Kerr announces Barbosa is the backup PG. Player to sign will not play

Mainstreet

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In a nutshell, LB is doing a lot more by doing a lot less on offense. ;)

This sounds about right. Actually simplifying the offense is exactly what LB needed. He doesn't handle pressure well.
 

leclerc

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So we do have two point guards to backup Nash after all! Leandro and Dragic!

LOL, Lopez plays better when he's sat one out, I agree.
 

elindholm

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Barbosa's decision-making has been incrementally better over the last few games, but he's still not a PG. He's a terrible ball handler, he can't run a fast break to save his life, and he still has tunnel vision as soon as he starts his drive. He's a shooting guard who passes occasionally, that's it.

Calling Barbosa the backup PG is a word game: All it really means is that the Suns have no backup PG, and instead hope to rely on ball movement and spontaneous one-on-one opportunities when Nash is out of the lineup. It will work against weaker teams, perhaps all the way through the regular season. But a team serious about beating the Suns, as opposed to whatever random team is next on their calendar, will hone in on this weakness and have little trouble exploiting it.
 

AceP

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Barbosa's decision-making has been incrementally better over the last few games, but he's still not a PG. He's a terrible ball handler, he can't run a fast break to save his life, and he still has tunnel vision as soon as he starts his drive. He's a shooting guard who passes occasionally, that's it.

Calling Barbosa the backup PG is a word game: All it really means is that the Suns have no backup PG, and instead hope to rely on ball movement and spontaneous one-on-one opportunities when Nash is out of the lineup. It will work against weaker teams, perhaps all the way through the regular season. But a team serious about beating the Suns, as opposed to whatever random team is next on their calendar, will hone in on this weakness and have little trouble exploiting it.

Though I agree with u on this one, I do not believe our offense when Nash sits is our true weakness. Definitely not. We r a great offensive team. We score a lot. Our bench can score without a good PG riding them. But they let opponent score too much. Our problem is defense.

I dont mind Barbosa to play PG at all, as long as he could guard opponent PG better than any other PG we had b4, while still put up 10-15 points.
 

cly2tw

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Barbosa's decision-making has been incrementally better over the last few games, but he's still not a PG. He's a terrible ball handler, he can't run a fast break to save his life, and he still has tunnel vision as soon as he starts his drive. He's a shooting guard who passes occasionally, that's it.

Calling Barbosa the backup PG is a word game: All it really means is that the Suns have no backup PG, and instead hope to rely on ball movement and spontaneous one-on-one opportunities when Nash is out of the lineup. It will work against weaker teams, perhaps all the way through the regular season. But a team serious about beating the Suns, as opposed to whatever random team is next on their calendar, will hone in on this weakness and have little trouble exploiting it.

What was the role of PGs for Rockets with Dream or Heats with Shaq and Wade when they won the championships? Really anything more than LB is supposed to do right now? As you so succinctly put it, it's just a name game.

If we do not have sufficient offense with Nash sitting, we do not even need Nash on the team. What for? That's one main reason DA's team couldn't win the real games. We need to diversify our offense. With the talent on the roster, it's not necessary that a TRUE PG is on the court all the time to be successful at that.
 

mojorizen7

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What was the role of PGs for Rockets with Dream or Heats with Shaq and Wade when they won the championships? Really anything more than LB is supposed to do right now? As you so succinctly put it, it's just a name game.

If we do not have sufficient offense with Nash sitting, we do not even need Nash on the team. What for? That's one main reason DA's team couldn't win the real games. We need to diversify our offense. With the talent on the roster, it's not necessary that a TRUE PG is on the court all the time to be successful at that.
I brought this comparison up a couple weeks ago. I see the SUNS surrounding Shaq/Amare with 3 point shooters to work the inside/out game. Barnes was brought here to shoot 3's and defend,same with JRich(to a lesser extent defend) and i believe its a sound plan to approach winning playoff games....however the 80's ROCKETS guards were better defenders than we have here....and Olajuwon was the best center i ever saw play.
Still, it makes me wonder where NASH is going to fit into this scheme.
I wonder if the coaching staff believes that Barbosa is headed in the right direction for what they want ,or they're gonna give Barbosa heavy minutes from now till the trading deadline to put him on display to shop for that perimeter defender with the ability to hit the 3ball.
 

French Fries

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What was the role of PGs for Rockets with Dream or Heats with Shaq and Wade when they won the championships? Really anything more than LB is supposed to do right now? As you so succinctly put it, it's just a name game.

If we do not have sufficient offense with Nash sitting, we do not even need Nash on the team. What for? That's one main reason DA's team couldn't win the real games. We need to diversify our offense. With the talent on the roster, it's not necessary that a TRUE PG is on the court all the time to be successful at that.

agree. what those pg's did (mario elie (?) and jet smith (?) for rockets and jwill and payton for heat) were pretty simple, knock down the shots if they're open or give the ball up to the "stars". LB is more than capable of doing that. if anything, it's his focus that's lacking (or was lacking), not his skills cause it's there...

and we do need to diversify our offense in a way that we're not too dependent on nash. it's the same reason why i approve of porter's approach. we have, what, 7 players who could easily be double figure scorers if need be. if there's any other way to play than freestyle bball, that would help alot in the playoffs...
 

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Consensus is that Leandro is playing better (not shooting, but otherwise better). My guess is that Leandro is not being asked to make entry passes, but the offense needs to be effective at entry passes from the wings.

IMHO, Porter should try out Brown when playing guys like Parker. It is hard to stop him with Nash playing.
 

mojorizen7

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Consensus is that Leandro is playing better (not shooting, but otherwise better). My guess is that Leandro is not being asked to make entry passes, but the offense needs to be effective at entry passes from the wings.

IMHO, Porter should try out Brown when playing guys like Parker. It is hard to stop him with Nash playing.
I've gotta disagree , IMO this is one of the areas that Barbosa has shown the ability to function where Nash has continuously turned the ball over attempting to make a simple entry pass into the post. They're both listed at 6'3" IIRC(although i'd be willing to bet Barbs has 2 inches on Nash) so i don't know if height factors in here(getting the ball by the defender in front of you)....prob not,its not like Mugsy Bogues couldn't get the ball into Larry Johnson back in the day.
 

DeAnna

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Well, after today's game vs. Spurs, they may want to re-think this. He looked dreadful in the few minutes he did play.
 

Mainstreet

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Well, after today's game vs. Spurs, they may want to re-think this. He looked dreadful in the few minutes he did play.

While it is only my observation (I don't have the stats), LB performs better when the Suns have a lead. He definitely is not a clutch player that can make or create plays when the pressure is on. LB appeared very tentative today because he apparently feared making a mistake while playing PG. He appeared to take a step forward in the previous two games but he took a step backward today. Kerr just cannot count on Barbosa playing backup PG no matter how he tries to sell it. Anyway, LB was not the reason the Suns lost today.
 

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