- Magic vs Suns preview
- Magic vs Suns coverage
-
Orlando @ Phoenix GameThread, Dec 11, 2009 8:30 PM MST - Third Quarter Collapse
The media have hammered the "Phoenix Suns Don't Play Defense" line into the ground over the last several seasons, but for good reason. In Mike D'Antoni's last season coaching the Suns, they were 16th in defensive efficiency, which is much better than anyone would have you believe. Last year, under Terry Porter and Alvin Gentry, they dropped to 26th. This year, they're 26th again, chiefly because they don't force many turnovers and because they allow too many offensive rebounds. To their credit, they're the best team in the league at not fouling, which prompts the cynic in me to say, "how can you foul someone if you're not anywhere near him in the first place?"
Coaches Couch
- Stan Van Gundy has the neatest, smallest white board handwriting of any coach I've seen
- SVG answered a lot of questions from the Orlando media about the Rashard thing. SVG insists everything is good to go. No big deal
- SVG pregame audio 121109
- I asked Van Gundy (Stan to Stan) if he was going to switch Howard on to Nash. He said that's not going to happen for all the reasons you would imagine. He doesn't want Howard away from the paint. He's guards aren't big enough to cover in the post. He said teams do that out of desperation, "Steve and Amare bring you to your knees so you just can't do anything else."
- Coach Gentry said "they got a beast in there" talking about Howard and he talked up the Magic as a great team, etc etc
- He said once again that the Suns schedule is as tough as anyone's but that after December they will be done with Boston, Orlando and will have played the Lakers 3 times
- Asked about the Suns 7-1 record with Amare and Howard facing each other, Gentry said it didn't mean anything because it's not an individual match-up
- He said the Suns are a rhythm team and will look to get into a flow and not get bogged down trying to take advantage of any particular match-ups
- Gentry said the door incident with Robin is done. He'll be punished and move on. He will play tonight against Howard as would Oliver Miller if he were available
- Talking about Jared Dudley (this being his 1 yr anniversary with the Suns) said that the Suns always liked him. He said sometimes coaches and scouts get hung up on what a guy can't do
- Gentry once again sarcastically joked about the schedule all being done by computer. Don't think he's not bitter about that
- Asked about Vince Carter Gentry said his talent level was on par with Wade and Kobe but that he doesn't bring it as consistently but he's a guy that can go for 30 any night. The Magic put the ball in his hands a lot and use him as a point guard at times and will run pick and rolls with him handling the ball