The Phoenix Suns hosted the Seattle Sonics, or I guess that would be Supersonics under the circumstances, in a 40th anniversary celebration tonight. I turned the game on the local outlet, KUTP, minutes before it started. It was black and white, and they listed the Supersonics’ starting lineup, then the Suns’, complete with numbers and letters which took up nearly the whole screen. As the teams were warming up, I noticed Steve Nash had a headband on. So did Boris Diaw, Grant Hill, Amare Stoudemire, and a few others. Maybe they all did. Seeing Nash in a headband was quite odd, though with his long, stringy hair by today’s standards, he somehow fit the part. (Diaw would be the lone Sun who kept his headband on the entire game).
Once the game started, it was shown primarily from one camera, about mid-level on the side, which would follow the action back and forth. The only exception would be during a free throw, when the camera angle was the same but slightly lower on the side, with a slightly closer shot. And the score would show only after every two or three baskets, not every possession. The only constant on the screen was the clock near the top, just big enough to see but not in the way of anything. No the shot clock, not a sponsor, not any stats on runs, points in the paint, fast break points—nothing. And they even had the little hair-like lines which meandered across the picture from time to time, like it was in the old days. And whenever they did show a player and his number, it was in big block-like fashion, such as
44 - KURT THOMAS
Except it was in white, of course, covering the entire bottom of the screen. And wasn’t always very visible if the background was white. (Man, they thought of EVERYTHING!) Unfortunately, the Suns played like a first year team in the first quarter, trailing by 20 at its conclusion. Strangely enough, as I felt like I was watching a replay of an old game, I wasn’t too concerned. Guess I was lost in time and was enthralled by the broadcast more than the score.
By the way, there were no short-shorts or throwback jerseys involved. And no, the refs didn’t suddenly decide to call traveling or palming the ball, which may have helped snap me back into reality. But at every commercial, appropriate music was played, starting with some Doors and progressing chronologically as the game went on. And a highlight of a past Suns’ great was shown. Connie Hawkins, Alvan Adams, Walter “Sweet D” Davis, Paul Westphal, Kevin Johnson, and on and on. Speaking of being snapped back into reality, an anti-smoking commercial was shown near the end of the first period, when I half-expected to see “I’d walk a mile for a Camel.”
At the start of the second quarter, the game was shown in color. Although it was ‘70s style color. In other words, it was a little sloppy-with bright colors sometimes “following” a player, or the court luminating unexcpectedly when the camera would move. Priceless, I tell you. And still the simple block letters telling the team names and score, although now covering only the bottom third of the screen rather than half. But still only periodically, and briefly.
At different points in the first half, the Suns brought former and current broadcasters on. George Allen was asked to do the last minute of the half; “Nash for threeeeee- - got it,” he said, growling the last two words. Al McCoy, recent hall of fame inductee and longtime Suns radio announcer who did simulcasts for a long time, led off the second quarter with former partner Greg Schulte, who now does play-by-play for the Diamondbacks. Seemed like old times. Gary Bender also sat in for awhile. Former Sun Eddie Johnson, who is the normal cohort of Tom Leander and former partner of Bender, offered the most consistent, high-quality insight. As he usually does.
The Supersonics scored 33 in the first quarter, but only 30 during the second and third combined. And the Suns ended up winning by eight. And to cap of####reat night, my guy Shawn Marion did a post game interview with Leander. Just before the interview concluded, Leander mentioned that they had discussed different ring of honorees and shown highlights of each during the game. And how he said they needed to make room for the Matrix. Marion seemed a little humbled and said he would be honored. As they bid their adieus, Marion sang, “Tooooom Leander,” and mutual respect was obvious. Perhaps that was a “guess you had to be there” moment, since my description doesn’t convey the feeling.
There was more, so much more. Like McCoy recalling a “Ron Lee Floor Score” contest that a station had run one season while Lee was with the team in the late ‘70s and was known for diving for loose balls. Fans were invited to keep track during the season, and the winner at the end won a new waterbed. Or opening of the broadcast with Leander and Johnson looking like Mod Squad wanna-bees, complete with old-style microphones. Or the highlights of past Suns greats leading into commercials. Ah, the memories. And I loved the cheerleaders’ getup during the second (‘70s?) quarter, complete with orange tops and hot pants, oversized white earrings and white calf-high boots. And I didn’t watch a second of the game on TNT, which I imagine didn’t pick it up until the Bulls and Blazers were done overtiming. And I understand that in today’s NBA. But fortunately I didn’t have to deal with that on this evening. For a brief time at least, I got to be in the middle of nostalgia. And it was beautiful. Thanks to KUTP TV, the Phoenix Suns, and all who played a part in the first 39 years.
I’m one of those people who just have never liked sequels. Or remakes, for that matter. Once I’ve seen a movie, the sequel(s) usually turn out to be more of the same, and don’t live up to the hype. Sure, there are a few exceptions: Back To The Future II was pretty good, but that was planned from the get-go. Although the third installment, true to form, left something to be desired. All three Final Destination flicks were pretty good, too, if you like that genre. There are a few others-very few. But I stopped after the second Rocky, the first Rambo, and the first Lethal Weapon. I guess I just didn’t see the point. My kids did convince me to watch the remake of When A Stranger Calls about a year ago. Having seen the original, the second offering was a waste of time. Even they thought so, and they hadn’t seen the first one. But want to.
As the Phoenix Suns are once again flying high, though the recent back to back losses have them sitting at 11-4, (yawn), I can’t help but think that we’ve seen this all before. As usual, their big three of Steve Nash, Shawn Marion, and Amare Stoudemire will guarantee that they are one of the more formidable teams in the league, and a joy to watch. And again, their top seven players-add in Raja Bell, Grant Hill, Leandro Barbosa, and Boris Diaw-are probably as good as anybody’s. Throw in Brian Skinner, who has been a pleasant surprise in the middle with his athleticism, shot blocking, and ability to connect from mid-range AND the free throw line, and you have an eight man squad that I’d put money on against anyone. Just as I would have on last year’s eight. Problem is, NBA teams are allowed to dress 12. Which most nights are wasted wages to those who collect a paycheck for laundering the Suns’ jerseys.
