SB Nation Arizona - Suns Knock Off The Sixers 94-89https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46593/arizona-fave.png2013-01-03T09:27:33-07:00http://arizona.sbnation.com/rss/stream/35947212013-01-03T09:27:33-07:002013-01-03T09:27:33-07:00It Is No Longer Be Easy For Michael Beasley
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>With more questions than answers the fate of the teams prized off-season acquisition is up in the air, not in terms of a potential trade, but on more of a game-to-game basis.</p> <p>Earlier this season <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Phoenix Suns</a> forward <span>Michael Beasley</span> stated, "I will sit in a trash can. I will sit in a trash can if that means we get the win." That came during an early season victory at home where Beasley was not on the court down the stretch. Little did he or the team know that was a sign of things to come.</p>
<p>The last three games are a major indication that Beasley is fading out of the rotation.</p>
<p>During that stretch the embattled forward -- the enigmatic talent -- logged just 16 total minutes including a Did Not Play Coaches Decision on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He has not only floated out of the rotation, but has been relegated to the same level as Wesley Johnson as a novelty act for the Suns.</p>
<p>Last night he received a major crowd pop as the Kansas State crowd in attendance for the Fiesta Bowl as they were behind the former Wildcat star. They cheered and chanted for Beasley all night until they finally got him in the second quarter, only to be never seen again.</p>
<p>If you are not familiar with the college atmosphere they are connected to the players and those types of chants are reserved for the 12th man on the bench that made the team as a walk on and never sees any action, until senior night, or when the crowd sways the coach. Is that where the career of Beasley has been relegated to?</p>
<p>He entered the season as a starter for the first 20 games before sliding to the bench and has slowly seen his minutes decline through the course of the year. As the season grows long the roller-coaster continues to dip.</p>
<p>At one point Beasley was willing to sit in a trash can to get a win, but after last nights loss the lack of playing time and his play overall is beginning to show. Right now he is in that trash can. He was visibly upset as he left the arena as he swiftly tried to exit the locker room before the media was able to get in.</p>
<p>Some roller-coasters land leaving you with butterflies, fear, or an upset stomach and there is no telling how Beasley's will end on this team or long-term.</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/2013/1/3/3831666/it-is-no-longer-be-easy-for-michael-beasleyKristofer Habbas2013-01-02T22:34:29-07:002013-01-02T22:34:29-07:00Suns Snap Six Game Losing Streak
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Consistency has been the teams Achilles Heel all season, but when the team plays with the energy and effort that their head coach knew they had coming into the season they are a tough team. A team that can win some basketball games if they become consistent. </p> <p>Coming into the season <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Phoenix Suns</a> head coach <span>Alvin Gentry</span> stated that he wanted the team to be known for playing hard, playing with energy, and to have people walk away thinking "those guys really competed" no matter the outcome. The outcome to date was a team ten games under .500 so something had to change.</p>
<p>That change came in the form of <span>P.J. Tucker</span> being inserted into the starting line-up.</p>
<p>Adding that ball of energy to the mix helped the Suns get off to a much better pace in the first and third quarters that they combined to win 58-41; easily the best outputs combined on the season. Tucker helped establish the pace that led to creating 17 total turnovers and he was even able to convert some of those hustle points himself with only his sixth game in double-digits (10) on the season.</p>
<p>The team spread the energy evenly throughout the game with 12 offensive rebounds, 44 total rebounds, and 15 second chance points. The rebounding was a team effort according to Gentry:</p>
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<p>We have talked about that. Our perimeter guys, you know we are not a great rebounding team and so we have to do it by committee. So we talked to our perimeter guys about when the ball goes up there we can't worry about leaking out and trying to get an easy basket. We have to have possession of the ball and we are still we think good enough to get in the open court and run. But we have the tendency to leak out. We have to become real conscious of staying in and having out perimeters help out on the boards.</p>
