Phoenix Suns Blog [Category - Stefan Swiat]

Why I Can't Work in Vegas Again

Fri, 25 Jul 08 18:15:00 UT

When I first set foot in Vegas this week I thought it was going to be the beginning of something beautiful. I’ve come to find out that God has a sense of humor, and unbeknownst to me before this weekend, I am the constant butt of all his jokes.

Do you know the focus it takes to work with that going on behind you?
Photo by Daniel Banks/Suns.com

I haven’t seen an event like this backfire since Janet Jackson performed at the Super Bowl. It was supposed to be the best week of my life. An all-expense paid trip to Vegas, while getting to watch the Suns of the future develop before my eyes. And that would be enough for me, if I was a mature adult. But one thing I’ve learned about myself on this trip, a mature adult I am not…

That’s why I’m going to give you five reasons why I won’t be lured into Vegas again:

1. Pool at the Palms: When my co-worker and I entered our suite and saw that we overlooked the infamous pool, a rush of adrenaline pumped through our veins as the thought of us poolside made us as giddy as Tom Cruise on the Oprah Winfrey Show. But that boon would prove to be our vice. As the bass kicked into its ninth hour of bumping, the sound waves continued to crash against our window and the shallow end began calling to us like the voice in the Field of Dreams, my colleague and I could wait no longer; we had to know what all of the ruckus was about.

So as we peered out our window, we realized that Cancun Spring Break was going on right below us, and we weren’t invited. Beautiful women were bandying about in the pool, giggling, dancing around, all while I’m trying to write an article about Alando Tucker’s jumper. And while my co-worker was snapping photos from afar like he was on some safari with National Geographic, I was contemplating who I was going to attack first: my colleague or Alando Tucker.

2. My colleague: It’s bad enough that a party at the Playboy Mansion is occurring out on your doorstep. But when your roommate is narrating every juicy detail of the party like he’s Morgan Freeman and you can’t do a thing about it, you start scouting the room for blunt objects. When people are faced with difficult decisions, it’s comforting to know that those close to you come from high moral character. My co-worker is no such person. When you start to contemplate ditching your work duties to go frolic in the pool like a sea otter, the last thing you need is a guy packing your bathing suit and goggles for you.

3. Buffets: Go eat at the Bellagio’s buffet, or better yet, Planet Hollywood’s, and then tell me you can do anything more than breathe shallowly after you’re finished. Only watching a CSPAN marathon could wipe you out more. After my sixth plate of dessert, I was pondering what model of crane they would need to airlift me out of there. I can’t work like that…

4. Did I mention the Palms’ pool?: Seriously. Go find 50 of the 5,000 best-looking women in the country, put them in bikinis, add smooth music and great weather; and you’ve got yourself the Palms’ pool. The real kicker came the next day when I was asked by our productions guy why my co-worker and I didn’t go to a certain NBA private pool cabana with various VIP personnel. Thanks for the text chief... Way to look out…

5. Cash: Why is it that Vegas is the only place where people don’t believe in logic and reason? Where else do you say, “Don’t worry, we’ll win it all back.” Everyone has their foolproof plan, which only seems to prove how big of a fool you can become. If someone makes a $10 bet in the office about some trivia and loses, they’re peeved for the rest of the day. Meanwhile, $10 bets are the lowest minimum bets you can find in Vegas over the weekend and no one bats an eye. How many times have you heard, “I lost $200, but that wasn’t too bad.” But that same person would never bet you that amount on, let’s say, what the capitol of Alabama is? See. Logic goes out the window.

What’s weird is that after a couple of days there, you stop using your noodle too. You start concocting schemes like Russell Crowe’s character in “A Beautiful Mind.” There really should be scientific studies done on at what point you lose your mind in Vegas. From my experience, I say 12 hours…

(Sidebar: By the way, who came up with the brilliant plan of sending young, impressionable athletes, who just recently came into a lot of money to Las Vegas for an entire week? Who's he receiving career advice from? Britney Spears?)

So anyway, that’s why I’m retiring my number in Vegas. Too much temptation and teasing for this guy when I’m trying to stay focused on work. Can’t do it anymore. Stick a fork in this turkey, I’m done. Adios muchachos… Wait, wait… Hold on a sec. What is this miscellaneous category here on my expense sheet? Wait a minute. Perhaps I’ve overreacted…

(to be continued next year...)

Suns Eclipsed by Knicks

Sat, 19 Jul 08 01:00:00 UT

The fact that a new day has dawned in Sunsland was never clearer than it was at the Knicks-Suns game at the Las Vegas Summer League on Friday.

Tucker and Strawberry have been the leaders thus far.
Daniel Banks/Suns.com

In a surreal matinee affair, a Igot Kokoscov-coached Phoenix squad took on a Phil Weber-led New York team that saw the Suns come up short in an 85-80 defeat.

So while former Suns assistant coach Weber and former Suns assistant Dan D’Antoni exchanged pleasantries with Suns assistants Dan Majerle and Kokoscov before the game, the game proved to be a battle. The contest was tight all along, heading all the way into the final seconds before the victor was decided.

Guard DJ Strawberry had an opportunity to tie the game with less than 10 seconds remaining, but his 3-point attempt was blocked by Knicks guard Mardy Collins. New York grabbed the loose ball before icing the game on two free throws by Wilson Chandler. The Knicks' swingman finished the contest with 31 points.

However, the bright side of the story for the Suns was the play of “Big Three.”

Strawberry commandeered the point, constantly pushing the tempo and penetrating to the basket to the tune of 21 points and one spectacular dunk in 30 minutes. Alando Tucker continued to display his improved outside touch and prowess on the offensive glass, totaling 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Rookie Robin Lopez also impressed, unleashing some up-and-unders and displaying a bevy of inside moves en route to 15 points and nine rebounds.

Phoenix looks to move to 2-2 when it takes on Portland (1-2) tomorrow at 7 p.m.

ON AIR

Although Suns legend Dan Majerle may have moved out of the broadcast booth, his thoughts and opinions can still be heard by fans. Suns.com TV was able to capture his audio throughout the Suns’ matchup with the Knicks. “Thunder Dan” was connected to a wireless mic system during the contest, allowing his commentary to be recorded as the action unfolded before him. Suns fans can watch the video with all of the audio included exclusively on Suns.com.

MR. X UNVEILED

You may have seen him on our training camp videos, our war room videos from draft night, or in our pre-draft workout videos. He looks like an ex-basketball player and he has GM Steve Kerr’s ear. He stands about 6’3, possesses an athletic build and a friendly demeanor. But who is he?

Well, the mystery of who Kerr's advisor is was resolved today when the previously unidentified man was revealed as Bruce Fraser. Fraser, a former teammate of Kerr’s at the University of Arizona, has assisted the Suns GM with scouting college players all along the West Coast this past season. With the departure of Vinny Del Negro to the Bulls, perhaps a greater amount of scouting opportunities will head Fraser’s way. We shall see…

REUNION

For me, coming to Las Vegas is a bit of a media reunion with some of my old friends at the NBA. Some of them are still with the league, some of them have moved on to places like ESPN, but we are all still involved in basketball in one way or another. With all of us experiencing a variety of different things when we are here, great stories are certain to arise.

For example, last night, as former Pacer and Blazer Dale Davis walked by two of my friends, one lady asked, “Is that an NBA player?” A super-confident fan behind her piped up, “Yeah, that’s Kevin Garnett.” He was dead serious…

Another great thing about Vegas is seeing players or coaches you have crossed paths with over the years. Today I saw Albuquerque Thunderbirds Head Coach Jeff Ruland. The T-Birds are the Suns' former D-League affiliate that both Tucker and Strawberry played for this past season.

A former NBA All-Star and head coach for Iona College (a college near where I grew up in NY), I was fortunate enough to be coached by Ruland for a spell at Five Star Basketball Camp in Pittsburgh, PA. He taught us that there were only four moves in the post a player would ever need. To this day, when I coach kids, I still teach them the same four moves that he showed me. And they still work…

First Impresssions

Fri, 18 Jul 08 04:45:00 UT

Working for the Suns is a rough life. Being a young, single, basketball junkie, the organization is really asking me to sacrifice a great deal by coming to Las Vegas, putting me up in a suite overlooking the infamous Palms pool and paying me to watch the brightest young stars in the NBA.

The nerve of these guys...

Lopez added six offensive boards Thursday.
Daniel Banks/Suns.com

As I sat perched behind the Suns' NBA Summer League Head Coach Igor Kokoscov at the scorer’s table, I realized that while this may seem like a working for vacation for myself, there are a lot of people with the Suns whose work-year is well underway.