That wasn’t the case in the preseason or the first couple weeks of the season. As head coach Mike D’Antoni does every year, he gave decent minutes to backup point guard Marcus Banks, frontliner Sean Marks, and sniper Eric Piatkowski. And the team’s two rookies, D.J. Strawberry and Alando Tucker, saw significant time in the preseason, adding an energy on both ends of the court that stuck out like a sore thumb. Tucker was recently sent to the developmental league, and Strawberry may be headed there too in the not-to-distant future. I have a hard time believing that another team as much in need of young, quick guard play as the Suns are wouldn’t be able to find a spot for these guys in the rotation.
It appears that D’Antoni’s main problem with Marcus Banks is that he’s not Steve Nash. But nobody is. And after some steady performances and a solid game against the Kings just over a week ago, in which he was leading the break, throwing some no-look passes, and playing solid defense, Banks hasn’t seen the floor. In the same time, Nash’s average minutes per game have risen slightly, from around 33 prior to just under 36 since. And while Nash is playing at an unbelievable level right now, there are still 60-plus games to go. This is not an indictment of Nash, but everyone knows that, while in excellent condition, he would be best served by scaling back on the playing time a bit. Common sense would say that an average of around 30-32 minutes per game, and 16-18 for Banks, would serve both players much better come May. But unfortunately, I’ve seen this before. It won’t happen.
Grant Hill was immediately anointed a starter upon his inking the contract, and I’m not sure why. Not that he doesn’t have a starter’s ability, but his current average of 35 minutes per game-we’re still in November-doesn’t bode well for the spring. The optimum situation would have been bringing Hill off the bench for 20-25 minutes, to keep him and everyone else relatively fresh throughout the season. But as we have seen, a definite pattern has been established. A prequel, if you will.
Today, D’Antoni lamented in the East Valley Tribune (www.eastvalleytribune.com) that his team doesn’t seem to be enjoying themselves much these days. While they’re still winning, they don’t have the enthusiasm of the team from three years ago. Which is somewhat understandable, since the pressure then was almost non-existent compared to now. But at the same time, a deeper rotation and an infusion from the bench, including the afore-mentioned rookies, could do nothing but help the overall attitude. He went on to say that his team was playing uptight and without the free flowing energy of years past. Hey coach, you think it’s bad now? Wait until the end of the season, when those top seven or eight guys on your roster have the off-season in the back of their mind so they can get some rest. You no longer have to defend yourself when it comes to your style of play. We saw last year you have no qualms about going head to head with Dallas or San Antonio. Nor do you have to explain your team’s lack of consistent defense. It has shown that, in a big game, it can play it when it has to-provided you have all yours weapons at your disposal. More on that to follow. But, as has been written by yours truly in this space in the past, you have yet to answer the shallow bench criticism. And therein lies the problem.
Three years ago, the revamped Suns sprinted to the best record in the league, but lost to the Spurs in the conference finals, even though Stoudemire was a beast, averaging 37 points per game. A healthy Joe Johnson, who broke his face against Dallas in the previous round, may have helped. But not to worry. This was a team on the rise. Two years ago, Stoudemire was on the shelf and two new starters were replacing Joe Johnson and Quentin Richardson. But despite all the doom and gloom predictions, and thanks to Nash’s second MVP season and a season for the ages from Shawn Marion, the overachieving Suns once again slipped into the conference finals, where they lost to the Mavericks in six games. We could’ve done without Raja Bell pulling a calf muscle, though. Especially since the rotation was already stretched about as thin as could be. Last season, I was convinced that the Suns were getting over the hump. Their two long winning streaks, their late season erasure of a 15 point fourth quarter deficit at Dallas to win in overtime, and their victory at San Antonio in game four of their series after trailing by 11 midway through the fourth told me the Suns were tough, hungry, and ready. Well, at least eight of them were. But when the eight became six, they came up short yet again. Even in game five, without Stoudemire and Diaw, the Suns led throughout until late in the fourth. Then they ran out of gas. Kind of like a sequel that tries to thrive off the previous edition. It just never seems to work.
Perhaps next off-season, the trade rumors regarding Shawn Marion will be replaced by the search for a new coach. Which would make a lot more sense. Without Marion, the Suns are no better than a five seed. After all, the Suns have won with a ####ed-up-Nash. They’ve won without Stoudemire. But without the ever-durable and supremely consistent Marion, they would be at a loss. And without D’Antoni? Who knows. But his window, if not the Suns', is about to be closed for maintenance. I know. I've already seen this movie.
(Subtitle: Palaver (noun) a: idle talkb: misleading or beguiling speech)
NBA Commissioner David Stern used the above word in an interview with Dan Patrick last spring. It was used as he was referring to all of the backlash over the Suns-Spurs series and the “palaver” being bandied about regarding the suspension of two Suns, while a similar violation committed by the Spurs in the same game went unpunished. When Patrick confronted him with it, (prompting the use of the “P word”) Stern’s arrogance and defensiveness instinctively kicked in. Not to his discredit though, as apparently he can’t react any other way. After all, we all know his officials are the most knowledgeable, most well-trained, and most competent in all of sports. If you don’t believe me, just ask him. And to those who thought his opinion may be muffled a bit after the Tim Donaghy disaster, think again. It’s almost as if it had never happened. Donaghy was a “rogue, isolated criminal” according to Stern in his late June press conference. Sure he was. And you, Mr. Stern, are a top-notch commish, despite all the palaver that you deflect. Well, you’re no Bud Selig, but you’re well on your way.
Chris Sheridan wrote earlier today, (Quoting Stern here) “Technically, it turns out every single current NBA referee has gambled in some form, after all -- although none of them are going to be punished for it. And, strange as it may seem, those very same referees will now be permitted to gamble in a multitude of ways.”
That can do nothing but help the game, right Mr. Stern? Who doesn’t want refs gambling? (Public Service Announcement: Are you an NBA official who’s tired of those annoying phone calls saying “When are you going to pay up, punk?” Call 1-800-DONAGHY. We’ll handle any case, no matter how big or small. Stern & Co. We'll go to bat for you. We're so sure we'll come out ahead, we'll bet on it).
Sheridan continues, “Stern said an internal review had found that all [ALL? So you admit it and stillchoose to do nothing??] of the league's 56 referees violated the contractual prohibition against engaging in gambling, with more than half of them admitting to placing wagers in casinos. But Stern said none of the violations was major, and no referees had admitted to wagering in a sports book or with a bookie.
