The Bell Tolls for Raja Bell...

[cly2tw]

The spurs defense was terrible when their bench ran short. As soon as those terrible backups were sent in, the scoring was accelerated. WHen guys get tired, the defense gets ragged. I still have yet to see the suns play consistently better defense than the DA era with KT. Their perimeter defense is worse, alot worse than the KT teams who limited the opponents 3pt % to 32%. The suns try to collapse the defense to protect shaq and amare from fouls on the penetration. The points in thepaint are down, except when opponents run, then its ugly. The 3 pt percentage the suns allow is just about the worst I have seen, and its part of the porter system to give up the 3 and protect against the penetration.

Now you got one point right: The system is premeditated on running opponent ragged, so that the better-used team wins out in the chaos and fuzzy defensive focus from both teams. But, if you only play it half the time, they don't lose the focus yet. No coincidence, Nash last night started with like 6 TOs to 5-6 asts, and we looked embarassing.

That's a dilemma for Nash and those nostalgic of DA's system. We need a fundamental change and Nash needs to reinvent himself with Stockton as role model, for us to have a chance.

 

[SirStefan32]

Do you vividly remember JJ going down and the suns having no bench besides that? No bench, no sustained defense, true of the spurs as well. Selective memory, keep telling yourself it was the "system".

OK, I gotta ask- Do you honestly think that run-and-gun Suns would be in a better position to win this year than ground-and-pound Suns? What makes this year different than last 4?

I said it before and I'll say it again- D'Antoni's run-and-gun offense is a nice regular season gimmick. However, without defense, rebounding and the ability to score in half-court set- it does not win championships.

Is Porter gonna lead Suns to championship this year? Unless something major happens (Bell, Nash, Barnes and Barbosa start hitting 3's like they've never hot them before, Nash stops turning the ball over like it's going out of style, Amare starts rebounding and playing D, Diaw has another MIP season, etc) - probably not. But they are not any worse off than they would be under D'Antoni run-and-gun system either.

 

[Covert Rain]

But they are not any worse off than they would be under D'Antoni run-and-gun system either.

Especially, if your end game is a title. Great post.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Raja tonight:

75% FG
100% 3P
15 PTS

Mike Miller tonight:
25% FG
33% 3P
7 PTS

 

[jagu]

Another lockdown defensive day by Bell

 

[mojorizen7]

Raja season FG%
41%

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Leandro will have his job by xmas.

 

[BC867]

Leandro will have his job by xmas.

If offense were all that matters.

Bell's performance is indeed deteriorating.

But Barbosa (instant offense off the bench) is not the answer.

 

[jagu]

If offense were all that matters.

Bell's performance is indeed deteriorating.

But Barbosa (instant offense off the bench) is not the answer.

WTF? Where's Bell's defense? Am I missing something because I see every game and see him get schooled by the opposing team's shooting guard night in and night out.

 

[nowagimp]

WTF? Where's Bell's defense? Am I missing something because I see every game and see him get schooled by the opposing team's shooting guard night in and night out.

Yeah you must have missed quite a bit. Kobe needed 23 shots to get 24 points, against the best sg in the game that is good defense. Opposing SG's are doint well against the suns by hitting open perimeter shots that result from porters defense nthat is designed to keep shaq and amare out fo foul trouble by bringing help in the lane area.

 

[SirStefan32]

Yeah you must have missed quite a bit. Kobe needed 23 shots to get 24 points, against the best sg in the game that is good defense. Opposing SG's are doint well against the suns by hitting open perimeter shots that result from porters defense nthat is designed to keep shaq and amare out fo foul trouble by bringing help in the lane area.

Hill, Barnes and Bell were switching on Kobe every couple of possessions. Hill and Barnes are equally responsible for slowing down Bryant as Bell is.

Just for the record- I am against giving Barbosa a starting position and moving Bell to the bench.

 

[mojorizen7]

Yeah you must have missed quite a bit. Kobe needed 23 shots to get 24 points, against the best sg in the game that is good defense. Opposing SG's are doint well against the suns by hitting open perimeter shots that result from porters defense nthat is designed to keep shaq and amare out fo foul trouble by bringing help in the lane area.

I'm gonna need a better example than Kobe. The only thing or person that slows Kobe down is Kobe.
I'm still not sure why some fans are praising Raja's play thus far this year.
Hell, his game appeared to start on the downside trend last year.
This year under a system that relies on the guards moving without the ball & finding spots to shoot the 3 he's been terrible at times....

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Raja tonight:

75% FG
100% 3P
15 PTS

Mike Miller tonight:
25% FG
33% 3P
7 PTS

I'm gonna need a better example than Kobe. The only thing or person that slows Kobe down is Kobe.
I'm still not sure why some fans are praising Raja's play thus far this year.
Hell, his game appeared to start on the downside trend last year.
This year under a system that relies on the guards moving without the ball & finding spots to shoot the 3 he's been terrible at times....

You keep asking for more examples and it seems you arent watching games and/or youre ignoring what is being posted. He is more active than he ever has been on offense, moving the ball and taking more shots inside the arc. He is still the pesky defender he always has been.

Your hatred is irrational. Raja is probably my least favorite sun and you continue to make me defend him.

 

[mojorizen7]

You keep asking for more examples and it seems you arent watching games and/or youre ignoring what is being posted. He is more active than he ever has been on offense, moving the ball and taking more shots inside the arc. He is still the pesky defender he always has been.