Tell the young players attempting to make the Suns' roster that the summer is the time for relaxing. Or tell the new coaching staff, who is trying to piece together their first team in the Valley of the Sun. Or how about second-year men DJ Strawberry and Alando Tucker? Both are looking to build upon their rookie seasons and crack a rotation filled with veteran stars.

The same could be said for rookie Robin Lopez, who along with the two veterans, led Phoenix to 98-74 victory over the Spurs on Thursday. After catching the Suns' first game on TV and watching Lopez in tonight’s contest against San Antonio, it’s already fair to say that the young center has made his presence felt.

The former Stanford Cardinal has been super-active, getting his hand on a lot of balls defensively, whether it has been through blocking shots or by deflecting passes. And after all of the talk about how he was so inferior to his brother offensively, I think more than a few people are going to eat their words for that criticism. After a 19-point performance in his debut Monday, Lopez racked up 14 points against the Spurs, displaying a litany of moves around the basket.

There was one play where he received the ball on the block with less than a minute left in the first half, faked to the middle and then outquicked a smaller defender by spinning to the baseline, using the rim as a shield, and then drawing the hoop and the harm. At one point in the game he even scored on a sky-hook. Somewhere Kareem was beaming. He also collected nine boards and two blocks.

Besides Lopez, Strawberry and Tucker both looked strong, showing that they’ve already used the summer to improve on their individual games. It is noticeable that both have been working intensely with strength and conditioning coach Erik Phillips, with both players looking much more physically developed.

Tucker was able to gather three offensive rebounds and convert on a few and-ones, despite being butchered by opposing defenders. Tucker scored 24 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor, including 8-of-11 from the line. Strawberry added 12, but seemed much more comfortable in the role as floor leader.

The Suns made a big push in the third quarter by causing turnovers and then pushing the ball up the floor for easy baskets. Defense creating offense seemed to be the theme, as the coaches constantly barked at the players to pressure the ball and stay up on their defenders to half court. With Lopez roaming the paint, on the help side, it gave the Suns defenders much more confidence to extend their pressure.

FIRST WIN

After Coach Kokoscov received his first win with fellow Suns assistant coach and legend Dan Majerle, GM Steve Kerr joked that they were lucky that they got the win. When Kerr saw the two coaches after the game he teased, “Congratulations, you get to keep your job for one more day.” New assistant coach Bill Cartwright, who would presumably receive the reigns in the event of a Kokoscov-Majerle meltdown, also got in on the ribbing, “I think this is just the beginning (for those two). They won’t be stopped from here on out.”

PANDA EXPRESS

Upon arriving in Vegas, my co-worker and partner in crime, Daniel Banks, wanted to chow down after the long drive. With a Panda Express in the lobby of our hotel, it was a no-brainer considering our crunch for time. After getting halfway through my orange chicken, we saw assistant coach and Suns legend Dan Majerle preparing pre-game notes with Coach Kokoscov.

When we went over to say hello and they asked what we were doing, I said that I was looking to get a famous “MJ Cordon Bleu Sandwich” from his Majerle’s restaurant, but I had to settle for the Panda. “Thunder Dan,” who already has expanded his restaurant to Chandler, informed me that he would look into branching out in Nevada. It would be nice to have a home away from home...

UN-AMERICAN IDOL

One of the running jokes here is that no one can sing the national anthem. Every person they get seems to be asleep at the wheel. In a town of entertainers, there seems to be shortage of talent.

I guess that trend has extended to the Events Staff, who couldn’t find the recording for the Canadian National Anthem before the Sixers-Raptors game. After asking the crowd to stand for the song, everyone looked around for the music to start for a good two minutes. Nothing but crickets could be heard in the background before a note was finally heard. I’m hoping that the pattern continues just for comedic purposes…

NEW BEGINNINGS

Tomorrow will be the first reunion between the Knicks and the Suns since former head coach Mike D’Antoni left for New York. Familiar faces and former Suns assistants Phil Weber and Dan D’Antoni will be patrolling the sidelines for the Knicks. I know I will be looking forward to seeing how a team adopting a fast-paced offense fares against a team who is known for it. The game tips off at 1 p.m.

Top 10 Reasons Why the Suns Will Win Game 5

Tue, 29 Apr 08 01:00:00 UT

Although they're playing the champs on their home-court, I'm going to deliver to you why, despite facing elimination, I think the Suns are going to pull out Game 5.

Diaw might end up being the key to Game 5.
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

1. Hot Hands: The Suns players are hot. In the first three games of the series, the usual suspects, Amaré Stoudemire, Steve Nash and Shaquille O’Neal all were able to contribute offensively, while some of the other players didn’t produce as much as expected. However, going into Game 5, Gordan Giricek is in rhythm, Boris Diaw is hot, Leandro Barbosa is still feeling good from Game 3 and Raja Bell is en fuego. Shooters thrive on confidence, and they all should have a decent amount heading into the AT&T Center.

2. STAT Attack: The team’s leading scorer, Amaré Stoudemire, only scored seven points in Game 4 and the Suns still blew the Spurs out. That is an ominous sign for San Antonio because STAT rarely has two poor shooting games in a row. With everyone coming into the game on fire and STAT due to erupt, the Suns could score 120 points.

3. Keep It Down Low: With Boris starting at the 3, the Suns recognize the mismatch he has in the post on smaller players such as Manu Ginobili and Michael Finley. Diaw makes the Spurs pay with his repertoire of moves down on the blocks. And when they decide to double-team him, he is such an adept passer that he’ll find the open man and help someone, let’s just say Raja, score 27 points on open looks.

4. Barkley’s Blessing: TNT analyst Charles Barkley said on ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption” on Monday that the Suns were the team most likely to make a comeback in the playoffs. Sir Charles, who never gives credit where it isn’t due, said that the Suns didn’t show any quit in them and for that reason, he could see them making a run at the Spurs.

5. Put the D in 3D: With Diaw being able to stay close on Spurs guard Tony Parker, it seems that the Suns have found a possible solution to San Antonio’s pick-and-roll game. Diaw has the length to bother Parker’s shots, as well as the quickness to stay in front of him. In addition, the activity of Phoenix’s big men have allowed them to step out on the screen and make the Spurs’ perimeter players think twice about whether or not they have enough room to shoot the mid-range jumper.

6. Wounded-Animal Syndrome: Growing up as kids, if you ever went camping or on a field trip into the mountains, adults would always tell you to be aware if you came across a “wounded animal,” because they were always the most dangerous. Phoenix has to be the aggressor every game because they are just one loss away from vacationing in Barbados. The Suns are “wounded,” whereas San Antonio is still in the driver’s seat. That means that the Suns can jump on the Spurs early and put the pressure on them to fight back.

7. Winning in Any Language: Despite being up by over 20 points late in the game, Shaq reacted negatively to the Spurs’ center Fabricio Oberto when the two became a little entangled with each other. After jawing at him a little bit, the media asked Shaq what he said to Oberto. O’Neal replied, “I just spoke to him in his own language.” When the media asked what language that was, Shaq responded, “Vulgar ebonics.” That exchange should let the Spurs know that there is still a lot of pride and a lot of fight left in the Suns, and they want to make this interesting.

8. Law of Averages: With the Suns garnering two victories over the Spurs on their home-court this season, and just falling short of grabbing another W in Game 1, the Suns are due for some road magic. It’s almost scientific. Einstein believed that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction and that over time, everything would return to its average. With these two teams being as evenly matched as they have been for so long, one would have to reason that the Suns would have to even out their record in this series a bit more. The Spurs have one blowout and two close victories. The Suns have one blowout… so if Einstein was creating a formula for this game, he would probably state that the Suns would win in a nail-biter…

9. A New Creator: Although Suns fans are accustomed to the high-wire attack with Nash at the helm, Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich has been determined to limit the effect that the two-time MVP has on the game. By placing Bruce Bowen on Nash and attempting to take away his passing lanes, it has hindered Nash’s ability to get his teammates into the flow of the game. But with Diaw at the small forward, there is another player that the Suns can facilitate their offense through. Besides Nash, he is the best player on the Suns for getting other players involved. Shaq, STAT, LB and Raja are all finishers, but they aren’t known for their ability to create for other players. Diaw, on the other hand, had four triple-doubles in one year a couple of seasons ago. So instead of putting all of the pressure on Nash to begin the offense, the Suns can look to Diaw to give them an advantage early in the shot clock.

