There were plenty of storylines heading into Friday's nationally televised game in Phoenix between the Suns and the Miami Heat. You had Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal meeting for the first time since the Diesel was traded to the Suns last season, and you had Shawn Marion returning to the team where he spent eight and a half seasons making a name for himself. But in the end, it was the Suns' offensive ineptitude that was the story, and the surprise absence of Steve Nash that helped the Heat cruise to a rare (and easy) 107-92 road victory.Nash was a late scratch, and sat this one out with a right thigh contusion. The decision not to play came very late in fact, as lineups were revised about 20 minutes before tip-off to let us know that Nash would be unavailable. That left the starting point guard duties to Sean Singletary, who had played decently in a backup role as of late, but was clearly unprepared to run with the starting unit, and it showed from the opening moments.
The Suns have had their problems with turnovers this season, and that problem was exacerbated by the fact that Nash was on the sidelines. The team looked lost offensively without their two-time MVP running the show, and committed seven first quarter turnovers that the Heat were able to convert into 32-19 lead at the end of one. On paper, the Suns appeared to have a huge advantage in the paint, with Shaquille O'Neal and Amare Stoudemire facing the likes of Joel Anthony and Udonis Haslem. But the Miami defensive strategy was both brilliant and well-executed, as they continually kept Shaq and Amare from getting the ball in prime position to score.
Anyone who's watched the Suns this season knows that they like to establish Shaq in the post early, and run the offense from the inside out. Phoenix will typically load one side of the floor with Shaq down low, a point guard on the wing looking to get it to him inside, and the rest of the club evenly distributed around the perimeter. Since Miami was overmatched from a size perspective, they chose to front Shaq in the post, and if it looked like the pass was going in to him, the Heat would bring a defender over to double from the weak side off of the Suns' shooter in the far corner.
The strategy was genius, as doubling off of the player furthest from the ball was really no risk and all reward for the Heat. If the Suns did try a skip pass all the way to the other side of the floor (which they didn't all night), the defender would have plenty of time to get back to his man. And by threatening the double team, it either resulted in a bad pass and a turnover, or no pass into the post at all. Either way, win-win for the Heat.
Dwyane Wade seemed determined to make sure Shaq knew what he was missing in Miami, and came out firing. Wade had 22 by halftime, and finished with 43 points on 15-of-24 shooting, scoring basically from anywhere on the floor. Whether it was weaving through the defense for dunks, or hitting jumpers in rhythm from distance, it was clear that it was one of those nights for Wade, and that he absolutely couldn't be stopped.
The Suns have the potential to be a top team in the league, but they're going to need some time to play with their full compliment of players for an extended period of time. The team just got Leandro Barbosa back (who had a solid game on his birthday with 20 points and five assists), and then Nash goes out, and everything falls apart.
I mentioned the fact that when the team gives Shaq the night off, they essentially have to learn to play a completely different style, and they've struggled in those games against subpar opponents. Well, with Nash out against the Heat, that makes a third different adjustment that the team has had to make, which is really asking too much. Based on the way that Shaq and Amare were unable to get involved offensively, it appears that playing without Nash is the most difficult adjustment of all.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-11-2009 @ 4:31AM
jesussanchez said...
One of the things you neglect to mention is that, at the end of the game when Shaq was off the floor the Suns began to breathe and play loose again. Now, this may be a product of Miami having a big lead and loosening the defensive reins a bit (though Chalmers was vicious til the final buzzer), this little window of time gave a glimpse at the massive failure perpetrated by Steve Kerr.
Under D'Antoni, a lineup including Bell, Barnes, and Barbosa would have been whipping the ball around, creating open threes and opportunities for Barbosa to use his lightning speed in getting to the basket. This isn't really the point, the final 6 minutes or so of the game were the closest the Suns have come this season to matching the fire of D'Antoni ball. The focus on defense does not suit this team, and there record has fooled pundits into thinking they're surprisingly good.