‘ “Our ban on gambling is absolute, and in my view it is too absolute, too harsh and was not particularly well-enforced over the years," ‘ Stern said. ‘ "We're going to come up with a new set of rules that make sense." ‘
Uh, folks, if that ain’t “palaver,” I don’t know what is. Or dare I say absolute palaver? And did an official leave the general vicinity of the blackjack table during a hand? After all, a rule is a rule . . .
But wait, it gets better, in the same article from Sheridan. "It's too easy to issue rules that are on their faith violated by $5 Nassau, sitting at a poker table, buying a lottery ticket and then we can move along," Stern said. "And by the time I got through and I determined going into a casino isn't a capital offense ... I'm the CEO of the NBA and I'll take responsibility."
No, you won’t. That’s obvious, you arrogant no-mind. And no matter how often
you try to convince us otherwise, we’re not buying it. Just like we haven’t
bought your assertion, or should I say insistence, regarding your stellar
officiating crew. What they did on the court has always been there for all the
world to see. Obviously, what they do off the court doesn’t really matter either.
And neither do these rules you speak of. The fact of the matter is, Mr. Stern, is
that your employees broke your rule, and you are doing nothing about it.
Responsibility? Sounds like more palaver from you if you ask me. But I wouldn’t
ask me if I were you.
Mr. Stern will be at The Improv all week. Don’t forget to tip your bartenders and
waitresses.
Thanks for taking the time to read my palaver.
(And for even more intriguing prose on related topics, see my post from 06/27/07, entitled "David Stern, Teflon No More.)
{Or, for those of you not familiar with the David Bowie number, I’ll translate the title: “Moving Marion Would Mark Beginning of End for Suns”}
The Phoenix Suns’ 2007-08 marketing campaign carries a heavy dose of the phrase “Planet Orange,” though it was unsure as this went to press whether the team was referring to one of the Suns’ colors, along with purple, or the area’s lucrative citrus yield. Suns forward extraordinaire Shawn Marion made it public recently that he would like to be traded, citing a weariness of being mentioned in trade rumors during the last few off-seasons. Contrary to popular opinion, there’s not always fire where there’s smoke, but to think the team hasn’t at least had a serious discussion or two on the matter would be naïve. Which can be taken one of two ways; the Suns think that swapping Marion for a player or two would ease their financial situation, or that the rest of the league thinks enough of the Suns highest paid player that a plethora of inquiries have been made regarding his availability.
It would be easy to criticize Marion in this situation, as some of his recent comments may have been a little hard for Suns fans to ####, such as “It’s like a bad marriage. It doesn’t matter who’s right or wrong, both people should just move on,” or, when asked if he was excited about the prospect of joining the Lakers, replied, “Why wouldn’t I be? You have a great organization, a great ownership there with the Lakers.” And when you sharpen your pencil and devise a Matrix with the following given equations--Kobe Bryant has requested to be moved from the Lakers more than once due to a poor, feebly-run management, and Marion’s apparent desire to play with Bryant and his “great organization,”--the contradiction screams louder than the rim does after a half-court alley-oop from Steve Nash to the outstretched right arm of a soarrrrrrrring Marion, floating in a most peculiar way.
Yes, the comments were a little much. However, I for one will cut Marion some slack, due to the frequency and significance of deposits he has made into the appreciation account, so to speak. In other words, considering the comments came from a player who was picked out of UNLV as a relatively unheralded first rounder, (if that’s possible for the ninth overall pick--hire THAT scout as your next GM, sports fans), then worked his rear end off to be the best small forward in the game today, whether the Suns were an also-ran or a playoff team, he gets the benefit of the doubt here. Hard to imagine what this team would be without him.
With Amare Stoudemire out for the ’05-’06 season and two other starters from the previous year’s western conference finals team gone-Joe Johnson and Quentin Richardson-most pundits wrote the Suns off. But after a season in which Marion reached rarified air-more on that later-they found themselves in the conference finals again. A perfect example of Marion’s worth came just prior to that, during the second round playoff series against the Clippers, when Marion guarded point guard Sam Cassell one game and power forward Elton Brand the next. He also spent a significant amount of time defending Corey Magette. It’s also worth noting that he averaged 25.6 PPG and 12.6 RPG in that series. Is there a player in the league whom you would trade Marion for that would be as adept at carrying out these assignments? Maybe a couple. And could one argue that Marion is more valuable to the Suns than Stoudemire? Perhaps.
(Obligatory statistics paragraph to follow. Please bear with me). Many have said that the addition of Steve Nash prior to the 2003-04 season has inflated Marion’s value, and that Marion is a “product of the system.” I won’t address the latter because, in a team sport, how many athletes’ productions are NOT results of the system? Very few. As for the former statement, let’s ponder that more closely. Over the three year period before Nash joined the Suns, 2001-2004, Marion scored 4741 points in 242 games. In the three seasons since, Marion has scored 4761 points in 241 games. Note the consistency in those numbers for a minute, and take note of his games played in all six of those seasons: 81,81,79,81,81,80, with more than one of those games missed being a late season rest. Marion’s average PPG pre-Nash; 19.6. With Nash; 19.8. Now let’s look at Nash’s numbers over the same time period. In the three seasons before joining the Suns, 2001-2004, Nash had 1919 assists in 242 games. After joining the Suns, he accumulated 2571 assists in 227 games over the last three seasons. The bottom line? Nash before; 8.0 assists per game. Nash since; 11.2 assists per game. It goes without saying that there are several other factors involved in these stats, and that they are simply that-stats. But can one make the case that Marion has made Nash better? And while I’m on the subject, I’m still trying to figure out how the Matrix could have a season like he did in ’04-’05, when The Matrix was in the top 20 in the following categories: Scoring (17th-21.8 PPG), Field goal pct. (52.4, 18th), rebounding (4th-11.8 RPG), blocks (18th), steals (6th), minutes played (7th), double-doubles (tied for second), Pts./Rebs./Assts. (11th), and 3rd in the league in ‘efficiency rating,’ whatever that is. Sounds good, though. Not to mention he shot 81% on his free throws during the season and 88% in the playoffs. Yet got all of one fifth-place MVP vote. ONE. If you can find me another player who had a season like that -who isn't 6'10" or bigger- and he’s probably in Springfield or will be someday. Perhaps the hurdle facing Marion and his level of appreciation is that he is definitely a unique specimen, or at least one who hasn’t achieved this level of success, and we really don’t know what to make of him. We’ve seen great leapers, great defenders, great dunkers, and great quickness from the forward position. We’ve seen all the attributes Marion possesses, but never rolled into a single package like this. Not to beat a dead horse, but it’s hard to say Marion is fully appreciated when what he does for a basketball team is put into full perspective. And when you consider what the main cogs of the Marion trade rumors are being compensated and what they provide for their teams, one could almost make that case that Marion is underpaid. Almost.
