SB Nation User Blog: Hawk42

The Phoenix Football Suns

Hawk42 — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:42:22 -0000

I was idly thinking about the football season, and my mind started wandering back to our beloved Suns. I began to think of our players and how they compare to their pigskin counterparts.
Feel fr\ee to trash my comparisons, add new ones, and it's on to the Super Bowl, er NBA finals! (All in good fun)

Let’s look at the Suns roster

Lou Amundsen – I compare him to a Bill Bates type. He’s a special teamer with a little bit extra. He can make a play here or there for you. He has great energy, and is popular with the fans

Steve Nash – He is the Kurt Warner of the Suns. Extremely prolific in what he does. Like Kurt, he takes a lot of heat for his turnovers, and does not have the awesome physical skills of some of his more celebrated opponents

Amare Stoudemire – He is our TO. He is the best at what he does, but his shaky fundamentals and his mouth make some fans wonder if he is worth the trouble.

Jason Richardson – I liken him to Reggie Bush. At times, he can electrify the crowd, other times, you wonder where his head is at. Like Bush, Jason always seems to be on a different page than his teammates.

Grant Hill – Hill is the old warrior, kind of like Fred Taylor, who got hurt a lot, but had a great career without much postseason luck.

Leandro Barbosa – If he could figure out how to round out his game, I would compare him to Tomlinson, who had an extra gear that surprised everybody. As it is, he is more like Felix Jones of the Cowboys.

Robin Lopez – He is the Levi Brown of the Suns. He was picked with high expectations, passing on other talents. As Cards fans know, Brown has been a study in frustration, especially when we see Adrian Peterson run.

Jared Dudley – I think JD is someone who could develop into a dependable starter for a long time, never achieving all-star status, kind of like a Mark Colombo of the Cowboys. He is a good man to have out there.

Earl Clark – Earl has the potential to be a star in my opinion, much like an Ed Reed type. Reed’s nose for the ball and athleticism has lifted him into the elite at his position. However, Clark could just as easily be Michael Vick, whose physical gifts made him potentially the best player on the field, but has done nothing to rise above mediocrity even before he became interested in abusing dogs. If Earl gets it, I have no doubt he will one day lead the Suns.

Goran Dragic – Goran is an enigma. Will he turn out to be worth the trouble the Suns have taken to secure his services? While Goran has not experienced the same type of self inflicted pain in his career, I compare the Suns faith in him to be similar to the trust NFL teams placed in Pacman Jones.

Alando Tucker – I compare him to a former Cardinal, Michael Pittman. Alando is caught in a numbers game, but also seems to come short of his goal. I would like to know how he practices. Will he ever earn a shot?

Who is going to get the eighth spot in the West?

Hawk42 — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:35:51 -0000

With all of the moaning and groaning going on, and the curious trend of fans of other teams posting here (Warrior, Blazers, Spurs, Lakers, etc.), I thought it prudent to create a reasoned discussion on our chances in the upcoming season. Specifically, the eighth spot, which I believe is ours barring injuries.

First of all, I believe six teams have a playoff spot pretty much in the bag (again, barring debilitating injuries such as Brandon Roy, Chauncy Billups, Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Paul, or Tim Duncan. I believe the Lakers are so stacked, they could even make the playoffs without Kobe)

These six teams are:

San Antone

Denver

New Orleans

Dallas

Portland

One team is a little iffy, but I am going to give Utah the 7th spot assuming Boozer plays. This leaves the following as candidates for the #8 spot, in no particular order:

Phoenix

OKC

Clippers

Sacramento

Minnesota

Memphis

Houston

Let's take them one by one, starting with Houston.

