Louie Vega
03-09-2008, 02:09 AM
Win vs. Spurs would be 'huge' for Suns
Doug Haller
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 8, 2008 06:55 PM
Throughout their struggles, the Suns have insisted that they're better built for the postseason. Shaquille O'Neal provides a defensive presence, a half-court anchor, a championship vision.
Those theories will be tested Sunday afternoon in ways that they haven't in the past. As defending champs, the San Antonio Spurs present another obstacle, but also an opportunity.
If the Suns lose, they are following the same flight plan that has unfolded since they acquired O'Neal. They have lost six of their past nine games, sliding into sixth place in the Western Conference postseason race.
But if the Suns win, perspective changes slightly. After all, any team that beats the Spurs, who have won 15 of their past 17, has a license to believe that better days are ahead.
"Big," is how Mike D'Antoni classified the 12:30 p.m. tipoff at US Airways Center. "Because it turns the mood around a little bit. . . . It would be huge if we could win."
The Suns coach made no promises, but the frustration stemming from Friday's 126-118 home loss to Utah had evaporated by the end of Saturday's light practice.
Despite the Suns' stumbles, D'Antoni remains encouraged. Yes, the game film revealed defensive flaws, but it was nothing that D'Antoni said couldn't be fixed.
He said the Suns lack mental discipline. Knowing when to help. Remembering the game plan. Avoiding fouls during the shot clock's final seconds.
Against teams such as Utah, Dallas and San Antonio, success boils down to four or five shots, D'Antoni said. And recently, the Suns have made those opportunities much too easy for opponents.
"Sometimes we play too hard," D'Antoni said. "We get too anxious, and we overrun things and get ourselves in trouble. We're not a great defensive team. We know that, (but) sometimes you try too hard. We get ourselves into a position where you think, 'You know what? It would've been better if you just laid back there.' "
The statistics are ugly: Since O'Neal's insertion, the Suns have given up 113.2 points per game. Opponents are shooting 50.4 percent. On Friday, the Jazz made 12 of 16 shots in the fourth quarter. All four misses came in a two-minute span. Over the final 6:29, Utah did not miss a shot, sinking 6 of 6 from the field and 10 of 10 from the foul line.
Still, the Suns saw improvement. Two days after O'Neal's arrival, assistant coach Dan D'Antoni said it would take at least a month before everyone felt comfortable. He hasn't changed his mind. The Suns still are thinking instead of reacting, he said. "And anybody in sports will tell you that if you're thinking about what you're doing, you're done."
In the past, the Suns had to rush in and help stop a slasher or penetrating guard. With O'Neal in place, they have yet to fully realize that it's all right for an opponent to attempt a running floater over a 7-foot-1 center. On Friday, after guard Leandro Barbosa fouled a Utah player near the basket, D'Antoni told him: "Don't do that. You take him to the big man, and you let him go."
D'Antoni's assessment: "Our defense was horrible early because everybody was thinking, 'Where do we go? What do we do?' We were confused. Since then it has steadily improved. I think (Friday) night was definitely our best game. By far."
The statistics don't agree, nor do the results, but the Suns seem to accept that, as long as they progress. As guard Steve Nash pointed out, they are not a finished product.
"We need to play out these last 20 games and see where we stand," he said. "We know we're going to be a lot better 20 games from now. . . . We just hope we're still in the playoff picture as we go through these growing pains."
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0308suns.html
Doug Haller
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 8, 2008 06:55 PM
Throughout their struggles, the Suns have insisted that they're better built for the postseason. Shaquille O'Neal provides a defensive presence, a half-court anchor, a championship vision.
Those theories will be tested Sunday afternoon in ways that they haven't in the past. As defending champs, the San Antonio Spurs present another obstacle, but also an opportunity.
If the Suns lose, they are following the same flight plan that has unfolded since they acquired O'Neal. They have lost six of their past nine games, sliding into sixth place in the Western Conference postseason race.
But if the Suns win, perspective changes slightly. After all, any team that beats the Spurs, who have won 15 of their past 17, has a license to believe that better days are ahead.
"Big," is how Mike D'Antoni classified the 12:30 p.m. tipoff at US Airways Center. "Because it turns the mood around a little bit. . . . It would be huge if we could win."
The Suns coach made no promises, but the frustration stemming from Friday's 126-118 home loss to Utah had evaporated by the end of Saturday's light practice.
Despite the Suns' stumbles, D'Antoni remains encouraged. Yes, the game film revealed defensive flaws, but it was nothing that D'Antoni said couldn't be fixed.
He said the Suns lack mental discipline. Knowing when to help. Remembering the game plan. Avoiding fouls during the shot clock's final seconds.
Against teams such as Utah, Dallas and San Antonio, success boils down to four or five shots, D'Antoni said. And recently, the Suns have made those opportunities much too easy for opponents.
"Sometimes we play too hard," D'Antoni said. "We get too anxious, and we overrun things and get ourselves in trouble. We're not a great defensive team. We know that, (but) sometimes you try too hard. We get ourselves into a position where you think, 'You know what? It would've been better if you just laid back there.' "
The statistics are ugly: Since O'Neal's insertion, the Suns have given up 113.2 points per game. Opponents are shooting 50.4 percent. On Friday, the Jazz made 12 of 16 shots in the fourth quarter. All four misses came in a two-minute span. Over the final 6:29, Utah did not miss a shot, sinking 6 of 6 from the field and 10 of 10 from the foul line.
Still, the Suns saw improvement. Two days after O'Neal's arrival, assistant coach Dan D'Antoni said it would take at least a month before everyone felt comfortable. He hasn't changed his mind. The Suns still are thinking instead of reacting, he said. "And anybody in sports will tell you that if you're thinking about what you're doing, you're done."
In the past, the Suns had to rush in and help stop a slasher or penetrating guard. With O'Neal in place, they have yet to fully realize that it's all right for an opponent to attempt a running floater over a 7-foot-1 center. On Friday, after guard Leandro Barbosa fouled a Utah player near the basket, D'Antoni told him: "Don't do that. You take him to the big man, and you let him go."
D'Antoni's assessment: "Our defense was horrible early because everybody was thinking, 'Where do we go? What do we do?' We were confused. Since then it has steadily improved. I think (Friday) night was definitely our best game. By far."
The statistics don't agree, nor do the results, but the Suns seem to accept that, as long as they progress. As guard Steve Nash pointed out, they are not a finished product.
"We need to play out these last 20 games and see where we stand," he said. "We know we're going to be a lot better 20 games from now. . . . We just hope we're still in the playoff picture as we go through these growing pains."
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0308suns.html