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<p>As a team the Suns have the personnel to get on the boards with their guards, which is something the <a href="https://www.libertyballers.com/#stories_tab" target="_blank">Philadelphia 76ers</a> do very well, but were held in check tonight.</p>
<p>With <span>Marcin Gortat</span> (14), Tucker (6), <span>Luis Scola</span> (4), <span>Goran Dragic</span> (4), <span>Markieff Morris</span> (4), and <span>Michael Beasley</span> (4) getting on the glass as a group they give their defense a fighting chance to finish off stops. Leaking out has been a major issue for the team -- not only the guards, but also the big men who are accustom to running in this type of system forgetting the ball is necessary in a fast-break.</p>
<p>Is this energy sustainable? </p>
<p>No matter what Tucker is going to bring it. Whether it is in 30 minutes as a starter or in 6 minutes off of the bench; it is in his DNA to play hard and fight. The ripple effect is the most important part of his play getting Gortat, Brown, and Dragic playing with heightened senses.</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/phoenix-suns/2013/1/2/3830686/suns-get-their-twelfth-win-through-simply-doing-the-basicsKristofer Habbas2013-01-02T18:31:42-07:002013-01-02T18:31:42-07:00Suns Host Sixers: Line-Ups, Coaches Quotes & More
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<figcaption>Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>How do the Suns avoid another seven game winning streak tonight against a team that knocked them off earlier this season? They have to take advantage of a tired team coming off of a back-to-back and fuel their fire with that last minute loss in Philly a few months back.</p> <p>In the first meeting this season the Phoenix Suns (11-21) lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in a down-to-the-wire affair on the road. This time the Suns play host and look to get some revenge against a team build very similar, but that is clear executing better this season overall.</p>
<p>This summer the Suns went out and signed a young athletic point guard to lead a cast of versatile athletic weapons on the wing. Mix in Marcin Gortat and they are fairly complete.</p>
<p>On paper that worked, but a basic principle for those types of teams has escaped the team: Gang Rebounding. The Suns have the bodies to be a great rebounding team with Gortat, Luis Scola, Jermaine O'Neal, and <span>Markieff Morris</span>. Instead they are 17th in the league and out-rebounded on a consistent basis. Look at the Sixers and they have seven different players averaging 4+ rebounds a game.</p>
<p>The Suns have four of those guys in Gortat, Scola, O'Neal, and Markieff Morris. </p>
<p>Getting on the glass against the Sixers has to be the focus as it was last game when the Suns mauled them on the glass 41-33 in a losing effort.</p>
<p><b>Starting Line-Ups</b></p>
<p>PG - <span>Goran Dragic</span> v. <span>Jrue Holiday</span></p>
<p>SG - <span>Jared Dudley</span> v. <span>Jason Richardson</span></p>
<p>SF - <span>P.J. Tucker</span> v. <span>Evan Turner</span></p>
<p>PF - <span>Luis Scola</span> v. <span>Thaddeus Young</span></p>
<p>C - <span>Marcin Gortat</span> v. <span>Lavoy Allen</span></p>
<p><a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Suns</a> Inactives: <span>Diante Garrett</span> (coaches decision)</p>
<p><a href="https://www.libertyballers.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">76ers</a> Inactives: <span>Andrew Bynum</span> (knee) and <span>Arnett Moultrie</span> (Assigned to D-League)</p>
<p><b>Coach Doug Collins on playing the full game:</b></p>
<p>"Everyone always says the NBA is a fourth quarter game, I have always said it is a first quarter game. The tone of the game is set, like last night Lavoy (Allen) got two quick fouls. All of a sudden that changes a lot of you planning and how you want to play your rotations. The fourth quarter is where a lot of the excitement is, but to me the first quarter always sets the tone."</p>
<p><b>Interesting Stat: 63 Points</b></p>
<p>That is the amount of points that Holiday combined for between his 33 individual points and his 13 assists against the Suns earlier this season. Can they stop him?</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/2013/1/2/3829534/suns-host-sixers-starting-line-ups-coaches-quotes-and-moreKristofer Habbas