anyone that thinks that penny's play is the reason for the turn around should read this.
Marbury proving to be ultimate team player, leader
John Gambadoro
azcentral.com
Nov. 24, 2003 09:05 AM
It's easy to look at the box score and see that Stephon Marbury has been scoring less and assisting more this past week. But why would the Suns' best scoring option, floor general and the player with the uncanny ability to break down a defense and get to the hoop decide all of a sudden that fewer points is better? Simply put, Marbury wants to win and he decided that a change was necessary.
After the Suns' first nine games resulted in a disappointing three wins and six losses, the team members had a little heart-to-heart among themselves. What they decided was that the offensive was stagnant. That there was not enough ball movement. That far too often players were holding onto the ball too long. The result was that the players felt that if they did get the ball they couldn't afford to pass because the chance that the ball would come back to them on the same possession was slim to none. They were no longer trusting their teammates and in the NBA that is clear path to self destruction.
Something had to change. And being the leader that he is, Marbury took the suggestions to heart. Because as the player who has the ball in his hands the most, Marbury affects the game more than any other player. And while no one was pinpointed the star point guard, he took a portion of the blame for the Suns' struggles.
Marbury believed he was part of the problem and he wanted to be part of the solution. Heading into the game against the Bulls last Tuesday, the Suns had lost three games in a row, during which Marbury had a combined 17 assists. Against the Bulls, he took it upon himself to distribute the ball quicker to allow teammates to help in controlling the game's tempo. Marbury had 13 assists in that game and the Suns won as all five starters had at least 11 shots and Zarko Charbakapa had nine shots off the bench. The next game Marbury had 11 assists as seven Suns scored in double figures in a win over the Orlando Magic. And Saturday night he dished out 10 assists in a win over the Heat as the Suns reached the 100-point plateau for the first time this season.
In the three games Marbury totaled just 35 points. That used to be one good game for Marbury. An interesting statistic for a player who has always been known as a scorer. In fact, the Suns traded away a playmaking point guard in Jason Kidd to get Marbury precisely because of his ability to score.
Marbury, however, has always been underrated as a passer. His career assist-per-game average is a very respectable 8.2, but that is often overlooked because of his penchant for putting the ball in the basket. Last season when head coach Frank Johnson put in a motion offense, it was quickly ditched because too much ball movement took away from Marbury's talents. He is one of the top players in the league in creating off a pick-and-roll and dishing off to the open man or driving to the basket. In isolation plays, Marbury is one of the best at breaking down his defender and forcing the defense to react to him, which leaves teammates open.
With so many options on this Suns team, Marbury no longer has to carry the scoring burden. His newfound role has resulted in more shots for Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire; it has also allowed players such as Scott Williams and Charbakapa to get into the flow of the game with more ease.
What this proves is that Marbury is willing to sacrifice part of his game, that he is above all about winning. His statistics don't mean as much to him as a victory. That was evident all of last year when on nights when he just didn't have it but the team won, there was a jubilant Marbury in the locker room afterwards.
There will be games when Marbury will need to resort to his old self. On days when Marion or Stoudemire are struggling, Marbury will be there to pick up the slack. There will be fourth quarters when the Suns' best player will have to take over the game scoring. And Marbury will be ready for that. Right now he is proving he can beat you in more ways than one, and he is proving to be the ultimate teammate. His leadership may have been questioned in Minnesota and New Jersey, but they cannot be questioned here. Because time and time again, the 26-year old All-Star is proving that team comes first.
