Ja Jones to Start, Diaw to Sit

[zett]

Secondly, as far as Jones is concerned. The move would work if the guy could actually shoot, but he can't, he is a horrible shooter. I recall all the leather ball BS excuse he had, what is it now Junior???? I know, it's the suck

You guys kill me sometimes, well if you don't buy the excuse then check the numbers for the 1st moth after they switched balls back to the leather! he was on fire and hardly ever missed.
Right now he is in a mental funk, and has been for about the last month. He is thinking and aiming to much, in the game last night only 1 shot that he missed, did I think he was in rhythm and just missed, it happens, he was better then nash last night but your not complaining about nash's shooting killing us!
Bottom line is our scoring is fine reguardless of who is starting. were still the top scoring team in the league and you guys act as if all our players should shoot better then 50% every game or they suck. get real!
And for the record I support coach for sticking with him, because come playoff time if he can get his cofidence up and play well, we will be almost a lock to win it all! (Barring injuries)

 

[DeAnna]

It is interesting that some of the harshest criticism comes from posters who don't see all the Suns games during the regular season, which might explain a lot.

Yep, that one baffles me as well. "I didn't see the game but, ..."

 

[F-Dog]

Seattle's Rashard Lewis hit some stuff you just can't stop from a 6-foot-10 shooter in the first half - post-up turnarounds, pressured fadeaways, twisting drives and three-pointers. But after 19 first-half points, it was almost like Shawn Marion took that personally in the third quarter. The intensity was different, and Lewis barely could get a shot for a while. Marion frustrated him into double-dribbling and traveling and did not let him score for 9 1/2 minutes. When Lewis finally saw someone else (Boris Diaw) covering him, he scored on consecutive trips.

Not exactly what I was hoping to read with my coffee this morning.



Hasn't JR claimed that he plays better when starting (with the old ball, last 14 days of the month, etc., etc.)? It would be nice if he could keep this up through the first round.

My guess is that the Suns will switch over to Boris or KT starting at PF against the Spurs, but they have to make it to that point first, right?

 

[msdundee]

Marion disappears against well disciplined defensive teams........

That's been a problem for the Suns in general, certainly not limited to any one player. That's why the playoff theme song is "defense wins championships."

We don't really have an argument here. I like Marion a lot and value what he brings on a consistent basis. Most of the board does not. Fine with me.

 

[Bufalay]

In the forgotten playoff series against the mavs in 2005. Marion was huge:

http://www.nba.com/games/20050520/PHODAL/recap.html

Marion scored 11 of his 38 points in overtime and grabbed 16 rebounds - both playoff career highs -- as he picked up the slack for foul-plagued All-Star center Amare Stoudemire. The Suns made a pair of charges in the fourth quarter, both with Stoudemire off the floor.

"Obviously it's not what we wanted. We couldn't get any breaks," Nash said. "(Stoudemire) kept getting kind of some ticky-tack fouls and fouled out."

"It was a feel for the game at the time," Marion said. "Amare was in foul trouble most of the game so I was getting more involved and he (Nash) was finding me. I had it going."

 

[Covert Rain]

You guys kill me sometimes, well if you don't buy the excuse then check the numbers for the 1st moth after they switched balls back to the leather! he was on fire and hardly ever missed.

That is the entire key to your sentence (insects aside ). He has had 2 good games in over the last month. That has been the problem with James Jones since last year. He became eradic and dissappeared down the stretch into the playoffs. He is doing that again this year. Besides what was his excuse last year when he had the leather ball all year?

you guys act as if all our players should shoot better then 50% every game or they suck. get real!

No we just want some consistancy from a guy who tends to dissappear for weeks at a time. The word "potential" has been attached to him since he came into the league. At what point is that suppose to be realized?

And for the record I support coach for sticking with him, because come playoff time if he can get his cofidence up and play well

Well I was on that same record last year and it never happened. I hope your right. I really do because we could use him come playoff time.

 

[Nasser22]

Not exactly what I was hoping to read with my coffee this morning.



Hasn't JR claimed that he plays better when starting (with the old ball, last 14 days of the month, etc., etc.)? It would be nice if he could keep this up through the first round.

My guess is that the Suns will switch over to Boris or KT starting at PF against the Spurs, but they have to make it to that point first, right?