Rockets - Without Yao and TMac, and losing Artest, all of the sudden the fans in Houstonhave to be thinking John Wall. Does anyone in their right mind think they can win more than 40 games? All of the sudden, Trevor Ariza has to be a superstar. With a lineup of Ariza, Landry, Dorsey, Brooks, and Hayes, it is going to take some herculean performances to get the Rox on any significant winning streak. Chance at #8 - 10%

Golden State- The Ws were the worst team in the league for Stephon Curry. Even if he breaks out, he negates much of the effectiveness of Monta Ellis. Where is the guard defense? Biedrins will give a similar performance as in 2008-09 - 12-11, bad foul shooting, a lot of fouls, some blocks. Randolphwill turn into a starter, but Maggette is a cancer who never plays defense. The Dubs lost a lot of their fire when JRich, Barnes, and Baron left. Stephen Jackson is an all-star some nights, and a doofus the next. Chances at #8 - 12%

LA Clippers - Subtracting ZBo and adding Griffin was about as good as you can get. Alas, Dunleavy is wearing out his welcome in LA. If they dump some more dead weight, and add a real point guard, they could eventually get good enough to persuade Blake to sign a second contract. Gordon and Blake are a good start. If Kaman and Camby stay healthy, and Davis gets serious, they can bother a lot of teams. Not much defense outside of Camby and Griffin. Where does Thornton play? chance at #8 - 5%

Sacramento- They have some pieces in Evans, Hawes, and JT, and a consumate pro in Kevin Martin. Beyond that, what else? The key here is Evans. I do not believe he is a point guard. Is he JordanorJamal Crawford? Reading what people say, you'd think he was a cross between Vince Carter and Jason Kidd. I watched him closely last year, and Antonio Anderson was Memphis' most effective point guard. Evans looked good because he started out posessions with the ball in his hands, and more often than not, he scored because college point guards were too small or slow to stop him. But in the NBA, coaches won't put 6'2 guys on him. chance at #8 - 0%

Memphis- If they would have kept Kevin Love, they would be a stiff challenge for the #8 now. With ZBo, Gay, and Mayo, you have thrree black hole stat hounds that will rarely pass the ball. Marc Gasol is a decent center, which I would like on the Suns. His only chance to score will be on putbacks. Sorry, I don't see the Grizz doing anything. Chace at #8 - 0%

Minnesota- Kevin McHale's wizardry has left the Wolves about where they started as an expansion team. They do have Jefferson, and Love, and Jonny Fly will run by a few guys. But picking both Rubio and Flynn was a monumental blunder when Hill and DeRozan were sill there. Chance of #8 - 5%

Thunder - This is the most talented team on the non-playoff list. However, I do not see a rhyme or reason behind Sam Presti's machinations. Durant, Westbrook, and Harden are great pieces. Those three guys should be in the gym right now playing three on three against all comers. Add Green, Collison, and Thabo, and you have a great core. I don't know what it is, but I have yet to see any cohesion on defense from this group, and who is the team turning to in the fourth quarter? Chance at #8 - 25%

Suns - The Amare Stoudemire and Steve Nash pair is unmatched by any of these teams. Add a steady Grant Hill, a proven scorer in Jason Richardson, and nice bench hustle from Amundsen and Dudley, and you have a squad that can be hard to handle when focused. I haven't even mentioned Leandro Barbosa, who, along with Stoudemire and Nash, remain three players left over from 7SOL that are still uncoverable by one man. The weak point here is Lopez, who would have trouble strarting anywhere in the NBA. Lopez will allow the double team on Amare. If Earl Clark can put in the effort, he may be playing C/PF with Amare in a small, quick lineup that will give teams fits. Chance at #8 - 50%

In conclusion, I ask you. If not the Suns, who else? I think a .500 record gets the #8 spot this year. Don't misunderstand me. I am not saying the Suns are a juggernaut. But I think they approach 50 wins, and I just don't see any of these other teams doing that. So before you throw around claims like the Suns missing the playoffs, think a little.

Poll

Who gets the #8?

