khandor’s sports blog

After sliding down into the NBA’s Draft Lottery last year …

What exactly has happened with the Phoenix Suns this season to propel their team back toward the top end of the Western Conference?

1 Robert Sarver … once vilified as a “spendthrift” owner, to the worst degree … is now perceived as a “champion of the people.”

2 Steve Nash is still a terrific offensive Point Guard and a first-class leader.

3 Grant Hill is still a consumate professional.

4 Amare Stoudemire is still a dynamic force at the Center position.

5 Leandro Barbosa is still a whirling dervish capable of providing instant offense.

6 Robin Lopez – drafted [No. 15] by S-Kerr summer 2008
7 Goran Dragic – acquired via Draft Day trade [No. 45] by S-Kerr summer 2008 
8 Louis Amundson - added by S-Kerr summer 2008
9 Jason Richardson – acquired via trade by S-Kerr 2008-2009 season
10 Jared Dudley – acquired via trade by S-Kerr 2008-2009 season
11 Earl Clark – drafted [No. 14] by S-Kerr summer 2009
12 Alvin Gentry – appointed head coach by S-Kerr 2008-2009 season
13 Taylor Griffin – drafted [No. 48] by S-Kerr summer 2009
14 Channing Frye – added by S-Kerr summer 2009
15 Jarron Collins – Added by S-Kerr fall 2009
16 Dwayne Jones – added by S-Kerr 2009-2010 season

* Bold – individuals who are sound defensively and in terms of rebounding.

October 24 2008, this is what was written in this space about Steve Kerr, the current GM of the Phoenix Suns:

Making the correct decisions in the Valley of the Sun

April 28 2009, this is what was written in this space about the immediate future of the Phoenix Suns, under the direction of Steve Kerr:

Where the Suns go from here, under Steve Kerr

12 months later …

After sweeping their 2nd Round Playoff series againgst arch-nemesis, San Antonio, today, Phoenix is basking in the glow of a return trip to the Western Conference Finals … courtesy of the fine work done by STEVE KERR. 

If you do not happen to know exactly who Steve Kerr is … and what his personal history happens to entail … then you should take a minute to read THIS and, then, understand fully that – in the opinion of yours truly – he has the make-up [i.e. the basketball pedigree, the list of basketball-related accomplishments and the personal attributes] of someone who is going to be an outstanding General Manager in the NBA for an extended number of years with his commitment to a Balanced Approach to the game.

Related:

Phoenix Suns News

re: How an astute NBA observer might expect the first part of the schedule to unfold for the Raptors this year

Game 18 – vs Phoenix [Sun Nov 29]

Originally, this was a game which yours truly thought the Raptors could/should/would win during this initial stretch of 20 games to start the season … that is … until the individual match-ups were examined in closer detail, especially, in the light of last night’s exhibition games vs Boston [aka, Hedo Turkoglu's debut with the Raptors] and Portland [for Phoenix].

The pre-season injury to Robin Lopez is going to impair the Suns’ ability to match-up physically in the post with a number of teams in the league this year. However, at the same time, Suns’ opponents are going to have their hands full coping with the different/unusual 5-man combinations which Phoenix will now be able to put on the floor together, playing at a very high tempo [e.g. last night Phoenix closed their game with Nash + Barbosa + Dudley + Frye + Stoudemire]. 

When healthy, this group of Suns is going to be too much for the Raptors to handle, given that:

1 The only match-up advantage in Toronto’s favour is Chris Bosh; 

2 The Raptors’ defense and rebounding will continue to struggle this season with the addition of Turkoglu; and,

3 The Suns are now capable of shooting the lights out with the 3-ball.

Raptors expected W-L Record: L, 6-12

re: How an astute NBA observer might expect the first part of the schedule to unfold for the Raptors this year

Game 10– @ Phoenix [Sun Nov 15]

The Suns are a much more stable team this season, provided they have a healthy Stoudemire at the Center position, with 8 of their first 10 players as returnees from last year’s squad. If Earl Clark turns out to be as good as this corner thinks he is going to be … i.e. a starting calibre #3/SF, who can score the ball, defend and rebound his position effectively … Phoenix will have a very solid rotation that’s 10-men deep and capable of playing well at a high tempo for the entire season. In this specific spot on their schedule, the Raptors will most likely be over-matched in a high scoring shootout.

