SB Nation Arizona - Phoenix Suns Player Thermometer, Week 14: Onward To .500https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46593/arizona-fave.png2012-04-30T13:00:41-07:00http://arizona.sbnation.com/rss/stream/24922512012-04-30T13:00:41-07:002012-04-30T13:00:41-07:00Phoenix Suns Player Thermometer, Week 18: The End Of A Season
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<p>Well, the 2011-2012 season for the <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Phoenix Suns</a> is officially at a close. The team finished a decent 33-33 and overachieved in relation to expectations. They missed the playoffs, but no one really thought they'd make it anyway. Would it have been better if the team had a better lottery position in the draft? Possibly, but it was kind of fun to watch this group do what they did with mostly spare parts. Of course, now the Suns' front office faces a really strange offseason with the potential departure of franchise face <span>Steve Nash</span>. It'll be intriguing (or maybe just depressing) to see what this team looks like next season.</p>
<p>Anyway, here is the season-ending Player Thermometer, ranking the team's players with a considering for their year-long contributions.</p>
<p>1. Steve Nash: Well what can we say about Steve Nash? Nash was typical Steve Nash this year, averaging 12.5 points and 10.7 assists per game this year. Nash finished second in the league in assists this year, just behind Rajon Rando. Considering Nash is 38 years old, the feat is pretty impressive. Nash led Phoenix to playoff contention while having one of his best statistical years of his career. This year more than others, Nash did more with less and took his team where few thought they could go -- to the brink of the playoffs. (Ryan <span class="gI">Bafaloukos)</span></p>
<p>2. <span>Marcin Gortat</span>: Gortat provided about what any Suns fan could have hoped, averaging 15.4 points, 10 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks a game (leading the team in all three categories). Late in the season, some of The Polish Hammer's lack of hammer (aka toughness) showed, but the guy can't really be picked on too much, considering he's the Suns' best center in a long time. Hopefully he'll hit the weight room and work on some lower body strength in the offseason to help him keep position on defense. (Justin Burning)</p>
<p>3. <span>Grant Hill</span>: It was a shame that Hill's season was cut short with a knee injury. He was a crucial piece to the team because of his willingness and ability to defend the opponents' best player. He would go from guarding point guards to power forwards, all while doing it well at his age. He still managed to score in double figures, as well. (Jess Root)
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<p>4. <span>Sebastian Telfair</span>: Telfair played the least minutes of his career this season, but he improved his play as the year progressed and became a solid contributor. He did a good job of backing up Nash during the final stretch of games, and he should show more improvement next year with a full season of experience under his belt. (Nikil Selvam)</p>
<p>5. <span>Channing Frye</span>: Fry's scoring average dipped this year by more than two points per game. Fry finished the season with an average of 10.5 PPG and 5.9 RPG, and he shot 35% from three. Even though Fry started most of the year, almost all of his season averages dropped. With the emergence of <span>Markieff Morris</span>, Fry could be moved to the bench next season. (RB)</p>
<p>6. <span>Jared Dudley</span>: If Dudley had remained a spark plug off the bench, his season would have been a rousing success. But as the team's starting shooting guard, he didn't provide the consistent scoring threat the Suns needed. He caught fire a little later in the season, but he took a while to find his touch. Known as an "intangibles" guy, his basketball IQ was overshadowed this season after being asked to take on a more tangible role and falling shorter than needed. (JB)</p>
<p>7. Shannon Brown: <span>Shannon Brown's</span> season was a tale of two halves. In the first half of the season, he was difficult to watch. He made poor decisions and never passed the ball. Then in the second half, he became the energy off the bench and became a solid scorer playing in the starting lineup when Hill went down. He probably earned himself the ability to sign somewhere for starter's money. (JR)</p>
<p>8. <span>Michael Redd</span>: The Suns amazing training staff has done it again! Redd, a 32-year-old veteran who hadn't played more than 33 games in any of the past three seasons, turned in a 51-game performance in '11-12. Though his three-point shooting wasn't as high as usual (31.8%), he looked great driving to the basket and creating his own shot. Redd may have rejuvenated his career this season. (NS)</p>
<p>9. <span>Robin Lopez</span>: The former first round pick Lopez has been a disappointment thus far in his NBA career. With the emergence of Marcin Gortat over the last two years, Lopez has been moved to the bench and contributes sparingly. This year, Lopez averaged 5.4 points and 3.3 rebounds a game. For the first time in his career, Lopez did not start a game this season. Lopez also averaged the fewest minutes per game (14) since his rookie season. (RB)</p>