Players involved in the Marion trade rumors the past year or so have included Jermaine O’Neal, Kevin Garnett, Lamar Odom and a Laker to be named later (I’m on the edge of my seat), and Andre Kirilenko. Let’s eliminate three of them from realistic consideration right now. O’Neal, Odom, and Kirilenko all come with caveats. O’Neal could be a big help to the Suns if he’s motivated. Odom could fit in with the Suns if he can stay healthy. Kirilenko may be able to regain the form he showed a couple years ago, if he can gain the confidence of his teammates and coaches. But Jazz point guard Deron Williams’ recent comments stating that Kirilenko is the first to leave after practice after arriving last, and that Williams wouldn’t trust him as much as other teammates with a big shot, tell me all I need to know about him. I would want no part of AK47, which, in a bit or irony that is begging to be mentioned, could blow up the Suns for the foreseeable future.
Regarding Garnett, he is one of the very short list on players who may bring the Suns equal value. However, that move would give them a more specific type of player who would work well in certain matchups, rather than the flexible Marion, who works in nearly every matchup. Garnett playing the opposing team’s point or shooting guard is hard to imagine. Which would force the Suns to add yet another player to fill the bill. And since the league only allows five men on the floor at one time-unless you’re the San Antonio Spurs, of course-that deal makes little sense as well. And it must be pointed out that any of the above names don’t address the issues that really kept the Suns from winning the title last year; quality depth, D’Antoni’s unwillingness to go deeper than eight to see if he had quality depth, and a defensive upgrade.
{Note: as this went to press, word out of Suns’ camp is that Amare Stoudemire is going to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. Not the knee that he had the microfracture procedure done, and he should only be out about a month. But this development does shine the light on Marion’s durability and value even more.}
Of course all of this brings us back to the subjects at hand; A) would the Suns be better off dealing Marion, and B) if not, can he and the team smooth over the perceived chemistry issues that may arise? Any trade attempted would be difficult to pull off salary-wise, and just as difficult to get equal value in return. Why? Because the time has come to declare Shawn Marion and his league-leading nickname, The Matrix, an elite player. And without an elite player coming back in the deal, it would be the beginning of the end for Suns chances to poke their head through the championship window that may be on the way down. There have been a few pundits who have made a significant issue out of the fact that Marion’s numbers have dipped in the playoffs. But after further review, that can be said about most players, since the playoffs pits the best teams against each other. And without Marion, the Suns can forget about winning 60 games during the season. Rather, they would settle in at around 45 to 50, and be no more than a five seed in the ultra-competitive western conference. As for the chemistry issue, if leading by example accounts for anything, the last member of the Suns who should be subject to criticism is Marion, as he more than any other Sun in recent history has been through the playoff wars. I find it hard to believe that he would play at anything less than what he has in the past. And frankly, if Boris Diaw and head coach Mike D’Antoni had progressed from the ’05-’06 season to last season like they should have, we may be talking about the Suns going for two straight. In short, Shawn Marion is not the problem, and trading him solves nothing, especially given the names that have been bandied about in return. And to avoid ignoring the obvious, if root of the problem is Marion’s request to be traded, address it. The Suns need to explain to Marion that a raise is simply not an option, due to the fact that they are already up against the cap. But a three year extension at a workable salary, with a no-trade clause, may be enough to placate him. That would end the trade rumors immediately, which should have been nipped in the bud two off-seasons ago. Would an extension somewhat handcuff the Suns? Maybe. If you can call having Marion, Nash, and Stoudemire under contract for the next three seasons a handcuff.
On the other side of the spectrum, the Suns’ organization may want to point out to Marion and his agent that a trade would do nothing to solve the recognition and respect issues he faces. He would be the same type of player on another team, and if that team is an also-ran, he’ll fade even farther into the NBA masses. Case in point-what would Dirk Nowitzki be on a .500 team? Come to think of it, not much different than last year. A very good player whose team got bounced in the first round. Or at best, an athletic seven footer who scores a lot. And Marion needs to look no further than former Sun Joe Johnson, who was quoted in the April 23, 2007 edition of ESPN magazine with the following comment, “I got a sense of satisfaction by showing my all-around package. But when the playoffs come around, I’ll be at home again.” Is this the sort of recognition you want, Shawn? The Matrix deserves to be on the NBA all-defensive team, and has for a few years now, as well as the first or second team all NBA, but being on a less successful team won’t help him one bit in either of those quests.
If an extension cannot be worked out over the next few months, the trade rumors will surface yet again next off-season, since the Suns are certain not to trade Marion while on their way to another very successful season. Act now, Planet Orange. Because when it comes right down to it, you have one of the most well-trained, well-conditioned, and talented basketball players in the league in tow. A player whom Don Nelson calls, “as important as anyone they’ve got.” Nelson played on Celtic championship teams and has subsequently coached in the league longer than many of its players have been alive.
In light of all this, The Matrix stated last week, “I’m a professional. I will be where I’m supposed to be.” And if you’re not, Shawn, Planet Orange will be blue, and there’s nothing we can do.
Thanks for taking the time to read. And thanks to www.eastvalleytribune.com, www.nba.com, and www.basketball-reference.com. And thanks to Shawn Marion. Shawn, your fans here love you very much, you know? I hope the Planet Orange spaceship knows which way to go. Can you hear me, Major Shawn?
Well, isn’t THIS a kick in the teeth. This blog, that is. The one I didn’t think I’d be writing. But unfortunately, I have to. This was the year I was certain that the Phoenix Suns would rise to the top. Claim the NBA title that has avoided them like the plague for so long. And if not for a few untimely and unfortunate circumstances, we aren’t having this conversation. Even though the Suns have been one of the league’s most successful, and well-run, franchises, the ultimate goal has eluded them. Until this year, I thought. Which is why this one hurts more than ever. I haven’t been as pumped up for a game of any sort as I was for game six Friday night.
