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Cellar-dwelling Suns ready to climb
By Mike Tulumello, Tribune
Think of it as a basketball version of the recent ASUArizona "Basement Bowl" football game.
Only it’s the NBA and — ahem — it’s the Suns who are involved in trying to avoid last place in both the Pacific Division and the entire Western Conference.
You couldn’t have found this scenario in any of the pre - season promotional material involving the club as they enter tonight’s game at the Los Angeles Clippers.
Considering the Suns (8-14) are running a full game behind the Clippers (7-11), and face a more challenging game in Sacramento on Sunday, there’s no time for a win like now.
"Winning would be huge," new coach Mike D’Antoni said. "There’s a honeymoon period, and I want to capitalize on it."
He wants his team to "look at the next three or four games as though they’re the whole season."
To succeed, the Suns’ shaky outlook on their season will have to change,
"When your shoulders are drooped, it’s hard to have good positive energy.
"A lot of it is that we haven’t made big shots and the other teams have.
"It was just the opposite last season."
SUBTRACTING A CENTER
D’Antoni suggested he wants to narrow the rotation a bit by going with two centers instead of three.
The Suns had planned to do this in their game at Orlando, but the first two centers got into foul trouble.
They’re obviously going to play Jake Voskuhl, their most active big man, off the bench, so the choice is between Jahidi White and Scott Williams. One will start and one will sit.
Because the Suns are going small, with three guards and Shawn Marion at the "four" spot, it would seem logical that they would want the physical presence of White and his 290 pounds to bang inside.
For this to work, however, White will have to be a dominant rebounder, the new coach said. White normally isn’t much of a scorer.
DON’T FORGET THIS
The goal for the Suns is to hit 100 points per game.
They accomplished this in their 111-101 loss to New Orleans in D’Antoni’s debut as head coach.
Of course, D’Antoni joked, he forgot to tell his players that they also want to limit opponents to less than 100 points.
"I added that part today," D’Antoni said Friday.
CHANGES HERE AND THERE
Here are a couple of the "subtle" changes D’Antoni is trying:
• On defense, in part because the Suns are missing injured players, they will do less pressing and trapping, though they still will pick their spots for these maneuvers.
In a change that former coach Frank Johnson was talking about before he was fired, "We have to get some accountability on defense, that each player is responsible for guarding his man.
"You can only scheme so much," he says because coaches will react to any formula that’s repeated over and over.
"The only way you’re not predictable is if you guard your man."
• On offense, they’re running most of their plays off one recently instituted set, part of their early or "motion" offense.
GETTING MARBURY’S BEST
D’Antoni wants to maximize the talents of Stephon Marbury.
"Our whole goal is to open the floor and let Steph create," D’Antoni said. "That’s what he does best."
Against the Hornets, however, he took only 13 shots, He hit nine and finished with 24 points and eight assists.
Marbury pointed out that Shawn Marion (31 points) "had it going" and that, "I’m going to do whatever it takes to win."
D’Antoni said he thought Marbury had "a terrific game" other than missing late free throws. He figures Marbury was worn down; the point guard played 46 minutes.
BONUS SHOT
Leandro Barbosa, who has a bruised sternum, will dress for the game and is probable to play.
Suns at Clippers
When: 8:30 p.m. today
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles
TV: KUTP (Ch. 45)
Radio: KTAR (620 AM).
Records: Suns 8-14, Clippers 7-11.
Line: Clippers by 3
Series history: Suns have dominated, 100-56, including 40-39 on the road (in various cities). Suns went 3-1 last season.
Scouting report: Suns — They are trying to save their season. A win here is nearly a must. They must dig down and try to stay reasonably close on boards and play mistake-free on offense.
Clippers — They stayed close to .500 while Elton Brand was out for 13 games with a foot injury. Now, he’s back. The players who have kept them going are Corey Maggette, who is averaging 21.2 points a game, and Quentin Richardson (17.1, though he’s only shooting 39 percent from the floor). As a team, the Clippers shoot less than 41 percent, and — at the other end — they give up nearly 99 points per game (NBA’s second worst) on 45 percent shooting. Former ASU star Eddie House is shooting only 32 percent in a reserve role.
