The Bell Tolls for Raja Bell...

[jagu]

This offense desperately needs a guy who can score. The Suns window has closed but would it if they got rid of Bell and acquire a scorer who can put the ball in the hoop? Vince Carter would be a good add. He can penetrate and create his own shot and at least get defenders on their toes. With a small guard in Nash and then Raja Bell, teams can just load their defenders inside and create less spacing. The Suns need to think about NOW, they have a chance to win with another superior player at SG.


The Raja Bell lovefest is OVER.

I'd like to hear your opinions.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Raja is another player that is affected by Shaq. Raja cannot create his own shot, so the spacing that we had in our offense was perfect for him. He's still shooting a good %, but not shooting enough because he needs to be open.

What to do with Raja is a tough one.

 

[jagu]

Yea, he doesn't shoot because he used to be wide open when the team ran like the wind. All he had to do was wait at the three point line. Now that the defender is in everyone's face, the guards are lost and confused.

 

[TJ]

Id like to see this team start going inside more to Shaq and STAT. Of course, STAT needs to be more assertive when he gets the ball and go to the hoop like previous years. That should bring more defenders in the paint and leave either Raja or Nash open from outside.

Wishful thinking.....

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Kobe shot 35% last night and Raja was 50% from the 3pt line. How is Bell the focus of your frustrations?

Look to team turnovers and FG% if you want to find our problems

 

[cly2tw]

Raja could still make those 3s with well set feet. His problem is that he couldn't get anything going offensively, if he has to dribble or use a screen of sort. Probably, he is unsure of what to do himself, between new and old systems along with other players.

 

[cly2tw]

Id like to see this team start going inside more to Shaq and STAT. Of course, STAT needs to be more assertive when he gets the ball and go to the hoop like previous years. That should bring more defenders in the paint and leave either Raja or Nash open from outside.

Wishful thinking.....

Exactly, despite the bricks, plays via Shaq and Amare were much more effective than other alternatives, at times the only effective.

 

[Chaplin]

Raja Bell, like Steve Nash, is suffering from the lack of a coherent offensive system. When were Bell's best plays last night? At the end of a fast break--there was a beautiful fast break with Nash coming down, Raja sets up at the 3-point line. Pass. Swish.

 

[Covert Rain]

Raja Bell, like Steve Nash, is suffering from the lack of a coherent offensive system. When were Bell's best plays last night? At the end of a fast break--there was a beautiful fast break with Nash coming down, Raja sets up at the 3-point line. Pass. Swish.

I agree. There doesn't seem to be much of a strategy or "pecking order" so to speak. To me is should be Shaq, Amare then Nash in that order. You don't have to have one single guy carry the team. Spread it around based on who is hot. Also, I am sick of guys randomly chucking up shots before even getting in the offense.

Also, last night was Bell's first decent defensive night. We are giving up more points from the SG spot then any position on the team. So even if you can get Bell's offense on track...you have to wonder if his defense is EVER going to be consitant again. Isn't that why we brought him here to begin with?

I agree that the Suns should look to make moves now. Possibly shore up the SG spot. Then again, what do we have to trade?

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

imo he's aged more quickly than anyone on the roster.


a big problem is that this league's dominant scorers are, by and large, SF's and SG's. we don't have a consistent, much less dominant, scorer AT EITHER POSITION.

we have one dominant scorer in amare. and then we don't even really have a legit second banana as a scorer b/c shaq's wildly inconsistent and nash, well, my god, he just seemingly can't play any longer. and no one else is a legit scorer, not even barbs (which is shocking).

 

[LV-Suns]

" I'm not really going to get into talking about our offense, " Bell said after the formerly offensively captivating Suns failed to reach 100 points for the fourth time in five games.

 

[DeAnna]

The Raja Bell lovefest is OVER.

Did you say OVER? Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor??

No, the (one-way) lovefest continues.

Raja is not what ails this team.

 

[cly2tw]

Did you say OVER? Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor??

No, the (one-way) lovefest continues.

Raja is not what ails this team.

bombing one's ways with

Raja suffers from the core problem within the team, but he'd be fine when that problem gets resolved. He could contribute in Sloan's system back then.

 

[jagu]

It's funny how people still stick with Raja Bell. I guess no one wants a championship. Mr. Raja Bell and his "defense". McGrady went off on him, he "held" Kobe to what 24 points? I guess I'm willing to ride it out with you guys..

GO SUNS!

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

How many times a year does Kobe score under 20? a dozen? You have high expectations for someone that is playing as expected. Your frustrations are blatantly misguided.