10. Winning Taste: Not only was taking Game 4 vital for getting that winning feeling back, but it was even more important that the Suns routed the Spurs. Going into Game 5, they are not only confident that they can defeat the world champs, but that they can blow them out. Having that feeling fresh in their minds is something that Suns can return to when the Spurs make a run. It is no longer a theory that they can run them out of the building, it is a fact…

The View From the Studio Is Cushy

Sun, 20 Apr 08 02:45:00 UT

I was nearly finished writing a superb blog about Shaquille O’Neal’s contributions to a Game 1 victory, but it all went to pot somewhere around the time Tim Duncan started looking like Reggie Miller.

STAT and Co. were just one play away.
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

As I was pondering how I was going to wrap up the game, I bitterly watched ESPN’s studio show with my face in a glossed-over stupor. As I revisited Duncan’s secret 3-point talents, Michael Finley’s gritty 3-ball and Manu Ginobili’s lefty drive, I began to consider how much damage I could do with a baseball bat to my television. But then, before I could find a pitch to hit, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith started yapping on the screen.

It was with such irony that I found myself, unusually indignant, listening to perhaps the angriest commentator in professional sports. Why he is so mad, I will never know. He can talk about whatever he wants, he has no stake in the teams he talks about and he makes nearly a million dollars a year; sounds like a rough gig.

But regardless of all that, he started harping on how the Suns didn’t pull out the victory because of their defensive ineptness. What an original thought. Way to go out on that limb.

If the Suns would have won by three and Michael Finley’s 3-pointer would have went in-and-out, what would Smith’s story have been then? Something probably along the lines that the Suns held the Spurs under 100 points and beat them at their own game. Smith would have stated that since Shaq joined the team, the Suns can run as well as play effectively in the half-court.

Instead, they lost by two points in a double-overtime game that they controlled to the defending champions on their homecourt. It took the first 3-pointer of the year from Duncan, an in-out-3-pointer from Nash in the second OT and foul trouble of the Suns big men for the Spurs to do it too.

I would make Duncan beat me with that shot in
HORSE anyday.
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

I guess I’d just like to see an analyst do some original thinking for once. Try for example, this:

The Spurs “won” the game. The Suns didn’t “lose” it. The Spurs just made one more play than the Suns. That’s the bottom line. It was that close.

If Raja Bell would have forced Ginobili to the right, if Boris Diaw would have finished that layup in OT, if Shaq would have nailed those two Hack-a-Shaq free throws, it would have been 1-0 Phoenix.

Or if Duncan, Ginobili or Finley don’t hit really tough shots under immense pressure, it is 1-0 Phoenix.

So San Antonio is that good on defense and Phoenix is that bad because of one play? Sounds like a stretch.

Is it poor defense that forces a center to make his first 3-pointer of the year with less than five seconds to play. Or did a superstar player make an unbelievable play? If that scenario happens 10 times, how many times would Duncan drain that shot?

If Shaq can play a full game without foul trouble and temper Duncan’s scoring just a little more, Game 2 could be different. Now they just have to make one more play than the Spurs.

That way, the suits in the studio might actually come up with some new material.

On a related note, while I am second-guessing analysts, let’s add ABC’s Jeff Van Gundy to the list. When Amaré Stoudemire fouled out because Kurt Thomas drew a charge on him, he said that STAT didn’t pass the ball to a wide-open Shaq because of Shaq’s inability to hit free throws.

Everyone who saw the play saw that STAT tried to get the hoop and the harm. And anyone who has watched him all year knows that STAT is not going to pass the ball when he’s in the paint. He’s looking to score. As he should, he’s a beast down low.

Not to mention, STAT was feeling it at that point of the game, having already totaled 33 points. So he got overzealous, no big deal. What he didn’t do was deliberately not pass it to Shaq, who wouldn’t even have had the opportunity to get fouled anyway. No one was near him. It would have been an easy dunk. But STAT just didn’t see the big fella.

That’s one of those plays that STAT went back to the bench, looked at Shaq and said, “My fault.” And as a basketball player, I blame fellow commentator Mark Jackson for not calling Van Gundy out on that one. As a coach, I would like to have heard Van Gundy say something insightful like, “Stoudemire shouldn’t have leaned forward when he jumped. If he would have kept his verticality, he wouldn’t have drawn the foul, got his shot off without duress, and would have left Shaq with a wide-open offensive rebound if he would have missed.”

But, hey, that’s just my opinion. I could be wrong… Maybe he was calculating Shaq’s free throw percentage as he was rising up to shoot… That's probably why he committed a charge.

Suns/Spurs Set to Square Off

Sat, 19 Apr 08 06:15:00 UT

So we have the featured bout of the night. In the orange corner, the challenger, scoring more points than Brad Pitt on a first date… the Phoenix Suns. And in the silver corner, the champion, hated by grandmothers and puppies everywhere, the San Antonio Spurs…

Just cut me Mick.
Garrett Ellwood/NBAE/Getty Images

But isn’t that the way it’s being spun? The media is pumping up the first-round duel as a sure-to-be slugfest between a popular team and another that is perceived as getting away with murder last season. Ok, maybe just assault.

While every Suns fans thinks of the Spurs as the team that first bloodied and then hip-checked Steve Nash into the scorer’s table, they also get away with a lot because they are pressuring opponents from the tip-off.

Referees are going to give lenience to a team that starts the game in your face, more than one that kicks their defense into high-gear a quarter into action. The Spurs players are all aware of this bias by officials and that’s why they get credit for playing more physical down the stretch of games -- while other teams play softer.

Coach Mike D’Antoni knows this more than anyone. When asked if he thought the Spurs were dirty, he responded by stating that they had players that were much better at gamesmanship.

“I don’t think they sit down and think about hip-checking a guy with 1.8 seconds left and have guys come off the bench to get thrown out,” D’Antoni said. “I don’t think their definition of gamesmanship is different from ours, they have players that have the ability to be better at it. If we had (Manu) Ginobili on our team, we’d love it.”

It’s true. If Grant Hill was able to get the calls Ginobili does when he pretends to get snagged going over the high pick and roll, Suns fans would be ecstatic. Or if Amaré Stoudemire was able to get Tim Duncan into foul trouble like Duncan has been able to do to him, the media would be praising Stoudemire for his wits as well as his athleticism.

In fact, Stoudemire is a player that could learn the most from the Spurs. Often STAT ends up in foul trouble because he’s scared of getting into foul trouble. By shying away from contact, he gets whistled for ticky-tack fouls, all while getting frustrated beyond belief. Unfortunately, fouls often go against the better-intentioned player, and reward the more aggressive player. But if STAT makes his presence felt early, the refs will maintain their looseness with him later. With Shaq protecting his back, it’s even more incentive for him to be the aggressor.

And don’t underestimate the presence of having a 325-pound paint-plugger in the lane. If you are a 165-pound Tony Parker, you are thinking twice about driving to the hoop and taking punishment from “The Big Aristotle.” And if you are a Spurs big man, you are going to very mindful in the fouls you give to Steve Nash or Leandro Barbosa. Especially when you know the favor could be returned on the other end. It’s like having a national missle program. You don’t ever plan on using it, but everyone else is going to leave you alone because they know you have it.

One guy who won’t be intimidated in this series is Nash.

Can I get mustard with that Nash sandwich?
Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images

“Having grown up playing hockey and rugby, basketball is nothing in terms of its physicality,” he said. “Even in soccer as a 12-year old there was always an opponent on the other team that would try to break your leg every game. You just become immune to that kind of thing.”

With the likelihood of being guarded by Bruce Bowen, Nash stated that he enjoys playing against him. When asked specifically about whether Bowen was dirty or aggressive, he said that the Spurs guard was both, but that he respected that.

“I think it’s good,” he said. “He does what he has to do to make himself effective.”

Nash maintains that the league has evolved and that the officials have cleaned up a lot of the dirty play. He doesn’t believe that this series will be any dirtier than any other.

But he also left room for doubt by saying, “You never know how it’s going to be. Boys will be boys and tempers flare. It’s emotional.”

So it will be interesting to see how the officials will call this series. Will it be tight? Or will they let them play a little? I would wager that the first few games will be called tight, at least in the beginning, just to make sure there aren’t any shenanigans. At the end of the day, the refs don’t want the stars to be on the bench in the closing minutes anymore than anyone else.

Does that mean there won’t be some scuffling or a cheap shot or two being thrown? I would never say that. After all, it’s the playoffs, and guys are going to try to strike fear into one another.