By Mike Tulumello, Tribune
Think of it as a basketball version of the recent ASUArizona "Basement Bowl" football game.
Only it’s the NBA and — ahem — it’s the Suns who are involved in trying to avoid last place in both the Pacific Division and the entire Western Conference.
You couldn’t have found this scenario in any of the pre - season promotional material involving the club as they enter tonight’s game at the Los Angeles Clippers.
Considering the Suns (8-14) are running a full game behind the Clippers (7-11), and face a more challenging game in Sacramento on Sunday, there’s no time for a win like now.
"Winning would be huge," new coach Mike D’Antoni said. "There’s a honeymoon period, and I want to capitalize on it."
He wants his team to "look at the next three or four games as though they’re the whole season."
To succeed, the Suns’ shaky outlook on their season will have to change,
"When your shoulders are drooped, it’s hard to have good positive energy.
"A lot of it is that we haven’t made big shots and the other teams have.
"It was just the opposite last season."
SUBTRACTING A CENTER
D’Antoni suggested he wants to narrow the rotation a bit by going with two centers instead of three.
The Suns had planned to do this in their game at Orlando, but the first two centers got into foul trouble.
They’re obviously going to play Jake Voskuhl, their most active big man, off the bench, so the choice is between Jahidi White and Scott Williams. One will start and one will sit.
Because the Suns are going small, with three guards and Shawn Marion at the "four" spot, it would seem logical that they would want the physical presence of White and his 290 pounds to bang inside.
For this to work, however, White will have to be a dominant rebounder, the new coach said. White normally isn’t much of a scorer.
DON’T FORGET THIS
The goal for the Suns is to hit 100 points per game.
They accomplished this in their 111-101 loss to New Orleans in D’Antoni’s debut as head coach.
Of course, D’Antoni joked, he forgot to tell his players that they also want to limit opponents to less than 100 points.
"I added that part today," D’Antoni said Friday.
CHANGES HERE AND THERE
Here are a couple of the "subtle" changes D’Antoni is trying:
• On defense, in part because the Suns are missing injured players, they will do less pressing and trapping, though they still will pick their spots for these maneuvers.
In a change that former coach Frank Johnson was talking about before he was fired, "We have to get some accountability on defense, that each player is responsible for guarding his man.
"You can only scheme so much," he says because coaches will react to any formula that’s repeated over and over.
"The only way you’re not predictable is if you guard your man."
• On offense, they’re running most of their plays off one recently instituted set, part of their early or "motion" offense.
GETTING MARBURY’S BEST
D’Antoni wants to maximize the talents of Stephon Marbury.
"Our whole goal is to open the floor and let Steph create," D’Antoni said. "That’s what he does best."
Against the Hornets, however, he took only 13 shots, He hit nine and finished with 24 points and eight assists.
Marbury pointed out that Shawn Marion (31 points) "had it going" and that, "I’m going to do whatever it takes to win."
D’Antoni said he thought Marbury had "a terrific game" other than missing late free throws. He figures Marbury was worn down; the point guard played 46 minutes.
BONUS SHOT
Leandro Barbosa, who has a bruised sternum, will dress for the game and is probable to play.
Suns at Clippers
When: 8:30 p.m. today
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles
TV: KUTP (Ch. 45)
Radio: KTAR (620 AM).
Records: Suns 8-14, Clippers 7-11.
Line: Clippers by 3
Series history: Suns have dominated, 100-56, including 40-39 on the road (in various cities). Suns went 3-1 last season.
Scouting report: Suns — They are trying to save their season. A win here is nearly a must. They must dig down and try to stay reasonably close on boards and play mistake-free on offense.
Clippers — They stayed close to .500 while Elton Brand was out for 13 games with a foot injury. Now, he’s back. The players who have kept them going are Corey Maggette, who is averaging 21.2 points a game, and Quentin Richardson (17.1, though he’s only shooting 39 percent from the floor). As a team, the Clippers shoot less than 41 percent, and — at the other end — they give up nearly 99 points per game (NBA’s second worst) on 45 percent shooting. Former ASU star Eddie House is shooting only 32 percent in a reserve role.
