Nuggets at Suns 7pm FSN AZ HD

[dreamcastrocks]

This is silly, amare helps make space by forcing the double team in the lane. This leaves someone open outside. When Nash penetrates, the help defense is more worried about his little dumpoffs to a 58% FG shooter(amare) than his inside game. The spacing on the suns is hurt when the outside shooting is off. The Nugz left marion wide open and they paid the price in the first half last night. The inconsistent shooters: LB, Raja, Marion will determine when the the spacing is good. With a streaky shooter like marion, when he starts to miss, you lay off him(he made no 3's in the second half). Lately Raja and LB have been inconsistent as well. If Banks keeps shooting at his current level(53% from 3pt range), the spacing will be very good, as long as he plays. Playing Diaw and Marion at the same time will often lead to bad spacing as most teams do not respect their outsiode shooting. I say go marcus go, learn the system, take care of the ball, execute and you will play. Banks form really does really look better this year, his footwork on the shot looks improved.

Not that silly. Diaw never really commanded double teams when Amare was injured. He was just beating his man one on one.

I understand what you are trying to say, but it doesn't always apply.

 

[nowagimp]

Not that silly. Diaw never really commanded double teams when Amare was injured. He was just beating his man one on one.

I understand what you are trying to say, but it doesn't always apply.

Double teams create space and with Diaw the refusal gives a one-on-one matchup advantage, just like if they refused to double amare. Anytime 2 guys are on one, someone is open.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Double teams create space and with Diaw the refusal gives a one-on-one matchup advantage, just like if they refused to double amare. Anytime 2 guys are on one, someone is open.

Double teams aren't the only thing that creates space. Passing the ball on the perimeter, making the extra pass, hanging around the perimeter instead of packing it in the paint like some teams do.

Having a player that commands double teams is not the only way to create space for the rest of your team.

 

[95pro]

well what we need to do is give the stars their credit. i think for the most part we are over critical on nash & amare. they get the wins, although its mostly off of great offense and not enough defense.

what we need to focus on are the roll players. and the two that stick out the most are bell and diaw.

bell has been off this year, both from 3 and his mobility. lets hope he can share minutes with banks, if coach dumbtoni allows that. that'll give banks more time and confidence as well as some rest for bell. lets hope rest cures bell, at the same time lets hope its an injury that hindering his performance. if not...

diaw...diaw...diaw...
i dont know what to say. his performance is regressing, depressing, and oppressing. he gets minutes, but why? dumbtoni is a hippocrit based on his post game comments about banks. sure diaw has shown bits & peices of life, but only in the past few games. he doesnt handle the ball, hill-nash-banks can do that, we all no we dont want barbs doing that. he doesnt do the inside game, he'll just pass it away. he doesnt have mid-range jumper. and he usually gets out rebounded by his counterpart. even if he doesnt fill up the stat sheet, his presense is not felt. case in point - marion. sometimes he doesnt have the greatest offensive/defensive game. but he'll do those little things that dont get accounted for on the stat sheet. atleast his presense is known.

just my 2 cents...

 

[DeAnna]

It's a good thing we played the Nuggets, with their really, really bad perimeter defense.

 

[nashman]

Again the Nugz are a solid and very good defensive team I am not sure where your getting your bad perimiter defense from? We play really well and would have beat ANY team last night the way we were shooting. Can't people just enjoy a good ass kicking for what its worth a solid win against one of the west better teams.

 

[nashman]

Apparently the Lakers and Hornets are better than us to according to the latest PR by espn hollinger! What an idiot!

 

[Covert Rain]

Again the Nugz are a solid and very good defensive team I am not sure where your getting your bad perimiter defense from? We play really well and would have beat ANY team last night the way we were shooting. Can't people just enjoy a good ass kicking for what its worth a solid win against one of the west better teams.

Maybe DeAnna was referring to their perimeter defense last night. It was horrid. They were not getting to their rotations. That's the most I have seen a team let the Suns have open 3's in a long time.

 

[nowagimp]

Again the Nugz are a solid and very good defensive team I am not sure where your getting your bad perimiter defense from? We play really well and would have beat ANY team last night the way we were shooting. Can't people just enjoy a good ass kicking for what its worth a solid win against one of the west better teams.