Sure, we could play the “what if” game all day long. What if Steve Nash hadn’t butted heads with Tony Parker late in the first game. What if Bruce Bowen had been suspended for his knee to Nash’s groin in game three. Does Robert Horry plant a hard foul on Nash if Bowen’s already out? Probably not. What if the league decides to fine Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw, but not suspend them? Or suspend Tim Duncan and Bruce Bowen as well for venturing onto the court during play early in the same game? Or what if Suns head coach Mike D’Antoni had played his bench more during the season so he could rely on them when needed? Therein lies the biggest what if of them all.
Phoenix, Arizona has three all-sports radio stations. With virtually every sport imaginable existing in this town, (okay, there aren’t a lot of skiing or dogsled races going on), all three have no problem filling their airwaves with pertinent talk by the hosts and callers, year round. But make no mistake, the Suns own this town. Other than the occasional “breakout” season by ASU’s Sun Devil football team, and the Diamondbacks World Series run in 2001, the Suns are the king of the Phoenix sports scene. Especially since Frank Kush was unceremoniously dumped as ASU’s coach in 1979. Granted, Arizona State has a ton of things going for it right now-baseball, softball, women’s basketball, both men’s and women’s golf, (golf? Did someone say ‘golf’? I’m in!) Where was I now? Oh yeah. Back to the Suns.
The rhetoric over the suspensions following game four has been tossed about to the Nth degree already, so I won’t revisit that again, other than to say that for every “a rule is a rule” statement I heard from the league, I can produce multiple examples where a rule is not a rule. But #### that later. (Speaking of morons, anyone heard from David Stern lately? Okay, that was a cheap shot. At least I didn’t check him into the scorer’s table. Oops, another cheap shot. Horry. Uh, I mean sorry. Uncalled for. Unless you’re Horry, of course. Who said that Nash flopped. Sure he did. Which makes about as much sense as thinking it was smart to “foul” the best free-throw shooter on the court with 18 seconds left.)
This series slipped away from the Suns late in game four. In the fourth quarter, the Suns trailed the big bad Spurs by 11 points, yet somehow found a way to toughen up on D, hit some big shots, and win in San Antonio’s building. That should have been the turning point of the series. It was not, unfortunately. Instead, what we heard for the next two days was talk of the impending decision from the league. Lost was the fact that the Suns did something no one expected them to do. Think about it. Late in that game, many thought the series was over, with San Antonio about to go up three games to one. But it wasn’t. However, the momentum lost between a great Suns win and the game five tipoff was crucial. Not due to the suspensions, mind you, but due to the simple fact that the Suns played Spurs-type basketball in the Spurs’ building at a crucial time, and it was overlooked. The Suns momentum was lost in the non-stop discussions regarding suspensions. The Suns never recovered.
Which brings us to game five. A game that the Suns should have won. If there’s one thing that D’Antoni should have learned in his three-plus seasons running the Suns, it’s that depth is a great thing. Two years ago, Joe Johnson broke his face against the Mavericks. Last year, with no Stoudemire, Kurt Thomas, and a hobbling Raja Bell, the Suns lost again in the conference finals. If these events don’t point out the value o####ood bench, nothing will. Yes coach, you had the horses to win it all this year. Everybody knows that. But apparently your preparation is a little faulty. I’ll give you kudos for even getting to the conference finals last year when no one thought you had a snowball’s chance in hell. And how you didn’t see at that point in time the value of a solid bench is beyond me. I’ll take your top eight against anyone else’s top eight any day of the week. Problem is, you’re allowed twelve. And so are they. Marcus Banks, signed to back up Nash? Seven minutes in the playoffs. Jalen Rose? Nine. Jumaine Jones? Zero. I’m sensing a pattern here. Hopefully you are, too. These three were all off-season acquisitions. And you drafted nobody last year, other than Nate Robinson, who was only done so with the purpose of trading him.
Personally, I think Marcus Banks could’ve slowed down Parker a little bit in certain situations. Rose could’ve provided some experience as game five (and game one, for that matter, with Nash bleeding) wound down. Pat Burke? Now there were some fouls to use on Tim Duncan, who, as we all know, is not a very good free throw shooter. But that would have meant that you would have had to play all of them during the regular season to get something resembling consistency out of them. Something you failed to do, coach.
To be fair, the last quarter of game four showed me that your team can, in fact, play tough defense when needed. The 20 point rout of the Spurs in game two proved to me that your style can and will succeed in the post-season. Whether it succeeds under you or some subsequent coach remains to be seen. The only knock on you that has not been resolved is your short rotation. If I needed proof when I mentioned it before, I don’t think I do anymore. If you had a bench you could count on, whether it’s the fact that they haven’t played enough or are not capable, either one falls on you. You called the shots. And regardless of which it is, you failed miserably.
Many names will be bandied about in the off-season scuttlebutt while trades are mentioned, especially since the Suns already have the 24th and 29th picks in the first round, not to mention possibly picking up the Hawks first round pick if it’s not a top three—something that will be decided tomorrow, during the lottery drawing. And while the temptation will no doubt be great to move a vital player or two, I think that would be a mistake. Nash and Stoudemire are what I would consider untouchable, as is Shawn Marion. Marion’s name will be brought up like it has been the last two years, but dealing him just doesn’t work on so many fronts. Add in Leandro Barbosa and Raja Bell, and you have a strong core with which to move forward. Barbosa had a poor series against San Antonio, but it would be ludicrous to move him at this point. Like Stoudemire, he is only 24 with a tremendous upside. But the fact of the matter is that, after factoring in even a couple signed draft picks, the Suns will be 10 to 12 million over the salary cap, if no other moves are made. And since the NBA regulations state that for every dollar over the cap, a dollar-for-dollar luxury tax must be paid to the league. (To improve the quality of officiating, I can only speculate. But, hey, a rule's a rule, right?). Suns owner Robert Sarver has stated that he would not be opposed to paying it if the team is title-worthy. Unfortunately, for the third straight year, a case could be made that we still don’t know if they are or not. But the bottom line is that a significant move or two could be made, and such moves should not come as much of a surprise.
