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| Wednesday, September 6 Updated: September 7, 10:31 AM ET Lack of center hurts, but Suns can shine ESPN.com |
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The user comments we received on the Suns certainly seemed to be equally positive and negative. While many fans think the Suns have one of the most talented teams in the league, they also believe that a team without a center is going to have a tough time representing the West. Then there are others who believe this is the year the Suns can, with health, get to the Finals.
Anyway, here are some of the better e-mails we received on the Suns and our Team Offseason Spotlight. Enjoy, and check out our spotlight index page to see when your favorite team will be broken down.
The Suns are a quality team with excellent players at every position, with the exception of center. Should the Suns get a center who at least moves his feet on defense and rebounds, they would have the capability to at least make the Western conference finals. Blount and Robinson fill in as centers and although they are forwards, they do the job. The Suns are still one of the most exciting teams to watch and will win a lot of games. Just no championship celebrations until they get a decent center. Wallace Youvella Jr. Polacca, Ariz.
I'd have to say that your analysis was excellent. The Suns are a fun team to watch, but lack the postseason skills (like the half-court game) to win a championship. However, I was a little disappointed that you guys failed to mention how much this team improved defensively. Did we forget how poorly Kevin Garnett performed against Cliff Robinson in all four of their match-ups? Cliffy was named second team All-Defense for the first time in his career. Or how about how Jason Williams suddenly lost all ball-handling skills with a defensive master like Kidd hounding him (also second team All-Defense). This team is the best defensively in franchise history, thanks to Scott Skiles' no-nonsense policy. Johnny Tempe, Ariz.
How can you say the Suns' exciting style of play isn't made for the playoffs, especially without a dominant center? Did the Bulls of the last decade play with a more productive center? No, it was the same guy! Phoenix has remarkable (and balanced) talent, and they play exceptionally well together with a fast-paced, exciting style worthy of any NBA champion. Last season the Suns showed resiliency. Next season, the Suns are going to show the world that the playoffs were made for them. John Irvine, Calif.
Good article, but with no big mention of our draft pick, Jake Tsakalidis, who may or may not play. What role will Jake play if he finally gets signed? A huge one considering the Suns are without a quality center. This team is loaded, inside and out, with a bench that rivals only Portland's. With maximum health, this team should scare anyone. Michael Bradshaw Burbank, Calif.
You guys do a great job of evaluating the Suns, but do you really believe that they are only capable of winning the fourth seed in the West? This team rarely saw its complete starting lineup together and still managed to win 50 games. With everyone healthy this year and Googs hopefully more active and physical this team could take the second or third seed this year and could beat anyone outside of the Lakers with their bullying center in the playoffs. Kevin Memphis, Tenn.
The Phoenix Suns are contenders. Why? Because they have the ability to contend and win against any team on any given night. With the key acquisitions of Tony Delk, an overlooked Paul McPherson and Iakovos Tsakalidis, this team will be able to compete with the best of the West, including the Los Angeles Lakers. All this team needs to do is stay healthy, which seems to be a problem with them. But with four or five centers to choose from (can you say Hack-a-Shaq) and a bunch of talent at every other spot there is no question that they are the darkhorse for the NBA Finals. Cameron Hughes Las Vegas, Nev.
I have been a Suns fan for a long time, and it looks to me like next year is going to be more of the same for this team. They have always been a smallish team made up of good guys who get out there, play hard, and are fun to watch, then fizzle come playoff time. But they have also always been without a true quality center, and as long as Longley mans the pivot this will continue to be the team's Achilles heel, especially when the postseason rolls around. I found it interesting that you did not mention Big Jake, the Greek center Phoenix just drafted. If they could get his overseas contract situation worked out and this guy turned out to be legit, the Suns could be really dangerous come playoff time. Until then, they will continue to be solid 1-4, but the hole at the five spot will keep them from reaching the top of the mountain. Drew Beaty Galveston, Texas
My Phoenix Suns hold the dubious distinction of having the longest current tenure in the league without having won the NBA championship. For all the talented players we have -- Kidd, Clifford Robinson, Marion, Hardaway, Rodney Rogers -- it's usually the team that has the NBA's premier dominant player that ends up with the title. I hate to say it but more often than not, it's the truth. This team reminds me of the Suns at the start of the '94-95 season. Sir Charles, KJ, Thunder Dan, Danny Manning, A.C. Green, Danny Ainge, Wayman Tisdale (this was a few years ago when these guys had a little more lift). But for all that talent, we get beat in Game 7 by the Rockets with Hakeem Olajuwon. Jordan and the Bulls in the '90s, Duncan and the Spurs in '99, Shaq in 2000. And I hate to be pessimistic but I have to admit, if the Spurs had Duncan for that first-round series, I doubt we would have gotten to the second round against the Lakers. Mark Limm Joppatowne, Md.
First of all, I wouldn't go so far as to say the Suns "scared" the Lakers in last year's playoffs. Yes, they won a game and made a contest out of a couple of others, but isn't that what they're supposed to do as a five seed in the playoffs? As a Lakers fan I hate to say it, but this team is deep, talented and dangerous. They can beat anyone when playing well, but without a real center (sorry Luc) to bang with the big boys and the big man (Shaq) inside, the best they can hope for is a second round exit from the playoffs. (By the way, I think Rodney still has some Clipper in him and he'll fall off this season.) Cesar Los Angeles, Calif.
