THE HCP
NorthEastPortland'sFinest
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http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/play...?columnist=hollinger_john&page=PERDiem-100420
Hope I'm doing this right and I don't get banned!
Blazers-Suns
After talking with both Phoenix and Portland on Monday, the expectation on both sides is that the Suns will do a few things differently in Game 2.
Expect the Suns to start Jarron Collins but replace him much earlier than they did in Game 1, when he played the first six minutes of each half. On Tuesday night it might be more like three. My Suns spies compared it to starting a game with a middle reliever ... Phoenix is just trying to get the game to Channing Frye. During the regular season Phoenix didn't like the idea of Frye and Amare Stoudemire playing extended minutes together because of their defensive shortcomings -- hence the use of Collins once Robin Lopez went out. But in this series, it's probably the best frontcourt combination.
"Just because of the spacing issue," said Suns coach Alvin Gentry. "Obviously Channing gives us another shooter on the floor especially with the help defense they had. So that's something we'll definitely consider."
Portland knows the Suns won't stand still on the matchups against its guards, either. Andre Miller scored 31 points in Game 1, and the Blazers seemed a little surprised that Jason Richardson guarded Miller rather than usual Suns ace Grant Hill. That matchup may change; in addition, what will certainly change is that Phoenix will defend Miller's post-ups and drives more aggressively.
Of course, Portland will make changes of its own. As Miller noted, if the Suns do use a bigger defender like Hill or Jared Dudley against him, "That's what pick-and-roll is for." Moreover, any move of pieces on the Phoenix side will cause an equal and opposite reaction from the Portland bench. Blazers coach Nate McMillan pointed out that much of the real chess will happen after tipoff, because that's when he and Alvin Gentry can respond to each other's maneuvers.
One thing that's not likely to change, however, is the Suns' inability to get out in transition against Portland. Phoenix will keep trying, of course, but the Blazers' offensive style is a pretty good foil for the way Phoenix wants to attack. Because Portland runs so many basic isolation plays, its players are rarely out of position and can easily fall back into a proper defensive alignment. Additionally, the Blazers had the league's second-lowest turnover rate, eliminating another common source of transition buckets.
One other note from the Suns-Blazers series: If you're looking for reasons behind Marcus Camby's suddenly energized extension talks with Portland, one big one is the recent salary-cap guidance from the league's Board of Governors meeting this weekend. Because the league said it expects a higher than expected cap number -- and in turn a higher than expected luxury tax line -- it should enable the Blazers to add Camby at roughly $10 million a year without going over the tax threshold. That didn't seem to be the case a few days earlier.
With that out of the way, let's move on to the other three games Tuesday night.
Hope I'm doing this right and I don't get banned!
Blazers-Suns
After talking with both Phoenix and Portland on Monday, the expectation on both sides is that the Suns will do a few things differently in Game 2.
Expect the Suns to start Jarron Collins but replace him much earlier than they did in Game 1, when he played the first six minutes of each half. On Tuesday night it might be more like three. My Suns spies compared it to starting a game with a middle reliever ... Phoenix is just trying to get the game to Channing Frye. During the regular season Phoenix didn't like the idea of Frye and Amare Stoudemire playing extended minutes together because of their defensive shortcomings -- hence the use of Collins once Robin Lopez went out. But in this series, it's probably the best frontcourt combination.
"Just because of the spacing issue," said Suns coach Alvin Gentry. "Obviously Channing gives us another shooter on the floor especially with the help defense they had. So that's something we'll definitely consider."
Portland knows the Suns won't stand still on the matchups against its guards, either. Andre Miller scored 31 points in Game 1, and the Blazers seemed a little surprised that Jason Richardson guarded Miller rather than usual Suns ace Grant Hill. That matchup may change; in addition, what will certainly change is that Phoenix will defend Miller's post-ups and drives more aggressively.
Of course, Portland will make changes of its own. As Miller noted, if the Suns do use a bigger defender like Hill or Jared Dudley against him, "That's what pick-and-roll is for." Moreover, any move of pieces on the Phoenix side will cause an equal and opposite reaction from the Portland bench. Blazers coach Nate McMillan pointed out that much of the real chess will happen after tipoff, because that's when he and Alvin Gentry can respond to each other's maneuvers.
One thing that's not likely to change, however, is the Suns' inability to get out in transition against Portland. Phoenix will keep trying, of course, but the Blazers' offensive style is a pretty good foil for the way Phoenix wants to attack. Because Portland runs so many basic isolation plays, its players are rarely out of position and can easily fall back into a proper defensive alignment. Additionally, the Blazers had the league's second-lowest turnover rate, eliminating another common source of transition buckets.
One other note from the Suns-Blazers series: If you're looking for reasons behind Marcus Camby's suddenly energized extension talks with Portland, one big one is the recent salary-cap guidance from the league's Board of Governors meeting this weekend. Because the league said it expects a higher than expected cap number -- and in turn a higher than expected luxury tax line -- it should enable the Blazers to add Camby at roughly $10 million a year without going over the tax threshold. That didn't seem to be the case a few days earlier.
With that out of the way, let's move on to the other three games Tuesday night.