Speaking of Stoudemire, I am aware that he has gotten a lot of flak for leaving the bench area and therefore inviting the decision by the league to suspend him. I understand that. He also played in all 82 games this season after recovering from surgeries on both knees, one a microfracture, and being named All-NBA first team. Like most fans, I don’t know a lot about the microfracture procedure, other than it entails drilling holes in the leg bones near the knee and running ligaments through them, while encouraging them to grow and adhere. At any rate, Stoudemire showed a passion for the game this season. He changed his number from 32 to 1, to remind him of his quest to be the best. He got a new contract shortly before last season, and shortly before it was learned that he would need the major surgery. It’s hard to say that microfracture surgery could ever be a good thing, but he made it as good as can be expected. While he was in the early recovery stages, and not yet able to do a lot of running and conditioning, he worked on his mid-range jumper and his free throws. And it showed. I don’t think anyone could accuse him of playing simply to pick up a paycheck. Yes, he needs to show a little more maturity on the court. But I’ll still take him. He’s what is referred to as a keeper. Thirty-eight points in the game six loss. Tell me his absence didn't make a difference in game five.
Looking at the contract situation of various Suns, it appears the following will not be back: Sean Marks. Unrestricted free agent. Played in three games. ‘Nuff said. Jumaine Jones. Unrestricted free agent. Played in 18 games. Which matches the number of games he was inactive to close out the season. Probably could have helped more, had he not had an injury in the pre-season and/or been given more of a chance. Jalen Rose. Though many fans wanted to see more of him, (including yours truly), his lack of athleticism and the fact that he is a defensive liability probably sealed his fate.
On the other hand, it would be easy to say that Kurt Thomas was the Suns’ most consistent player in the Spurs series. Granted, he didn’t exactly shut down Tim Duncan, but he did allow his teammates to play the other Spurs straight up and stay at home. Until they were instructed by D’Antoni to do otherwise, apparently. And seeing Duncan play several games in a row makes one realize just how great he is in the low post, on both ends of the floor. Even through Thomas’ tough defense, Duncan hit on a vast array of shots. (Like I mentioned before kids-using the glass is a wonderful thing). Yet the Suns consistently let the Spurs perimeter shooters beat them.
Rumor has it, Boris Diaw has been given a Bunsen burner by the team as a lovely off-season parting gift, and has been instructed to sit on it. Hopefully it will be enough to light a fire under his ####.
Reportedly, Eric Piatkowski has been told that he will be back next season. Good thing, too. His 2.5 point average in 11 regular season games would be hard to replace. He played a grand total of three minutes in the playoffs. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against 37 year old three point shooters having a place on the team, as long as they can forecheck. But I just don’t see Piatkowski filling the bill. Unless the coach decides to let him off the bench once in awhile.
That would leave three roster spots open, provided the Suns make no other moves, which is certainly not a given. Phoenix already has the 24th and 29th picks in the first round of the draft. Based on how the lottery chips fall, they may also have Atlanta’s first round pick, thanks to the Joe Johnson/Boris Diaw deal. (Dang, should have gotten the Bunsen burner then). Stay tuned tomorrow for the final word on that. (Much more speculation regarding off-season moves to come, but that’s fodder for a later time. In the meantime, can you say “Mike Conley, Jr”?).
Visiting the “what if” question one final time would bring us to the realization that the Suns very well could have, and perhaps should have, won it all this year. Jerry Colangelo, who put this town on the sports map, saw his tenure with the team come to an end with its loss in game six. The fact that he never realized a championship with the team he helped mold from day one, and later purchased and sold, is a crying shame. And what seemed like such an immediately bright future just a couple seasons ago has now given way to the harsh reality that windows of opportunity seldom stay open very long in this business. Unless you have a Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, or Magic Johnson on your team. And the Suns have gone from the next big thing to just another also-ran. A season which I thought would mirror the 2006 Indianapolis Colts turned into, once again, more like the Buffalo Bills of the early ‘90s. Except the Bills at least got there. Nash is now 33 years old. Bell is 30. Yes, Stoudemire is still young, as are Barbosa and Diaw. But even Marion just turned 29 a couple weeks ago. Funny how times flies when you’re having fun.
Sunset? Perhaps. And unlike every other one in Arizona, this one may not be pretty.
There have been more twists in this series than some teams see in a year. Steve Nash gets his nose split wide open late in game one, and I’m sure everyone immediately thought that he may miss significant time in the next game, which of course he did not. Then came the Bruce Bowen leg flail in game two, after which Amare Stoudemire referred to the Spurs as a “dirty team.” Stoudemire later said he was specifically referring to Bowen and Manu Ginobili. (Earlier this season, Ginobili gave Bell a forearm shiver that cost Bell a game due to injury, a play I’m sure all the Suns remember.) If you haven’t heard, Robert Horry committed a flagrant foul on Steve Nash late in game 4. Perhaps out of frustration, perhaps with intent. Following the subsequent suspensions of Horry, Stoudemire, and Diaw, Commissioner David Stern and NBA Punishment-Hander-Outer Stu Jackson were fried by every media outlet in the country. (Isn’t it just a little ironic that the player who called the Spurs dirty sits out a game as a result of a dirty play by Horry?) The phrases “a rule is a rule,” “immediate vicinity,” and “gray area” were thrown around more often than Bowen shows up on youtube. A couple of my favorites were, “It’s not a matter of fairness, it’s a matter of correctness.” Huh? Actually Stu, it turned out to be neither. In fact, it wasn’t in the “immediate vicinity” of either. Better luck next time. And “The rule is the rule . . . We intend to apply it consistently.” Strike two. (Look for a breaking ball low and away, Stu Mendoza.)
A dangerous precedent was set with the Jackson/Stern decision. What is there to stop a team from sending out it’s 12th man to bodycheck with the intent of inciting a reaction from the other team, which would result in a suspension of one or more players? For this, I bring in Alex Trebec. “The answer is: nothing.” I’m sure the league will change the rule after the season. But for now, I’ll take “Gray Areas for $500, Alex.”