Phoenix

89 votes

Golden State

6 votes

Memphis

0 votes

LA Clippers

9 votes

Sacramento

1 votes

Houston

1 votes

OKC

7 votes

113 votes | Poll has closed

Gutless Suns succumb to Mavs' bullying

Hawk42 — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 05:26:29 -0000

I hate to say it, but the Suns' refusal to stand up for a teammate is what I think sparked the loss

When Jason Terry put LB on his butt for NO REASON midway through the second quarter, the Mavs seemed to sense blood in the water. Sure enough, nobody on the Suns stood up for LB. Nobody clocked the thug Terry, and the wimpy Suns were outscored 33-14 going into the locker room.

I guarantee Raja would have gotten himself thrown out taking up for his teammate.

Draftees in the NCAA tournament

Hawk42 — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:46:28 -0000

At the risk of being accused of giving up the season, I thought it prudent to start a thread on the players that might be available to us with our pick, which will either be #14 or #16. Since the end of the regular season is a month away, and the tournament is upon us, we should at least know what we are talking about when we discuss the options. Courtesy of the stumbling economy, I find myself out of a job, which will enable me to see most of the games.

As I said, the pick will be #14 if we miss the playoffs, (I am assuming we do not slip below Milwaukee) or #16 if we make the playoffs (the East #8 team has a stranglehold on the #15 pick). I am not going to rehash scouting reports. I am asking you guys to watch the games and post observations.

First, what do we need? The list is long. There is the longstanding need for a backup point guard. Of course if management still thinks Dragic is the answer, we should not consider point guards.

There are several possible solutions:

Eric Maynor, VCU 6-3, 180 - Thursday, 9:50 ET vs UCLA

Stephen Curry, Davidson 6-1, 180 Will play on Thursday in NIT vs St. Mary's

Jeff Teague, Wake Forest 6-2, 175 Friday, 9:40 PM ET vs Cleveland State

Ty Lawson, UNC 6-0, 195 - will miss opener vs Radford, 2:50 PM ET, Thursday

Of the four, I am going to watch Maynor and Teague very closely. These two are supposed to be smart. Also, it caught my eye that NBADRAFT.NET compared Teague to Kevin Johnson.

Looking at our roster, I'd say we need a small forward. Grant Hill won't last much longer, and Barnes is really a frontcourt sixth man. I would like Tucker to be the one, but he hasn't shown it consistently. Here are some possibilities to watch:

James Johnson, Wake Forest 6-8, 235 Friday, 9:40 PM ET vs Cleveland State

Sam Young, Pittsburgh 6-6, 220 Friday, 2:55 vs E Tennessee State

Of course, we could always draft a center, but this might be interpreted as an admission that the Lopez pick was a mistake. Still, I think it advisable to watch one guy:

BJ Mullens Ohio State 7-0, 275 Friday, 9:40 PM ET vs Siena

With all the Amare trade talk, we might watch the power forward candidates.

DeJuan Blair Pittsburgh 6-6, 287 Friday, 2:55 PM ET vs E Tennessee State

Patrick Patterson Kentucky 6-8, 235, In action Thursday in the NIT, check listings

Craig Brackins Iowa State 6-10, 230 Not in a tournament

Also, two other guys to keep an eye on. These are shooting guards. Maybe we can trade Jrich.

Demar Derozen 6-6, 210 USC Friday 7:20 PM ET vs Boston College

James Harden 6-5, 220 ASU Friday, 2:45 PM ET vs Temple

I put Harden in there because I think he will end up being the best player in the draft, and I would trade Amare to the Clips if I knew we could get him.

Rodney Rodgers news

Hawk42 — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 04:44:28 -0000

I will always remember him in his Suns days. He had a great 6th man year before we traded him to the Celtics for Joe Johnson.

Rodney was paralyzed some time backin a dirt bike accident, but is maintaining a good attitude. Please keep him in your prayers. He is an inspiration to many.

http://ken-berger.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/11838893/14108757

I remember him as an unstoppable scorer and for his somewhat rough play. Check out the first blog entry from the spurs fan. That's probably the last time a Spurs fan was afraid of us!

