I'll still never understand why every opponent doesn't come out in a zone from the tip off. I don't think the Suns could currently break 75 ppg if their opponents played 48 minutes of the zone defense.
Oh well, here's hoping that doesn't happen.
Joe Mama
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/1110suns1110.html
Suns baffled by teams in the zone
Passing a key to battling 'D'
Bob Young
The Arizona Republic
Nov. 10, 2003 12:00 AM
Suns coach Frank Johnson was sporting a telltale bandage thickly wrapped around his pinkie finger at Sunday's practice.
"I was watching tape of the Utah game, and I broke a glass I was holding," said Johnson, who demonstrated how he squeezed the glass in aggravation.
The price: Six stitches.
That loss to Utah was two games ago. The Suns bounced back to beat Memphis and visit Golden State tonight. But it's easy to understand why that game is still eating at Johnson.
The Jazz frustrated the Suns with a zone defense. And Memphis used a zone to get back into the next game Friday night after the Suns nearly blew them out. Other teams will study that tape.
Until the Suns show they can handle the zone, Johnson figures to spend some more frustrating nights with the VCR.
"We definitely have times when we're fumbling around a little bit. We tend to hold the ball too long," forward Tom Gugliotta said. "Zones are kind of boggling our minds a little bit."
The Suns ranked 27th out of 29 NBA teams in assists through Saturday's games.
Johnson constantly harps on ball movement, begging during games for one more pass.
Eventually, one answer may be rookie Zarko Cabarkapa. Distributing the ball is among the 6-foot-11 forward's strengths.
But Johnson said Cabarkapa, who missed the preseason because of hernia surgery, is still trying to work his way into form.
"What we have to understand is we're still a young team compared to where we were even last year," Johnson said. "And we've added someone else (center Jahidi White), which is going to slow us down for a little while.
"We have to keep things very simple."
Of course, if the Suns can get into their running game, opponents won't have the opportunity to set up in a zone.
So far, that hasn't happened. The Suns haven't created enough opportunities with their defense, also ranking 27th in steals.
The Warriors, however, like to play an up-tempo style, and only five teams in the league have turned it over more often. That is likely to help the Suns get into their own running game.
But eventually they will have to establish that they can beat zone defenses or they'll see them every night.
"It seems like we're starting to realize the more we move the ball, the easier it is," Gugliotta said. "Just pass and cut, the ball moves more, and it's a lot easier to score.
"Everybody is watching tape, so they're going to at least give it a shot. Some teams are playing it really well, so they might stick to it.
"It's something we're going to have to beat. But there's no reason we can't. Other than not moving the ball, there's no other reason why we can't carve up a zone."
The Suns aren't the only team in the league struggling to score this season. In fact, their 90.4 points a game ranks 17th in the NBA.
Throughout the league, teams are using zones more effectively.
"Definitely," Gugliotta said. "Everybody has another year under the belt on how to cheat better - or at least take all you can that's legal. I think teams are getting more efficient at playing it."
Oh well, here's hoping that doesn't happen.
Joe Mama
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/1110suns1110.html
Suns baffled by teams in the zone
Passing a key to battling 'D'
Bob Young
The Arizona Republic
Nov. 10, 2003 12:00 AM
Suns coach Frank Johnson was sporting a telltale bandage thickly wrapped around his pinkie finger at Sunday's practice.
"I was watching tape of the Utah game, and I broke a glass I was holding," said Johnson, who demonstrated how he squeezed the glass in aggravation.
The price: Six stitches.
That loss to Utah was two games ago. The Suns bounced back to beat Memphis and visit Golden State tonight. But it's easy to understand why that game is still eating at Johnson.
The Jazz frustrated the Suns with a zone defense. And Memphis used a zone to get back into the next game Friday night after the Suns nearly blew them out. Other teams will study that tape.
Until the Suns show they can handle the zone, Johnson figures to spend some more frustrating nights with the VCR.
"We definitely have times when we're fumbling around a little bit. We tend to hold the ball too long," forward Tom Gugliotta said. "Zones are kind of boggling our minds a little bit."
The Suns ranked 27th out of 29 NBA teams in assists through Saturday's games.
Johnson constantly harps on ball movement, begging during games for one more pass.
Eventually, one answer may be rookie Zarko Cabarkapa. Distributing the ball is among the 6-foot-11 forward's strengths.
But Johnson said Cabarkapa, who missed the preseason because of hernia surgery, is still trying to work his way into form.
"What we have to understand is we're still a young team compared to where we were even last year," Johnson said. "And we've added someone else (center Jahidi White), which is going to slow us down for a little while.
"We have to keep things very simple."
Of course, if the Suns can get into their running game, opponents won't have the opportunity to set up in a zone.
So far, that hasn't happened. The Suns haven't created enough opportunities with their defense, also ranking 27th in steals.
The Warriors, however, like to play an up-tempo style, and only five teams in the league have turned it over more often. That is likely to help the Suns get into their own running game.
But eventually they will have to establish that they can beat zone defenses or they'll see them every night.
"It seems like we're starting to realize the more we move the ball, the easier it is," Gugliotta said. "Just pass and cut, the ball moves more, and it's a lot easier to score.
"Everybody is watching tape, so they're going to at least give it a shot. Some teams are playing it really well, so they might stick to it.
"It's something we're going to have to beat. But there's no reason we can't. Other than not moving the ball, there's no other reason why we can't carve up a zone."
The Suns aren't the only team in the league struggling to score this season. In fact, their 90.4 points a game ranks 17th in the NBA.
Throughout the league, teams are using zones more effectively.
"Definitely," Gugliotta said. "Everybody has another year under the belt on how to cheat better - or at least take all you can that's legal. I think teams are getting more efficient at playing it."
