So how would you fix Phoenix?

[MrChug]

Our offense looks stagnant. No movement. Shaq is getting too many touches and Amare isn't getting enough.

Porter is regressing to the "dump it into Shaq" offense. I LOVED HIM AS A PLAYER, but he really seemed like the wrong way to go for the Suns. Yall may have needed a Skiles. Up on defense, but let the PG's have their way with the offense IMO.

[Thompson]

Apparently, this is how you fix Phoenix:

Suns try to craft solution at team meeting

by Paul Coro - Nov. 30, 2008 09:22 PM
The Arizona Republic

It was not a scrapbooking party but the Suns did break out the scissors and paste when they gathered for a meeting Saturday.

It was more bonding exercise than power meeting with staff and management. It lasted 30 minutes, with the product being collage posters they made about togetherness that were put on the locker room wall. Did it help?

"It's yet to be determined," coach Terry Porter said. "Whenever you run an exercise like that, it's long term more than short term. I don't know if you can necessarily see short-term results."

http://www.phxsuns.net/showthread.php?t=1124



Who wants to bet Amare did a hand turkey?

[Brickhouse]

Who wants to bet Amare did a hand turkey?

[Armando]

Is this for real?

[ElNono]

You get an actual coach, that's how...

[Armando]

You get an actual coach, that's how...

A actual bench thats more then just Leandro Barbosa and whats left of Grant Hill

[Lp26]

The suns need to stop trying to be a defensive team. With Steve Nash you never will be. Accept it and go back to trying to outscore people. Sit Shaq more and play small ball. At least you guys were more fun to watch then.

[pauls931]

The suns need to stop trying to be a defensive team. With Steve Nash you never will be. Accept it and go back to trying to outscore people. Sit Shaq more and play small ball. At least you guys were more fun to watch then.

I disagree a bit. I think they should wisely choose when to play shaq. On defense in previous years, they sucked, but they were just a few rotations on D from winning a lot of games. They don't need to reinevent the wheel on D. I agree on offense, they need to run and gun and play shaq in games where they need to grind it out or when they get a big lead they want to maintain.

I help off posting this last night, but my first reaction was either Porter or Amare have to go... I would really hate to trade Nash because he was part of what made the team fun.

I wonder what Paul Westphal is doing?....

[Thunder Dan]

I think the Suns will be alright- it doesn't matter how many regular season games you win as long as you make the playoffs

[pauls931]

I think the Suns will be alright- it doesn't matter how many regular season games you win as long as you make the playoffs

It was frustrating to see Amare get ejected, may have cost them the game. But if memory serves me right, Barkley got ejected like every 3 or 4 games back in his day, LOL.

[Thunder Dan]

It was frustrating to see Amare get ejected, may have cost them the game. But if memory serves me right, Barkley got ejected like every 3 or 4 games back in his day, LOL.

the regular season doesn't matter. Last year the Cavs started out 9-13 or something like that, finished with a crappy record, but in the playoffs their defense was able to win them games. I know close doesn't count, but they were the only team to actually come close to beating the Celtics.

If Porter can get the Suns to play good defense down the stretch anything is possible in the playoffs

[pauls931]

the regular season doesn't matter. Last year the Cavs started out 9-13 or something like that, finished with a crappy record, but in the playoffs their defense was able to win them games. I know close doesn't count, but they were the only team to actually come close to beating the Celtics.

If Porter can get the Suns to play good defense down the stretch anything is possible in the playoffs

Porter better get things figured out fast. I don't think patience is very plentiful in suns land. The regular season I think matters again this year because if you're seeded low, you'll have to steal road wins at Utah, San Antonio, LA, Houston, not fun.

[Thunder Dan]

Porter better get things figured out fast. I don't think patience is very plentiful in suns land. The regular season I think matters again this year because if you're seeded low, you'll have to steal road wins at Utah, San Antonio, LA, Houston, not fun.

Well the Mavericks and Suns were always able to win a ton of games during the regular season which made the fans happy....but the playoffs came around and those regular season wins got them nothing

[Dex]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/comeuppance

[K-State Spur]

No matter what system PHX plays, they will typically have 3 bad defensive players on the court at the same time. Bell/Hill can't cover for nash/amare/shaq on a regular basis.

[sonic21]

No matter what system PHX plays, they will typically have 3 bad defensive players on the court at the same time. Bell/Hill can't cover for nash/amare/shaq on a regular basis.

exactly
and bell is an overrated defender.

they're screwed

[Thunder Dan]

defense isn't a matter of ability, it's a matter of wanting to do it. It's hard to change a culture that empathized only playing offense, to making it about balance on both sides of the ball. A example is Mo Williams. His biggest knock coming to Cleveland was how he didn't play defense in Milwaukee, but this year in Cleveland he is playing excellent defense. It's all about wanting to play defense

[xtremesteven33]

I cant believe that the offense is focused on Shaq!

You got one of the most explosive PF's to ever play this game and they arent focusing the offense on him but on an old overweight SHAQ??

sure dantoni wasnt a jedi at defense but he knew how to use players strenghts to the teams benefit and run a great offense. Porter seems to not have the liberty to do that.

[Indazone]

I would not make Shaq the focus of the offense but I would play more of a high post offense to take advantage of Amare's ability to get it to the hole.

[Dex]

I just find it funny that when Shaq came, the whole Phoenix organization was preaching that 'we can't change to fit Shaq, Shaq must change to fit us'.

All it took was one playoff blunder to realize that Shaq is not a runner and gunner. Unfortunately, he's not the beast in the post that he used to be either, so I'm pretty sure building the offense around him isn't the answer.

[Killakobe81]

Shaq plus new coach is a tough adjustment for a tam to take ....I would trade one or the other ...

[pauls931]

I just find it funny that when Shaq came, the whole Phoenix organization was preaching that 'we can't change to fit Shaq, Shaq must change to fit us'.

All it took was one playoff blunder to realize that Shaq is not a runner and gunner. Unfortunately, he's not the beast in the post that he used to be either, so I'm pretty sure building the offense around him isn't the answer.

It hurts my eyes when I see nash bring the ball down the court, everyone stands still and then he passes it into the post to Shaq. Reminds me of Barkley's later days in Phoenix when I was actually happy to see him traded just to force the offense to do something different.

You have to have a damn good post player to do that and get away with it. Hakeen, Duncan, Young Barkley/Shaq come to mind.