The nuggets perimeter defense yields 37% FG's from 3 pt range, seems to support Deannas statement. Their "stellar" perimeter defenders Melo, AI, JR Smith, chucky atlkins etc, look like a pretty sad group.

 

[planaria]

The nuggets perimeter defense yields 37% FG's from 3 pt range, seems to support Deannas statement. Their "stellar" perimeter defenders Melo, AI, JR Smith, chucky atlkins etc, look like a pretty sad group.

4th game in 5 nights against Suns´ pace.

It´s HARD to play defense in perimeter under these circunstances...

 

[Covert Rain]

4th game in 5 nights against Suns´ pace.

It´s HARD to play defense in perimeter under these circunstances...

37% is for the season. Sounds like it's hard for them most nights.

 

[Bufalay]

the nuggets lead the league in steals and blocks, but overall their defense is crap.

 

[DeAnna]

Maybe DeAnna was referring to their perimeter defense last night. It was horrid. They were not getting to their rotations. That's the most I have seen a team let the Suns have open 3's in a long time.

When Camby leaves Marion wide open all night on the perimeter, yeah, that would be bad defense in my book. After the first 2 he made, they should've come out to defend him.

Sure, they block shots and steal some passes...but...

 

[Ronin]

the nuggets lead the league in steals and blocks, but overall their defense is crap.

 

[nowagimp]

When Camby leaves Marion wide open all night on the perimeter, yeah, that would be bad defense in my book. After the first 2 he made, they should've come out to defend him.

Sure, they block shots and steal some passes...but...

The nugz shouldnt use camby on the perimeter, he's their best interior defender, he needs to stay in there. If marion is out there lighting things up, melo or another swing defender should be out there there. But really, the nuggets were just doing what other teams have been doing to the suns, pack it in, take away the inside game and make the shooters beat you. Rajas injury and the suns perimeter inconsistencies have made that easier this year. The hornets did it just last saturday. It didnt work on this night thanks mainly to marion and marcus banks.

Great perimeter defenders move alot on help defense as the ball is rotated. The nugz are not one of those teams, their 1's 2's, and 3's are mediocre defenders on the perimeter. The spurs lit up the nuggests from the perimeter last year in the playoffs, some things dont change.

 

[TucsonDevil]

Apparently the Lakers and Hornets are better than us to according to the latest PR by espn hollinger! What an idiot!

I am the first to admit that hollinger stares at his stat sheets too much, and his rankings are BS... however, the Lakers and Hornets have beaten the Suns Twice, each. I would say they are better teams.

 

[Proteus]

the nuggets lead the league in steals and blocks, but overall their defense is crap.

The Nuggets are 8th best in opposing teams' field goal % and are 5th in defensive efficiency according to Hollinger.

 

[Errntknght]

This is an insane post. You honestly think D'Antoni has the following thought process "I can't play Banks- what if he does well!?"

Our fan base has lost its marbles.

If anyone can figure out D'Antoni's thought process regarding bench players, especially backup PGs, I'd love to hear it.

Before Banks had played a minute for the Suns I said his biggest obstacle to success in Phoenix was going to be Mike D'Antoni. I didn't know jack about Marcus so why would I make such an outlandish prediction? Because I'd watched the way Mike deals with backup PGs for three years and seen him jerk them around and otherwise set them up for failure. Barbosa, who Mike seems to like, in general, totally fell apart as his backup point - it took a position change and a year of hand holding by brother Dan to get Leandro playing well again.

If you think it was all on Banks himself how do you explain that last year when he played quite well during Nash's injury that D'Antoni rewarded him with DNPs for 17 of the next 18 games? Is that your idea of the way to bring out the best in players?

Frankly, I don't think its so far off the mark to imagine that D'Antoni is concerned about being criticized by the media and fans for not playing Banks in future games after he's had some good outings. After the way he damned Marcus with the faintest of praise for the Denver game, I fully expect him to be looking for excuses to nail his butt to the bench again.

Watching Marcus get Iverson thoroughly frustrated in that game, I couldn't help but wonder what the outcome of the Spurs series would have been if Banks had taken the floor instead an ailing and ineffective Barbosa.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

If anyone can figure out D'Antoni's thought process regarding bench players, especially backup PGs, I'd love to hear it.