<p>10. Markieff Morris: The rookie big man showed a lot of promise in his first year -- probably moreso than any Suns rookie since one Amare Stoudemire. He had more offensive polish than expected and could rebound. But his play was extremely inconsistent and he did not seem to enjoy his brief time in the starting lineup. His main offseason priorities will be developing a killer instinct and perhaps working on decision-making with the ball and post defense. One would imagine he might work his way into the permanent starting lineup next season. (JB)</p>
<p>11. <span>Hakim Warrick</span>: Warrick was up and down -- in playing time. It's difficult to determine why he got minutes so inconsistently. There were times this season when he was the most important player on the floor because of his ability to score in the paint. But there were times when he disappeared. And others when he was simply buried on the bench. Luckily, his contract is manageable. (JR)</p>
<p>12. <span>Ronnie Price</span>: Price faded down the stretch this season after Telfair took over as the Suns primary backup point guard. He played only 31 minutes in Phoenix's final 15 games and was one of three players (alongside Warrick and Childress) who did not get consistent playing time. It's been a tough year for him, but Price is only 28 and he could demand more minutes with improvements to his three-point shooting and ballhandling this offseason. (NS)</p>
<p>13. <span>Josh Childress</span>: Childress has not been a good pickup for the Suns over the last two seasons. This year, Childress averaged 2.9 points per game and 2.8 rebounds per game. Childress' minutes have been reduced because he is playing behind Grant Hill and Jared Dudley. Childress has had a hard time contributing in his first two seasons as a Sun. (RB)</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/2012/4/30/2988764/phoenix-suns-player-thermometer-week-18-steve-nash-marcin-gortat-free-agencyJustin Burning2012-04-23T13:42:53-07:002012-04-23T13:42:53-07:00Phoenix Suns Player Thermometer, Week 17: Nash Fading, Gortat And Dudley Recover
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<p>This week's schedule was brutal for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Phoenix Suns</a>, who faced two top-tier playoff teams (<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/">Oklahoma City Thunder</a>) and one team they're battling with for playoff positioning (<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/">Denver Nuggets</a>). They split the week, but didn't gain as much ground against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.slcdunk.com/">Utah Jazz</a> as a Suns fan might have hoped. Plus, they may have lost <span>Channing Frye</span> for the rest of the year. Ouch.</p>
<p>Here are the player rankings for the week, with their previous rank in parentheses.</p>
<p><b>1. <span>Marcin Gortat</span> (5):</b> Gortat was only one point short of recording four straight double-doubles this week (he had only nine points against OKC). He's been consistent at center during this season-ending stretch, and he'll need to keep up the steady pick-and-roll play for the Suns to close the season with a playoff berth in hand. (Nikil Selvam)</p>
<p><b>2. <span>Jared Dudley</span> (7):</b> Jared Dudley came up huge for the Suns this week as they push for the playoffs. Dudley had three games scoring in double figures and shot an impressive 26-50 from the field this week, and led the team in scoring against Oklahoma City with 21 points. Dudley cooled off against Denver, only posting nine points on 4-12 shooting. (Ryan Bafaloukos)</p>
<p><b>3. <span>Steve Nash</span> (1)</b>: Nash had himself a pretty solid week, though it wasn't quite up to his usual standards, and he's still ailing from his hip injury. He had a couple of outstanding games as a distributor and a couple of duds. It's probably no coincidence that his two duds came against top-tier competition. (Justin Burning)</p>
<p><b>4. Channing Frye (9)</b>: Before going down with shoulder injury against the Thunder, Channing had a much better week. He scored 19, 16, and 13 before his injury and shot over 50 percent from the field. (Jess Root)</p>
<p><b>5. <span>Sebastian Telfair</span> (2)</b>: As Nash's primary backup, Telfair has shown the ability to both distribute and score with the second unit over the last two games against the Clippers and Nuggets. He is an important player to watch this week when the Suns travel to Utah for Tuesday's must-win game. (NS)</p>
<p><b>6. <span>Shannon Brown</span> (4):</b> Brown was relatively quiet the first three games of the week, scoring a combined 31 points. Against the Nuggets, Brown broke out for 28 points and six rebounds. Brown shot 10-24 against the Nuggets, including 6-12 from three. With Brown seeing extended minutes down the stretch, the Suns will need a few more big games from Brown. (RB)</p>
<p><b>7. <span>Markieff Morris</span> (3)</b>: It was a quiet week for Morris, especially considering last week's work. He only averaged 6.75 points, 4.75 rebounds, and 0.25 blocks. It'll be getting to the time of year, one assumes, that Gentry's rotation will get shorter and Morris may not have played himself into the playoff rotation. (JB)</p>
<p><b>8. <span>Michael Redd</span> (6)</b>: Redd struggled this past week, shooting only 29 percent from the field. He put up 21 points ... for the week. His struggles hurt the bench unit, who had come to rely on his scoring before. (JR)</p>
