So what will "skillball" look like this year

[JCSunsfan]

Suns potential small lineup

Steph
JJ
Shawn
Zarko
Amare

I like it, its very fast, but not so small as to be overwhelmed in the half court. Its not what I want all the time, but the beauty of this year's line up is that "skill ball" is looking less and less like "small ball."

On the other hand, the option of going big is intriguing.

Penny
Zarko
Amare
Little Jake
Big Jake

Now wouldn't that be a change. Of course I don't see this happening a lot, but sub Shawn for Little Jake and you still have a big line up that doesn't give up a whole lot on perimeter defense. Replace Penny with JJ and you are even better defensively.

JJ (6-8 )
Shawn (6-7)
Zarko (6-11)
Amare (6-11)
Big Jake (7-2)

I just love what the Suns are doing. We are building an incredible foundation of young players and we are patiently letting them develop.

Unlike some other teams who think patching in 40 something hall of famers will inject life into their unmotivated stars.

 

[slinslin]

Originally posted by JCSunsfan


Penny
Zarko
Amare
Little Jake
Big Jake

That would be awful.

Amare , Jake and Big Jake would clog the paint offensively and on defense Amare would have to chase around a SF, Zarko a SG and Penny a PG.

They would get killed on both ends of the floor.

 

[SirStefan32]

I think we will see a lot of

Marbury/ Hardaway/ Marion/ Cabarkapa/ Stoudemire

and Marbury/ Barbosa/ Johnson/ Marion/ Stoudemire lineups.

 

[arthurracoon]

i love this lineup:

Steph
JJ
Shawn
Zarko
Amare

 

[elindholm]

Marbury/ Hardaway/ Marion/ Cabarkapa/ Stoudemire

Not too bad, as long as Cabarkapa can defend someone, and Stoudemire is quick enough to cover from the weak side when Hardaway's man blows by him.

Marbury/ Barbosa/ Johnson/ Marion/ Stoudemire

I think you're right that we will see this, but that's really too bad, because I hate that lineup.

 

[SirStefan32]

Originally posted by elindholm
Marbury/ Hardaway/ Marion/ Cabarkapa/ Stoudemire

Not too bad, as long as Cabarkapa can defend someone, and Stoudemire is quick enough to cover from the weak side when Hardaway's man blows by him.

Marbury/ Barbosa/ Johnson/ Marion/ Stoudemire

I think you're right that we will see this, but that's really too bad, because I hate that lineup.

Right, I am not saying the 2nd lineup is good, I hate that lineup, but after seeing Penny Hardaway guard David Robinson and Shawn Marion guarding Tim Duncan, nothing surprises me.

Another thing- Penny needs to stop trying to help anybody on defense. If he wants to even try guarding his man, he needs to focus 100% of his attention on that guy. He shouldn't even look at the basketball, let alone try to help somebody.

Stefan

 

[rkellysunsfan]

Another thing- Penny needs to stop trying to help anybody on defense. If he wants to even try guarding his man, he needs to focus 100% of his attention on that guy. He shouldn't even look at the basketball, let alone try to help somebody.

I don't really know why you say that. Frank Johnson said that Penny was probably our best and smartest help defender we had last year. There was more to the fact that we were a top 5 western conference team with Penny and a mediocre, out of the playoffs team without him. And it most likely has more to do with him scoring 10 points per game.

 

[Errntknght]

I'm sure Frankie is wetting his pants at the thought of Marbury, Hardaway, Marion, Cabarkapa and Stoudemire. That, in itself, is enough to make me dislike it... and what a defensive sieve! (I will admit it doesn't look too bad - as long as you're comparing to some of FJ's lineups last year.)

It certainly makes sense to play Zarko at PF/C some because you can hope he'll grow into a reasonable inside defender - from what I read about his defense in the summer league he did better guarding 3's than he did 4's, and that wasn't a harsh test. Just spelling Amare would give him plenty of PT inside. He might work out well playing PF in a lineup with Barbosa, JJ, Marion and Stoudemire where they're playing a scrambling, disruptive defense and looking to run. Or maybe Outlaw somewhere in the mix.

I'm curious to see if FJ is will try again with the version of the motion offense that he started last year with. One reason it was so badly suited to the Suns was that we had no forward who could spot up at the knuckle as a 'triple threat' - that's MO lingo for someone who can shoot, drive and pass well from there - and Frank's version of the MO keyed on that kind of forward. Now with Zarko he might have that player. I suspect this year is too early but down the road we might see it again - and it may not be a bad offense then, who knows.

 

[Goldfield]

I can see Zarko playing some PF and Center in the future, if he hits the weight room hard. But in the mean time I bet he plays mostly of SF for us. Maybe some PF but I dont know, he is very skinny.

I hope we dont see Marion play much SG, He is to good of a rebounder to pull out of the paint.

I think Zarko is fast enought to hang at SF. He looks skilled enough to play the 3, 4, and 5. He is lacking the strength & body mass for Center for sure tho. Looks like he snagged a very good player with the #17 IMO. Way to go SUNS, for finding yet another gem, late in the draft.


But I truthfully wanna see BIG Jake play alot of Min's at center. With the two very athletic Forwards we got, Big Jakes size will complement this team sooo much, as long as he can play solid.


Cant wait for the season!