Selling draft picks

Hawk42 — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:43:24 -0000

I know many here think D'A wouldn't have played these guys, but I think it is time for Sarver to acknowledge the grave damage he has done to the franchise in selling draft picks...

This week sees Rajon Rondo and Nate Robinson as difference-makers for their respective teams. Rondo's 32 points Sunday, and, more significantly, his season-long 52% shooting show pretty conclusively that he should not have been traded. I mean, the Suns were desperate for a backup point, and one fell in their lap at the 24th pick.

The Suns got a chance to pick up another sparkplug in Nate Robinson, but felt the need to include him in the Q trade to the Knicks. This move was a little more understandable, but since the Q signing was unnecessary, and the trade bungled, we could have kept Nate, who yesterday scored 41 points to lead the Knicks to victory.

Our team, amd specifically Robert Sarver, has to be the laughingstock of the league. Not only has the most potent scoring team in the league been dismantled, but the pieces to continue the tradition have been GIVEN away. Think about the current team with Rondo or Robinson, Deng or Iguodala, Joe Johnson, Rudy Fernandez, or Sergio Rodriguuez. Instead, we had Vroman, KT, and a box of used jock straps. And our coup de gras, Goran Dragic and Robin Lopez.

How many more stupid moves can we make?

Flagrant fouls. Does the penalty fit the crime?

Hawk42 — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 01:35:04 -0000

Flagrant fouls have become a joke in the NBA, and it is time to come up with an idea to reduce or eliminate them, This is not hockey.

Some of you may have seen part of the Charlotte-Lakers game last night. This post is to vent about on the NBA’s flagrant foul rule. It is fast becoming almost as irritating and subjective as the offensive foul rule where you see defenders rushing to a spot an inch outside the circle, hoping a ref will bail out their awful defense. Never mind what a flagrant foul is, or what is a 1 or a 2. How about when a player injures another player and gets back out on the court after a one or two game suspension, and the injured player is out for a month or more?

Late in the game, Gerald Wallace was taken down in a drive to the basket by Andrew Bynum. Bynum makes no play on the ball, but simply levels Wallace in a football play, much like Adrian Wilson might take out an opposing receiver. See for yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q2cBYKvYJw

This reminds me of a time a few years back when Barbosa was kicked in the groin by Ginobli, and missed a month, while that scrawny louse Manu gets a game and is right back on the court. I think whenever a flagrant foul causes loss of time, the flagrant fouler must miss the same number of games, plus his one or two game suspension. And yes, I am aware that under these rules Shaq would have been out a few more games in his career, but it is time these guys learned that football is played on a much bigger field with pads.

Oh, and by the way, I can’t close a post without the much deserves refrain that never goes out of style:

LAKERS SUCK!!!

Grant Hill for Reddick?

Hawk42 — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 22:33:25 -0000

Hill to Orlando?

Please say it isn't so. this report says Hill can be going to Orlando for JJ Reddick. Basically Reddick is a shooter who can't defend or pass. Think Nash without PG skills.

http://ken-berger.blogs.sportsline.com/mcc/blogs/entry/11838893/12349539

I don't like it. Thoughts?

Perhaps management is thinking Hill is redundant with Barnes here and Tucker coming back. Arent we gambling a lot that Tucker will help? all he has is a good off season.

Player combinations: what makes them great?

Hawk42 — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:30:49 -0000

Recently Shaq said in a Paul Coro article that he and Kobe were “the best one-two punch in the history of the game”. That got me thinking. We need some definitions here. For instance, is this for one season, or for a whole career? How do you measure the career stat? Most championships? Also, what defines a great one-two combinations? A point guard/center (5/1)? Two forwards (3/4)? A 2/3 combo? Let’s look at some candidates.

Jordan/Pippen – 6 championships – two very good defenders, passers, and rebounders for their position, which negated the need for a point guard, and lessened the need for a center. All they needed was a competent to good power forward (Grant/Rodman) to become great.

