Suns play

[Phrazbit]

The only player who I question about exhaustion would be Gortat, and it has nothing to do with Gentry. He seemed to have no legs from the tip against Utah. And given how he has been prone to fade late and his total unraveling during the last month of last season, I kinda question Gortat's conditioning. Its absolutely way too early to say, but if he has a similar drop in production during the 2nd half of this season then he may not have the conditioning to be a 30 minute per game player.

And I dont have a problem with the rotations right now. Gentry is mixing and matching, trying to find rotations that work. Its what he should be doing at this point in the season.

 

[AzStevenCal]

The only player who I question about exhaustion would be Gortat, and it has nothing to do with Gentry. He seemed to have no legs from the tip against Utah. And given how he has been prone to fade late and his total unraveling during the last month of last season, I kinda question Gortat's conditioning. Its absolutely way too early to say, but if he has a similar drop in production during the 2nd half of this season then he may not have the conditioning to be a 30 minute per game player.

And I dont have a problem with the rotations right now. Gentry is mixing and matching, trying to find rotations that work. Its what he should be doing at this point in the season.

Gortat looks to be in excellent shape but he was clearly a step slow and looked like he was jumping in mud against Utah. I just don't know what to say about him. As you mentioned, he had the same problem last year down the stretch. If he just can't handle the games and the minutes, I'd rather see us give him the day off every now and them rather than limit his minutes in a game. We are so much better when he is fully charged but I think we'd lose more games that way than the occasional day off.

Steve

 

[AzStevenCal]

Once a player has exhausted his energy on the court it becomes obvious in terms of mental errors, increased fouling, flat shots, turnovers and perhaps an increased risk of injury. It's the coaches job, as BC867 notes, to recognize this. Playing a player who is clearly fatigued usually results in decreased production.

Players play tired all the time - at every level and on every team. Also, I'd be willing to bet that a truly tired player is MUCH less at risk of injury than at any other time. Yes, it's the coach's job to recognize when a tired player is ineffective but playing less than your best is not the same thing as ineffective and smart players learn how to rest during the action.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm throw in my 2 cents. IMO, Gortat needs to add weight to be more effective. He does not have the size to bang with stronger players. I've felt this way since last season. Maybe part of the problem is he plays in a lot of games in the offseason which wears him down.

 

[Mainstreet]

Players play tired all the time - at every level and on every team. Also, I'd be willing to bet that a truly tired player is MUCH less at risk of injury than at any other time. Yes, it's the coach's job to recognize when a tired player is ineffective but playing less than your best is not the same thing as ineffective and smart players learn how to rest during the action.

Steve

Dragic has clearly not learned to rest during the action as he plays full throttle on both ends of the court. Gentry needs to recognize this and I think he finally did in the Cavaliers game.

 

[Phrazbit]

Gortat looks to be in excellent shape but he was clearly a step slow and looked like he was jumping in mud against Utah. I just don't know what to say about him. As you mentioned, he had the same problem last year down the stretch. If he just can't handle the games and the minutes, I'd rather see us give him the day off every now and them rather than limit his minutes in a game. We are so much better when he is fully charged but I think we'd lose more games that way than the occasional day off.

Steve

Yeah, I dont think Gortat is out of shape. Maybe he is too bulky in terms of muscle mass, I dont know. But his endurance has me concerned. Maybe Al Jefferson just owns him and there is nothing physically to worry about. Time will tell.

 

[Mainstreet]

In an article from Bob Young at azcentral dated 11-12-12 he notes.

O’Neal still out

Reserve center Jermaine O’Neal was inactive for a fifth consecutive game for personal reasons.

“He has a funeral to attend, then he’ll be back and we’ll go from there,” Gentry said.

It is unknown if he will be available Wednesday against Chicago.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/sun...ivalry-los-angeles-lakers.html?nclick_check=1

 

[elindholm]

Is the funeral for his career?

 

[Phrazbit]

Is the funeral for his career?

I think that happened about 8 years ago. Everything since has been an extended version of Weekend at Bernie's

 

[AzStevenCal]

Maybe he's one of those guys who leads from afar?

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

At least he is not out due to injury. I fear this may come later.

 

[Mainstreet]

Maybe he's one of those guys who leads from afar?

Steve

Agree. I never did buy this leader talk... leading from behind.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Agree. I never did buy this leader talk... leading from behind.

I almost always choose to look at the brightest possible side of things so I was willing to try and believe he could be a positive force in the locker room and on the court. It's hard to be a positive force when you're nowhere to be found.

Steve

 

[Superbone]

We are only 7 games into the season and are already talking about exhaustion. Exhaustion leads to foul trouble and injury. It is why the Suns, and Nash in particular, always wore down as the season progressed and into the post-season.

If that was Dragic being exhausted the fourth quarter of the last game against the Nuggets, I hope he's exhausted every game. That was masterful.

 

[BC867]

If that was Dragic being exhausted the fourth quarter of the last game against the Nuggets, I hope he's exhausted every game. That was masterful.

He rested the whole second quarter. Gentry was quick to react to his being totally spent in the 4th quarter of the previous two games.

The mediocre coaches (such as John MacLeod, who coached the Suns for years) take weeks to react to situations, if at all.

The good coaches react in a couple of games, as Gentry has done.

The great coaches react during the game.

 

[elindholm]

Come on, guys, being winded at the end of a game is not the same as getting run down over the course of a season. They should be tired at the final buzzer.

 

[BC867]

Come on, guys, being winded at the end of a game is not the same as getting run down over the course of a season. They should be tired at the final buzzer.

That generalization is true. The specifics are not. For example, Nash wore down as the season reached crunch time and the playoffs.

If Dragic is exhausted at the start of the season, how effective would he have been as the season progressed?

The proof is in the pudding. When Gentry saw that, he rested Goran during the whole second quarter of the last game and it worked well for the Suns.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

That generalization is true. The specifics are not. For example, Nash wore down as the season reached crunch time and the playoffs.

If Dragic is exhausted at the start of the season, how effective would he have been as the season progressed?

The proof is in the pudding. When Gentry saw that, he rested Goran during the whole second quarter of the last game and it worked well for the Suns.

I don't think Nash's loss of production come playoff time was solely because of being worn down. In the playoffs teams are allowed to play more physical and finesse players like Nash tend to lose some production and effectiveness because of that.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

That generalization is true. The specifics are not. For example, Nash wore down as the season reached crunch time and the playoffs.

If Dragic is exhausted at the start of the season, how effective would he have been as the season progressed?

The proof is in the pudding. When Gentry saw that, he rested Goran during the whole second quarter of the last game and it worked well for the Suns.

He was actually quoted saying that he planned on bringing him back with about 4 minutes left in the second, but decided since he had 2 fouls and Telfair was playing pretty well that he would just sit him for the rest of the quarter. Not saying that he wasn't trying to get him extra rest, but that he wasn't intending to sit him as much as he did. Otherwise he likely would have brought him back in with like 6 minutes left in the quarter.