Your hatred is irrational. Raja is probably my least favorite sun and you continue to make me defend him.

I quoted Mr Gimp but, i've seen probably half the games & i stand by my observation. Raja is shooting a putrid 41% from the field(last i checked),and being outplayed by just about every opposing SG he faces everynight IMO....and YJGS'd i'm not alone in my observation either.
I don't hate Bell b.t.w.(D'Antoni yes).
Bell's defense is OVERRATED.

 

[nowagimp]

You keep asking for more examples and it seems you arent watching games and/or youre ignoring what is being posted. He is more active than he ever has been on offense, moving the ball and taking more shots inside the arc. He is still the pesky defender he always has been.

Your hatred is irrational. Raja is probably my least favorite sun and you continue to make me defend him.

Mojo is not a rational person. He wants good defense, but wants to start LB in place of Raja. This suns team is just what mojo wanted, more emphasis on defense, a slow halfcourt game. After getting blown out by the heat and losing to the nets, it looks like what mojo wanted made things worse, LOL. He must be a relative of Kerr, perhaps.

 

[nowagimp]

I quoted Mr Gimp but, i've seen probably half the games & i stand by my observation. Raja is shooting a putrid 41% from the field(last i checked),and being outplayed by just about every opposing SG he faces everynight IMO....and YJGS'd i'm not alone in my observation either.
I don't hate Bell b.t.w.(D'Antoni yes).
Bell's defense is OVERRATED.

Allen Iverson is shooting 39%, Rip Hamilton is shooting 41%(just like raja), and Rodney stuckey is shooting 38%, and Chauncey Billups is shooting 41.5%. I suppose those guys are better than Raja, but not at shooting %, uh? ANd they use a similar offensive system, so the shooting percentages are comparable.

 

[mojorizen7]

Allen Iverson is shooting 39%, Rip Hamilton is shooting 41%(just like raja), and Rodney stuckey is shooting 38%, and Chauncey Billups is shooting 41.5%. I suppose those guys are better than Raja, but not at shooting %, uh? ANd they use a similar offensive system, so the shooting percentages are comparable.

You claim i'm irrational?
Every one of those guys you mentioned above fill up the box score in addition to playing defense. Raja gives you 110% on "D" and IF, IF his shot is on that night he'll give you 10 pts....thats it. You crack me up.

 

[Suns_fan69]

IF Raja got 15 shots a game, sure, he'd probably put up a decent ppg average. He is actually a decent catch and shoot guy coming off the screens around 16-20 feet, and the stats confirm that as well. According to 82games.com he's actually shooting a higher eFG% than Nash on Jump Shots on the young season. But doing so would be just ludicrous with the personnel on the team. All we need him to do on offense is to make the defense pay for sagging off of him and by and large he has been able to do that.

 

[mojorizen7]

Mojo is not a rational person. He wants good defense, but wants to start LB in place of Raja. This suns team is just what mojo wanted, more emphasis on defense, a slow halfcourt game. After getting blown out by the heat and losing to the nets, it looks like what mojo wanted made things worse, LOL. He must be a relative of Kerr, perhaps.

Yep, this is what i wanted. I don't have a problem with "this."
If the playoffs started today we'd be a 6th seed despite the adjustments & areas that need improvement within this team.
You see, after 4 yrs we knew what we had with DA & his system....a ton of regular season victories,exciting up & down basketball with no chance to win a title.
With Porter....we know that there'll be an emphasis on playing defense and taking smarter shots. Will it work? Who knows....but writing it off at this point as a failure is just plain dumb & um...irrational.
Oh & if i was a relative of Kerr i would've asked him to can DA before last season when it became obvious to me that small ball had peaked,and failed.

 

[nowagimp]

You claim i'm irrational?
Every one of those guys you mentioned above fill up the box score in addition to playing defense. Raja gives you 110% on "D" and IF, IF his shot is on that night he'll give you 10 pts....thats it. You crack me up.

You are the first person I have ever heard say Iverson plays defense comparable to Bell. Its getting hard to take what you say seriously anymore, iverson is a terrible defender, and turns the ball over waaaay more than Raja ever does. If shooting 39% and turning the ball over(as well as taking the air out of it) is filling the box score, then yes he does.

As for 41% being terrible shootin(your words paraphrased), these guys are as bad or worse, it is what it is. Rip Hamilton playing better D than Raja .... NO.

 

[nowagimp]

Yep, this is what i wanted. I don't have a problem with "this."
If the playoffs started today we'd be a 6th seed despite the adjustments & areas that need improvement within this team.
You see, after 4 yrs we knew what we had with DA & his system....a ton of regular season victories,exciting up & down basketball with no chance to win a title.
With Porter....we know that there'll be an emphasis on playing defense .

Yeah there will be an emphasis with little or no improvement in defense, tons of turnovers and a quick fade int he playoff race. At least now you can stop watching earlier int he season, the suns arent a tease, you KNOW they wont do crap int he playoffs OR the regular season.

 

[mojorizen7]

I'd rather have Michael Finley starting here than Bell.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'd rather have Michael Finley starting here than Bell.

I'm afraid Bell has lost his fire. It's a shame because he should have a lot of good basketball left in him. He never was the same after that incident with Kobe.

 

[jagu]

I swear I can play better than Raja Bell lol. I rather have Gordon Giricek starting than Raja Bell!