Kobe/Shaq – 3 championships – prototypical center with an all-everything shooting guard, who could play the other three positions if he had to. All this team needed was a steady but unspectacular point guard to hold turnovers down and make the stars happy (Derek Fisher). I really believe these guys would have been better if they wanted to mesh their games more. The word is PJ pushed them to get what he got.

Kareem/Magic – 5 championships – two freakish talent packages on one team. Magic could play all five positions, while Kareem could play center or power forward, and even pass the ball. Both revolutionized their positions. All they needed was a hard working and steady supporting cast (Worthy, Scott). I remember these guys because it seemed to me the suns were was always leading them or playing them close with about three minutes left in a half, and then the Lakers would ignite, and we were down by 15 before you could say basketball jones.

Bird/McHale – 3 championships – this is the aforementioned 3/4 forward combo. Bird really could play the 1/2/3/4, although he would suffer on defense with smaller players. McHale’s long arms compensated for Bird’s defense. Put these two together with strong defenders at the 1 and 5 (DJ and Parish) and you have the makings of a dynasty in any other decade but the 80s, where they constantly ran into the Lakers. Went 40-1 at home one year.

Russell/Havlicek – 6 championships – a strange combination of 3/5 players, but not so strange when you consider that Russell had more of a power forward’s body, and Havlicek was adept at either wing position. They had a unique combination – The combination of Russell’s rebounding and defensive toughness along with Hondo’s indefatigable all around hustle made you know you had played the Celtics. Add Heinsohn and the Jones boys, and the Boston teams were the prototypical example of defense feeding offense. Their offense wasn’t the greatest, but the defense played at such a level that the results were not a fluke. Those that think later teams would dominate the 60s Celts with athleticism overlook the demoralizing factor . This team was the NBA version of Nolan Richardson’s ’40 minutes of Hell’. Russell and Havlicek set the tone. The Celts produced two other combos of note which were bridged by this memorable duo:

Havlicek/Cowens – 2 championships – again, a similar combination, Cowens being similar to Russell in playing style. Phoenix played their hearts out in 1976, and the Havlicek/Cowens combo would not let them win. Should have won 3 chips, but a playoff disaster ruined a 68-14 year.

Russell/Cousy – 6 championships – this was the first of some classic 1/5 combos. The best thing about this duo was that the fast break was so devastation. With Russell getting the rebound, block, or steal, and the outlet to Cousy at midcourt, the opposition found itself on its heels most of the game. Cooz had led the team to the first 100 point a game average ever, but the defense and rebounding of Russell made the team lethal in its ability to demoralize an opponent. I was hesitant to add this one since Cooz was a horrible hooter, but so is Iverson. The difference is that Cousy melded instantly with Russell, something AI never did with anyone.

Alcindor/Robertson – 1 championship – for one memorable year, the generation’s all-everything triple double machine was paired with the new big man on the block. For those who remember, Alcindor (later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) was almost impossible to stop in those early years. This team rolled through the league, winning 20 straight in a late season streak, and going 12-1 in the playoffs. This combo featured a 5 and a 1,2, 3, or 4, depending on what Oscar chose to do that day. The 6-5 wizard led the league in scoring, assists, and rebounding at one time or another, and his last few years with Alcindor/Jabbar were spent primarily in the backcourt as a point guard and second scoring option.

Chamberlin/West – 1 championship – this combo would surely have won more had it been together longer. It featured the Most dominant Ever, (with no apologies to Shaq) and Zeke from Cabin Creek, whose combination of sharpshooting and playmaking made him the ideal NBA player, so much so the league used his silhouette for their logo. Wilt was a defensive presence, rebounder, and assist (?) man in his later years, but opponents knew he could still dial it up for 50 if they didn’t pay attention. This team featured a 33 game winning streak, a streak that was ended by Alcindor/Jabbar’s Bucks.

Chamberlain/Greer – 1 championship – this combo could have been with Chet Walker or Billy Cunningham as well, but Greer was the steady scoring guard that kept one of the greatest teams in NBA history on an even keel. There were so many scorers, and with Wilt averaging a 20/20 in points and rebounds and leading the league in assists, it was difficult if not impossible for the opposition to figure out who to guard. This was more of a team combination than a duo.