Just think back to the Lakers-Celtics Finals matchups of the 1980’s. People think of class acts like Larry Bird, Kareem and Magic Johnson. Nearly every game erupted into a bench-clearing brawl, but these guys are remembered as some of the finest human beings to ever lace them up.

I expect the same from this series. The competition will be fierce, and the will to win will be strong, but after last season, I can’t imagine the referees becoming the difference in this series again.

But who knows? Maybe the Suns will get robbed quicker than you can say Tim Donaghy? Or maybe the Suns have learned their lesson and owner Robert Sarver will enlist the help of referee Joey Crawford so he can eject Duncan at a moment’s notice?

One thing is for sure. If Robert Horry should pull an encore performance, D’Antoni’s guys will be ready.

“We’ve got seat belts on the bench, and we are ready to go,” he said smiling.

All-Star Weekend Blog

Sun, 17 Feb 08 07:04:00 UT

Suns.com's Stefan Swiat brings you continuous updates of everything that's going on at All-Star Weekend in New Orleans.

As my friend said, I guess Batman can dunk on Superman.
Layne Murdoch/NBAE/Getty Images

Sunday, Feb. 17, 2008
So while the West was narrowly defeated by the East, 134-128, the representatives from the Suns put on a pretty good show. Amaré could have been MVP of the game if the West had pulled it out, being one of three players to lead the West with 18 points. He shot 8-of-11 from the floor and also added five rebounds. Steve was his usual steady self, shooting 4-of-8 from the field to total eight points and six assists. His six dimes tied Denver’s Allen Iverson for a team high.

The All-Star Game is a fantastic show and you could tell the players turned it on down the stretch. They definitely wanted to win. Sure, they all want to look good during the game, but the pride factor will inevitably kick in when you have that many competitors on one court.

STAT certainly agreed.

“The fourth quarter is always when All-Stars take it up a notch,” he said. “Ray (Allen) just got hot. I can’t believe how hot he was and he came out with an incredible run in the fourth quarter.”

But for STAT, he saw the game as a way for him to gauge where he is at as a player.

“It’s an opportunity to compete with the best,” said the 25-year old forward. “It’s similar to what we have with the Olympic team in that it brings out the best in you.”

Steve, on the other hand, just soaked in the experience.

“When you are done playing and remember what a terrific player so-and-so was, play with him in an All-Star Game and share some time with him, it adds to the yearbook,” he said.

So Nash really is a trash-talker?
Sneakerfiles.com

One of the major stories that involved Nash this weekend was the debut of his new basketball sneaker. The Nike Trash Talk is a basketball shoe made completely out of recycled material, designed to bring a more environmental approach to manufacturing. The shoe features an upper created from leather and synthetic leather waste from the factory floor, while the outsole uses environmentally-preferred rubber which reduces toxins. The name of shoe is derived from exactly what it is: trash.

Further proof of Nash’s consciousness, he is going to donate the special version of the shoes he wore in this All-Star Game to charity. But as cool and down-to-earth Steve is, you’ll be amazed at how random people in the media will step way over the line when dealing with him.

After the game had finished and we were interviewing Steve in a media huddle, a young guy from “The Score” jumped right in and started talking to Steve about how intense the game became. As he was describing it, he said that he noticed that Steve started sweating and that his hair started moving in one direction. While he was saying that, he took the liberty of moving Steve’s hair around in the direction that he said it was going to illustrate the example. He just reached out and started touching the head of the two-time MVP of the league.

There were a number of things that boggled my mind about that exchange. The first was that a member of media put his hands on a player. The second thing that was staggering was that he didn’t even know him. It might have been excusable if The Republic’s Paul Coro touched him, because he’s known him for years. But Coro would never do that, because he’s not insane.

The third thing that got me was that the guy thought he was being funny or entertaining, which failed miserably on both accounts. The fourth thing was that someone at the league office actually gave that guy a press pass. The fifth thing was that Steve’s media representative from the league office not only didn’t boot the guy, reprimand him, or say anything to him on the side, but instead chose to watch and giggle.

Steve was cool as usual about it and handled it like a pro by saying, “Whoa, we’re touching people now?” The guy responded, “Well, we’re friends though.” Steve replied, “Well, my friends don’t get away with that twice.” Then he went on and answered his question without ever raising his voice or getting agitated. I mean, I wanted to strangle the guy and I wasn’t even involved.

The media shouldn't horse around.
Stefan Swiat/Suns.com

So if you ever wonder why athletes or celebrities are a little distant or guarded when they deal with the public, you can remember this little anecdote. I’ve seen worse than that, but that was just the one incident I saw today. People want them to be accessible and open, but then they act like that.

But now that I have that out of system, I can head back to Phoenix for another huge week. The team is making a huge announcement on Tuesday and then we will have Shaq’s debut against the Lakers, a home game Friday against the league-leading Celtics and a nationally-televised game against the Pistons on Sunday. I am covering all of those events, so I’ll probably be typing my next blog from the hospital. So from New Orleans, I’m officially signing off…

I can't imagine Bourbon St. during Mardi Gras after how packed it has been this week.
Stefan Swiat/Suns.com

Sunday, Feb. 17, 2008
After enjoying the sights and sounds of Bourbon St. last night, I took a little tour around the French Quarter to snap some photos for the website. It was a beautiful 65 degrees, sunny and breezy and the city was bustling with activity. If anyone gets a chance to take a vacation somewhere in the US, I would choose New York (center of the universe), Phoenix (of course) and New Orleans. Whether you are looking for culture or for just plain unadulterated fun, the Big Easy could be your speed. There are all sorts of options for food, music and activities.

I stopped by the world-famous Café Du Monde and treated myself to a beignet (pronounced ben-ay). It is basically fried dough with sugar, or how I like to describe it, my reason for living. While we were out there, a violinist and a guitarist were playing songs in the background. They gave us some Stevie Wonder (“Sir Duke”), Lynard Skynard (“Sweet Home Alabama”) and Abba (“Dancing Queen”). Then as we went and walked near the water, we saw a kid playing the trumpet with a jazz band. He stopped playing to sing and was really good. It was kind of weird, but he looked a little like that kid Andy Milonakis from MTV. I haven’t seen Andy’s show in some time. Maybe he found work.

Is that you Andy?
Stefan Swiat/Suns.com

After taking in some sights, I headed back to the hotel to get changed and head to the game. One of my jobs for the night was to help interview celebrities on the red carpet. Man, I have a tough life. We were able to get actor Jet Li, actor Chris Tucker, ex-Jazz forward Karl Malone, actress Alyssa Milano, actress Gabrielle Union and music producers Jimmy Jam and Michael Bivens. Make sure you check our site for all of those interviews, we were the only team in the league to get them. And also don’t be surprised if they end up in the next episode of Ask Raja. We had a great time with all of them and they asked Raja some funny questions…

The star of "Charmed" is quite charming.
Stefan Swiat/Suns.com

As I write to you now, I am blogging from the owner’s suite and watching Amaré make a run at the All-Star Game MVP. He just needs to finish the contest strong and we need to hold off the East for the W. Steve has made some nifty passes. I swear the guy can see into the future, and STAT has shown a little of everything in his bag of tricks. STAT has the chance to win the All-Star Game MVP a lot during his career because of his ability to do so many things. His athleticism allows him to get anywhere on the court and his height allows him to get a lot of easy buckets. Steve, on the other hand, isn’t the kind of player that thrives as much in an All-Star Game because he really needs that competitiveness to engage his mind into the game. And usually the game doesn't get very competitive until the fourth quarter. He also is very unselfish during these games, which isn't going to help his cause that much either. When is the last time you saw a player who led the game in assists win an All-Star MVP?

Before the beginning of the third quarter Kevin Garnett and Karl Malone thanked New Orleans for their hospitality. The city topped off its gracious ways by dropping little gift balls that were attached to balloons from the ceiling. Great touch...

Dwight Howard stepped into the booth and came out as Superman.
David Sherman/NBAE/Getty Images

Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008
There really wasn’t a lot to scream about from the Suns end tonight, as they exited rather hastily in both competitions. STAT, EJ and Cappie were unable to make it to the finals of the Haier Shooting Stars competition, while Nash posted the lowest score in the Three-Point Shootout with nine.

So while Phoenix didn’t supply the sunshine tonight, Orlando’s Dwight Howard and Minnesota’s Gerald Green certainly did. You could tell that both of them did their homework and wanted to win. Green defended his title quite admirably by breaking out some very creative jams, and you could tell that Howard was a bit miffed by the lack of love he received from the judges last year, so he took it out on the rim this year.

