<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>LOS ANGELES - A lot of attention has been given to the Suns' recent inability to stop teams inside the key. But they struggled with inside defense long before a stretch that had them losing five of their past eight games entering Thursday. A better recent indicator of wins and losses has been the Suns' play without guard Steve Nash on the floor. Phoenix cannot maintain the flow it has with Nash, but it can control the depth of the drop-off. The backup units were a plus-18 in scoring differential in 41 minutes of play during the Utah, New Orleans and San Antonio games, a stretch in which the Suns were 2-1. But in the three leading up to Thursday, the play had gone back the other way with a minus-27 over the 40 minutes Nash rested in a 1-2 stretch against Dallas, Toronto and the Los Angeles Lakers. The view from the baseline floor, where Nash rests, says it should be better than plus-234 with him for the season and minus-100 without him. "Our second unit should be the best in the league," Nash said. "Some nights they are. Some nights they struggle with poise. Hopefully their confidence will grow (enough) that they can do something special." The unit scores well when the Suns strike quickly in transition with Leandro Barbosa but is slow-developing in half-court sets with Barbosa turning it over for Boris Diaw to create. Many times, without as many playmakers on the floor, Barbosa is prompted to beat a dwindling shot clock</div> Source: AZCentral
The Suns always look out of sorts without Nash. He's the only guy they really have who can run that specific offense. What I'd do is put in a 2nd offense for them to run when Nash is out. Something more conventional and not based upon getting Nash's man picked off and a mismatch on the resulting switch.
Nothing new. I just take for what it is. I would like to see Hill initiate the offense while Nash sits.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dissonance19 @ Dec 28 2007, 03:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Nothing new. I just take for what it is. I would like to see Hill initiate the offense while Nash sits.</div> I thought the reason they initially brought Grant Hill in was to run the second unit. The injury to Raja Bell seems to have put this plan on the back burner because the Suns need Hill out their for some defensive pressure. D'Antoni might have also been turned off with Grant struggling to shoot the 3ball early in the season. Hill has adjusted to playing a mid-range game, but one of the reasons Nash is so deadly in the offense is his ability to pull up on the break and drain 3 pointers. It really opens up the floor for the Suns and prevents a defense from packing it in the paint.
No, Barbosa will never develop into that type of player. He is and always will be a scorer, an undersized 2-guard that thrives in an up-tempo system. Phoenix needs to find themselves a steady alternative within the next 2 years or so.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Denny Crane @ Dec 28 2007, 03:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The Suns always look out of sorts without Nash. He's the only guy they really have who can run that specific offense. What I'd do is put in a 2nd offense for them to run when Nash is out. Something more conventional and not based upon getting Nash's man picked off and a mismatch on the resulting switch.</div> They run the same offense when Nash is out for the whole game. I don't think they would change it up mid game. -Petey
They would change up the offense with the 2nd unit in the game. They already try new things when Nash isn't in the game, just not something that fits the players' strengths. You think Hinrich would look good running the offense when Nash is out? I do. Rumor being bandied about is Hinrich and Wallace to Cleveland for Hughes and Gooden. Offer that same package to Phoenix for Amare or Marion, and both teams come out a winner.