Duncan/Ginobli – 3 championships – The Big Fundamental and the helter-skelter Ginobli could not be more different in style, but the combination has proven troublesome for NBA coaches over the years. This is an interesting combo in that Ginobli was not a starter in much of their time as teammates. This is due to coach Greg Popovich’s style, which allowed him to limit the wear and tear on the frenetic Argentinean, while starting a defender with little or no offensive value (Bruce Bowen). The plodding style of the Spurs during this era didn’t endear themselves to fans outside san Antonio, but I have no doubt the defensive toughness and boring efficiency of this team anchored by Duncan, could give fits to some of the best teams in history.

Reed/Frazier – 2 championships – this team was good enough to prevent Chamberlain’s Lakers from winning twice, as well as to stand toe to toe with the Bucks. Willis Reed was a smallish center, but a bear to handle down low. This combo is probably one of the most underrated in history. Reed had a will to win that at least matched Russell and later, Michael Jordan. Clyde, as Walt Frazier was known, was a defensive whiz who would pick your pocket and lay 35 on you in the same game, all the while keeping the shooters (Bradley, Barnett, and DeBuschere) happy with his passes. This combo was the quintessential center/point guard combination, perhaps offensively what we would see if Nash and Shaq played together during their best years. Walt Frazier is one player I could see giving Michael Jordan a problem.

Erving/Malone – 1 championship – the combo of a classic 5 with a prototypical 3 was very entertaining to watch, and would have won more is the opposition (Lakers/Celtics) hadn’t began their runs at the same time. They worked well as opponents were mesmerized by Erving and simply outworked by Moses Malone.

Some combos that never won but were classic

Jerry West/Elgin Baylor – a 1/2 and a 3/4 that were splendid in combination, but could not overcome the Celtics (you have to have the ball to score)

Charles Barkley/Kevin Johnson – an unorthodox power forward and a do-everything point guard made the Suns devastating for a three year stretch, but defensive shortcomings, injuries, and a lack of chemistry doomed this combo.

John Stockton/Karl Malone – had the misfortune of meeting the Bulls twice in the finals, the classic 1/4 pairing was dominating and changed the game with their signature pick and roll. Perhaps the best combo not to win a chip.

Shaq/Penny – this combination of brute power and smooth silkiness was headed towards multiple Finals visits when Shaq abruptly answered the call to Hollywood. One disappointment here for basketball purists was that Penny was never the catalyst in Orlando that he was in college. The Magic would have done better to pair Shaq with Chris Webber, whom they traded for Hardaway.

Please post what you think. What makes a successful combination? It appears that defensive toughness, leadership ability, and of course amazing talent are requirements. Why a premium on defense? I think the whole team is encouraged and inspired when stars play defense. I heard someone say that if Majerle had half the talent of Amare, you have John Havlicek right there. This brings me to a closing comment about the Amare/Nash pairing. In some ways, they were right up there with the best, certainly their execution of the pick and roll. But since both are bad defenders, they will never have what it takes to get on this list. And with Porter de-emphasizing both, I don’t see it happening in the future.

Possible future names on this list:

LeBron/someone else

Wade/Beasley

Roy/Oden

Kobe/Gasol

Clips and Sonics trade

Hawk42 — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:56:31 -0000

Apparently the Clippers are so enamored with Riussell Westbrook, they traded with Seattle to make sure they get him. #4 goes to the Clips in exchange for the #7 and next years #1. Seattle wants Brook Lopez.

Guess that meant the Barbs for #7 and Maggette is by the boards. Now LA keeps Magette and loses perhaps the #15 in a weak draft next year. Do you think we missed out? Maggette may have been just a rental, but the pick might have been Joe Alexander.

Source: NBADRAFT.NET

http://www.nbadraft.net/node/1279