The title is not a typo.
Everyone lauds the Suns' offense while deriding their defense. Given their performances over the last half-decade, that's understandable.
But take a look during that same span at the Suns' offense when the game comes down to the wire. You'll find, to your surprise, the Suns struggling as much, sometimes more, to score a basket as stopping one.
A closer look at the Suns' personnel (and coaching calls) reveals why this seemingly bizarre Jekyll/Hyde twist happens:
1) Steve Nash, for all his shooting and passing prowess, is one of the worst candidates for guaranteeing at least free throws when the game is on the line. He needs an open jumper or teammate to make something happen in that scenario. He's not strong enough to force the issue inside or even to clear up his own shot.
For a guy who handles the ball that much, that really limits your crunch time "cojones."
2) For whatever reason, the Suns' coaching staff (whether it be Mike D'Antoni, Terry Porter, or Alvin Gentry) forgets what got them their points over the first 45 minutes of the game. Think about it—how often do you see th ...
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Article written by Matt Petersen
The Phoenix Suns Need to Find Their Offense … In Crunch Time, Anyway
April 26th, 2010 by Matt Petersen Leave a reply »
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