Green went with the cupcake, Howard responded with a ricochet dunk from behind the backboard. Green set up a ladder, Howard broke out the Superman cape. Green dunked without his shoes on, while Howard countered with a double-tap dunk that I still can’t quite figure out. It was the best dunk contest I’ve seen in years; evoking memories of Jordan vs. Dominique. These guys really raised the bar.

Personally, the best part of the night was hanging out in our owner Robert Sarver’s suite. It’s a great way to see a game. Free food, drink and a great view of the game while sitting in roomy chairs is the way to go. If anyone ever gets an opportunity to see a game from a suite, jump on it. Chocolate-covered strawberries always makes a dunk contest a tidbit sweeter…

The talk of the night in the suite surrounded next year’s All-Star Game in Phoenix. After the success of the Superbowl this season, I could see Phoenix becoming a very popular destination for future events. Between the climate, facilities and nightlife, it is a city bubbling over with possibilities.

The last point I’m going to make in my blog for the night is that the dunk contest needs to be tweaked a little. I am a huge fan of letting the fans vote. I am all about democracy. However, don’t have the judges say the way they are voting before the winner is revealed. I think that may sway voters a bit, but above all, I think that it slows down the event. Here we have this awesome show and then we had to wait around with very little suspense for the winner. Check with the judges afterwards to see if they agree. Kind of like the electoral college, except without the power to change the outcome. Or, if 4/5’s of the voters disagree with the fans, they can have the power to overrule them. Make it interesting or controversial, or leave it the old way. Just don’t leave it in the middle like it is now…

Jam Session was the place to be on Saturday.
Stefan Swiat/Suns.com

Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008
So while yesterday was just more of a media day for Amaré and Steve, today they were actually unleashed on the public. The public wasn’t really allowed close to the players at their NBA Cares Day of Service yesterday, but they were all gathered within the convention center to get a peek at the NBA Jam Session.

An enormous center, there are basketball courts, games and festivities everywhere for families; to the point where it dulls the senses. If you are just a fan of basketball, it is the equivalent of giving crack to a crackhead. People playing video games against each other, shooting competitions and five-on-five games engulf you. And once you walk through the center, which takes at least five minutes to do with no crowds, you get to the back to where the main court takes center stage.

There, the main event is th players. First, the Eastern Conference All-Stars practice in front of the crowd, then there is a media availability session where the players can be interviewed and then the Western Conference All-Stars practice. Practice consists of the guys going half-speed through the three-man weave and then they do some light shooting. After they break a little sweat, a few of the players take a stab at trying to hit the most half-court shots in a minute. LeBron James set the overhand record with three before Jason Kidd tied it by nailing three shots underhanded. Both STAT and Steve gave it a whirl, but they were only able to hit one apiece. The last player of the day to go was Chris Paul, who proceeded to hit four bombs in a minute. The hometown fans loved every minute of it, as the representative from the Guiness Book of World Records was on hand to award him the title as World Record Holder.

The highlight of the whole afternoon was when Orlando’s Dwight Howard was being interviewed and he lifted a midget above his head. Every time I see that guy he is having fun, and to me, that’s what it is all about.

What ever happened to BBD?
Stefan Swiat/Suns.com

Also, my continual propensity to run into former hip-hop stars from the early ‘90’s is staggering. Since I’ve moved to Phoenix, I’ve met and spoke with Coolio, Rob Bass, Biz Markie and now Michael Bivens. For those of you who don’t recognize that name, he is Biv from Bell, Biv and Devoe. Their two biggest hits were ”Poison” and “Do Me,” which rocked many a boombox in junior high. Before they were all in Bell, Biv and Devoe, they were in the children’s group New Edition with a young Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill and Ralph Tresvant. They were one of those groups that had a lot more hits than you realize. The Moody Blues are like that too... Hopefully by the end of the weekend I will run into MC Hammer.

So now we are getting ready for tonight as Phoenix has a team in the Haier Shooting Stars competition. STAT, broadcaster Eddie Johnson and the Mercury’s Cappie Pondexter are going to try to bring home the title. Then, Steve will attempt to win the Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout. It should be a great night of entertainment so tune in to TNT at 6 p.m...

Friday, Feb. 15, 2008
There is no bigger party that the NBA puts on than the All-Star Game, and there is no city that can put on a bigger party than New Orleans.

This is how you are greeted in the Big Easy.
Stefan Swiat/Suns.com

These two forces have collided this weekend, and I, like many basketball junkies, have descended on the Crescent City to get my fix. And from the moment I landed, I kept getting little signs that I was in the right place.

As we were following former Knick Jerome “Junkyard Dog” Williams through the airport and down to the baggage claim, I kept trying to look at the TV to see if Jason Kidd had officially became a Maverick. With this being possibly the third blockbuster trade to transpire in the last two weeks, I couldn’t help but to think that I was going to be involved in a very historic weekend. As I interviewed all of the All-Stars around the league, they all seem bewildered at all of the moves being made. The veterans amongst them couldn’t recall so many big names swapping teams in such a small amount of time.

Shaq to the Suns, Pau to the Lakers and most likely Kidd to the Mavs. There is a team 12 games over .500 that currently isn’t in the Playoffs, and now those three guys are being added to that fray. So as I was attempting to see if the Kidd deal was finalized, I took the escalator down a flight to the baggage claim to where I started hearing music. Lo and behold, there was a jazz band playing some unbelievably sweet tunes for all of the passengers that were waiting for their luggage. What a great concept. Welcoming people and putting people into a festive mood with trombones, trumpets, tubas and drums. I was instantly a fan of this city.

So we hopped into our hotel shuttle and I began calling people from other teams and at the NBA that I hoped to see this weekend. Once we arrived, I picked up my media credentials and made plans to go out for dinner. Since we are staying in the French Quarter, a friend and I walked just four blocks until we were on Bourbon St.

As soon as we turned the corner, we saw Steve Nash’s business manager, Chris Talbot. My friend, who works in VIP Services for the Suns, gave him a shout and he talked to us as his group, which included Bow Wow, walked ahead. After getting the invite to a party on Sunday, we hit a seafood restaurant that was being patronized by Detroit Shock Head Coach and former Piston Bad Boy Bill Laimbeer. Instead of rubbing in the Phoenix Mercury’s championship to him, I merely nodded hello and sat down to grub.

After some delicious gumbo and shrimp creole, I noticed that 7-7 giant and former Bullet George Muresan was in the building. In addition, Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry was eating with Laker superfan and multi-millionaire Jimmy. You’d know him if you saw him. He’s an older white dude that looks like an ex-rocker because of his penchant for wearing weird-colored leather jackets. He always sits next to Jack Nicholson and is one of the true characters in basketball, but I digress.

So as I was taking all of this in, I looked over and saw my old friend, who is an assistant producer at NBA TV. He didn’t know I was in New Orleans, so instead of going up to him, I called him and asked him where he was eating. And since he was sitting behind Danny Ferry, I asked him if he could ask Ferry if he was hiring. Not knowing whether or not I had superpowers or not, he asked me how I knew he was next to Ferry. Although I would have preferred to keep the ruse going until he thought I knew the plot behind the Kennedy assassination, I decided to reveal I was across the room from him.

After finishing our meals we left the tourist-filled alleys of Bourbon St. for the more off-beat Frenchmen St. If you are looking for where the real people of New Orleans hang out, that’s where you need to go. It is much more laid-back, but still personifies the jazzy essence of the Big Easy. One of the places on the block was a hookah bar, which for those who don’t know what a hookah is, is a type of vase from which people smoke fruit-flavored tobacco. It looks like something out of Morocco or Greece. I know they have that in Tempe as well, but it seemed more at home in New Orleans.

Today, from virtually the time I got up in the morning until the evening, my job was to interview all of the players around the league. Now that sounds like fun, but unfortunately, every person who has ever written a word about basketball is here too. The mobs were most enormous around Kobe and Yao. Cameramen started setting up their shots at a small table 30 minutes before Kobe arrived, just so they could be the first to hear if he was going to play with his injured finger. It seemed like every journalist from Asia was trying to interview Yao. The traffic around him made me ponder a saying that I heard from an old coach that would make me realize a feat I had accomplished was actually really trivial. He would say, “There are two billion Chinese people that could care less.” And in effect, he would be right. No one would care. But in the case of Yao, I think there might just be about two billion that truly do care.