Raptors expected W-L Record: L, 4-6

Two highly interesting points of view …

Steve Kerr – the lost interviews, part I
A mid-April conclusion to the Suns season just leaves more time for second guesses about last season and first suggestions about next season.

Suns General Manager Steve Kerr tackled both departments after a 46-36 that was better than 17 other NBA teams’ records but considered by many as the most disappointing outcome in the league. The season was marred by Leandro Barbosa’s absence and an uncomfortable coaching change early and Amare Stoudemire’s and Barbosa’s injuries later. In between, Kerr shook the team’s core up by trading Boris Diaw, Raja Bell and Sean Singletary to Charlotte for Jason Richardson, Jared Dudley and a 2010 second-round draft pick.

“I don’t see a massive overhaul as being necessary,” Kerr said. “We won 46 games in a season in which we endured a lot of turmoil, from the coaching situation to the injury to Amare to a pretty big trade. We had a lot of change.

“I know all of us in that room feel like that 46 should have been about 52, 53. I have no doubt that this team is a very, very competitive good playoff team. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it. That doesn’t mean we’re going to blow up the team and start over. It also doesn’t mean there couldn’t be some changes. We have to evaluate everything. We could’ve done better. This was not a championship team. This was a very good team that could’ve done better but we have to improve and we have to make improvements this summer.”

———-

Shaq – the lost interviews, part II
The Suns talked about trading O’Neal at midseason and will explore the idea again. He has made himself a tradeable commodity despite the $20 million price tag ($21 million cap number) and the Suns will be looking to begin to transform itself into a younger team. Part of that redesign could include seeking a center who is more mobile to defend and help defend.

“I realize every summer something might happen,” O’Neal said. “Something will change. I just told Steve (Kerr) that ‘I’ve been under a lot of general managers but no one treated me the way you did,’ ” O’Neal said. “Whatever happens, I understand the business and we all just have to move on. Steve was great. At the trade deadline, he didn’t have to call me and ask me if I wanted to go. A lot of guys would’ve just did it. He promised me if something would go down, that he’d call me and he called me. I love him for that. I respect him for that. I played for a lot of great GMs and he’s up there.”

“How to turn around the fortunes of your pro sports team”, NBA 101 Management Handbook, p. 23.

—————–

Make a legitimate run for the 8th playoff spot in the 2008-2009 season

Add Vladimir Radmanovic [Lakers] in exchange for Adam Morrison

Add DeSagana Diop [Mavs] in exchange for Ryan Hollins & Matt Carroll

Decide NOT to trade Raymond Felton [PG]

Add Raja Bell and Boris Diaw and Sean Singletary [Suns] in exchange for J-Rich & J-Dudley

Add Juwon Howard [as a veteran Big off the bench] from the scrap heap

Decide NOT to trade Sean May AND to sit him on the bench  

Add Cartier Martin [OG/SF] and Dontell Jefferson [OG] from the pool of undrafted players

Add DJ Augustin [as a solid PG] from the 2008 NBA Draft

Add Alexis Ajinca [as a long term project, C] from the 2008 NBA Draft

Decide NOT to trade Gerald Wallace [SF/PF]

Hire Larry Brown to coach your team AND empower him to make trades

Retain Nazr Mohammed [as a solid veteran Big off the bench]

Re-sign Emeka Okafor, your 2004 No. 2 [overall] Draft Pick, as an emotionally stable, hard-working Center, who can Rebound & Defend his position, when others suggested that he was a “bad” long term investment for your team

Hire the most reknowned former player in NBA history to oversee the operation of your franchise [i.e. you know who]

—————–

It’s not rocket science … and, your GM certainly doesn’t NEED to have been named a winner of the NBA’s Executive of the Year Award even one time, during his career to-date.

FINAL SCORE: Raptors 113, SUNS 133
Complete Game Info

At the start of the 4th quarter the score of this game was 96-92, in favour of the Suns.

