Slow It Down
The days of seven seconds and shoot have set on the Phoenix Suns.
But after last season’s first-round playoff exit to Wednesday night’s season-opening opponent – the San Antonio Spurs – a change in philosophy might be the best thing for them.
Oddsmakers from SBG Global have made Spurs –2 point spread favorites (NBA Odds) for today’s game, the over/under has been set at 187.5 (View Matchup). Current public betting information shows that 82% of bets for this game have been placed on Spurs –2 (View NBA Bet Percentages).
With Mike D’Antoni taking his up-tempo pace to the New York Knicks, Suns president of basketball operations and general manager Steve Kerr selected former Spurs teammate Terry Porter as the Suns’ new bench boss.
"Obviously, there will be differences and there will be nuances,” Kerr said. "But the key for us was having somebody who would be balanced on both sides of the ball, who wanted to continue to push the ball and maintain our up-tempo style but could also help us come in and improve defensively."
Phoenix was third in the NBA with 110.1 points per game last season, but allowed 105.0 – 25th in the league. Porter spent the past two seasons as a lead assistant in Detroit, and the Pistons led the league in scoring defense at 90.1 points per game in 2007-08.
"I will be hands-on when it comes to the defense,” said Porter, who coached the Milwaukee Bucks from 2003-05. "When you talk about defense, there’s got to be a desire there, and there’s got to be a lot of repetition.”
It will take that if the Suns hope to compete in the loaded Western Conference.
"I think it is a championship-caliber team,” Porter said during his press conference in June. "I think they have some pieces in place that have obviously competed at that level over the last four years.”
Many of the same pieces from last season’s 55-27 team are back, but the Suns’ core has burned through plenty of miles.
Two-time MVP Steve Nash turns 35 in February and opens his fifth season in his second stint with the Suns. Last season, Nash averaged 16.9 points and his 11.1 assists per game were second in the NBA to Chris Paul. Nash ranked second in three-point percentage at 47.0 and fifth in free throws at 90.6 percent.
Even with a new coach, the Suns’ floor general doesn’t expect a down shift in the Suns’ high-octane offense.
"I’m not really concerned that we’re going to change styles completely.” Nash said.
Shaquille O’Neal begins his first full season with the Suns after last February’s trade with Miami. In 28 regular-season games with the Suns, O’Neal averaged 12.9 points and 10.6 rebounds. He went for 15.2 points and 9.2 rebounds in the playoffs, and the 36-year-old O’Neal said next season – his 18th – will be his last.
If last season was any indication, Amare Stoudemire will thrive playing a full season next to the mammoth center. In the 29 games after O’Neal’s debut on Feb. 20, Stoudemire averaged 28.5 points. He averaged 25.2 points and 9.1 rebounds overall, joining Nash on the All-NBA second team.
An ankle injury, torn iris and dislocated left pinkie in the preseason has the seventh-year forward looking ahead to the 82-game season.
"Thank God (the preseason is) over,” Stoudemire said.
Porter will start Matt Barnes, who was acquired from Golden State, over Grant Hill at the small forward position, while Raja Bell starts at the shooting guard position. Boris Diaw, Leandro Barbosa, first-round draft pick Robin Lopez at center and first-year guard Goran Dragic round out a deep rotation for the Suns.
While the Suns adjust to Porter’s coaching style, the San Antonio Spurs will stick with what’s worked under Gregg Popovich. Despite last season’s Western Conference finals loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Spurs have the league’s longest playoff streak at 11 years, winning titles in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007.
"We have a proven system. We have a proven bunch of guys,” said Tim Duncan, who begins his 12th season. "And we like our chances.”
Those chances were hurt when Manu Ginobili, an All-NBA third team selection, had surgery on his left ankle in September and could be sidelined until December.
Tony Parker, Bruce Bowen, Michael Finley and Fabricio Oberto join Duncan in the starting five, although Parker, 26, is the youngest of the group.
"Isn’t Tony (Parker) still like 19?” Duncan joked. "We’ll be all right. We’re still old. We’ll stay old.”
Robert Horry was not re-signed and Brent Barry signed with the Rockets, but the Spurs – the oldest team in the NBA for the fourth straight season – signed 28-year-old Roger Mason Jr. from Washington, where he averaged 9.1 points in 2007-08.
San Antonio defeated the Suns in five games in their first-round playoff series last season after eliminating Phoenix in six games in the 2007 Western Conference semifinals. Phoenix has won its past two regular-season games in San Antonio after losing 12 of the previous 13.
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