It is always fun to interview guys from around the league that you don’t get to see very often. Dwyane Wade is very thoughtful and polite, Brandon Roy is excited to be among the league’s elite and Carmelo Anthony is always good for a sound bite. When asked if the Suns’ style would be altered with the addition of Shaq he replied, “Hey, I’d roll with Shaq.”

One thing that I found interesting about the dynamics of a huge media day was that all of these overworked and deadline-driver reporters were trying to get their questions in to guys for their specific stories. So while someone like Ray Allen will be sitting there, he’ll field questions about college basketball from a Sports Illustrated for Kids writer, then he’ll get a question about the Suns from a clown like me and then another journalist will ask him about his thoughts on the 2008 Presidential Election. But the best question I heard today was by a friend of mine, an excellent writer for NBA.com, who momentarily lost his mind. After waiting 10 minutes to ask his question, he asked Allen what he thought his chances were in the Three-Point Shootout. Unfortunately for my friend, Allen wasn’t participating this year. My friend didn’t feel like the sharpest tool in the shed after his gaff, but these things can happen.

Another friend of mine that writes the Race to the MVP column for NBA.com had Utah’s Deron Williams approach him and ask him why he was only number 17 in his column. After some backtracking and justifications, my friend was able to put forth a decent explanation. Williams was just jokingly giving him a hard time, but don’t be surprised if he moves up on the list next week. My friend is easily intimidated.

New Orleans still has a long way to go.
Stefan Swiat/Suns.com

After the media availability session wrapped, I was off to an NBA Cares event to watch Amare Stoudemire help out with Habitat for Humanity. STAT went to the ninth ward in New Orleans to help rebuild houses that were demolished by Hurricane Katrina. I know we’ve had millions of news cycles since then, but the devastation from that disaster lingers on today and it is not being covered in the media. Having the NBA bring that issue back into focus was refreshing for me to see, and hopefully it will re-galvanize the movement to aid the thousands of people that are still homeless today. For anyone wanting to learn more about it, check out the documentary “Breaking the Levies.” It is really powerful. And if you don’t take my word for it, Steve Nash recommends it as well.

After shooting photos of STAT putting together a wall, we trudged back through the rain to the hotel. Shooting photos out in a downpour can give a man an appetite, so we sashayed over to Popeye’s for some spicy chicken. Now, I don’t know if this means anything to anyone reading this, but I bumped into hip-hop artist Biz Markie while I was waiting for my chow. Now, many of you in Arizona may not be familiar with him or his classic, Just a Friend, but download the song immediately. Better yet, go to YouTube and watch the video, because it is hilarious. You see, Biz Markie is a guy that my friends and I have always referenced in conversation. Just one of those weird things we do. Some people quote movies, some people make references to obscure rap artists.

This guy was the King of Beatboxing.
Stefan Swiat/Suns.com

So while no one else seemed to care that they were amidst one of the best one-hit wonders of all-time, my friends back in New York would consider that more memorable than meeting the pope. People always like to debate what’s meaningful and what’s coincidental, and I think that it’s an individual thing. It’s not something that can be pondered amongst a committee; it has to resonate with each person. And to me, meeting Biz was an omen that I am exactly where I am supposed to be.

Well, that’s it for me tonight. I promise to have oodles of worthless, yet semi-amusing bits of information to blog about tomorrow. So don’t be afraid to check back…

Practice Breakdown

Sat, 06 Oct 07 01:38:00 UT

For the fans out there that wish that they could break down every minute of a training camp session, look no further. For coaches who are wondering how a former Coach of the Year does it, I hereby present... a typical Suns practice.

The focus of practice is game-oriented.
(Dan Banks/Suns.com)

3:00- Individual warm-up: The guys are just shooting around and trying to get the blood flowing.

3:05-3:15- Team meeting: The team meets at half court to talk about the focus of the day’s practice.

3:15- Team re-warm-up: The players dribble around the outside of the court and then run back-and-forth across the court to break a sweat. They jog, kick their heels up and bring their knees up to their chest as they run to get loose. Then they stretch.

Note: Stretching was interrupted at today’s practice because General Manager Steve Kerr had Equipment Manager Mike Elliot held by four guys as he took a pair of scissors and cut off his Arizona State t-shirt and replaced it with a University of Arizona t-shirt. Elliot never saw it coming.

3:25- Fast-break drill: The team breaks into first and second units and they run through their 5-on-0 fast break sets. As everyone knows, the Suns run quite a bit, but there is a rhyme and a reason to how they space the court on the break. Their offensive stems from their secondary break, which is basically the plays that are triggered if they don’t get a layup right away.

3:35- Team shooting within offensive sets: The first team (white team) heads to one end of the court and the second team (black team), heads to the other end to work on their offensive sets. The white team consists of Steve Nash, Raja Bell, Shawn Marion, Boris Diaw, Grant Hill and Leandro Barbosa. The black team is comprised of Brian Skinner, Sean Marks, Marcus Banks, Alando Tucker, D.J. Strawberry, Richie Frahm, Doug Thomas, Rawle Marshall and Eric Piatkowski.

Off of the secondary break, there are a bunch of different wrinkles that allow players to get open looks. In this drill, the point guard will make an entry pass to a post player and cut off the ball before going to screen a player in the corner. The player in the corner uses the pick to cut to the basket and the screener (point guard) turns to receive the pass for a shot. On the opposite side of the court, the point guard passes and screens away. Once the wing pops to the top, they run a screen and roll and the other wing slides to the top for a jumper.

Although they only play with ball in the drill, everyone moves to where they are supposed to finish the play and receive a ball from one of the assistant coaches for a shot. Every player is engaged on every play, and all of them will have the opportunity to shoot and see where they can get shots on the floor within the offense. After six minutes, the teams switch ends and run the set that the other team was just running.

The team always huddles up before practice
to address the day's goals.
(Dan Banks/Suns.com)

Note: I am not usually surprised by what professional athletes can do, but Raja Bell finished a play today by tomahawking down a dunk with serious authority. It kind of came out of nowhere because Bell doesn’t normally finish plays like that in practice. Even Nash was surprised stating, “Dang, Raja. That was the best dunk you’ve had since you were in Philly.”

3:50- Full-court weave shooting drill: This drill is a contest that the team has to do until they get it right. The goal of the exercise is to score 100 points in two minutes and the assistant coaches keep track of the score and time using the scoreboard overhead. Three players do the three-man weave down the court while two passers stand in the corners and pass the ball to the guys who didn’t end up with the ball for the layup. As soon as they pass the rock, they sprint down court with the player that just shot the layup and do the three-man weave on the way back. One player finishes with the layup and the other two players shoot jumpers just like the other two players did on the other end of the court. It is a continuous drill that combines running, shooting and the pressure of time. It’s one of those drills that get you in shape, but you don’t realize that’s what it is doing.

The first time around the Suns only scored 84 points, so they had to do it again. The coaches were yelling that the passes weren’t crisp enough, and I guess they were right, because they registered 114 points after they were reminded to not float the passes.

3:55- Water break: My favorite time of practice when I was a player.

Team chemistry is high in camp this week.
(Dan Banks/Suns.com)

3:58- 5-on-5 scrimmage: White team vs. black team. The scoreboard counts down a 12-minute game of make-it-take-it that penalizes the defense for not getting stops. Players really want to play offense, so they bear down on defense so they can get the ball back. Another point of interest about the scrimmage is that the team hires two refs to whistle fouls during practice. That might be the best investment I’ve ever seen. The players don’t whine to the coaches and the coaches can concentrate on analyzing practice.

I know for the teams I played on, it would have been genius to have that luxury, because guys were convinced that certain assistant coaches played favorites in practice by calling certain fouls for players. But with an arrangement like this, no one can say anything.

So as the two units ran through their plays against each other, the black team actually built up an early lead. But then the white turned it on. They scored on six straight plays. LB hit a couple of treys, Nash buried a J, threw an alley-oop to Hill, Boris faked everyone out of their pants and then Nash came back to hit LB for a sweet back door cut.

Grant Hill turned over to me and said with amazement, “They really got that play down, don’t they?” White defeated black, 31-22.

4:25- Water break: It’s the best.

4:30: Three-basket games: The white team plays the black team to a game of three baskets. Amaré Stoudemire, who appeared at camp for the first time since his surgery, was vocally supporting his teammates from the sidelines throughout practice. Patrolling the sidelines with his knee wrapped in ice, Stoudemire was sporting the new STAT II sneakers to the glee of Raja Bell.

4:40- Water break: Just so refreshing.

