Updated: Dec. 1, 2005
Suns on fire By Tim Legler
ESPN Insider
Archive
Tim Legler, an NBA analyst for ESPN and former NBA 3-point champion, is a regular contributor to Insider.
Suns on fire By Tim Legler
ESPN Insider
Archive
I admit it. I'm officially a Phoenix Suns fan.
I know what you're thinking. I have to cover the entire NBA. I am supposed to be impartial, unbiased, and neutral. Too bad. I flat out love watching this team play. How could anyone not be on the bandwagon?
The open court style and selfless play epitomize what the game of basketball is all about. Too often, the NBA game gets mired in half court wrestling matches, one-on-one isolations, and stagnant offensive possessions. Not to mention the fact that so many of the league's head coaches try to put their stamp on the game by dictating every possession with their play calling.
Mike D'Antoni has proven that the success the Suns enjoyed last season is just as much a result of his coaching style as it is attributed to the individual talents of Steve Nash, Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire. D'Antoni has one of the brightest minds in the NBA, yet he doesn't "over-coach". He emphasizes a relentlessness on the offensive end that is based upon conditioning, discipline, and floor spacing. He puts them in the right positions on the court and then trusts them to make decisions and move the ball to the open man.
Of course, it helps when the best decision maker in the NBA runs your team. Since being teamed up with D'Antoni, Steve Nash (18.6 ppg, 10.7 apg, 95.7-percent from the line) has played the point guard position as well as it can possibly be played and has put to bed all whispers questioning the legitimacy of last season's Most Valuable Player award.
Once again the Suns top the league in scoring at almost 106 points per night. They have six players (Nash, Marion, Leandro Barbosa, Raja Bell, Boris Diaw, and James Jones) averaging double figures and two more (Kurt Thomas and Eddie House) within a hair of that mark. They shoot over 46-percent from the field as a team and are one of the best in the league at taking care of the ball. ALL of that is directly attributed to their point guard. Quite simply, his control of the game is on a level that only a very short list of NBA stars can achieve. In fact, the only players comparable are Tim Duncan, Lebron James, Allen Iverson, and Tracy McGrady. Not a bad list upon which to find your name.
But, as great as he has been, Nash doesn't do it alone.
The style of play that Phoenix employs is only possible if a team is able to hold their own on the backboards. That's where Shawn Marion comes into the equation. Amazingly, the "Matrix" ranks fourth in the NBA in rebounding at 11.8 per game. Remember, the guy is a 6'7", 220 lb small forward (playing the power forward position out of necessity) and he eats more glass than Ben Wallace (11.5), Elton Brand (10.7), Jermaine O'Neal (10.6), and Kevin Garnett (10.4).
On a team vertically challenged in terms of height, Marion plays big. Real big. The icing on the cake is that he has great speed which allows him to outlet the ball to Nash and still be a finisher at the other end. His 20 points per game and 50-percent shooting will taper off when Stoudemire returns, but Marion, if he continues at this pace until February, is certainly deserving of another All-Star appearance.
And then there are the new guys.
Remember the heat the Suns took last summer when they traded Joe Johnson to Atlanta? They couldn't justify paying Johnson $70 million to be their fourth best player. Remember the guy the Suns got in return? His name is Boris Diaw and the last time I checked Johnson's Hawks were 2-16 and generally regarded as the laughingstock of the NBA while Diaw, on the other hand, has been nothing short of a revelation in Phoenix.
The reality of the situation is that Jerry Colangelo, Mike D'Antoni, and the rest of the Suns didn't even know what they were getting when Diaw arrived in town. They sure know now. At 6'8", he is the second best playmaker (almost 7 apg) on their team. In fact, last week Nash recorded 12 assists in a game and wasn't the team leader in that category. That's because Diaw had 13 in the same game.
He also chips in with 10.8 points on 53-percent shooting and is second on the team in blocked shots. His versatility on both ends takes pressure off of Nash to be the sole creator offensively, while allowing D'Antoni to change his defensive matchups to take advantage of Diaw's ability to guard five positions. He has to be the favorite for most improved player in the league at this point.
Let's take one more stroll down memory lane. The Suns also raised eyebrows by trading Quentin Richardson, after leading the NBA in three pointers made last season, to New York for power forward Kurt Thomas. Well, chalk up another win for the Suns' front office.
Richardson has struggled with limited minutes, a slower pace, and a more selfish team. He is also dealing with personal tragedy after the shooting death of his brother in Chicago earlier this week. Meanwhile, Thomas has given the Suns some muscle up front and has helped Marion survive under the boards by averaging almost nine rebounds a night, including over 14 rpg in his last six games. Many people thought Thomas was on the downside of his career. Instead, he has thrived in his role as a low post defender and a medium range jump shooter on the pick and role with Nash.
Let's not forget Raja Bell (12ppg), Leandro Barbosa (15), and James Jones (10). Collectively, they have rounded out the highest scoring rotation in the league.
Now, are you ready for the truly scary part? Amare Stoudemire, who would have been my pick for league MVP, hasn't even suited up for one game. Assuming his even close to the same level as last season when he returns, the Phoenix Suns will be a much more viable threat to challenge the San Antonio Spurs for the Western Conference crown than the team that lost to the Spurs in five games in last May's Western Conference Finals.
This version of the greatest show on earth actually tries to play defense. They have upgraded their perimeter and post defense. They are deeper. They are more confident after playing this well without their most dominant player. They are, in a word, dangerous.
Before the season, I was confident the Suns could keep their heads above the surf as they awaited Stoudemire's return. Stay around .500 and make a run after the All-Star break.
Well, it's safe to say that, at 12-5, the Phoenix Suns have stayed above the surf. In fact, they are lying on the beach, sipping margaritas, enjoying clear skies.
Tim Legler, an NBA analyst for ESPN and former NBA 3-point champion, is a regular contributor to Insider.
