Suns look at history for view of future

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http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/1125suns1126.html

Suns look at history for view of future

2004-05 team great; 2007-08 even better

Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Nov. 25, 2007 07:01 PM
For the Suns, it took the insight of hindsight to have its most optimistic foresight.

Beyond rekindled buzz and newfound entertainment, the 2004-05 Suns were never valued for what they nearly accomplished until this year's Suns came along and matched the 11-2 start of 2004.

That Suns success was chalked up to a new style that worked well for the regular season. It was qualified as a young team that was not ready or capable to win a title even if Jerry Stackhouse's flagrant foul had not sent Joe Johnson crashing face-first into a six-game playoff absence.

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Now the Suns are 11-2 again, and 2004-05 memories are surging back. Adding Grant Hill has allowed the Suns to do things offensively with a big perimeter player and defensively with switches that they did with Johnson three seasons ago. Phoenix ranks fourth in the NBA in steals and blocks, making the staff and Steve Nash call this the best defense since he returned.

With its toughest month of the schedule ahead, it seems improbable that this team could match that team's 31-4 start, but two assessments are clear: The Suns think they should have won the championship in 2005. And the Suns believe this team is better.

"I thought we were the best team in the league," D'Antoni said of 2004-05. "Anytime you beat Dallas the way we did, 4-2, without Joe (for Games 3-6), we were good. . . . We have a chance to be as good or better than that team."

D'Antoni said this team's defense is the best since the franchise's revival and moves the ball better on offense than the 2004-05 team.

"Our ceiling is a lot higher," Suns assistant coach Phil Weber said, also noting that this team has been more banged up in November than the previous three. "We're nowhere near where we need to be offensively and defensively, and we've won eight in a row."

Weber said the Suns did not know it at the time, but the 2004-05 team was this era's best one. This team can't shock opponents like then, but Weber noted that its rotation is one main player deeper than 2004-05, when Leandro Barbosa sat in the playoffs.

Nash, Amaré Stoudemire and Shawn Marion remain. The wings have changed from Johnson and Quentin Richardson to Hill and Raja Bell. Brian Skinner plays the role Steven Hunter once held. These Suns bring Barbosa and Boris Diaw off the bench for heavy minutes instead of just Jim Jackson.

Barbosa turns 25 on Wednesday, as Stoudemire did this month and Diaw did in April. The hope is that the team grows up into a champion because experience and travails are usually prerequisites for championship rings.

"This team is more experienced and intelligent," Nash said.

For Phoenix, that could put it atop the league.

"If Joe doesn't get hurt (in 2005), I think we were the best team in the league," assistant coach Alvin Gentry said.

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/102721

Suns just fine with no spotlight

Matt Paulson, Tribune

For the first time in years, the buzz around the NBA isn’t centered in the West. The overhauled Boston Celtics have stolen the national spotlight with their 11-1 record, but the Suns quietly are sitting atop the West once again (they’re tied with San Antonio).

They are 11-2 — matching the best 13-game start in franchise history — but their accomplishment has been met with little national fanfare.

“That’s fine,” point guard Steve Nash said. “We’re not out here for praise. We’ve gotten enough praise over the last three years. We want to win a championship.”

So far, Phoenix’s record mirrors that of the 2004-05 team which ran its way to a 31-4 mark before finishing with a league-high 62 wins. An injury to starting shooting guard Joe Johnson ultimately derailed the Suns’ chances in the playoffs, but coach Mike D’Antoni believes that was the best team has coached in Phoenix.

So how does this year’s squad compare?

“I think we have a chance to be as good or better than that team,” D’Antoni said.

“I think offensively we probably move the ball better. We’re used to each other for a couple years now. I’m more comfortable calling certain things. I think we’re better experience-wise. But we’re not there yet, so we’ll see if we can get there.”

Two other factors also support D’Antoni’s belief: improved defense and depth.

Phoenix ranks fourth in the league in both steals (8.9) and blocks (5.7) and those averages are higher than they have been in any of the previous three seasons.

“We’ve added Grant (Hill, a defensive player of the year in college) and Brian Skinner and hopefully some experience, so it should be the best defensive team we’ve had,” Nash said. “We should be better as the season goes on.”

Team depth also appears to be better. Phoenix has played only five games this season with its top seven players available.

“We’ve got a lot of weapons to choose from,” D’Antoni said. “We’ve been able to (overcome) some injuries to keep it going. It’s pretty cool.”

Also working in Phoenix’s favor is the fact it has played a relatively light schedule. Only five games have been against opponents who are currently .500 or better and of those, only Orlando (12-3) is close to the Suns record-wise.

Still as Nash pointed out, “You can only play who you’re scheduled against.”

Things will get a little tougher this week with games at Golden State – where Phoenix traditionally struggles – and home dates with a healthy Houston team and Orlando. A five-game road trip follows, but a true measure of the team won’t come until mid-December when the Suns play three road games in five days at New Orleans (10-5), San Antonio (11-2) and Dallas (9-4).

Until then all the Suns can hope to do is continue winning.

“We’ve done the job (so far),” Nash said. “We’ve just got to continue to be hungry and improve. . . .

“You’re going to have ups and down, but as long as over continual periods of games and weeks and time, you’re improving, then we’ve got a chance to be the best team I’ve been on.”