4:45- Individual shooting: The guys break off into pairs or threes to work on their shooting. Grant Hill was working on his 3-point range and Brian Skinner was working on his 15-foot baseline jumper.

5:00- Peanut butter and jelly time. Not really. But everyone heads to dinner to see the rookies sing.

It's Not a Country Club

Fri, 05 Oct 07 08:13:00 UT

When I came down to Tucson for training camp, I thought I was going to be watching boot camp. I figured I'd be privy to watching guys puking into garbage cans and rookies putting IVs into their arms.

D'Antoni uses the preseason to develop chemistry.
(Dan Banks/Suns.com)

We’ve all seen Hoosiers, where the coach runs his players to death yelling, “You guys are going to be the best-conditioned team out there.” Since the Suns run like bandits and usually play a tight rotation, I envisioned Coach D’Antoni to be cut from the same mold.

However, from what I’ve seen from training camp this week, the Suns won’t be mistaken for the US Olympic Track and Field Team. Suicides have been few and far between and I haven’t seen any of those brutal 17 in 60s.

What I have seen is a great deal of full-court and fast-break drills that include a lot of running and transition work. Players are focused, intense and pushed throughout practice.

But this camp is different from most others in the league. Coaches like Pat Riley are putting his players through the ringer, so why the different approach?

“I kind of run the kind of camp I would have wanted to go to as a player,” D’Antoni said. “The whole objective is to be fresh and ready to go in April.”

Considering the amount of veterans the 2004-05 Coach of the Year has, it seems like a sound strategy.

“We do have a veteran team, so coaches who are at the bottom have to run a different type of camp,” D’Antoni said. “The veterans like Steve Nash, Boris and LB are the guys I need to worry about. I don’t want my core guys hurt, stressed or tired out in October. I just want us to keep building and getting into better shape as the season goes on.”

Often you’ll see players hit the wall after All-Star weekend or break down with nagging injuries. D’Antoni seems to remain mindful of that occurrence.

“It seems to me, I don’t know if it is true or not, but if you run them hard now, you pay for it in January,” he added. “Our fast-paced style and playing three or four times a week during the regular season is enough to keep them in shape. The rest of it is trying to keep their minds and bodies fresh.”

D'Antoni has two-a-day practices during camp.
(Dan Banks/Suns.com)

Brian Skinner and Grant Hill are veterans that have played on several pro teams and have experienced an array of different camps. Both of them feel that this team’s collective experience has them further along at this juncture of the season than most clubs.

“It’s a veterans’ camp,” Skinner said. “Guys are professional and they know what they need to do to take care of business. It’s not a police watch. The players police themselves by working on whatever they need to work on. Teams with younger players have to be policed.

“We are just trying to fine tune,” he continued. “Most of the guys are in shape to play 48 minutes right now. In other camps I’ve been in, players use training camp to get into shape.”

Hill echoed Skinner’s sentiments.

“There isn’t a lot of wasted movement in practice,” Hill said. “It is very efficient and we get a lot covered. Most of guys in key roles are already adjusted to this style of play.”

The way D’Antoni has managed camp is another example of how he bucks conventional wisdom in favor of common sense. Instead of following the popular notion of what a camp is “supposed” to be, he runs a camp based on the players he has.

This is a team that is contending for a championship and is going to play around 100 games. The point of this camp is to integrate new veterans like Skinner and Hill and get them comfortable within the system. That’s why practices now look similar to a midseason practice. Judging by his past success, it’s a philosophy that has paid dividends.

“It’s a balancing act,” D’Antoni said. “We work our guys, we don’t run a country club here. But at the same time you don’t want to make it too much like work, because it isn’t.”

Wildcard or Ace?

Thu, 04 Oct 07 06:13:00 UT

There is a proverb that says that within uncertainty lies prosperity. Every now and then, a professional team will take a chance on an unknown player and hope that their wildcard ends up being an ace.

Thomas once grabbed 11 boards against Michigan
St. in the Big 10 Tournament.
(Dan Banks/Suns.com)

In the Suns camp this week, the one player that seems to fit that bill is Doug Thomas. Thomas first came to my attention during the informal morning workouts when he seemed to dunk everything in sight.

After a ridiculous tip-jam, I turned to former Sun Mark West to find out who he was. West immediately busted my chops for not inquiring about the guy who set the great screen or made a nifty backdoor cut.

All respect due to guys who provide the intangibles, but there’s just something about thunderous dunks at 9 a.m. that garners my attention. West informed me that the high-flyer was Doug Thomas and that he played at Iowa.

Once I saw that he was invited to camp, I found out that he played in the first division of the Swiss professional leagues. Making a jump from Switzerland to the NBA is like going from Single A to the Yankees. So it perked my interest.

Thomas showed flashes of brilliance at Iowa, but never received the kind of consistent playing time one would expect after finishing a stellar career at Southeastern Community College. At Southeastern, he started on a squad that won back-to-back titles.

So how did the Suns stumble upon Thomas?

“Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin was on top of him and talked with his agent and he came in early just to work out and caught everyone’s eye with his athleticism, shooting touch and ability to play our tempo,” Assistant General Manager Vinny Del Negro said. “We needed another big guy and he was a nice kid, so I think it was a good fit.”

After doing some research, I happened upon a slew of videos on-line that displayed the kind of athleticism I saw at the practice court. His highlight reel from college was pretty impressive and so was his jam against Arizona State. But the video that stood out the most was when he broke the world’s record for the highest leap.

Check out LB's facial expression in the bottom right corner. It says it all.
(Dan Banks/Suns.com)

Besides Thomas, former Maverick and Pacer Rawle Marshall and journeyman Richie Frahm were the last three players invited to camp by the Suns. Frahm once scored 30 points as a rookie for the Sonics and Marshall registered 16 points in a game for the Pacers last season. Whereas these guys have donned an NBA uniform, Tuesday was literally the first NBA practice of Thomas’ life.

So what does a front office look for in guys they invite to camp?

“David (Griffin), Director of Scouting Todd (Quinter), the rest of the scouting department and I look at a bunch of guys,” Del Negro added. “We look for guys who can play our style and fill some niches and we feel in training camp they have the opportunity to show us what they can do and we get a chance to get some hands-on experience with them.”

The gravity-defying Thomas is just relishing his opportunity.

“I came in with the mindset to just work hard,” he said. “Nothing is guaranteed for me right now and I think they see that I want to learn.

“I am not trying to take anyone’s spot, I am just trying to work my way onto the team. The Suns are a great team with great people and a great coaching staff.

Thomas was really impressed by the way General Manager Steve Kerr and Del Negro “welcomed him with open arms.” He says that all of the coaches and players have gone out their way to make him feel comfortable.

“I take criticism well and I am willing to learn,” added Thomas. “I like it here and I feel that the Suns’ system fit my style of play.”

Although it is unlikely that the Suns will carry more than the 13 players they have now, Del Negro believed that coming to camp was a good opportunity for someone like Thomas, who could show the Suns his ability and stay on their radar in case a role needs to be filled down the road.

Although Thomas would love to make the team, he is also appreciating the moment.

“My high school coaches, college coaches and the NBA players I grew up with haven’t even heard I am here,” he said. “I can’t wait to they hear about this.”

Media Day: The First Day of Class

Tue, 02 Oct 07 17:58:00 UT

With all of the hoopla surrounding Media Day, it panned out kind of like a modern heavyweight fight. A lot of hype... but not many knockout punches.

Shawn said he was ready to play ball at Media Day.
(Jeramie McPeek/Suns.com)

The question around the league was which Shawn Marion was going to show up Monday? Was it going to be a Shawn Marion that was going to arrive with guns blazing? Or was it going to be a Shawn Marion that was going to retract his trade demands and move forward with the team?

The truth is, the event was a non-event, and a smiling Shawn issued a plethora of “no comments” regarding his comments and thwarted the press by keeping all chatter to strictly basketball.

He came. He saw. He eluded. And that was that. I think General Manager Steve Kerr said it best when he stated that this is a business away from the court, but still a game on it, and an All-Star like the Matrix would be professional in his play on the court. When asked if Kerr had ever been part of a situation like this before, he replied wryly that he had played with Scottie Pippen on those great Bulls team, and they played in a much more controversial situation. But they were able to overcome it and win the championship.

So what about the rest of the day? It was kind of like the first day of school. Everybody gathers around to see if everyone changed over the summer, while everyone was curious about the “new kids.”

In this case, the new kids were Grant Hill, Brian Skinner, Alando Tucker and D.J. Strawberry. And then there were the trend-setting kids like Steve Nash and Amaré Stoudemire, who sparked the interest of everyone there, and the crowd flocked to them as soon as they entered the room.