And what does “immediate vicinity” mean, anyway? Stu Jackson-Mendoza, still trying to raise his average above .150, said in a local radio interview that Stoudemire and Diaw were 20 to 25 feet away from their seats. So, had their seats been nearer to the “altercation,” would they have been, say, only 10 to 15 feet away? Would that still be in the “immediate vicinity?” Ah, the metric system is a beautiful thing, isn’t it Mr. Mendoza? Perhaps we should apply it to your batting average. It may help. Or to your gray area, if you had one. Which we know you don’t. You told us over and over. But repeating an ambiguous rule makes neither your decision nor the rule right.
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Phoenix. Pronunciation: \'fe-niks\ Function: noun
: a legendary bird which according to one account lived 500 years, burned itself to ashes on a pyre, and rose alive from the ashes to live another period; also: a person or thing likened to the phoenix
Through five games of one of the better series in recent memory, the San Antonio Spurs lead the Phoenix Suns 3-2. And the better team almost always wins in a seven game series. Which is why I like the Suns chances of winning two straight. Through the five games, the Suns have outscored the Spurs 497-486. One could be so bold as to say that, save for a Nash-Gash and an unfortunate suspension, this series may be over. But I'm getting a little ahead of myself.
In the ’05 playoffs, Joe Johnson took a vicious fall against the Mavericks. He basically broke his face, yet the Suns still prevailed without him, only to fall the Spurs in five games. (Happy in Atlanta, Joe? At least you’re the main guy now, aren’t you?) Heading into the following season, Amare Stoudemire was thought to be lost for the season after micro-fracture surgery on one knee and a more common surgery to his other knee. Most NBA scribes labeled the Suns a .500 team at best. Mike D’Antoni though, said that his team would still win 50 games and be a force in the playoffs. After winning 54 and losing 28, and Kurt Thomas and Raja Bell to injury, the Suns made it to the western conference finals. (Granted, the seeding was a bit out of whack, which has since been fixed. But you can only play who they tell you to play.) Stoudemire wound up playing in three mid-season games before it was decided that he would be put on the shelf, as his knees were not recovered enough for the rigors of the NBA. And with his removal from the lineup came more predictions of a lost season. Yet the Suns rose again. And I believe they will in this series.
There is one glaring reason why the Suns lost game five to the Spurs last night. Mike D’Antoni has answered the usual questions about his coaching ability.
His style can’t win a title. Yes, it can. And even the biggest nay-sayers know it, I believe. They may not admit, but they can see it happening.
His team doesn’t play any defense. Yes, it does. No, they’re not the Detroit Pistons, and never will be. But I doubt even the Pistons could have played the defense the Suns did in the fourth quarter of game four. Or in game five, save for the last two minutes when the Suns ran out of gas.
Which brings me to the one criticism that D’Antoni has failed to quell:
His bench is too shallow. Yup, it is. No argument there. It would be easy to say that he should have played Pat Burke, Marcus Banks, or, especially, Jalen Rose in game five. And he should’ve played all three to give his starters more rest, with Stoudemire and Diaw sidelined. But it’s hard to play your bench when you don’t have confidence in them. And this is where I fault D’Antoni. Yes, he should have played his bench more last night. But I don’t know how much it would have helped. The real problem is that he didn’t play them on a consistent basis during the season. And therefore didn’t feel comfortable doing it last night. And that falls squarely on the D’Antoni’s shoulders, since he made the personnel decisions in the off-season, as far as anyone can tell, and the playing time decisions during the season.
The worst thing about the game four incident is that the enormity of Suns effort in seizing the game from the Spurs was lost, due to all the Horry/Nash rhetoric and ramifications. The Suns shut down the Spurs defensively in the closing minutes and won a game no one thought they would win. Including Robert Horry, apparently. To think that the Suns can’t do it again in San Antonio in game six is a more than a little presumptuous. And when it goes to a game seven, I'll take the Suns. And since my nerves will be shot, I can guarantee you I'll be leaving the "immediate vicinity" of my couch. Who knows, I'll probably get so excited that I may wind up 20 feet away. Hopefully I won't have to miss game one of the western conference finals because of it. That would give Shooter an advantage.
Hey David Stern, it’s not my fault that you still haven’t figured out how to schedule your playoff games. It’s now 6:45 and the “6:30" Suns/Spurs game still isn’t on. If this Nets/Cavs game goes to overtime, I’ll be forced to go change my oil, which I’ve been successful putting off up to this point. Then I’ll REALLY be pissed!
Okay, 6:55 now and still no Suns/Spurs. Where’s my funnel and that oil filter I bought last month?
7:00 now, the Cavs/Nets game just ended and, after a couple commercials, I see that I missed three and a half minutes of the Suns/Spurs game. Sorry, your “fashionably late” b.s. isn’t working for me. You should take a page from the NFL, the most successful sports league around. They start their games on time. Yes, even the playoff games. (Well, except for the concert and concurrent 45 minute halftime show during the Super Bowl. Okay, forget what I said).
Coming into this game, some observations I’ve noticed:
-Kurt Thomas has indeed played Tim Duncan pretty tough. Duncan has hit a lot of very tough shots, which is what makes him Tim Duncan. (Memo to young players-the backboard can be your friend. Learn to use it). I’d like to see the Suns continue to play Duncan straight up with Thomas instead of doubling him.
-Contrary to popular belief, the Suns defense has played pretty well. The Spurs have shot just 43% through three games.
-The Suns free throw percentage has been a little off. One of the best FT shooting teams in the regular season(80.8), and in last year’s playoffs as well (83.1), they are shooting just 76.8% in this series. That’s enough to make a difference.
-As for all the back-and-forth bickering about the officiating, I look at it this way: I think the officials call a lot of stuff based on a team or player's reputation, whether they intend to or not. The Spurs have the reputation of a tough defensive team, and therefore are going to get more calls in a physical game. The Suns have never had that reputation, and therefore are not going to get a lot of calls when they are physical, simply because it seems out of the ordinary for them. Much like a big man carrying the ball vs. a point guard doing it. Almost all point guards do it at one time or another, and it's almost never called. When a center does it, it looks so out of the ordinary that a red flag goes up and the officials will call it almost every time. The fact of the matter, though, is that the team that feels like it's not getting the calls has a much better chance of getting some in the future if they play through it. We could go back and forth about which team whines more, but the fact of the matter is that both teams are doing it too much.