The Suns could be the most dangerous team in the NBA. Last year, the series with the Lakers could have been 3-1 in favor of the Suns. Jason Kidd and Penny Hardaway is the best guard combination in the NBA. When both are clicking, you are looking at triple doubles. Tony Delk gave Bryant fits in the Kings-Lakers series. If they can turn up the defense, the Suns could shine on Phoenix during playoff time. I agree that Duncan and Shaq could be tough to overcome. The Blazers are equally qualified to win it all. If the 7-1 Daniel Santiago can give Suns a solid backup at center and the Suns stay healthy, "look out." The Suns have the talent to win any seven-game series. The upcoming season should be interesting. Don't count out the Suns!!! James McClain Atlanta, Ga.
I think you guys took a very cautious approach when compiling your analysis. Of course, I understand the repercussions of saying, "the Suns are very likely to win the NBA championship next season." However, I really feel that your caution, despite being practical, is also blinding. The Suns, after dealing with so much diversity, still almost knocked off the cocky Lakers and dominated an aging Spurs team (granted, without Duncan but the Suns were without Kidd). The Suns have the weapons to compete with any team in the NBA, and create matchup problems at any position (except Center). And if there is anything this team proved to the rest of the world last year, it's that they all have a love, heart and determination that is rarely witnessed in the NBA and in the rest of professional sports today. Michael Morgan Corvallis, Ore.
True, the Suns are very exciting to watch. Their fast-paced style of play is reminiscent of Magic and Worthy. What surprises me about the Suns is that knowing they need a center, I haven't heard their name come up in any of the major offseason trades. Patrick Ewing has been dying to get out of New York. Sure he's no spring chicken, but even with his throttle half open he's faster than Fluke Longley. Judging by the playoffs, Van Gundy still doesn't like Camby very much so why haven't they made any offers? And we all know Seattle wouldn't mind unloading Baker. With a dominant center on the floor the Suns could set all over the West. Brian Johnson Springfield, Va.
I agree with most of the points your preview made, but I think there's a very good explanation for both why the Suns did so well last year and won't do any better this year. Although they were plagued by injuries, the players who stepped up were many times the equals of those who went down. When Googs was down, Rogers stepped in; when Chap struggled in the playoffs Todd Day suddenly found his stroke. Unfortunately, no matter who goes down for the Suns, they don't have an adequate big man to bring off the bench. Luc Longley in the middle will never win against Shaq or the Spurs twin towers. Ilya Gofman New Haven, Ct.
I do believe that this team will again rise up through even more adversity (and with no real center) to win 50-plus games. This team will never be a title contender, however. I have watched this team for the last 10 years dominate a lot of teams in the regular season, and then, other than the 1992-93 season, fall short in the early rounds of the playoffs. Look for them to have great success until Shaq and Duncan can get their hands on this small team. Uh-oh! Jason Phoenix, Ariz.
We look at the Suns in the Western Conference, and we call them a mediocre team, not capable of advancing past other teams in the West. But, if we were to place the Suns in the Eastern Conference, we would call them a team to beat, a top contender for first place. Does this discrepancy mean that the East is too weak, or that the West is too strong? Other than the Bulls, no Eastern Conference team has won a championship since Isiah and his Detroit Pistons. Most people, including me, are only now realizing how powerful the West actually is. But now, looking back on the past decade in the NBA, it's obvious that the West has been the more powerful conference for some time. There was just that one little thing that was stopping the West from taking over. His name: Michael.
So, to tie all of this back to the point at hand. The Phoenix Suns are not only one of the best teams in the Western Conference, but in the league. They have as much talent as any other team in the league, minus a center. The only reason that they are not considered a top team is because they have to battle with the other top teams of the league, in their own conference. With everyone healthy this year (or at least let's hope) they will be one of the top four teams in the West, and move far beyond the first round in the playoffs.
I agree with your analysis of the Suns. I think that they will be right there contending for the West title. I think, however, that they do have the kind of team that can win in the playoffs because they play good defense. Remember that they held the Lakers, for the most part, under 100 points in the last year's playoff series and there certainly could have been a different outcome. I look for the Suns to win in the mid- to upper-50s during the regular season and give a second-round opponent everything that they can handle if they do not make it to the Western Conference finals. Dusty McDonald Salt Lake City, Utah
No doubt this is the most exciting team to watch. These guys really hustle up and down the floor every night. With health between Penny and Kidd this tandem will only grow to be more devastating. Penny has not lost anything. With their supporting cast of Rogers, Marion and Robinson they are an extremely solid unit that doesn't have to rely on any one player night in and night out. But the question of being able to compete in the land of the big man in the playoffs still looms. They have to make themselves bigger. Nobody on the team can keep up with the finesse of Duncan or the pounding of Shaq. So I believe they should unload some talent and start looking to pick up a center who can bang and clog the middle. Paul Esposito Vienna, Va.
I really think that this is the year for the Suns. They have a solid starter at every position except center. Even at center they have Longley and Santiago, not exactly Shaq or Duncan, but they can rebound and defend. Who needs scoring at center when you have Penny, Robinson, Kidd, Marion and Rogers. In my opinion, I think the Suns will win 57 games or more and make it to the Western Conference championship. Braden Portland, Ore.
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