<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">LAS VEGAS - The Suns can't simulate the caliber of NBA regular-season play in this week's NBA Summer League. They could not mimic the atmosphere in the opener Monday, when a few hundred people looked on at Thomas & Mack Center. What these summer Suns can do is run how the parent club runs. To indoctrinate draft picks Alando Tucker and D.J. Strawberry, the Suns are trying to play fast and furious and are leaning on familiar Suns guards to make that happen. Marcus Banks is the team's leader and played like it Monday, with a league-record 42 points in the Suns' 93-89 loss to Cleveland. It is rare that a four-year veteran like Banks plays in such a venue but he needs the experience and confidence as much as the rookies after a disappointing initial Suns season that saw him fall out of the rotation after signing a five-year, $21 million contract a year ago. Back in the college arena he left in 2003, Banks outclassed the draftees and hopeful free agents around him.</div> Source: AZCentral
Sick game, 42, crazy. Next thing you know, he'll be most improved, scoring champ and MVP in one season.
<div class="quote_poster">sunsfan1357 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Gotta love the 5 year vets killing the rooks and cut list guys.</div> LMAO Yeah, why don't we just send AI or Kobe or Nash back to summer league!!! Nice scoreline, he shot well, but it is summer league, he is playing against rooks and scrubs so it isn't all that. Hope he can crack yourrotation next season though!!!
This is a guy who averaged 12 points and almost 5 assists per game with Minnesota in '06. He is still young (25), plays defense, has good size and speed. No vet with a long contract would participate in the Summer League and try to improve on a disappointing season, in-fact most players in Marcus' position would complain about their coach not giving them enough minutes. So although I agree 42 points in Summer League means nothing, I like hearing Banks is working to improve himself and better yet gain some chemistry with the rookies. Last year didn't go as expected, he didn't get many minutes, and has been shopped around; he could easily give up and collect his money without any giving any effort, but it seems he wants to succeed, hopefully this builds his confidence, which was part of his problem. His other problem is he backs up Steve Nash, when he takes over for Nash everybody expects him to be Nash, but they don't have the same playing style -- if Banks really wants to be like Nash, he needs to learn to keep his dribble alive, keep his head up and watch the court, instead he tends to play iso which means his focus is only on his defender, not his teammates, and then he'll pick up his dribble if he can't get a wide open shot, and once you do that the defense has the upper hand. The Suns made a mistake signing him and trading away 2 draft picks which were both PGs (I really liked Sergio Rodriguez), but now that it's done they need to try to make the best of the situation, at least they have a player who is willing to make an attempt at being an asset rather than a bench warmer. D'Antoni should probably open his 7-8 rotation early in the season to a 9-10 man rotation, it limits the starters minutes and saves them for the Playoffs, and it gives guys like Banks some experience which they can build on (and I mean more than 2-3 minute stretches during the end of blowout games).
<div class="quote_poster">Master Shake Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Sick game, 42, crazy. Next thing you know, he'll be most improved, scoring champ and MVP in one season.</div> Why? Because he dominated rookies and free agents?
<div class="quote_poster">NTC Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Why? Because he dominated rookies and free agents? </div> I think he was being sarcastic.