From 09:52 to 03:29 of the quarter, this is the Full Play-By-Play, which shows the individual possession outcomes for the two teams:

during which you should be able to see clearly where and how the Raptors lost this game:

Possession Conversions into Points [%]

Tor, 5-13 = 7 pts [38.5]; PHO, 9-17 = 18 pts [52.9]

FGM-FGA = %

Tor, 1-8 = 12.5; PHO, 8-15 = 53.3

2nd Chance Points

Tor, 0; PHO, 6

Possessions ending in Layups/Tips/Dunks/FTs

Tor, 5; PHO, 13 

when the teams were matched-up with the following line-ups:

and Shaquille O’Neal manhandled the Raptors’ bigs.

When the Raptors use line-ups like these:

i. With only 1 or 2 solid Rebounders on the floor together;

ii. With Roko Ukic and Jason Kapono at the PG & OG positions;

iii. With Shawn Marion at the #3/SF position, instead of at the #4/PF spot;

iv. With Andrea Bargnani at the #5/C position [instead of Chris Bosh], and without three [3] other solid Rebounders on the floor beside him;

they are going to consistently come up short against the majority of the Middle-of-the-Pack teams in the NBA and every one of the High End teams.

Shaq bringing out vintage moves
“You always take what the defense gives you, but I couldn’t always do that last year,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of young, energetic, new-millennium trainers here, and they’re really into their craft.”

O’Neal said his problem was major.

“A muscle in my (rear) wasn’t firing,” he explained. “So they left me for dead. ‘He’s old. He don’t have it anymore.’ Now I’m doing things I couldn’t do last year because my (rear) wasn’t firing.”

Makes sense. O’Neal without his gluteus muscles is like Allen Iverson without his crossover, Tim Duncan without his bank shot, Rasheed Wallace without his rants.

——————————–

Since trading for Jason Richardson the Suns are 8-3.

At present, Phoenix is in 2nd place, in the Pacific Division, with an overall record of 21-13 [.618].

As has been said in this space … since the off-season … the Suns are going to be a tougher out in the Playoffs this year than they were last spring.

Providing that they can qualify for the post-season tournament, in the first place, the Suns might just be one of the Top Four teams in the Western Conference come May/June … with the following line-up:

STARTERS

1/Steve Nash
2/Jason Richardson
3/Grant Hill
4/Amare Stoudemire
5/Shaquille O’Neal

KEY BENCH SUBS

1-2/Leandro Barbosa
2-3/Matt Barnes
4-5/Louis Amundson
5/Robin Lopez

RESERVES
1/Goran Dragic
2-3/Alando Tucker
4-5/Jared Dudley

as long as their innovative training staff can continue to work their magic on the Big Cactus’ rear end.

As the Raptors take the floor this evening versus the Bobcats they need to be aware that Charlotte has been playing good basketball of late … with the exception of their home-court Loss earlier this week to Toronto (Mar 31).

Wed Apr 02 CHA +3 Cle (CHA 114, Cle 118), CHA – W 
Mon Mar 31 CHA +2.5 Tor (CHA 100, Tor 104), CHA – L 
Sat Mar 29 POR -6 Cha (POR 85, Cha 93), Cha – W
Fri Mar 28 SEA +2.5 Cha (SEA 93, Cha 96), Cha – W
Wed Mar 26 LAL -14 Cha (LAL 95, 108), Cha – W
Tue Mar 25 UTA -13 Cha (UTA 128, Cha 106) Cha – L

Fully recovered from the re-aclimatization process linked with an extended Western Conference road-trip and a 1st home game malaise, the Bobcats should be operating at maximum capacity this evening.

In the aftermath of Toronto’s controversial loss at Atlanta, the Raptors (-9) need to take Charlotte seriously and ensure that (i) Offensively, Chris Bosh is the focal point of their attack, abusing the individual match-up advantage he has vs his Bobcats’ counterpart, Emeka Okafor (C), and (ii) Defensively, not allowing Jason Richardson & Matt Carroll to light them up from behind the arc, and Gerald Wallace to take the ball hard to the rim unimpeded.

If the Raptors attend to their business earnestly, this should be a hard-fought W for the Dinos.

If not, this is the type of home game that could very easily slip out of Toronto’s grasp.