I think so...he should be good as a starter and I agree with others that Diaw doesn't play as well with Amare because he was trying to take his spot last year and all he's doing now is taking up space with him. He and Barbosa should come off the bench to try and keep the offense going when Amare or Nash sits out. Jones can get his 15 minutes and I think he can do a good job in that time.

 

[Budden]

I'm trying to think of a worse player than James Jones. Is Casey Jacobsen still in the league?

Actually, he's probably not the worst player in the league, but he is downright bad. I understand that he tries hard, which is nice, although I don't really see his effort as being much better than anybody else's.. but he's a career 39% shooter from the field, he doesn't get assists, he doesn't rebound particularly well, once in a while he'll turn the ball over, but I actually blame that on the coach for having him in the game. He's shooting 36% from the field this year. This may be a bit of a hyperbole, but I don't understand how you could shoot that kind of percentage when you're in an offense with a point guard and a coach who specialize in getting you open shots and allowing you to shoot without remorse.

 

[Budden]

The word "potential" has been attached to him since he came into the league. At what point is that suppose to be realized?

Well I was on that same record last year and it never happened. I hope your right. I really do because we could use him come playoff time.

What do people say he has potential to do? He's supposed to be a shooter, but he can't shoot well. If he has potential, I suppose he has potential to improve his shot and become a decent shooter. I admit that he has two arms with two hands with fingers and nails and everything, but so what? Shaq has the potential to become a great free throw shooter. All he has to do is improve his shot, bring his percentage up to about 75%, and he'll be really quite good.

I don't think that we can use him in the playoffs. What we can use is an E Coli scare at McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell, Jack-in-the-Box, and every other fast food restaurant. Then, Boris Diaw might shed a few pounds, eat some healthy food that gives him more energy for the nights when he has to go to the Arena and play basketball, and we wouldn't have to play James "I have potential to be a really good shooter if I improve my ability to shoot" Jones and wouldn't need to have this discussion.

 

[mathbzh]

I agree Jones is not very good and that he may be useless in PO.
But when you analyse his FG% you forgot that more than half his shots are 3pt. He is a top 50 in 3P% this his not great (not even good), but it is far from the "worst player".
P.S. it is funny to have a better 3P% than FG%

 

[scoutmasterdave]

P.S. it is funny to have a better 3P% than FG%

It is funny, but it makes sense. JJ is pretty effective as a spot-up jump shooter, but when he tries to create his own shot, it rarely goes well (or in).

 

[The Commish]

Budden,

While I agree with you to a certain extent about his shooting, you are completely off base when you say that he is more worthless than Casey Jacobsen. Jones is at the very least our 3rd best defender and you could make an argument that he is better than Raja (who I like but think is overrated defensively). He's not turnover prone either, he simply just hasn't been shooting the ball well lately. We will need his defense come playoff time and I think a lot of your are overlooking that.

 

[zett]

His yearly percentage is so poor because half the year he shot with a ball he was not comfortable with, he was around 20% with the fake ball, you have to remember he's only been in the league this his 3rd year, thats why the lable of potential is still there. It's not like he's in his 30s and past his prime.

I think his assist are not good because D'Antoni chewed his but when he didn't shoot when he was open, he is open most of the time,but when he isn't he usually passes the ball around the horn,we move the ball around pretty well but, if we make 4 or 5 passes and score only 1 guy gets an assist.
I'm not making excuses for his poor shooting. I'm just saying he isn't close to being the worst player in the league, not even the worst on our team!

 

[Cheesebeef]

His yearly percentage is so poor because half the year he shot with a ball he was not comfortable with, he was around 20% with the fake ball, you have to remember he's only been in the league this his 3rd year, thats why the lable of potential is still there. It's not like he's in his 30s and past his prime.

he's actually in his fourth year and the ball thing is the dumbest excuse I've ever heard of - what was his excuse the second half of last season? What's his excuse since January? I'm pretty sure the "real ball" was being used during both of those time periods.

and it's not like he came out as a 19 year old kid - Junior's 26 years old - that's when you're talking about a guy in his prime, not his potential. And what is this potential that people of speak of? Has anyone seen ANYTHING new, any wrinkle in his game since he's been here besides shooting threes? He hasn't shown the ability to pump andpull up, or drive to the hole, so just what is this potential you speak of? Is it the potential to actually be consistent? Because he hasn't shown that either.

