Orlando game article

[Joe Mama]

In this article Frank Johnson says the players went away from what worked in the first quarter which was going inside against the zone. I don't remember Orlando playing much zone in the first quarter though. I also know that having a center and Tom Gugliotta in the game at the same time was a big part of their success last night. For all of Googs problems he is probably the best passing big man on this team, and he seems to do a good job against the zone. Besides, I think it's an indictment on the coaching if FJ tells them to go inside, but they continue to stand around the perimeter shooting from outside.

Joe

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/1209suns1209.html

Suns waste big lead, help Magic end skid

Bob Young
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 9, 2003 12:00 AM

ORLANDO - Give the Suns this: They have a flair for the dramatic.

On the same four-game road trip they made the most dramatic comeback for a victory in franchise history in Boston - a rally that equaled the fourth biggest in NBA history - they produced the third-most dramatic collapse in club history Monday night.

After leading by 22 points in the first quarter against an Orlando Magic team that had lost 19 consecutive games, the Suns fell on their face in a 105-98 loss and wasted a 29-point, 17-rebound game from Shawn Marion.

The Magic, meanwhile, avoided NBA ignominy with the win. They were approaching the league records for most consecutive losses (24) and most in one season (23).

They would have been only the seventh NBA team ever to lose 20 or more games in the same season.

"That was like the greatest comeback I've ever been involved in," said Orlando's Tracy McGrady, who missed a triple-double by one assist with 16 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. "Now we have something to talk about other than, 'Oh, you know, we played hard, but we've got to find some way over this hump.' Finally got over the hump."

The Suns, who try to save face and a road trip tonight in Miami, made their own historic list.

The biggest collapse in Suns history came in March 2001 when they squandered a 28-point lead to Sacramento and lost. The second-biggest flop came on Christmas Day in 1968 when the Lakers came back from 24 down to beat the Suns.


Stopping the streak
The Magic's victory snapped a 19-game losing streak Monday night. Another defeat would have tied Dallas and Philadelphia for the fourth-longest skid in NBA history.
Streak Team Season(s)
24 Cavaliers 1981-82/1982-83
23 Nuggets 1997-98
23 Grizzlies 1995-96
21 Pistons 1981-82/1982-83
20 Mavericks 1993-94
20 76ers 1972-73
19 Magic 2003-04
Monday's nose dive ranks third.

Stephon Marbury described it as "identical" to Boston's fold job against the Suns at the start of the trip.

"What we did, we got passive," Marbury said. "The exact same thing happened to Boston. They got passive against our press, and we got passive against (Orlando's) zone."

Ah, the zone defense. It has frustrated the Suns all season, and it did again in the second half in particular, when the Magic extended it far out on the perimeter and dared the Suns to make plays inside.

Instead, too often the Suns simply stood around, held the ball and then cast up long shots.

"We scored more points (41) in the first quarter than we did in the second (18) and third (21) or the third and fourth (18) combined," Suns coach Frank Johnson said.

"We wore the zone out in the first quarter because we had great ball movement. We stopped wearing it out because we started holding the ball. That's it. All we had to remember is what we did in the first quarter against the zone."

The Suns shot 71 percent in that first quarter as Penny Hardaway scored 14 and Marion 12. But the signs of trouble were already there on the defensive end, and in the second quarter their defensive lapses led to Magic layups, followed by dunks, followed by more layups as Orlando rallied to within nine before the Suns settled for a 59-49 halftime lead.

Hardaway had 18 points at the half and Shawn Marion had 20, but the Magic outscored the Suns 26-18 in the second quarter as Drew Gooden came off the bench to lead them. He finished with 21 points and eight rebounds.

"We played just a tenacious, hard-fought, never-say-die game," said Magic coach Johnny Davis, who got his first victory since taking over for the fired Doc Rivers. "We talked about it earlier, drawing the line, and now we can get our season started in earnest."

 

[elindholm]

We wore the zone out in the first quarter because we had great ball movement. We stopped wearing it out because we started holding the ball.

!#*%&*!&%**

It's a lack of player movement, not ball movement! Figure it out, you moron !!!

 

[Chaz]

Instead, too often the Suns simply stood around, held the ball and then cast up long shots.

 

[schutd]

Originally posted by elindholm
We wore the zone out in the first quarter because we had great ball movement. We stopped wearing it out because we started holding the ball.

!#*%&*!&%**

It's a lack of player movement, not ball movement! Figure it out, you moron !!!

I must say Elindholm, I'm digging this side of you!

SUNS RULE!
WE'RE NUMBER 11

 

[Errntknght]

I hate to disagree but generic player movement is not effective against a zone. Ball movement is more important but you've got to get the spacing right - which does require short and rather precise player movements. Of course, generic ball movement isn't very valuable either - you have to have fairly precise passing so when a player moves into a seam the ball is where it can be passed to him before a defender can rotate to him. That much is the same whether the guy is moving into place for a jumper or slashing to the basket. On ball screens aren't too effective since zones focus on the ball but off ball screens work great - but only if you're passing with enough precision to get the ball quickly to the guy coming off the screen. It won't come out right by accident, you've got to plan it out and pracatice it.

The best point of attack is the middle - because from there it's a short pass to anyone who pops open. In particular, it's a short pass to the baseline - and naturally you have a guy or two working themselves into seams along it. You can attack the center indirectly by having a man move into the center then slide out to one side dragging the middle defender with him, creating a passing lane down the middle - briefly, of course. If you're not ready to use the passing lane when it opens then it's of no use.

Actually, the reason the Suns were so effective against Orlando's zone early wasn't what Frank said at all. It was because Orlando wasn't playing a zone in the first quarter! Leave it to Frank not to notice...

 

[Joe Mama]

It is true that you must move the ball in order to beat the zone, but like you said you have got to get players in the middle and moving along the baseline. That means player movement. Last night almost the entire time they were getting zone the Suns had 4 players standing around the 3-point line with their center occasionally playing around the free-throw line. They moved the ball around quickly, but there was absolutely no player movement.

I also thought it was funny that Frank Johnson talked about how the Phoenix Suns beat the zone in the first quarter by moving the ball when in fact Orlando did not play zone until the second quarter.

Joe Mama