Turnovers, FG%. That should be your focus.

Once those get polished every suns bandwagoner is going to forget what they were bitching about.

 

[Suns_fan69]

I don't know how serious the suggestion was but NO NO NO to Vince Carter.

Now, with that out of the way, lets talk about Bell. With our team set up the way it currently is, we don't really need a big scorer at SG. We need a guy who can play defense and knock down the open shot to make teams pay for double teaming Shaq and Stat. Guess what, Bell fits that description perfectly. Is he the best possible person for that role in the league? Of course not, but YJGS is correct, there are better culprits for the Suns' problems than the starting SG.

 

[elindholm]

Sure, it would be great to upgrade the SG position, but how? The Suns have no young talent, no desirable medium-good players, no expiring contracts, and no draft picks.

 

[Bert]

I couldn't disagree more with the thought that Raja is done.

Why would we get rid of our BEST defender now that our focus is on defense?

The reason Raja's scoring is down is in DIRECT relation to Shawn Marion leaving. Without Marion (the only other guy on the team who played any D) Raja is left to cover the best player on the other team every night so he spends every game running his butt off and has no energy left to score.

That's my opinion of Raja atm. I watch Shaq be completely ineffective every night and it's just sad, meanwhile SM is off wasting away in Miami.

 

[cly2tw]

I don't know how serious the suggestion was but NO NO NO to Vince Carter.

Now, with that out of the way, lets talk about Bell. With our team set up the way it currently is, we don't really need a big scorer at SG. We need a guy who can play defense and knock down the open shot to make teams pay for double teaming Shaq and Stat. Guess what, Bell fits that description perfectly. Is he the best possible person for that role in the league? Of course not, but YJGS is correct, there are better culprits for the Suns' problems than the starting SG.

Well, in today's OT win over Tor, Carter was incredible, so that I'd do a Diaw/LB or Diaw/Bell for Carter trade.

 

[Covert Rain]

I couldn't disagree more with the thought that Raja is done.

Why would we get rid of our BEST defender now that our focus is on defense?

The reason Raja's scoring is down is in DIRECT relation to Shawn Marion leaving. Without Marion (the only other guy on the team who played any D) Raja is left to cover the best player on the other team every night so he spends every game running his butt off and has no energy left to score.

That's my opinion of Raja atm. I watch Shaq be completely ineffective every night and it's just sad, meanwhile SM is off wasting away in Miami.

Please explain how Raja is our best defender? We are giving up more points from the SG spot then any other position and we are ranked last in the NBA at defending from that position.

 

[DeAnna]

Please explain how Raja is our best defender? We are giving up more points from the SG spot then any other position and we are ranked last in the NBA at defending from that position.

Are you reading off statistics, or do you actually watch the games? Seems to me like he plays his butt of on defense every day. If he's funneling his guy to the baseline, I suppose it's up to the help defender to take it from there. Is going to hold his opponent scoreless? Of course not.

 

[Covert Rain]

Are you reading off statistics, or do you actually watch the games? Seems to me like he plays his butt of on defense every day. If he's funneling his guy to the baseline, I suppose it's up to the help defender to take it from there. Is going to hold his opponent scoreless? Of course not.

Both. Per 82games.com SG it is our worst spot on the floor defending. We currently rank #30 at the SG spot in the NBA. Working your butt off does not equate to being a good defender. Working your butt off just means your working your butt off.

I see them as two different things. I am not questioning Raja's work ethic or his heart. His ability seems to be in question. Let me clarify, I think it's still early and I am not 100% convinced Raja's defense is done. However, as of right now it doesn't look good.

 

[SirStefan32]

Working your butt off does not equate to being a good defender. Working your butt off just means your working your butt off.

Saying "He's working his butt off" is like saying a chick has a "nice personality."

 

[mojorizen7]

I remember when Majerle began to slow down around '93/'94. His so-called outstanding 1 on 1 defense degraded to very mediocre quickly. His effort(as always) was 110% but he wasn't shutting anybody down at all. Add to that his ever increasingly streaky shooting & he became more of a liability than a strength.
He was obviously a fan favorite(especially w/the ladies) and i sense that many are holding on to the illusion that Raja is still worthy of a starting 2 guard in this league.
He isn't anymore.

 

[DeAnna]

He seemed to do all right last night.

His post-game interview was very telling. He DEFINITELY is resisting the new offense; he said a few times that "it's no secret we score better when we run 'n gun."