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JJ to the Rescue
By Joe Gilmartin, Suns.com
Posted: Jan. 16, 2004
The book on Joe Johnson has always been that if he ever found some intangible qualities (confidence, assertiveness) to go with his obvious physical skills he would morph into an All Star-caliber player before our very eyes.
And while it’s a tad (Okay, two tads. Maybe even three tads) early to declare that mission accomplished, Johnson, who won’t turn 23 until June, has taken several significant steps in that direction.
Maybe it’s because he feels more comfortable out from under the shadow of the departed Stephon Marbury and Penny Hardaway. Or perhaps it’s just the natural maturing process you look for in one so young is just kicking in. Or even a resolve to reward new Coach Mike D’Antoni for the faith he’s showing in him.
Whatever it is, the 6-7 Arkansas guard has really turned it on in the last two games. Thursday up in Portland he scored 20 points and had seven assists in helping the Suns snap a six-game losing streak. And tonight against Golden State he had 26 points on 12-of-16 shooting from the field, handed out seven assists and had only one turnover.
What’s even more impressive than WHAT he’s doing is WHEN. Like when the Suns most need a hoop or two. Against the Blazers, for instance, he hit two jumpers and a driving lay-up late in the fourth period to help the Suns pull out of another of the fourth period tailspins they have been notorious for this season.
In this one, he was 4-for-4 from the field in the fourth period, with all four hoops pulling the Suns out of a potentially fatal stall.
Item: When the Warriors had whittled a 24-point deficit down to 10 with 9:14 left, Johnson hit a 17-foot jumper.
Item: When the lead shrank to nine at 6:15, Johnson hit another 17-foot jumper.
Item: When it got down to eight at 4:27 Johnson hit a 20-footer with a defender draped all over him (or at least over enough of him to draw a foul) and converted the free throw.
Item: And finally, when that lead got down to seven at 2:53, Johnson hit a six-footer in the lane.
Of course, the most encouraging thing about all of these items is that Johnson was LOOKING to make plays and pick the team up, or in this case, keep it from falling down -- a development that bodes very well indeed for the Suns.
Johnson says one reason he’s a lot more relaxed now is because, “I know that if I miss a shot I don’t have to look over to the bench to explain myself, or fear that I’m coming out of the game. Now I’m just coming out to have fun and play ball. And now I just need to keep doing what I’m doing and improve with the team.”
Hmm. Sounds like what we have here is a beneficial combination of Marbury and Hardaway’s absence and D’Antoni’s presence.
By the way, none of the above should be interpreted to mean this was a one-man victory. Au contraire, it was a tribute to ball handling, spacing and teamwork by all hands, especially in the first half when the Suns shot 66 percent from the field and put 62 points on the board. And that eye-popping shooting percentage was a direct result of ball handling and movement without the ball that created not only good looks, but looks that came in the natural rhythm of a well-executed offense.
The only caveat is that the Warriors were playing their fourth game in five nights and are more than a little banged up. But that should in no way detract from how well the Suns played in the first half, or how impressively they closed the deal later when things looked a little shaky.
JJ to the Rescue
By Joe Gilmartin, Suns.com
Posted: Jan. 16, 2004
The book on Joe Johnson has always been that if he ever found some intangible qualities (confidence, assertiveness) to go with his obvious physical skills he would morph into an All Star-caliber player before our very eyes.
And while it’s a tad (Okay, two tads. Maybe even three tads) early to declare that mission accomplished, Johnson, who won’t turn 23 until June, has taken several significant steps in that direction.
Maybe it’s because he feels more comfortable out from under the shadow of the departed Stephon Marbury and Penny Hardaway. Or perhaps it’s just the natural maturing process you look for in one so young is just kicking in. Or even a resolve to reward new Coach Mike D’Antoni for the faith he’s showing in him.
Whatever it is, the 6-7 Arkansas guard has really turned it on in the last two games. Thursday up in Portland he scored 20 points and had seven assists in helping the Suns snap a six-game losing streak. And tonight against Golden State he had 26 points on 12-of-16 shooting from the field, handed out seven assists and had only one turnover.
What’s even more impressive than WHAT he’s doing is WHEN. Like when the Suns most need a hoop or two. Against the Blazers, for instance, he hit two jumpers and a driving lay-up late in the fourth period to help the Suns pull out of another of the fourth period tailspins they have been notorious for this season.
In this one, he was 4-for-4 from the field in the fourth period, with all four hoops pulling the Suns out of a potentially fatal stall.
Item: When the Warriors had whittled a 24-point deficit down to 10 with 9:14 left, Johnson hit a 17-foot jumper.
Item: When the lead shrank to nine at 6:15, Johnson hit another 17-foot jumper.
Item: When it got down to eight at 4:27 Johnson hit a 20-footer with a defender draped all over him (or at least over enough of him to draw a foul) and converted the free throw.
Item: And finally, when that lead got down to seven at 2:53, Johnson hit a six-footer in the lane.
Of course, the most encouraging thing about all of these items is that Johnson was LOOKING to make plays and pick the team up, or in this case, keep it from falling down -- a development that bodes very well indeed for the Suns.
Johnson says one reason he’s a lot more relaxed now is because, “I know that if I miss a shot I don’t have to look over to the bench to explain myself, or fear that I’m coming out of the game. Now I’m just coming out to have fun and play ball. And now I just need to keep doing what I’m doing and improve with the team.”
Hmm. Sounds like what we have here is a beneficial combination of Marbury and Hardaway’s absence and D’Antoni’s presence.
By the way, none of the above should be interpreted to mean this was a one-man victory. Au contraire, it was a tribute to ball handling, spacing and teamwork by all hands, especially in the first half when the Suns shot 66 percent from the field and put 62 points on the board. And that eye-popping shooting percentage was a direct result of ball handling and movement without the ball that created not only good looks, but looks that came in the natural rhythm of a well-executed offense.
The only caveat is that the Warriors were playing their fourth game in five nights and are more than a little banged up. But that should in no way detract from how well the Suns played in the first half, or how impressively they closed the deal later when things looked a little shaky.
