You overestimate Porter's system (if there is one) and underestimate D'Antoni's system. I've come to believe watching the coaching transition and players that D'Antoni got the most out of his players. Do you really think Nash would have won two MVPs with any other team? Maybe the Suns really were just a roster of just above average players that D'Antoni melded into something very special.
I agree that DA's system and this roster are a match, even Barnes who never had a chance to run in it. Barbosa, Bell, Barnes, Amare, Nash, Diaw are all greyhounds and Porter is using them like pitbulls, IMO. Players are usually chosen for the system or the system adapted to the players. I alsothink this is Kerrs, not porters fault, porter is just implementing Kerrs vision. DA's system was very good at spacing and was the best shooting team int he NBA years ago, all that mostly with guys who cant create their own shot. Funny in San Antonio, POPs loosened up the reins to let parker and manu run more, I remember this discussion. A good coach adapts to his roster talent and somehow gets the players in situations where they perform. Right now Chris Duhon has more assists a game than Nash and a much better asst/TO(3.6 vs 2.2) ratio. Now who is going to say thats because Duhon is a better passer or PG? Sure looks like Duhon is headed for a career year, sounds familiar. Last night the shorthanded suns looked better(less TO's better shooting) until they wheezed and couldnt get a defensive rebound int he 2nd half. The spacing was better and the shots were falling from the perimeter, and amare looked good on offense. Of course they ran out of gas, big time, very ugly. Maybe there is an adjustment coming.
No one here(or across the country) ever thought nash would be MVP, diaw would get MIP or LB would be best 6th man, probably because they never showed that kind of ability before the "system". It might be that they just arent as good as the stats they generated, in which case this team has no chance to be elite anyway.
