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White gives Suns some rare muscle
Bob Young
WASHINGTON - The Suns may never have the reputation of a tough, rugged team.
After all, they've been fighting the "soft" label since the days when John MacLeod roamed the sidelines and Alvan Adams was redefining the center position with his point guard-like passing.
But when reserve center Jahidi White is on the floor, the Suns are anything but soft.
"Opponents have to deal with him in the middle, physically, and on pick-and-rolls," assistant coach Marc Iavaroni said. "There's a real impact. You can see it on tape. Opponents shy away from him. It loosens up ball pressure.
"And when the ball goes up on the glass - you saw it against Minnesota - there's definite respect there."
White, who makes his return to the MCI Center tonight to face his old team, the Washington Wizards, is a 6-foot-9, 290-pound wrecking ball coming off the bench behind starter Jake Voskuhl. Sometimes he wrecks defenders. Sometimes he wrecks a possession with an offensive foul. One way or another, bodies fly.
"People say the West is the stronger, more physical conference, but they call way more stuff," While said. "You can be physical, but at the same time you expect them to call fouls on you.
"But I figure by the time I get my fifth or sixth foul, I've gotten three or four times that many people open for good shots."
Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said White is making strides in learning to play in an up-tempo style and in the club's pick-and-roll-dominated, half-court offense.
"We're playing our style of basketball, and sometimes it may not always be conducive to him," D'Antoni said. "But we want to play a certain way and get him to play that way.
"I think he's doing a pretty good job. I think he's adjusting, he's running more. Every once in a while, an errant pass will go astray. I can live with that.
"He's playing as hard as he can play, and I think in the last couple of weeks he's gotten better."
White was frustrated in a loss Wednesday night at Indiana, turning over the ball when trying to throw an outlet pass.
"It doesn't come natural," D'Antoni said of the running game for White. "It's not the way he's played for years. He understands when he makes a mistake. In the last eight games, take away (Indiana), he's a big part of why we're winning and playing well."
And he gives the Suns a dimension they've lacked.
"In the East you've got Jermaine O'Neal and, um . . . you know?" Iavaroni said. "Who else is there?
"In the West you've got Shaq (O'Neal), (Tim) Duncan, Yao Ming, Vlade (Divac), who's as clever and crafty as they come. It's a long list.
"People have been taking shots at us all year. Theo Ratliff hits Joe Johnson in the head. Danny Fortson (who leveled Zarko Cabarkapa, breaking his wrist).
"I can never imagine Jahidi doing that. He's physical but does it in legal ways. But I think it has impact not only on the other team, but our guys' confidence as well."
SUNS UPDATE: Forward Amare Stoudemire didn't make it through a full practice Thursday as the Suns took part in light drills. He remains day to day with toe and ankle pain. This is the first of back-to-back games, and the Suns are 6-5 in the first of two-game sets this season.
WIZARDS UPDATE: While the Suns have the worst record in the West, the Wizards are battling Orlando and Chicago for the worst mark in the East. Washington has been decimated by injuries. Jerry Stackhouse, Gilbert Arenas and Chris Whitney are on the injured list. Larry Hughes has knee tendinitis that could keep him out.
White gives Suns some rare muscle
Bob Young
WASHINGTON - The Suns may never have the reputation of a tough, rugged team.
After all, they've been fighting the "soft" label since the days when John MacLeod roamed the sidelines and Alvan Adams was redefining the center position with his point guard-like passing.
But when reserve center Jahidi White is on the floor, the Suns are anything but soft.
"Opponents have to deal with him in the middle, physically, and on pick-and-rolls," assistant coach Marc Iavaroni said. "There's a real impact. You can see it on tape. Opponents shy away from him. It loosens up ball pressure.
"And when the ball goes up on the glass - you saw it against Minnesota - there's definite respect there."
White, who makes his return to the MCI Center tonight to face his old team, the Washington Wizards, is a 6-foot-9, 290-pound wrecking ball coming off the bench behind starter Jake Voskuhl. Sometimes he wrecks defenders. Sometimes he wrecks a possession with an offensive foul. One way or another, bodies fly.
"People say the West is the stronger, more physical conference, but they call way more stuff," While said. "You can be physical, but at the same time you expect them to call fouls on you.
"But I figure by the time I get my fifth or sixth foul, I've gotten three or four times that many people open for good shots."
Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said White is making strides in learning to play in an up-tempo style and in the club's pick-and-roll-dominated, half-court offense.
"We're playing our style of basketball, and sometimes it may not always be conducive to him," D'Antoni said. "But we want to play a certain way and get him to play that way.
"I think he's doing a pretty good job. I think he's adjusting, he's running more. Every once in a while, an errant pass will go astray. I can live with that.
"He's playing as hard as he can play, and I think in the last couple of weeks he's gotten better."
White was frustrated in a loss Wednesday night at Indiana, turning over the ball when trying to throw an outlet pass.
"It doesn't come natural," D'Antoni said of the running game for White. "It's not the way he's played for years. He understands when he makes a mistake. In the last eight games, take away (Indiana), he's a big part of why we're winning and playing well."
And he gives the Suns a dimension they've lacked.
"In the East you've got Jermaine O'Neal and, um . . . you know?" Iavaroni said. "Who else is there?
"In the West you've got Shaq (O'Neal), (Tim) Duncan, Yao Ming, Vlade (Divac), who's as clever and crafty as they come. It's a long list.
"People have been taking shots at us all year. Theo Ratliff hits Joe Johnson in the head. Danny Fortson (who leveled Zarko Cabarkapa, breaking his wrist).
"I can never imagine Jahidi doing that. He's physical but does it in legal ways. But I think it has impact not only on the other team, but our guys' confidence as well."
SUNS UPDATE: Forward Amare Stoudemire didn't make it through a full practice Thursday as the Suns took part in light drills. He remains day to day with toe and ankle pain. This is the first of back-to-back games, and the Suns are 6-5 in the first of two-game sets this season.
WIZARDS UPDATE: While the Suns have the worst record in the West, the Wizards are battling Orlando and Chicago for the worst mark in the East. Washington has been decimated by injuries. Jerry Stackhouse, Gilbert Arenas and Chris Whitney are on the injured list. Larry Hughes has knee tendinitis that could keep him out.