<p><b>9. <span>Robin Lopez</span> (8):</b> Lopez will probably be remembered most this week for his Flagrant 2 foul on <span>Blake Griffin</span>, but he should also be remembered for his improved play in the post. He did a good job of establishing size and taking his time against the opposition: more of the same could help the Suns squeeze into the playoffs this week. (NS)</p>
<p><b>10. <span>Josh Childress</span> (10):</b> Like most of the season, Childress saw limited minutes this week. Childress was efficient this week as he shot 7-11 from the field, and collected 14 points total this week. Childress scored eight points and grabbed eight rebounds against Oklahoma City on Wednesday. (RB)</p>
<p><b>11. <span>Hakim Warrick</span> (11):</b> The War Machine got some minutes in the Nuggets game, and he did provide some instant offense, as he's able to do every once in a while. Unfortunately, it was in a losing effort. (JB)</p>
<p><b>12. <span>Grant Hill</span> (12)</b>: Hill is still on the shelf with his knee injury. (JR)</p>
<p><b>13. <span>Ronnie Price</span> (13)</b>: Price did not play this week. (NS)</p>
<p><b><i>Talk more Suns at </i></b><a href="http://brightsideofthesun.com/"><b><i>Bright Side of the Sun</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b></p>
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https://arizona.sbnation.com/phoenix-suns/2012/4/23/2969778/phoenix-suns-player-thermometer-week-17-nash-fading-gortat-and-dudleyJustin Burning2012-04-16T11:00:46-07:002012-04-16T11:00:46-07:00Phoenix Suns Player Thermometer, Week 16: Not The Best Week Ever
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Phoenix Suns</a> split their week's games, winning against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/">Minnesota Timberwolves</a> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/">Houston Rockets</a> and losing against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.grizzlybearblues.com/">Memphis Grizzlies</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">San Antonio Spurs</a>. However, it wasn't a standout week for any particular player, really. <span>Steve Nash</span> tops the Player Thermometer this week more because fans saw how bad the team would struggle without him, when Nash left the Spurs game after six minutes due to a hip strain. <span>Grant Hill</span> came back from his meniscus surgery, and played like a man back from surgery too soon. The team is still in the playoff race, but it's going to be a tough ride forward.</p>
<p>Anyway, on to the Player Thermometer, ranked from hottest to nottest. Last week's rankings are in parentheses.</p>
<p>1. <b>Steve Nash (1):</b> Of course Nash is atop this list. He did only play six minutes against the Spurs, but he had two double-doubles on the week. (Jess Root)</p>
<p>2. <b><span>Sebastian Telfair</span> (7): </b>Yes, we're just as surprised to see Telfair this high on the list as you are. He was incredibly productive over Phoenix's road trip: in addition to 13.5 points, he also had 5.0 assists and 3.25 rebounds per game on just 20 minutes per night. Well done, Mr. Telfair. (Nikil Selvam)</p>
<p>3. <b><span>Markieff Morris</span> (8):</b> Morris started the week off red-hot as he scored 21 points against Minnesota and 17 against Memphis. Morris averaged 13.75 points this week and averaged 6.75 rebounds this week. In his first two games this week, Morris was 16-27 from the field; however, in his final two games, he was a meager 4-14 from the field. (Ryan Bafoloukos)
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<p>4. <b><span>Shannon Brown</span> (3):</b> Outside of the Spurs game, in which everyone played horribly, Mr. Brown continued his late-season productivity. He averaged 15 points a game in the other three games, though he wasn't necessarily efficient, shooting 39% from the field in that stretch. But the Suns will need every last bit of offensive firepower if they're going to make the postseason. (Justin Burning)</p>
<p>5. <b><span>Marcin Gortat</span> (4):</b> Gortat had two stinkers and two solid games. Against Minnesota and San Antonio, he had a combined 10 points and 14 rebounds. The other two games? He shot 70 percent, averaged just under 20 points and 10 rebounds. Against Houston, he was great -- 20 and 15. (JR)</p>
<p>6. <b><span>Michael Redd</span> (2):</b> Thirteen was Redd's lucky number this past week, as the veteran scored exactly that many points in three of the Suns' four games. Keep an eye out for his three-point shooting stats over the final two weeks of the season. They could become a very important weapon for Phoenix over the last handful of games. (NS)</p>
<p>7. <b><span>Jared Dudley</span> (5):</b> Dudley had a quiet week except for against Houston. Dudley had 19 points against the Rockets; he only scored 12 points in the other three games he played in this week. (RB)</p>
<p>8. <b><span>Robin Lopez</span> (9):</b> RoLo didn't do much of anything spectacular this week, but he did contribute at least a little bit, particularly against the Spurs, where he had eight points and nine rebounds in 20 minutes. But of course that game didn't mean anything. (JB)</p>
<p>9. <b><span>Channing Frye</span> (6): </b>Yes, he is still on the team. It just didn't seem like it last week. He did not crack double digits in scoring and managed a total of 21 points in four games. He shot ok, but was not shooting much or rebounding. Plus, Morris' play made it easy to keep him on the bench. (JR)</p>
