Substitutions

[Griffin]

I don't think I have to remind anyone how our depth was supposed to be key this season and how our starters, Nash especially, were supposed to have seen reduced playing time. It is certainly a work in progress, a favorite phrase around the Suns camp, but the trend has actually been going in the opposite direction. Porter is giving his bench players less and less minutes while extending the minutes of Nash and Shaq. How do people who did not like D'Antoni's rotations feel about Porter's rotations over the last five games or so?

With Barbosa's imminent return, our bench will get a little deeper. But even before he left, Nash was already playing extended minutes. One thing that D'Antoni did with Nash was to try to give him fairly consistent rest every game. He would take him out with around 3 or 4 minutes left of the first quarter and not put him back until around 3 or 4 minutes into the 2nd quarter. Then he would repeat the same process between 3rd and 4th quarters, regardless of the score of the game. That would give Nash an average of around 14 minutes of rest each game, which some thought was not nearly enough, and also keep him fresh for the end of the game if need be.

Under Porter, over the course of the last several games, Nash has not been getting his usual second rest, instead playing the entire 3rd quarter and often starting 4th. The only rest he would get is during garbage time, if there was garbage time, or that one game when he was in foul trouble. It is easy to see why this strategy will force Nash to play close to 40 minutes in any close game like he did against Portland last night, where his only second half rest was for a couple minutes at the start of 4th quarter.

Someone might point out that his average minutes per game are down from last season by a minute, but that is only due to several blow outs and foul trouble that limited his minutes.

Last 5 games Nash played:

• Portland
  • 7 players played 15 minutes or more
  • Singletary played 8 minutes
  • 8 players total played
  • Nash 40 minutes, played entire 2nd and 3rd quarters
• Lakers
  • 7 players played 15 minutes or more
  • Singletary played 13 minutes
  • Amundson, Dragic, Lopez garbage time
  • Nash 35 minutes, played entire 3rd, came out at garbage time, would have played 40 minutes if game was close
• Utah
  • 8 players played 15 minutes or more
  • Lopez, Amundson garbage time
  • Nash 32 minutes, in foul trouble, left game with 5 minutes left in 3rd after picking up 5th foul
• Detroit
  • 6 players played 15 minutes or more (Shaq ejected after playing 13 minutes, no Barnes)
  • Lopez 14 minutes
  • Singletary, Dragic limited minutes/garbage time
  • Nash 37 minutes, played entire 3rd, came out at garbage time, would have played 40 if game was closer
• Houston
  • 8 players played 15 minutes or more (Suns at full strength)
  • Diaw 14 minutes
  • Lopez, Amundson garbage time
  • Nash 33 minutes, played entire 3rd, came out with 8 min left in 4th with Suns down by 19, would have played 41 min if game was close

Nash is averaging 35.4 mpg over those five games. That number would be around 37.0 mpg if the games were close, and even higher if he didn't get in foul trouble that one game. The point being, without consistent rest, the only way to keep Nash's minutes down is to blow the opponent out (or to get blown out).

Both of our highly praised rookies are also getting less and less time, to the point that both are already out of the regular rotation. Our rotation is down to eight men, with Hill, Diaw and Barbosa (once he gets back) off the bench, and either Singletary or Dragic getting limited minutes as the 9th man. This looks very similar to what we had last season, except Hill is coming off the bench.

 

[mojorizen7]

Maybe when Nash figures out how to run the offense he can start getting extended rest.

 

[Mainstreet]

It's interesting that the Suns are starting to play a shorter bench rotation. It reminds me of similar criticism laid at D'Antoni's feet except I think Porter has more and better players to utilize.

The Suns really need that veteran PG to give Nash some rest. The Suns FO has not been able to get this through their heads for 5 seasons now. Banks was a Griffin pickup which made me lose confidence in his ability to evaluate talent.

 

[AfroSuns]

Maybe when Nash figures out how to run the offense he can start getting extended rest.

I agree, Porter may be trying to get the first unit to get accustom to the new system, he was doing pretty good using his bench at the beginning of the season, but the obvious fact that this team are not playing well together seem to have changed his plans.

 

[Errntknght]

I don't have a major problem with Porter trying to get top guys functioning better at this point of the season - I didn't mind D'Antoni's short bench at this stage of the season either when the team looked ragged. Also, I don't think that Nash is working as hard this year as prior ones, when he is on the floor.

Heck, it might be a good idea to tell the big minute guys to get focused and get with the game plan if they want more rest - quit thinking about how things once were. (Let the message board worry about history!)

 

[cly2tw]

I don't have a major problem with Porter trying to get top guys functioning better at this point of the season - I didn't mind D'Antoni's short bench at this stage of the season either when the team looked ragged. Also, I don't think that Nash is working as hard this year as prior ones, when he is on the floor.

Heck, it might be a good idea to tell the big minute guys to get focused and get with the game plan if they want more rest - quit thinking about how things once were. (Let the message board worry about history!)

I agree. Porter is trying to let Nash in for long stretches to have him figure out the new offense with different personell around him. How to run as Nash wished within the frame with Shaq?

Portland game offered some light in the end of tunnel. 3rd quarter was telling. When they play the exchanging baskets kind of fast game with Shaq, they lose. Shaq would be running for nothing back and forth, so that we actually get literaturally outnumbered on both sides of the court. You just can't afford to throw up a quick shot when Shaq is just barely arriving at his paint position. A long def. rebound, the opponents' fastbreak is more effective on average. And normally, with Shaq moving into paint, the spacing naturally gets tighter for our shooter if Shaq is not involved in the offensive set.

OTOH, in the same qrt, we had several quick firing from 3s within first 3-4 sec., with success. Shaq hadn't crossed the half court yet, or wasn't on court. We wouldn't be as outnumbered on defense if shots failed.

However, we still have no solution for Nash dribbling himself into situations that result in turnovers. Maybe Porter is trying a shock therapy by exposing Nash to this painful experience and having himself to concede to Porter's preference of having him handle the ball less.

Sometime down the road, Porter will be, and have to be, working on other set offenses more that will, and can, use other bench players more. I hope.

PS: the mass as presented in Shaq's body could both be to our offensive advantage and to opponents' defensive advantage, depending on how we do our offense. Nash has been doing things his DA-time way, which makes Shaq an advantage for opponent's defense! That's the issue he gotta figure out and confront.