01-17-2008, 04:34 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Tampa, Florida
Age: 25
Posts: 15,783
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Hill's absence creates void
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Quote:
With Hill out until at least next week to recover from his appendectomy, Phoenix needed him down the stretch Tuesday when Suns coach Mike D'Antoni could not decide which struggling player to rely on in Hill's spot - guard Leandro Barbosa or forward Boris Diaw.
"I had no vibe whatsoever," D'Antoni said. "One was critically ill, and one was dead.
Diaw played all but 24 seconds of the fourth quarter and did not take a shot or get a rebound. He had one rebound in 37 minutes Tuesday, but that one bounced on the floor after going over him first. He even got a technical foul for saying, "The screen was moving," he said, although it was more for his constant complaining.
Barbosa played 1:50 of the fourth, coming in for the final 23.8 seconds with Phoenix trailing 96-90. He had one of his roughest nights of the season at both ends.
"I didn't recognize myself on the tape - how bad I was," Barbosa said. "We have to get more focused and be more active. I wasn't active at all. My defense was bad. I wasn't helping my teammates. They all trust me. That was bad of myself. I feel really bad. I'm sure (tonight) we'll respond. My activity on the defense will be better."
Barbosa's fellow subs did not help much more.
Center Brian Skinner did not score or block a shot and grabbed one rebound in 15 minutes. Guard Marcus Banks replaced Steve Nash for a stretch of 7:19, and Phoenix went from leading by seven to trailing by eight.
"We have to trust some of the guys," Nash said. "I don't know what the answer is, but I probably shouldn't play 40 minutes in the regular season."
D'Antoni did not go back to Banks in the second half Tuesday but said Wednesday, "That's not the problem we have right now. We've just got to play better as a team, and it'll work itself out."
Kobe's still playing
D'Antoni said the Lakers should not worry about their two months without injured center Andrew Bynum as long as Kobe Bryant is playing.
"Kobe's at the point now where he reads the game, and I think he'll do what needs to get done," D'Antoni said. "He's an unbelievable player. Being with him in USA Basketball, he's an unbelievable competitor. I think really sometimes he's misunderstood because he's going to try to do what he thinks is best for the game."
Free throws
• Bryant and Diaw will wear microphones for TNT tonight.
• The Suns are 2-2 without Hill. D'Antoni said, "You see how important he is to a lot of things, spreading the floor, moving the ball, defense."
• Phoenix is out of first place in the Pacific Division for the first time since the Clippers led Nov. 10. Forward Shawn Marion: "We just ain't clicking on all cylinders yet."
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Hill's absence creates void
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