<p>10. <b><span>Josh Childress</span> (10):</b> Childress was quiet all week and scored over 10 points just once in three games. It looks like he won't see too much playing time the rest of the way. (NS)</p>
<p>11. <b><span>Hakim Warrick</span> (11):</b> Hakim played 13 total minutes this week and scored 12 total points. Warrick was 4-5 from the field this week; however, he picked up three personal fouls and only grabbed one rebound this week. (RB)</p>
<p>12. <b>Grant Hill (13):</b> Grant came back from injury this week, but he probably shouldn't have. He played an ineffective 25 minutes against the Rockets, and Coach Gentry thankfully limited him to only eight minutes in a blowout loss to the Spurs. He's going to need some time to get his conditioning back. (JB)</p>
<p>13. <b><span>Ronnie Price</span> (12):</b> Price actually got some minutes. He played five against Minnesota and 20 against the Spurs, where he scored seven points. But he only played because the game was a joke. (JR)</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/2012/4/16/2952537/phoenix-suns-player-thermometer-week-16-steve-nash-grant-hill-injury-playoffsJustin Burning2012-04-09T13:00:25-07:002012-04-09T13:00:25-07:00Phoenix Suns Player Thermometer, Week 15: More Wins And Unexpected Players Near The Top
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Phoenix Suns</a> finished the week 4-1 to pull to two games above .500. They have a crucial week of road games this week and their playoff hopes just might rest on their performance in said games. As for now, let us, as we always do, look back at the performance of the individual players and rank them from hottest to nottest. The previous week's rank is in parentheses. </p>
<p>1. <span>Steve Nash</span> (1): Just when you start thinking that the long season might be getting to him, Nash proves that he's on top of his game. He has led the box score with the most assists of any player on either team for nine straight contests now, and this past week the 38-year-old hit two late shots to snag a much-needed win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.slcdunk.com/">Utah Jazz</a>. (Nikil Selvam)</p>
<p>2. <span>Michael Redd</span> (8): With the absence of <span>Grant Hill</span>, Michael Redd is seeing increased playing time. The veteren hasn't wasted it, as Redd averaged 18.25 points per game this week, and scored double figures in all four games he played in. Redd shot 9-22 from beyond the arc. In the month of April, Redd is averaging 16 points per game. (Ryan Bafoloukos)</p>
<p>3. <span>Shannon Brown</span> (3): Brown was really good for the week, capping his week with another stellar performance against his former team. He had 24 against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Lakers</a>. I bet he wishes he could play against them every game. (Jess Root)</p>
<p>4. <span>Marcin Gortat</span> (2): Gortat wasn't the focus of the team's success this week, as he has tended to be for most of the season, but his play was anything but week. He averaged just over 10 rebounds a game, has 20 points against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/">Kings</a>, and blocked four shots against the Lakers. His effort is generally consistent, even if his opportunities are not. (Justin Burning)</p>
<p>5. <span>Jared Dudley</span> (5): Dudley was ineffective against the Lakers on Saturday (only five points and two boards), but he has been filling in the offensive gaps for this team without Hill in the line-up. He averaged 14 points per game in the week's other three games, and he'll likely be called on to do more as the season heads into the final stretch. (NS)</p>
<p>6. <span>Channing Frye</span> (4): Channing Frye had a pretty consistent week for Phoenix. Frye averaged 13 points per game this week and recorded a double-double against Friday night in a loss to Denver. Frye was 0-7 from three against Sacramento; however, he shot 5-10 from beyond the arc the rest of the week. (RB)</p>
<p>7. <span>Sebastian Telfair</span> (9): While the week previouswas slightly down, Telfair was solid again prompting the speculation the he might just be the best backup PG the Suns have had with Nash here. The week was capped by a 13 point, seven assist night against the Lakers in 22 minutes. (JR)</p>
<p>8. <span>Markieff Morris</span> (12): The rookie's week was up and down. He had some success when given extended minutes, such as against the Lakers (13 points, five rebounds, two blocks) and Utah (11 points, four rebounds, three assists), but was also unproductive against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/">Nuggets</a> and Kings. (JB)</p>
<p>9. <span>Robin Lopez</span> (6): Lopez was quiet this past week and didn't see too many minutes on the floor. Still, he continues to grab rebounds and contribute to the important second unit during key stretches of games. (NS)</p>
<p>10. <span>Josh Childress</span> (10): Childress scored eight points in four games this week. Although Childress averaged 15.5 minutes per game this week, he only was only 4-10 from the field this week. Childress did pull down 10 rebounds this week; however, he has not scored more than five points in a game since being placed back into the rotation after the injury to Grant Hill. (RB)</p>
<p>11. <span>Hakim Warrick</span> (7): Warrick found himself buried on the bench with a bunch of DNP-CD after 14 scoreless minutes against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/new-orleans-hornets">Hornets</a>. (JR)</p>