-I still haven’t figured out why D’Antoni hasn’t used his bench more, something I’ve been saying all season. Jalen Rose, for example, has the veteran post-season experience that would no doubt help the Suns. With James Jones having been replaced in the starting line-up by Thomas after game one, Rose would seem to me a natural for grabbing Jones’ minutes. I’m not giving up on Jones yet, but this is about the here and now, and Rose should be playing. Don’t laugh, but the Suns also have a sharp shooter, Eric Piatkowski, sitting on their bench. Like Brent Barry and Robert Horry for the Spurs, Piatkowski offers little more than a long-range presence, which may be effective at times. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been used much at all this season, so who knows how accurate his shot would be. But I would have tried him against Barry or Horry early in the series to get a feel. Okay, enough about that. Let’s get on with it.
At 3:08 of the first, (which is one of the first plays I saw in the game-thanks, Mr. Stern, you turd), Ginobili hits an open three. Stay on your man, Suns. Shortly after, Marion goes into the crowd trying to retrieve a loose ball, and has to jump over the cameramen. He landed at the feet of Suns’ owner Robert Sarver. The incident reminded me of the Dennis Rodman incident many years ago, when he fell into the cameramen and kicked one of them on the way back to the court. And Rodman was either fined or suspended for it-maybe both, I don't remember. Far be it for me to ever defend Rodman's actions, but I remember getting into it with a lot of my friends at the time, because I felt that cameramen had no business being that close to the field of play. What would happen if a player falls or trips over one of them and tears up a knee or breaks a leg?
Anyway, Michael Finley, who was drafted by the Suns, hits a long jumper. Hey Suns, stay on your man! With 7:27 to go in the second, Duncan is called for a foul on Nash, which was not a good call. Perhaps it was a makeup call for Duncan shuffling both his pivot feet immediately prior to scoring on the other end. Just a thought.
With Duncan out at 2:17, Barry hits a three. Again, why are you leaving three point shooters open? Who are you doubling, Oberto? Wake the hell up.
Spurs lead 45-40 at halftime. One thing I’ve noticed-Nash is playing well for the most part, but he is committing too many turnovers. It’s costing the Suns to this point. Great intensity through the first half, though. I wish all NBA games were like this. Though after listening to the last few minutes of the first half on radio, I wonder why the TV broadcast doesn’t produce the same crowd volume. Also, it would be easy to say that the score indicates a Spurs scoring pace, but the first three games disproved that theory, so it means little at this point. And as I suspected, the officiating hasn’t been an issue so far in the game. As much as we all complain about it, it seldom seems to last more than one game at a time. (Which is no excuse, Stern. It still needs to be fixed. Kind of like your scheduling).
Stoudemire converts a three point play late in the third. That’s crucial. Suns need to get some momentum. And with five seconds left in the quarter, Barbosa dribbles right into traffic and doesn’t get a shot off. Come on, Leandro. Use your head. Third quarter ends with an 80-72 Spurs lead, which I believe was the same score after three quarters in game three.
With 8:57 left in the fourth, there’s a TV timeout, which occurs at the first whistle under nine, six, and three minutes of each quarter. Don’t ask me why. Just think advertising. And the Suns have the “deer in the headlights” look. Not looking good for the Suns, as they trail by nine. But coming out of the TV timeout, Marion hits a three. This is a key point, no, a HUGE point in the game-perhaps even a watershed moment, as Steve Kerr suggested-for the Suns.
At 6:54 of the fourth, Ginobili goes down like he’s been shot. But then he did run into Stoudemire, who had position. I can honestly say I’ve just seen the first really bad call of the game. Not to worry, though. Our eyes are on the prize.
At 5:10, Finley hits an open jumper. STAY ON YOUR F*****G MAN!! And Nash is still turning it over too much. It’s costly. As I hear the stats on three pointers made, I can’t help but think that the Suns haven’t had as many open looks as the Spurs. Probably because they are not staying at home defensively.
Shawn Marion is having a huge fourth quarter, both defensively and on the boards. (Okay, we all know the Suns don’t play any defense. You got me there). And as Sebastian said in “The Little Mermaid”, my nerves are shot! But the Suns are not quite dead yet . . .
Marion gets another huge rebound, and the Suns are doubling Duncan just enough on the other end. It’s working out nicely. Could it be?
Holy cow. With 32 seconds left, the Suns have a three point lead. NOW HEAR THIS: STAY AT HOME ON DEFENSE!! Which they did. And even with Nash missing two of four free throws in the last minute, the Suns win. (I’d trade Nash for a high-quality folding chair, since he can’t hit his free throws). Suns win in a way that no one saw coming. Well, almost no one.
Oh, did I mention that Steve Nash went a little overboard with Robert Horry late in the game? Yup, trust me. I saw it. Horry was just minding his own business, running over to defend Nash, and BAM! Nash suddenly tried to bite him in the elbow. Totally uncalled for. Oh sure, Nash flopped into the scorer’s table like a Ginobili out of water, but he didn’t fool me. No sir. I wasn’t born yesterday.
As for the possible repercussions mentioned for Stoudemire and Diaw for coming off the bench, I would offer this: Earlier this season, after a game vs. Toronto, Raja Bell was suspended for one game because, in the league's opinion, he "intended" to knee an opposing player, though no contact was actually made. However, in game three, Bowen actually DID make contact with Nash's groin area, and was not suspended. I guess the league decided that Bowen did not actually "intend" for his knee to come in contact with Nash. Am I the only one who sees something wrong with this picture? And when did raising one's knee in the direction of your opponents groin become a "natural basketball move"?
Okay, I’ll move on. If Horry’s move tonight results in a suspension for any Suns player, does that mean the age of the enforcer is back? You know, like back in the ‘70s when a player would get a little overly physical with an opponents star in hopes of getting the star, or other teammates, out of the game, or a subsequent game? I guess we’ll see.
Before I go, let me leave you with this. Lyrikell, SoAmazin, and Mr. Popovich, with your “hard-nosed defense,” you’re all done. Bbing, jaysisko and all you other Suns nay-sayers; done too. You all have exactly four days to get your shots in. Because after Friday’s game six, you’ll have to wait ‘til next year. Like I’ve been saying all along, the teams would split the first two in Phoenix and the second two in San Antonio, and the Suns would win in six. Ciao. You see, it's all about mental toughness.
