Early results mixed as Suns search for balance between offense, ‘D’

[Billythekid]

The only way Stoudemire is going to get better as a defender, is if he plays against guys like Webber. He needs to learn how to play a guy that smart and NOT get into foul trouble.

 

[asudevil83]

Oh I know. I was just venting. Some of the attitude in a couple posts was a little to much.

hey come on man...i'm just venting here too...but no need to criticize a man's spelling for it. i was just as frustrated as you, as it shows in my posts. but i'm not going to go below the belt on that. i was rushing through my thoughts, in between classes, with little time worry about spelling.

i honestly dont know what to say here. i BELIEVE that D'Antoni has done a piss poor job of coaching. and it has just now been evident in our last couple of games.

we MUST start utilizing more of our guys on the floor. but it is a catch 22. how are we going to let them develop if we dont play them? but how can we play them if they arent going to produce all the time? its hard, but its an adjustment that must be made if you want to progress. it wont take much more time before our "small" five get more and more tired earlier and earlier. when that happens we wont have ANYONE to go to, because D'Antoni wont have any guys with much in-game experience. playing only ONE guy more than 10 minutes off the bench, and only TWO others less than 10 minutes cant last.

tonight's game was a lucky win in my opinion. Dallas was without Finley and lost Dampier and Terry early on. this forced them to go to their bench more, and leave some guys less rested than normal. we played our guys WAY more than normal, but as we got more tired, so did the Mavs big players. But i will say that we played well, and didnt fold when we would have last year.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Hey, after having Adam bring up my ASU education in every other post, I figured another devil was fair game.

I see what you are saying about the catch 22, but I personally think that D'antoni is handling it the best way possible. At this point, everyone is in agreement that Hunter has looked the best out of our bigs as of late. He also could be a great compliment to Amare. By slowing getting him time, even if it is just backing up Amare, it will build up Hunter's confidence. Not to mention let him get multiple chances on the floor, with little damage to be done to the team.

When a team is winning, you cannot just throw a new player into the fire. You have to work them in slowly so you don't disrupt the success you have already. The one thing I would like to see is Hunter come in for Marion or Q and play along side Amare for a little bit. However, I will take the time he gets anyway possible.

If he keeps playing the way he has been, I would guess he would be getting regular rotation minutes by the all star break.


The biggest disagreement I have with you is that I don't think Mike's coaching has been bad the past 2 games (pre dallas). The Suns lost the Cavs game because of Amare fouling out, and the Suns players caving. The coach can only to so much. The team was in more than a position to win, and the player blew it.

The Sac game was going well. The Suns transition defense was horrible in that game, which is pretty uncharacteristic as of late. That was the swing in the game. Take away 2 fast breaks, and the Suns win.

 

[PhxGametime]

I'm not sure what's wrong with being 5-2 (regardless of who you play) and I really don't dislike skillball but playing it all game, is going to... 1. wear guys down 2. stress me out. I'd like to see different things (for lack of a better word LOL)

Zone defenses to switch things up, Maciej Lampe in high post, Bo Outlaw (IMO doesn't deserve a lot of minutes right now) and the 1 man press, Jackson Vroman and Jake Voskuhl hustling around court - these players at least deserve 2-4 minutes If Vroman and Outlaw currently aren't going to get the minutes - PLEASE PLAY LAMPE AT LEAST 5 MINUTES - am I the only one, who thinks he would fit skillball approach? Maybe he doesn't hustle like Jacobsen but rotating 6 players: 6'8, 6'7, 6'6, 6'5, 6'4, 6'2 at 4 positions? I'm pretty sure Lampe could get 3-4 minutes there. I'm not sure I am exactly happy with only 4 minutes but better than a DNP.

If Steven Hunter comes out for Amare Stoudemire and that is strategy, there is a few minutes there for Lampe (shooter) to play alongside Hunter... I'm not even sure what's going to happen to Voskuhl? I'm not unhappy with team or coach but I will root for Lampe to get minutes the whole year (I'll try to keep it down on this board) - I agree that he could be gone in 2 years

Other than Lampe getting DNP's - I really like team and I think D' is doing a good job... Top team offensively and 1 of the top teams defensively (so far) and in the top tier for exciting (if not most).