<p>12. <span>Ronnie Price</span> (11): Ronnie continues to find himself outside of Gentry's rotation. (JB)</p>
<p>13: Grant Hill (13): Hill did not play this week. (NS)</p>
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https://arizona.sbnation.com/phoenix-suns/2012/4/9/2936155/phoenix-suns-player-thermometer-week-15-more-wins-and-unexpectedJess Root2012-04-02T10:30:48-07:002012-04-02T10:30:48-07:00Phoenix Suns Player Thermometer, Week 14: Onward To .500
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<p>It was not the greatest week in the world for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Phoenix Suns</a>: they lost two of three games during a crucial playoff push, <span>Grant Hill</span> underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus that may end his season, and rookie <span>Markieff Morris</span> sat out most of the week thanks to the flu. But, the team remains at .500 and, with some helpful losses by Western Conference foes, they're only 1.5 games out of a playoff position. The Suns will need all of their core players to continue their strong contributions in order to make the postseason.</p>
<p>Anyway, as usual, here is the Phoenix Suns Player Thermometer, ranking the roster from hottest to nottest. Last week's rankings are in parentheses.</p>
<p>1. <b><span>Steve Nash</span> (1): </b>His scoring is down, but his playmaking is as always. He averaged 12 assists for the week, but after scoring 16 against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">San Antonio Spurs</a>, he combined for five points in the next two games while taking only eight shots. Still, even when he isn't taking shots, he is making his team better. (Jess Root)</p>
<p>2. <b><span>Marcin Gortat</span> (4):</b> The Polish Hammer continues to provide steady production on the offensive end and on the boards. Gortat averaged 19 points and 8.33 rebounds per game last week in match-ups against the Spurs, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a>, and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/new-orleans-hornets">New Orleans Hornets</a>. He'll need to step up and increase his rebounding average over the next few weeks for the Suns to remain competitive without Hill in the lineup. (Nikil Selvam)</p>
<p>3. <b><span>Shannon Brown</span> (8):</b> With Grant Hill out, potentially for the season, Shannon stepped into the starting lineup and so far, it's a move that's paid off for the Suns. He scored 32 points against the Spurs and logged the most minutes of any Sun. He averaged 13 points in the next two games, and shot 53% from the field this week. (Justin Burning)
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<p>4. <b><span>Channing Frye</span> (5):</b> Frye posted double figures in two games this week and averaged 12.3 points in three games this week. Frye struggled from beyond the arc, though, shooting 3-17 from three. Frye posted a double-double against the Hornets on Sunday, posting 14 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Frye averaged 35 minutes per game this week, nine over his season average. (Ryan <span class="gI">Bafaloukos)</span></p>
<p>5. <b><span>Jared Dudley</span> (3):</b> Dudley rebounded from a bad pair of games against the Hornets. Before leading his team in scoring in that game with 21, his previous two games combined to net him 12 points on 6-12 shooting. No made free throws, no made threes. He even airballed a free throw against the Clippers. (JR)</p>
<p>6. <b><span>Robin Lopez</span> (7):</b> Lopez scored 10 points off the bench in each of Phoenix's last two games, and he seems comfortable around the basket. Like Gortat, he'll need to crash the boards hard in the coming weeks to give the Suns second-chance opportunities without Hill. (NS)</p>
<p>7. <b><span>Hakim Warrick</span> (11):</b> As has been the case all season, Warrick's usage this week was spotty, getting only eight minutes of play against San Antonio, but averaging 12 minutes in the other two games. Hakim hasn't been particularly potent offensively, but he's been productive on the boards, averaging 4.5 a game in his last two limited outings. (JB)</p>
<p>8. <b><span>Michael Redd</span> (9):</b> Redd had a relatively quiet week. Redd did not score in 13 minutes against the Spurs, and posted seven points in each of the other two games this week. Redd only grabbed one rebound total this week and shot 3-11 from the field. (RB)</p>
<p>9. <b><span>Sebastian Telfair</span> (10):</b> After scoring 11 against the Spurs, he shot 1-10 in the next two games. The more troubling stat? He did not log a single assist in three games. (JR)</p>
<p>10. <b><span>Josh Childress</span> (13):</b> Childress returned to to the rotation on Sunday and played for the first time in 10 games. He didn't do anything spectacular, but his six rebounds and one steal helped Phoenix lock up a home win that they desparately needed against the Hornets. (NS)</p>
<p>11. <b><span>Ronnie Price</span> (12):</b> Ronnie got the old "NDP-CD" in the win against the Hornets, and in the other two games, he was a non-factor, despite playing 11 minutes a game. (JB)</p>
<p>12. <b>Markieff Morris (6):</b> Morris missed two games this week due to illness and did not score in the one game he did play in against the Spurs. Morris played only seven minutes total this week and only took one shot. Coach Gentry expects Morris to play this week. (RB)</p>
