Thunder at Suns 2/20

[cly2tw]

So far, LB has been a fairweather player. His decision making has improved greatly this season, though. Despite his failure otherwise, I'd credit it to Porter's reining him in for that. In past couple games, he even started to use Amare's pick to his advantage several times. Like Amare, LB needs to be put into tough situations consistently to grow into a complete player, which has not been possible under DA.

 

[Errntknght]

Bufalay,

Did you see the last shot he hit? That was a pull-up jumper. I wouldn't be surprised if his eyes were closed on that shot. I've never seen him with so much confidence.

I remember the shot... sort of wrong foot runner going left three feet inside the arc. Not exactly what I'd call a pull up shot but I'm happy with anything thats vaguely mid-range. He did hit another jumper inside the arc... 18 feet near the right corner but he never really started to drive so I didn't classify that as a pull up shot either.

 

[elindholm]

He's never going to be well enough in balance while driving to execute a classic pull-up. As long as he can make mid-range shots, including some contested ones, that's a huge step.

 

[nowagimp]

So far, LB has been a fairweather player. His decision making has improved greatly this season, though. Despite his failure otherwise, I'd credit it to Porter's reining him in for that.

I thin im gonna Porter didnt even have leo for preseason or the first 20 games or so.

 

[nowagimp]

That sounds familiar. See Suns teams of 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-7 ... you get the idea.

Yeah and predictably some will say smallball "failed" with no PF defense and matt barnes being the big gun off the bench. This suns bench is probably the worst offensively in recent memory, maybe since 2005. No bench player can create his own shot, and no physical presence up front when shaq sits, uh oh. Amare looks like karl malone compared to hill/barnes at the PF. IF Im the opposing coach, I let em run and kill them on the oglass, and in the post when shaq sits for 18 mins a game. With so few scorers off the short bench, its an easy war of attrition. And some will revise history "Gentry wanted this, he didnt want to have a bench or a low post defense". Now Gentry can prove SSOL with a short bench and very little post defense doesnt work, just like DA.