly might be right, and if you were, it wouldn't shock me, but to me, it looks more like the Suns as a team have gotten used to winning, taken it for granted, and are now more concerned with their individual selves than team success. Maybe I just think that because that mirrors what's happened with many of the fans, or maybe I'm really seeing something there (or maybe I'm just thinking that because Paul Coro wrote it in his blog the other day). But we're both reading into this stuff pretty heavily. I don't know if either one of us is really justified in our extrapolations. It's not like we're in the locker room or on the team plane or anything.

[Cash]

stat boozer and dwight are the only big men in the top 11 in the league in scoring

basically proving that stat is a truly elite big man

Offensively, absolutely. Defensively and on the boards, no way. But I'd still take him (for this season only) over anyone except Duncan, KG, and Howard. I'd think about Boozer, too, but probably stick with Amare. The more I watch him this year (on court, anyway), the more I think he's not part of the problem. I used to really worry that he might be, but not so much any more.

[Cash]

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That's a bit much IMO.

Fair enough. But that's how I feel, and while I reserve the right to change my mind, it would take something special to sway me. Right now, I'd say we're somewhere around the Mavericks of Nash's last few years there (and 04-05, actually): A very good team, usually around 55-57 wins, pretty fun to watch (although we were a lot more fun to watch when it seemed like our players were enjoying themselves and liked playing together), usually homecourt in the first round, and probably out in the second round. That's still a pretty good team overall, but one full notch below the elite/contenders. We'll see if I'm right or wrong. It's still fairly early in the season, after all.

Although this team hasn't convince me they are championship caliber, but I've seen flashes of greatness, both offensively and defensively. I think we're more equipped for the playoffs personnel wise, we just aren't taking full advantage because we're trying to run and gun for the entire game.

See, I think we've been running less this year than any of the last three. I haven't checked any stats to see if they back up that assertion, but that's just how it feels from the games I've seen.

This team just have to have that strong mentality to work inside-out, too many times they like to play outside-in. Only in the playoffs we work through Amare more. That's why it seems like Amare is a complete different animal in the post season, he gets the ball.

If we're shooting well like we should, I don't mind the outside-in game a little more.

I do. The Nash Era Suns have ALWAYS been at their best playing inside-out, even in 05-06. That year, with no Amare, the Suns got inside by using Diaw and Marion on pick and rolls instead of Amare, by utilizing Barbosa's ability to drive, by sometimes posting up Diaw, by using a lot of back cuts (Marion and Barbosa were especially good at these), and, once Tim Thomas was signed, by occasionally posting him up or having him drive. The amazing Nash Era 3-point shooting is primarily due to this inside-out game. Once the defense collapses, kick it out to the wide open man, or kick it out then swing it around to the wide-open man. Wide-open spot up jumpers by good shooters are about the most efficient shots in the game.

But as of now, we aren't a great 3pt shooting team like we should because 2 guys who were great on 3s last season (Raja and LB) are not doing well from the arc. The Suns as a team are 7th in 3pt FG%... that is not bad, but not good enough for this team. We need to sit at the top IMO.

I think a significant reason why those 2 aren't shooting as well is because the Suns aren't playing as good offensively as we're used to. Guys are playing outside-in more often this year than in years past, and it's really hurting the offensive efficiency. I've seen Barbosa jack up more contested or out-of-rhythm threes this year than I think I saw the entire first half of last year. Same with Bell, although he also has the problem of apparently thinking he can make something happen off the dribble.

Another problem with our 3pt shooting is the fast break. Again, it really seems to me that we're running less this year. One of the upshots of that is that we hit fewer transition threes, which tend to be wide open. And it also seems like teams have started to figure out that when playing transition D against the Suns, you have to protect the three-point line, because that's where we like to go.

We have fixable issues, Raja and LB's shooting is broke, but I'd think, base on their track record, they will shoot better sooner or later. I also expect Amare to become more of the focal point in the offense when guys play more together - I know he will be in the playoff. And we need to stay healthy. Boris keep improving and be aggressive, then maybe there's hope...

Well, there's always hope. I mean, I'm hopeful that my early diagnosis (which almost perfectly matched my preseason prognosis) will turn out to be wrong, and that the Suns will turn it up down the stretch and really look like a different team. I don't think that'll happen, but I sure hope it does.

[mkot]

I do

I think you misunderstand. When I said I don't mind a little more outside-in game being played, I meant I don't mind about 20% of our offense running for 3s IF we're shooting at a better clip. Right now, except Nash, no one can make their 3s consistently.

Like I said, their problem right now is yet to develop a STRONG mentality of going inside. Almost like the whole team just forgot about him. Sometimes it's on him, sometimes it's on his teammates. We don't need trade, we just need get a stronger mentality of going inside. Then we'll be winning more games.

I think a significant reason why those 2 aren't shooting as well is because the Suns aren't playing as good offensively as we're used to.

You nailed it. We're an year older and slower. When we don't have that bounce, we looked like an old team trying to run. That's why young running team always seem to beat us up, we aren't as athletic as we're used to be. Shawn is an year older, Raja is an year older, Amare isn't exactly beating the opposing big man down the floor like he used to be pre-MF. Hill is good in transition game, but he really isn't a 27 years old in his prime...

Well, there's always hope.

To be honest, my expectation wasn't as high as it was last year so I can't say I'm very disappointed right now. This team is what it is...we're gimmicky. We have a gimmick offense and a gimmick defense. We aren't making trade, and we aren't firing the coach, we'll have to figure out what to do with this current group. I've seen flashes, so we aren't hopeless like, say, the Heat...