<p>13. <b>Grant Hill (2): </b>HIll did not play this past week and had knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus, which may finish his season. (JR)</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/2012/4/2/2920300/phoenix-suns-player-thermometer-week-14-playoffs-grant-hill-steve-nashJustin Burning2012-03-26T09:38:17-07:002012-03-26T09:38:17-07:00Phoenix Suns Player Thermometer, Week 13: Can Smell The Playoffs
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Phoenix Suns</a> had themselves a tough road trip this week, but they split the four games right down the middle. As a result, the team climbed back above .500 and has stayed near the playoff race. It seems like the Suns are coming together as a cohesive squad at the right time of the year. Let's just hope some of those regrettable early season losses don't come back to haunt them as the playoffs draw nearer.</p>
<p>Here is this week's player thermometer, in order of hottest to nottest. Each player's ranking for last week is in parentheses.</p>
<p>1. <b><span>Steve Nash</span> (2):</b> The aging point guard had a tough time in the state of Florida, racking up 12 turnovers (as opposed to only nine assists) in losses against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.hothothoops.com/">Miami Heat</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/">Orlando Magic</a>. Nash rebounded strong during the second half of the road trip, though, with 30 assists in wins against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.indycornrows.com/">Indiana Pacers</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/">Cleveland Cavaliers</a>. He continues to be the anchor for this playoff-contending Suns squad. (Nikil Selvam)</p>
<p>2. <b><span>Grant Hill</span> (5):</b> Mr. Hill had himself some nice offensive explosions this week, going for 19 points and 22 points against the Magic and Pacers, respectively. Besides his increased scoring, Grant is the closest things the Suns have to a utility player, and he does most things with above average skill; this has really come in handy for a Suns team just starting to gel. (Justin Burning)</p>
<p>3. <b><span>Jared Dudley</span> (1): </b>Dudley's scoring cooled a bit. He had three 10-point games and a 17-pointer. But he has been "bouncier" and more active. He is everywhere on the court and seems to be part of every play. (Jess Root)
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<p>4. <b><span>Marcin Gortat</span> (4):</b> The Polish Hammer finished the week strong, scoring 23 points against Indiana and 22 against Cleveland. Gortat grabbed 16 rebounds the final two games of the week and averaged eight rebounds this week. Gortat continued his strong shooting this week, going 25-49 from the field. (Ryan Bafaloukos)</p>
<p>5. <b><span>Channing Frye</span> (3):</b> Frye had trouble shooting the ball, especially from long distance (3-for-14 from behind the arc). He's bound to bounce back (as all streaky shooters do), but the fact that he didn't grab more than five rebounds in any of Phoenix's four games is a bit alarming. (NS)</p>
<p>6. <b><span>Markieff Morris</span> (9):</b> Morris made an impact this week while averaging 20 minutes per game off of the bench. He brings offensive firepower to the reserves, a fact that was on full display Sunday when the rookie scored 22 points in just 26 minutes. (NS)</p>
<p>7. <b><span>Robin Lopez</span> (7):</b> In the context of his potential, RoLo hasn't had a great season, but he's come into his own as a backup big man. Though it was in a loss, Robin came through strong against Orlando (14 points, eight rebounds) when Gortat was having his worst game as a starter. He has been a consistently productive reserve player during the team's hot post-All Star Break run. (JB)</p>
<p>8. <b><span>Shannon Brown</span> (8):</b> Brown had one of his best weeks as a Sun this week, averaging just over 10 points per game. Brown played over 20 minutes in every game this week and was efficient, shooting over 50% from the field in all four games this week. (RB)</p>
<p>9. <b><span>Michael Redd</span> (6)</b>: After his 25-point explosion against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/">Rockets</a>, Redd went back to inconsistent. He shot only 6-16 for the week and somehow managed to play 12 minutes against the Magic without taking a single shot. That's odd for him. (JR)</p>
<p>10. <b><span>Sebastian Telfair</span> (11):</b> Telfair does just what he needs to, and while his shooting is inconsistent, he is doing a great job with the second unit. He hits a big shot now and again, he passes the ball, he puts pressure on the ball carrier and plays with energy. (JR)</p>
<p>11.<b> <span>Hakim Warrick</span> (12):</b> The War Machine had himself an awfully quiet week, only getting playing time against the Pacers. But, he did make the most of those 14 minutes, scoring nine points and grabbing five rebounds. (JB)</p>
<p>12.<b> <span>Ronnie Price</span> (10):</b> Price played a total of 11 minutes this week. However, Price did shoot 100% from the field (1-1), and scored a total of four points this week. (RB)</p>
<p>13.<b> <span>Josh Childress</span> (13):</b> Childress did not play any minutes this week. (NS)</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/2012/3/26/2903545/phoenix-suns-player-thermometer-week-13-steve-nash-jared-dudley-playoffsJustin Burning2012-03-19T09:40:13-07:002012-03-19T09:40:13-07:00Phoenix Suns Player Thermometer, Week 12: Um, Playoffs?