Furthermore, though he missed the game tonight, Nash is no longer "two-time MVP" Steve Nash. Sure, in name he's the same guy, but a quick glance at his numbers show that Nash has been neutered by Terry Porter. Nash has always been an effective shooter and continues to be, but he's scoring in much smaller quantities and the lack of a fast system has exposed him as a good orchestrator, not a spectacular one. Chris Paul averages 12 assists on a team with one of the lowest paces in the entire league, so if Nash is truly an elite point guard he should be able to average near his old numbers in a slightly slower offense, right? Well, a look at his pre-Suns numbers reveals that he never averaged more than 8.8 assists per game in minutes comparable to what he got in Phoenix. He played in a Don Nelson offense with no shortage of offensive weapons surrounding him (a budding Dirk, a still-relevant Michael Finley, Antawn Jamison...Antoine Walker, who doesn't really count but he did average 14 points, so he's in). It's arguable that he happened to peak at the same time as he entered D'Antoni's system, but the drop from 11 assists per to 7 is one that seems to drastic for age to account for, particularly because Nash still moves like he always has. D'Antoni was the difference. I'm a Knicks fan, I've been watching Chris Duhon all season. Chris Duhon is obviously no Steve Nash, but D'Antoni has made him into an effective starting point guard (and until Nate Rob's recent groin injury, D'Antoni was turning him into a star). Duhon is a competent guard, Nash is a very good guard. Take Duhon and add D'Antoni, you get a good team helmer. Take Nash and add D'Antoni, you get an MVP.
Put simply, the Suns championship window began to close when Marion was traded and was slammed shut when D'Antoni exited. Steve Kerr singlehandedly murdered the SSOL era, destroyed fun in Phoenix, and brought in a hapless coach who will like necessitate an unexpected rebuilding project that was entirely avoidable.
And while we're at it, Miami is a playoff team, if for no other reasons than Dwyane Wade's sheer will power will push them to an 8th seed and the inability to find an identity in Philadelphia will almost certainly push the Heat to the 7th seed.
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11-29-2008 @ 9:49AM
Butcher said...
Hey Jesus......Agree with most you said, I think the Suns would have been better served if they kept the Matrix and went out
and drafted Lopez ( I think he is going to be a pretty good rebounder/ defender). Nash still has game, but his numbers are down. As far as reference to Dallas, I think Nelson tried to much
to go with alternating Nash and Van Exel ( who was a nice player, but really didn`t run the offense). D` Antoni will make the Knicks
a playoff team, just not this year.
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11-29-2008 @ 6:36PM
ray mendigutia said...
I agree with Jesus completely....also Edwards apparently did not see a Heat team en fuego. No mention of a line up change, of a supporting cast actually supporting Wade, of a defense being played as the new Heat can (see Chalmers...et al )..no credit at all being given to Spoelstra. Well at this rate, it will be the Sun setting in Phoenix, and the Heat rising in Miami, especially in May. Adios Shaq...you are where you belong..in an Arizona retirement community. Go Heat.
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11-29-2008 @ 11:05PM
Dr. G said...
If all you say is correct, why didn't the Suns win a chanpionship? Scoring is a must but gentlemen-DEFENSE is required to be a winner in the NBA. The Suns, Dallas, Kobe's Lakers,all scoring machines but play no defense and therefore no Championships. Now that Kobe's Lakers understand that concept-he and his teammates work hard on their defensive game and it is paying off. Shaq brings defense. Porter brings defense. It is the one and only thing missing in the Suns' game. Check out the replay of the Heat;s game last night. Wade had and made 43 wide-opened shots. No one checked him. Was that Shaq's job? Stat-awesome offensive player-No defense. Nash-MVP-no defense. Bell is the only old Sun player who has any defensive game. But watch, the moment they play defensively together with Shaq and the coach-the Suns win--thus the 11-6 start this season. Come on, I have read your post for months and read all the mean and hurtful things you have said about Shaq and many others. But, the Fact is that the man (Shaq) is the most dominate big man playing the game today and to many who truly know the game-most dominate ever, has 4 Championship rings, already listed with the 50 best NBA players, 10th of the NBA Scoring List, destined for the NBA Hall of Fame, beloved as a person by millions and talked about daily on somebody's blog. How many of you can honestly say I am lying. Come on, give the coach, Shaq and the talented Suns a "Defensive" chance-I'm claiming a championship because I beleive-"Yes, we can"!!
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