'Chemistry' the prevailing theme for the Phoenix Suns' preseason

The biggest thing that the Suns have been working on throughout the preseason so far is knowing how to operate on the floor with one another. The term that they and everyone else usually uses to describe that process is chemistry, which is something that the team is lacking due to the mass shuffling of players into the lineup.

Through five games, however, the team has seen a drastic improvement in that area. The players are beginning to learn each other's tendencies, working together on the floor to accomplish a singular goal. And while it seems to be coming together, that won't happen over the course of six or seven preseason games. This will be a season long endeavor; one that the whole team will embark on.

Jared Dudley, one of the leaders of this team, seems to be up for the challenge. "We've got a lot of guys that can score, a lot of guys that can play. It's just the little things," Dudley said. "Offensively we clicked on all cylinders. The offense we have has so much dimension we can score from."

Head coach Alvin Gentry seemed to echo Dudley's sentiments, stating that these types of team building plans take time to develop. "We've done a really good job with training camp, with the practice we've had so far. We have to continue to move forward. We don't want to take steps backwards," Gentry said. "We want to keep moving forward and keep getting a little bit better and keep improving on the rebounding and execution and things like that. If we do that, then we have a chance."

Gentry noted that the team fell asleep a couple of times throughout the game and guys began to 'drift'. Dudley attributed that to it being a preseason Monday night game against the Kings, but in order for this team to win games during the regular season, paying attention at all times will be of the utmost importance. They cannot win based on sheer talent, so outworking the other team is how they will have to go about it.

Center Marcin Gortat had that best quotes of the night, stating that, "each one of us are still looking for our spot on the team." With all of the new players and new offensive schemes with the departure of their main playmaker, Steve Nash, the Suns are still working on how to be cohesive. Gortat said just as much when noting the lack of pick and roll plays he is involved in with Goran Dragic running the point.

"We are still working on it," Gortat said of the team building chemistry with one another. "We get a little bit better with each game, with each practice and we definitely have to figure out how we're going to play in the next 82 games."

"We work together in practice, so our chemistry is really coming along. It's a process," forward Michael Beasley said.

While not every player understands their role, they certainly get that knowing what they do won't happen overnight. It is a process and one that will likely take the Suns a full season to figure out.