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Phoenix Suns</a> had themselves a very pleasant week, sweeping a back-to-back-to-back and winning another after that, for their first four-game winning streak of the season -- a streak that put them team over .500 finally. In particular, <span>Jared Dudley</span> and <span>Channing Frye</span> had strong performances. As we do each week, we do a sort of power rankings for the players on the Suns roster. They are listed from hottest to nottest. Oh, and their previous ranking is in parentheses.</p>
<p><b>1. Jared Dudley (3): </b>Remember those days when we all thought of Dudley as an unathletic glue guy? He's been changing that perception lately: JD went for over 20 points in three of this past week's five games. Dudley's delivering the offensive punch that the Suns have so desperately needed all season and it's pushing Phoenix back into the playoff picture. (Nikil Selvam)</p>
<p><b>2. <span>Steve Nash</span> (2): </b>Nash proved this week why some consider him the best true point guard in the league. Nash only averaged 11.5 points this week; however, he averaged 13.5 assists in four games played. Nash put up two double-doubles this week and continues to lead the Suns on their push for the playoffs. (Ryan Bafaloukos)</p>
<p><b>3. Channing Frye (5): </b>Channing has found his shooting touch and has managed to do all the other things well. He shot better than 50 percent every game except for against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/">Pistons</a>, but in that game he pulled down 13 rebounds. He averaged 18 points per game last week and eight rebounds per game. He even blocked shots. He had four blocks against the T-Wolves and averaged over two a game for the week. (Jess Root)
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<p><b>4. <span>Marcin Gortat</span> (1): </b>Marcin finds himself lower in the thermometer than usual this week, mainly because Dudley and Frye's impacts have been obvious, and The Polish Hammer has actually had sort of a down week. Gortat had only one double-double, against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/">Rockets</a>; otherwise, his rebounding numbers were down, averaging only five rebounds a game in the other four. He also had two single-digit scoring games in the week. (Justin Burning)</p>
<p><b>5. <span>Grant Hill</span> (4): </b>Hill sat out of Thursday's stunning road win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Clippers</a> (along with Nash), and he's slipped into a very comfortable role during the team's recent win steak. He scored between 10 and 14 points in addition to five-plus rebounds and a handful of assists per game. Nothing spectacular, but certainly a super-consistent presence that the surging Suns can depend on. (NS)</p>
<p><b>6. <span>Michael Redd</span> (8): </b>Redd didn't do a whole lot of anything through the week -- until his 25-point redd-hot explosion against the playoff-position-rival Rockets to get the Suns over .500 for the first time this season. For significance alone, Redd gets some recognition; his performance was desperately needed after a back-to-back-to-back sweep that could have made this a trap game. (JB)</p>
<p><b>7. <span>Robin Lopez</span> (6): </b>Lopez gave the Suns good minutes off the bench all week. Lopez averaged nine points for the Suns, and averaged 18.6 minutes this week. Lopez shot over 50% from the field in four of the five games this season. (RB)</p>
<p><b>8. <span>Shannon Brown</span> (7): </b>Brown was what you expect -- up and down. He had 21 against the Clippers, including 8/10 free throws, but take that game away and he averaged seven points a game. He shoots a lot and does not hit with great accuracy, but his energy on the court is great for the bench. (JR)</p>
<p><b>9. <span>Markieff Morris</span> (11): </b>Morris broke out of his shooting slump with a solid performance against the Clippers (10 points, six boards, and three steals in only 17 minutes). He's still not producing at quite the efficiency that he was early in the season, but the rookie is showing some promise again after a series of down weeks. (NS)</p>
<p><b>10. <span>Ronnie Price</span> (12): </b>Price only saw action in one game this week, but he made the most of it, scoring six points in 14 minutes against the Clippers. Price benefited from the age of Steve Nash, as the only game he played in all week was the game that Nash was rested. (RB)</p>
<p><b>11. <span>Sebastian Telfair</span> (9): </b>With a strong start to the week, he faded later on. In his one start against the Clippers, though, his defense on <span>Chris Paul</span> down the stretch was crucial. He shot poorly that game (3/11), but had eight assists. (JR)</p>
