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**Dissonance19** · 11-22-2006, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Everything Boris Diaw says in his French-tinged English sounds a little more comforting, a little more assuring.

"Don't pan-EEK," he said. "For sure it is a slow start, but we are getting there."

Suns fans are doing their best not to pan-EEK, but this rocky 4-6 start has raised concerns about the team's ability to improve on last season's success. The Western Conference is flexing some impressive muscle - hello, Utah - and the Suns can't afford to dig too deep a hole or they'll pay a price in postseason seeding. advertisement

If this start proves anything, it's that coach Mike D'Antoni's ability to adjust to loss last season may prove a lesser challenge than adjusting to addition this year.

"One day I think I have (the rotation figured out) and the next day it goes all to heck," D'Antoni said. "It might be awhile. We've got a lot of players that could play. We've just got to figure the combination of the best ones."

The fivesome that D'Antoni relied upon down the stretch of Monday's 113-110 victory over Golden State - Raja Bell, James Jones, Steve Nash, Shawn Marion and Leandro Barbosa - was a telling statement about the coach's comfort level these days.

"The team that was on the floor for the last five minutes won 54 games for us last year," he said.

Jones' minutes were expected to decline this season, but he ended up with nearly 23 Monday in part because he can defend well and play smart. Jalen Rose was a bargain the Suns couldn't pass up, but he hasn't fit into the system yet as well as some had hoped.

The challenge isn't just about which players D'Antoni would like to see in his preferred eight-man rotation, but which five should be on the court together.

Diaw - who looked like the old back-in-shape, assertive Diaw on Monday although he insists that Diaw was never gone - and Amar頓toudemire have the potential to be lethal duo because of Diaw's passing abilities and Stoudemire's finishing act, but that combination is still a work in progress.

"Boris is not a big spacer, so (Stoudemire) has to get through that issue," D'Antoni said. "He also has to figure Boris is going to pass, so he has to get himself in a position to get the ball. It takes a little bit of learning.

"It'll take him a little while to get in tune with Boris, and Boris needs to get in tune with Amar頡nd also the team. 'Do we go through Boris to set Amar頵p or do we go through Amar頪ust one on one?' "

Said Diaw: "We're just trying to get to know each other."

D'Antoni's ability to sort out the minutes and convince his players that his choices are best for the team will be huge, because buying into a coach's system often translates to better defense. And at times this season, the Suns defense has been downright awful.

Defense is frequently about effort. The more committed one is to a system, the better the effort.

"We're playing well enough to win all the games, we're just not tight on some of the defensive stuff and down the stretch we haven't been real good," D'Antoni said.

Diaw is right. This is not the time to panic. If anyone deserves a mulligan for the slow start, it's D'Antoni, who can solve a puzzle with the best of them. The Suns started off with a 4-5 record last season before reeling off nine consecutive victories.

Fans shouldn't panic. They have a right to be concerned.

c_dog · 11-27-2006, 09:34 AM

well, in my opinion marcus banks needs to go. the guy is flat out out of control out there, and he's really a poor man's leandro barbosa. he has good speed but his iq is extremely low and he doesn't have any range on his shot. right now he's just a speedy guy who's goes right everytime and brings nothing positive to the team. i'm tired of seeing the team go absolutely stagnant when he gets on the floor, even if we have nash out there he singlehandly destroys any momentum the team has. he's a big reason the team gives up big leads.

Zei_Zao_LS · 11-27-2006, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by c_dog

well, in my opinion marcus banks needs to go. the guy is flat out out of control out there, and he's really a poor man's leandro barbosa. he has good speed but his iq is extremely low and he doesn't have any range on his shot. right now he's just a speedy guy who's goes right everytime and brings nothing positive to the team. i'm tired of seeing the team go absolutely stagnant when he gets on the floor, even if we have nash out there he singlehandly destroys any momentum the team has. he's a big reason the team gives up big leads.

And yet, he's the only player on our team besides Marion that can effectively shut down an opposing point guard. His defense is why we have him out there, and his shot is developing. Give 'em a bit of time. We have the best shooting coach (Phil Weber) in the league, he fixed Boris' shot. Boris' shot was waaaaaaaaaay more off than Marcus' shot was coming in.

**Dissonance19** · 11-27-2006, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zei_Zao_LS

And yet, he's the only player on our team besides Marion that can effectively shut down an opposing point guard. His defense is why we have him out there, and his shot is developing. Give 'em a bit of time. We have the best shooting coach (Phil Weber) in the league, he fixed Boris' shot. Boris' shot was waaaaaaaaaay more off than Marcus' shot was coming in.

That and he is one of the few who can attack the basket, and do more than stand around and just shoot. He and LB will terrorize teams doing so. We will need him.

I've been impressed with him, from what I've seen. Better playmaking ability than I thought. But we're not even asking to do that either.

ShuHanGuanYu · 11-27-2006, 09:25 PM

Suns fans better not write Banks off. His individual defense is going to be called upon in the playoffs, and if he hasn't been given the time this year to work that into the team defensive concept then he isn't going to be able to produce when needed most. His offensive flow may look ugly right now, but that should come in time. If it doesn't, then that's sad because the guy really could help us on the other end of the court.

dru_jones · 12-01-2006, 11:00 AM

What do you think about trading JAmes Jones for a big man, like Melvin Ely. I know this was one trade discussed before the season began. After signing Jalen Rose, a move which made no sense to me, we now have a much bigger logjam at the swingman position than when the season began.

I admit I'm not that big of a Melvin Ely fan, but he's got to be better than the white stiffs (Marks and the other guy) the Suns currently have. At least he's athletic enough to keep pace with the Greyhound Express. Come to think of it, there has got to be some other teams with athletic big men who need scoring and we know the Suns got a lot of those. Heck, I haven't even seen Piatkowski and Jumaine Jones in a game since Jalen was acquired.

ShuHanGuanYu · 12-02-2006, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dru_jones

What do you think about trading JAmes Jones for a big man, like Melvin Ely. I know this was one trade discussed before the season began. After signing Jalen Rose, a move which made no sense to me, we now have a much bigger logjam at the swingman position than when the season began.

I admit I'm not that big of a Melvin Ely fan, but he's got to be better than the white stiffs (Marks and the other guy) the Suns currently have. At least he's athletic enough to keep pace with the Greyhound Express. Come to think of it, there has got to be some other teams with athletic big men who need scoring and we know the Suns got a lot of those. Heck, I haven't even seen Piatkowski and Jumaine Jones in a game since Jalen was acquired.

I'd probably do it, just because James has not shown the ability at all to step up his game in light of competition. He's done some things defensively, but he's buildin' a brick house out there. But since JJ hasn't created much value for himself, I doubt they'd take him for Ely unless there was a first involved. And there are going to be better big men than Ely in the draft, so I dunno...

I agree with Jalen though. I wasn't a big fan of the deal.

c_dog · 12-03-2006, 05:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zei_Zao_LS

And yet, he's the only player on our team besides Marion that can effectively shut down an opposing point guard. His defense is why we have him out there, and his shot is developing. Give 'em a bit of time. We have the best shooting coach (Phil Weber) in the league, he fixed Boris' shot. Boris' shot was waaaaaaaaaay more off than Marcus' shot was coming in.

why would you need to shut down the opposing team's pg when you're already leading by 15 points though? how about sticking to the team's system? i mean if someone's going to play good defense then i don't mind seeing him on the floor, but he destroys all offensive flow when he's on the floor. he's just not getting "it" and it shows, that's why he's costing the team the lead all the time. i don't see why you'd play someone just so they can play good defense on the opposing pg when he also stops your entire team.

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