Marion, Nash switch role
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
May. 21, 2006 12:00 AM
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One Suns All-Star was criticized for playoff performance and has stepped up of late.
One Suns All-Star was brilliant in much of the first round only to draw recent skepticism.
Shawn Marion and Steve Nash can't win for losing.
Marion had been panned for last postseason's 41.9 percent shooting and another statistical dip in this year's first round. But after one 30-point game in his first 43 playoff games, he has three in the past 10 days.
"He's in a category by himself," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We ask him to do so many things and his production has been unbelievable."
It has helped Marion that the Clippers start with center Chris Kaman guarding him.
"Big men don't like all sorts of moving around," Marion said. "If they pound us without having to work on the defensive end, that's to their advantage. When we make them go through picks and rolls and rotate, they get tired. They can't hang with me on the move."
Nash has struggled with his perimeter shot, a result of ongoing ailments (back, hamstring, ankle) and career-high minutes that wore out his legs. He is 19 for 53 in the past four games but has averaged 10.8 assists this series.
"My mechanics can't survive some of the physical stuff I'm going through," Nash said. "I'm working at it, trying to get my body back."
The tricky part for Nash is deciphering how much rest and work to concoct for a change.
"I love a challenge," he said. "I love a chance to redeem myself."
The criticism aimed at Nash lately may drive him.
It's driving D'Antoni nuts.
"It's so ridiculous and so far removed that it's almost laughable," he said. "To hear the talking heads on TV, it's like, 'You've got to be kidding me. Did they ever play the game at all?' It's kind of sad in a certain aspect. We like to build our heroes up and, as soon as they get up there, we tear them down."
Draft peek
Phoenix held its first draft workouts Saturday, looking at four guards - Arizona's Hassan Adams, Miami's Guillermo Diaz, Kentucky's Rajon Rondo and Michigan's Daniel Horton.
Phoenix has the 21st and 27th picks, a range Diaz and Rondo fit with Adams nearby to some.
Adams, a four-year Wildcats player, must show he can shoot but has a chance due to his defense. Adams said he is being looked at "like a Raja Bell or Bruce Bowen, a big-time defender."
Suns Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin said Adams, with a wingspan of 6 feet, 9 1/2 inches, is "as good as any perimeter defender in the country."
Griffin said Diaz is as athletic as any prospect but a definite combo guard with instant offense capability.
"We're at a point in our evolution where if two guys are going to help us, we're going to take two guys because we're trying to win a title," Griffin said. "We're not about saving money, per se. We're about making our team better."
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Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
May. 21, 2006 12:00 AM
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]
One Suns All-Star was criticized for playoff performance and has stepped up of late.
One Suns All-Star was brilliant in much of the first round only to draw recent skepticism.
Shawn Marion and Steve Nash can't win for losing.
Marion had been panned for last postseason's 41.9 percent shooting and another statistical dip in this year's first round. But after one 30-point game in his first 43 playoff games, he has three in the past 10 days.
"He's in a category by himself," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We ask him to do so many things and his production has been unbelievable."
It has helped Marion that the Clippers start with center Chris Kaman guarding him.
"Big men don't like all sorts of moving around," Marion said. "If they pound us without having to work on the defensive end, that's to their advantage. When we make them go through picks and rolls and rotate, they get tired. They can't hang with me on the move."
Nash has struggled with his perimeter shot, a result of ongoing ailments (back, hamstring, ankle) and career-high minutes that wore out his legs. He is 19 for 53 in the past four games but has averaged 10.8 assists this series.
"My mechanics can't survive some of the physical stuff I'm going through," Nash said. "I'm working at it, trying to get my body back."
The tricky part for Nash is deciphering how much rest and work to concoct for a change.
"I love a challenge," he said. "I love a chance to redeem myself."
The criticism aimed at Nash lately may drive him.
It's driving D'Antoni nuts.
"It's so ridiculous and so far removed that it's almost laughable," he said. "To hear the talking heads on TV, it's like, 'You've got to be kidding me. Did they ever play the game at all?' It's kind of sad in a certain aspect. We like to build our heroes up and, as soon as they get up there, we tear them down."
Draft peek
Phoenix held its first draft workouts Saturday, looking at four guards - Arizona's Hassan Adams, Miami's Guillermo Diaz, Kentucky's Rajon Rondo and Michigan's Daniel Horton.
Phoenix has the 21st and 27th picks, a range Diaz and Rondo fit with Adams nearby to some.
Adams, a four-year Wildcats player, must show he can shoot but has a chance due to his defense. Adams said he is being looked at "like a Raja Bell or Bruce Bowen, a big-time defender."
Suns Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin said Adams, with a wingspan of 6 feet, 9 1/2 inches, is "as good as any perimeter defender in the country."
Griffin said Diaz is as athletic as any prospect but a definite combo guard with instant offense capability.
"We're at a point in our evolution where if two guys are going to help us, we're going to take two guys because we're trying to win a title," Griffin said. "We're not about saving money, per se. We're about making our team better."
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