<p><b>12. <span>Hakim Warrick</span> (10): </b>Hakim got himself a wee bit of playing time this week, but he wasn't able to do much with it. (JB)</p>
<p><b>13. <span>Josh Childress</span> (13): </b>Childress played just seven minutes this week (all of them against the Clippers on Thursday), and he only tallied one assist during that entire time span. Suffice it to say that Childress didn't have a huge impact on the team. (NS)</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/2012/3/19/2884660/phoenix-suns-player-thermometer-week-western-conference-playoffsJustin Burning2012-03-14T13:00:30-07:002012-03-14T13:00:30-07:00Phoenix Suns Player Thermometer, Week 11: Jared Dudley Threatening To Take The Top Spot
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<p>The last week was a successful one for the Phoenix Suns. They won a few games and looked pretty good doing it. As we do each week, we do a sort of power rankings for the players on the Suns roster. They are listed from hottest to nottest. Oh, and their previous ranking is in parentheses.</p>
<p><b>1. Marcin Gortat (1): </b>Gortat has been his normally spectacular self. He was a single rebound short of three double-doubles for the week. He averaged just under 20 points for the week and just over 10 boards. (Jess Root)</p>
<p><b>2. Steve Nash (2)</b>: Nash posted three double-doubles this week and averaged 13 assists last week. Nash did not have his best scoring week of his career, only averaging 11.3 points per game last week. However, Nash continues to constantly get his teammates involved and players like Marcin Gortat and Jared Dudley are taking advantage of it. (Ryan Bafaloukos)</p>
<p><b>3. Jared Dudley (3):</b> Dudley is starting to emerge as a near double-double threat, believe it or not. This past week, he averaged 18.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per contest. His three-point shooting has been a little off (4-of-15), but he's making up for that production elsewhere. (Nikil Selvam)</p>
<p><b>4. Grant Hill (4): </b>Grant's gotten into a steady groove in the second half of the season. He averaged 13 points and five rebounds in this week's games, but more important was his stellar defense against Rudy Gay (causing him to go 7-for-20), helping the Suns to their surprising win over Memphis. (Justin Burning)</p>
<p><b>5. Channing Frye (5)</b>: Aside from the game against Dallas, Channing was effective. 13 points, eight boards against the Thunder and 10 points and six rebounds against Memphis. As his shooting has been inconsistent, it has been nice to see him playing more like a big man. He attempted only seven threes this week. (JR)</p>
<p><b>6. Robin Lopez (7)</b>: Lopez was suprisingly effective in his minutes against the Grizzlies, with 11 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks in 17 minutes. It was the most productive Robin's been since the first game of the season. (JB)</p>
<p><b>7. Shannon Brown (6):</b> Brown was average last week as he only averaged nine points. Brown shot 43% from the field, however he was only 1-5 from 3-point and only could muster 11 rebounds in three games last week. (RB)</p>
<p><b>8. Michael Redd (10)</b>: Redd played a total of 18 minutes last week, and he struggled by going 0-of-5 from three-point land. Still, his presence continues to bolster the Phoenix reserves while providing the Suns with a legitimate shooter off of the bench. (NS)</p>
<p><b>9. Sebastian Telfair (9):</b> Bassy does what a backup point guard should do -- not screw things up. After going scoreless against OKC, he added five points in each of the following two games. Nothing special, but didn't mess things up. (JR)</p>
<p><b>10. Hakim Warrick (11):</b> After not seeing playing time against OKC, Warrick averaged seven points in two games played this week. Warrick averaged 16 minutes in the two games he did play in and even though he was 1-9 from the field this week, he was 10-14 from the free throw line. (RB)</p>
<p><b>11. Markieff Morris (8)</b>: Markieff put up lackluster numbers in another down week. The only highlight was his three-block performance in just 13 minutes of action against the Thunder on Wednesday. (NS)</p>
<p><b>12. Ronnie Price (12)</b>: Mr. Price managed some solid DNP-CDs this week.(JB)</p>
<p><b>13. Josh Childress (13)</b>: Not sure why, but Chilly obviously has not been on Alvin Gentry's good side. He pulled in three DNP-CD, but his hair is cool. (JR)</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/2012/3/14/2871140/nba-power-rankings-players-phoenix-suns-steve-nashJess Root