 

[F-Dog]

P.S. it is funny to have a better 3P% than FG%

I believe Quentin Richardson did the same thing two years ago.

 

[hawaiiansun]

nm

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

And for the record I support coach for sticking with him, because come playoff time if he can get his cofidence up and play well, we will be almost a lock to win it all! (Barring injuries)

no one is arguing with your points. we will win it all if he's shooting well. the problem is we always have to ask (see bolded above).

 

[azirish]

Jones actually went the backet a few times on Wed, which is something he has to develop. He even shot a pull up or two.

His ability to hit three pointers is going to be a big deal in the playoffs. Last year Tim Thomas made a huge impact on the Suns success even though he has a lower career three point shooting average than Jones (they are about the same this season). TT goes to the basket better than Jones, but is still shooting only 41.4% overall.

 

[PetryJr]

he's actually in his fourth year and the ball thing is the dumbest excuse I've ever heard of - what was his excuse the second half of last season? What's his excuse since January? I'm pretty sure the "real ball" was being used during both of those time periods.

He hasn't been exactly great since the return of the leather ball, but he's still shooting much better than he was with the "new" ball.

Numbers before the leather ball returned:
23 games - 24/95 from the field (25.2%), 13/41 from 3-point range (31.7%)

Numbers after the leather ball returned:
49 games - 126/317 from the field (39.7%), 70/180 from 3-point range (38.9%)

I agree that he should be shooting better than that, but I really don't think the ball thing was an "excuse".

 

[Treesquid PhD]

He hasn't been exactly great since the return of the leather ball, but he's still shooting much better than he was with the "new" ball.

Numbers before the leather ball returned:
23 games - 24/95 from the field (25.2%), 13/41 from 3-point range (31.7%)

Numbers after the leather ball returned:
49 games - 126/317 from the field (39.7%), 70/180 from 3-point range (38.9%)

I agree that he should be shooting better than that, but I really don't think the ball thing was an "excuse".

Well IMO Jones is a head case, I hear that when he shoots in practice and pre game he is "automatic". Yet in games overall he shoots sub 36%. This tells me it's not the ball, not the weather, or Foamy's annoying waving. It's in between the ears.

Jones has a shooters skill and is missing the shooters mentality.

 

[PetryJr]

Well IMO Jones is a head case, I hear that when he shoots in practice and pre game he is "automatic". Yet in games overall he shoots sub 36%. This tells me it's not the ball, not the weather, or Foamy's annoying waving. It's in between the ears.

Jones has a shooters skill and is missing the shooters mentality.

He's terribly inconsistent and his shooting percentage is below what's expected from a shooter. I'm not arguing that.

 

[Diawsome]

Well IMO Jones is a head case, I hear that when he shoots in practice and pre game he is "automatic". Yet in games overall he shoots sub 36%. This tells me it's not the ball, not the weather, or Foamy's annoying waving. It's in between the ears.

You can't compare practice and pre-game warm ups to an actual game.

 

[Diawsome]

double post

 

[azirish]

I agree with the contention that Jones' problem is more psychological than physical. He seems to have good mechanics, but does not seem relaxed when playing.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

You can't compare practice and pre-game warm ups to an actual game.

why not? You make that statement as an absolute without any back up points.

An analogy, let's say I practice drums at home and with my band mates for hours upon hours and everyone who I play with thinks I am really good, I drive the song in time, do awesome fills, never really make any noticable mistakes, but then I get on stage in front a of 200 people I screw up a beat, go to fast or drop a stick. Does that make me a bad drummer? No, it doesn't it just means I have stage fright and it's blocking me from relaxing and doing my job, it's all mental and everyone has this at somepoint. The difference is people either over come the issue or they can't break the mental block. This is what Jones has IMO when he is shooting. He doesn't have the mentality of a shooter, but he clearly has the capabilities as shown in practice and warm ups. He gets really open looks in games so it's not like he suddenly has 3 guys obstructing his nortmal rythms.
Once he gets over his mental issues he would probably be decent in games too, I don't know if that will ever happen though and I certainly don't think it will happen this season.

For the record I also rule on stage, I am not James Jones.