Before Banks had played a minute for the Suns I said his biggest obstacle to success in Phoenix was going to be Mike D'Antoni. I didn't know jack about Marcus so why would I make such an outlandish prediction? Because I'd watched the way Mike deals with backup PGs for three years and seen him jerk them around and otherwise set them up for failure. Barbosa, who Mike seems to like, in general, totally fell apart as his backup point - it took a position change and a year of hand holding by brother Dan to get Leandro playing well again.

If you think it was all on Banks himself how do you explain that last year when he played quite well during Nash's injury that D'Antoni rewarded him with DNPs for 17 of the next 18 games? Is that your idea of the way to bring out the best in players?

Frankly, I don't think its so far off the mark to imagine that D'Antoni is concerned about being criticized by the media and fans for not playing Banks in future games after he's had some good outings. After the way he damned Marcus with the faintest of praise for the Denver game, I fully expect him to be looking for excuses to nail his butt to the bench again.

Watching Marcus get Iverson thoroughly frustrated in that game, I couldn't help but wonder what the outcome of the Spurs series would have been if Banks had taken the floor instead an ailing and ineffective Barbosa.

Now thats a good post

I am pretty staunch supporter of DA but some of the criticism you brought up is definitely warranted.

Especially the criticism of Banks after yesterdays game. Where the hell was Mike going with that exactly? I read Coro's article and the game wrap up (I didnt see the game) and thought that Banks must have stunk up the joint.

Then I looked at the box score and saw that he went 7 for 8 from three???!! Seriously?

Either DA has some kind of vendetta against Banks or he just holds every PG to Nash's outerworldly expectations. There is no other explanation.

I for one think Banks should be getting more PT - and especially not getting blasted by the HC for what he needs to work on after having maybe his best game of the season.

 

[Hat]

Now thats a good post

I am pretty staunch supporter of DA but some of the criticism you brought up is definitely warranted.

Especially the criticism of Banks after yesterdays game. Where the hell was Mike going with that exactly? I read Coro's article and the game wrap up (I didnt see the game) and thought that Banks must have stunk up the joint.

Then I looked at the box score and saw that he went 7 for 8 from three???!! Seriously?

Either DA has some kind of vendetta against Banks or he just holds every PG to Nash's outerworldly expectations. There is no other explanation.

I for one think Banks should be getting more PT - and especially not getting blasted by the HC for what he needs to work on after having maybe his best game of the season.

You hit the nail. After Banks' playing last night, I don't see any good reason NOT to play him more. It's not that DA is stubborn or hesistant about bench players. I think he truely does not like Banks on a personal level. There is just no other explaination. Does anyone know if DA had any quarrels with Banks in the past, like verbal arguments or some such?

 

[cly2tw]

You hit the nail. After Banks' playing last night, I don't see any good reason NOT to play him more. It's not that DA is stubborn or hesistant about bench players. I think he truely does not like Banks on a personal level. There is just no other explaination. Does anyone know if DA had any quarrels with Banks in the past, like verbal arguments or some such?

There were reports about his being considered locker room cancer, which might however just be some rumor dissimated to justify DA's position.

 

[green machine]

There were reports about his being considered locker room cancer, which might however just be some rumor dissimated to justify DA's position.

He had a bad attitude.

Anyway, I can't believe the thought process of some people here. Do you really think D'Antoni is mad that Banks played well because somehow it makes him look bad?

Wow.

 

[TucsonDevil]

There were reports about his being considered locker room cancer, which might however just be some rumor dissimated to justify DA's position.

IMO, the locker room cancer is D'Antoni and his system.

 

[Proteus]

Very good game from the Suns last night aside from giving up too many offensive rebounds.

Hopefully they can keep on bringing that kind of effort/intensity.

So why do Pike and Marks enter the game before Tucker?

I wonder how much leeway Banks has now. Will he disappear to the bench again after one bad game?

 

[cly2tw]

Very good game from the Suns last night aside from giving up too many offensive rebounds.

Hopefully they can keep on bringing that kind of effort/intensity.

So why do Pike and Marks enter the game before Tucker?

I wonder how much leeway Banks has now. Will he disappear to the bench again after one bad game?

Because they suck so that they never would gain any entitlement for playing time down the road, but not sucking enough to lose the game in garbage time?