Basically what happens at Media Day is that there are a bunch of stations and each player has a schedule. It’s just like going to classes and listening for the bell. One designated guide would lead a player around to all of the groups they needed to meet with and help them accomplish all of the tasks on their list.

Most of the guides were attractive young women, who gleefully paraded around the likes of Marcus Banks and Grant Hill. Yes, the perks of being a professional athlete never stop. I guess Leandro Barbosa and Brian Skinner must have ticked somebody off, because they were being led around by Public Relations Coordinator Casey Taggatz and Community Relations Coordinator Chris Mallory. Tough break, fellas!

What did LB do to deserve this?
(Jeramie McPeek/Suns.com)

But as I was hanging around with Skinner and LB, I was able to learn some interesting facts about those guys. Skinner doesn’t ice fish, he fishes “comfortably.” Having played in Milwaukee, where it snows practically 11 months out of the year, he had to do a lot of ice fishing. But he really enjoyed it. Not only did he prop up a little tent, crank up the heater and turn on his TV, but he had food brought out to him while he fished.

One of the more interesting players I have spoken to, I also learned that the 6-9 center collects crystal and loves the movie “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.” He is also one of maybe three people on the planet who knows what happened to Latrell Sprewell. It ruined my theory that he was playing on some random rec team with other notable players that seemingly dropped off the face of the planet, like Dajuan Wagner and Robert “Tractor” Traylor. But he isn’t, and that’s a whole other blog in and of itself.

I watched LB pose for about four different photographers and then have to read at least five different ads or introductions for various TV and radio stations. After doing those, he was off to ESPN, NBA TV and a bunch of other networks to partake in a slew of interviews.

I was able to catch up with Sean Marks and talk to him about his trip to Africa that was part-charity (helping Basketball Without Borders) and part-vacation. After helping out with the BWB camps, Marks went into a shark cage to swim with great whites. That was followed by a safari around South Africa where he witnessed a lion eating a zebra. Most people’s biggest trip this summer was going to the mall, and this guy was hanging out with Jaws.

Another interesting tidbit I discovered was that Raja Bell showed up to participate in Steve Nash’s Charity Game in Vancouver, but couldn’t play because he hurt himself playing soccer. It was no big deal, but just the kind of thing that must make a coach’s heart skip a beat when he hears reports like that in July.

The Suns also picked up a few guys to bring to camp. Although they have their 13 players set, they can sign up to 15 based on league rules. So Richie Frahm, Rawle Marshall and Doug Thomas were all invited to camp with an opportunity to make the team. Knowing that Thomas played in Switzerland, I wanted to see if we knew any of the same basketball people there, so I struck up a conversation.

Having watched the former Buckeye during morning workouts, he really stood out to me due to his incredible leaping ability. Anything near the rim is a dunk – and it’s done with authority.

Thomas let me know that there was footage on YouTube of him touching as high as 13 feet on the backboard. Now that may sound ridiculous to some, but so are this guy’s hops. So I checked it out and it’s legit. Click here if you don’t believe me!

In the end, like the first day of school, everyone was able to visit, exchange pleasantries and make introductions. It was an opportunity for everyone to get clued into the team’s agenda, before the real work begins. And as the media packed up and the Suns made their way to the team bus headed to training camp in Tucson, one thing became abundantly clear. School was really about to start.

While I Was at the Watercooler

Fri, 14 Sep 07 23:34:00 UT

One of the perks of working in professional sports is that when I take a break to walk around the office... I end up walking around the arena.

Whereas most people gather around the watercooler to talk about what's going on in sports, I actually go to the watercooler and see what's going on in sports.

During the mornings, I usually sashay my way down to the practice court so I can catch glimpse of who is in the house and working on their game. The other day, it was reported that we would be working out some big man prospects. The "Ukraine Train" Vitaly Potapenko, Elton "Not Brand" Brown, Michael Ruffin and Zarko Cabarkapa were all in the building, and all hoping to be that 12th player to give the Suns some insurance down low.

The "Ukraine Train" had a couple of good seasons a few years ago, Ruffin is really active, and Brown led the NBADL in rebounds last season, but none of them stood out to the degree that the guy standing next to me did.

Everyone in the organization was down there checking out the talent in the gym. And as Grant Hill was schooling everyone during 5-on-5, Mike D'Antoni, Dan D'Antoni, Alvin Gentry, Phil Webber, Mark West and Steve Kerr all casually looked on in hopes of finding that last piece to the puzzle. Within this small crowd of basketball minds, there was a smattering of other people mingling about, including an older African-American gentleman standing next me.

As I was telling my coworker who some of the lesser known players were on the court, he started asking me about them. He was a real exuberant guy that I couldn't help to like instantly. He's just one of those people that just exudes a cool vibe, and when I asked him where he was from, I wasn't surprised that he told me he was from New Orleans.

What did surprise me was that he told me he was Wynton Marsalis' personal chef. For those of you who don't know, Marsalis is one the preeminent jazz musicians in the country, a veritable legend. But what I also came to find out, is that my new acquaintance was also Amare Stoudemire's personal chef, and was there to give his personal sales pitch to Grant Hill.

Having been a personal chef for many athletes and entertainers, he has learned that the veterans are much easier to deal with than the younger players, and at his level of his experience, he prefers to go through his day without the hassles of dealing with an entourage.

Maurice, known as Chef Mo to everyone around the team, is just one the many of the behind-the-scenes personalities that can play a major factor in a team's well being. Mo is providing the gas that goes into the the engines that make the Suns run. He helps them maintain their energy level, gives them nutrients so they can recover faster and basically keeps them from getting food poisoning.

I hope that Mo becomes Grant's chef because I look forward to hearing more about his journeys through the world of show business. But not only would I like to hear some interesting anecdotes, I wouldn't mind hearing them over gumbo from a world-class chef...

Introduction of Suns.com's Stefan Swiat

Mon, 13 Aug 07 23:23:00 UT

After spending two seasons at NBA.com in Secaucus, NJ, I began to think about where the grass might be greener. For me, ironically enough, it was in the Arizona desert.

Getting the call from coach pushed me over the edge.
(NBAE Photos)

Although I’ve come to Suns.com after only two seasons with the NBA, my basketball journey started at a much younger age. Growing up in the suburbs of New York City, one can’t really avoid becoming a hoopaholic. If you were a kid from a working-class family, all you ever needed to do was show up to court with a ball and you were ready to roll.

I remember first being seduced by the game after watching the “Showtime Lakers” dismantle the legendary Boston Celtics. As a nine-year old kid, I couldn’t help but be captivated by the winning style, smile and nickname that Earvin “Magic” Johnson sported during the late 80’s. After watching a game, I would record the best moves from the night in my trusty notebook and go outside and practice them until they became second nature.

I took that habit and applied it to my annual summer trip to Manhattan College basketball camp, and I filled my notebook with tips from basketball luminaries such as Rollie Massimino, Steve Lappas, Rod Strickland, Ed Pinckney and Rolando Blackman. By the end of eighth grade and a growth spurt later, I could see that I had a natural affinity for the game.

After receiving a full scholarship to attend a Division II college in Long Island, I really accelerated my basketball journey by playing at three different schools in the next three years. I never thought that I would transfer once, let alone three times, but that’s the way things worked out. My basketball vagabonding didn’t end there, and persisted even after I graduated from college.

Through sheer serendipity, I received a contract to play in the third level of the Italian professional leagues. I lived about 200 yards from the beach along the Adriatic Sea. After playing a year in Pesaro, Italy, I received an invitation to try out for a first division team in Poland. I played with four different teams in less than a month in a professional system that can be most aptly described as a debacle.

Not wanting my last playing experience to end that way, I managed to find a way to get invited to a Nike All-Star Camp in Zofingen, Switzerland. I coached kids in the morning, while playing at night in front of coaches and general managers from Swiss professional teams.

Each year Nike would send one NBA player over to coach and play throughout the week. The year before, the camp acquired the services of Darvin Ham, who, by the way, is a first-class dude. Two years prior to when I was there, the camp brought in Steve Nash. I got Michael Bradley.

Whereas Bradley was reticent to mix it up with us on or off the court, I heard that Nash was a blast to be around and refused to let anyone even take him out of the scrimmages. While Bradley was worried about looking poorly against “lesser” competition, Nash was worried about wasting an opportunity to play. Heraclitus once said, “Character determines destiny.” I can’t think of a better example I’ve seen in basketball which illustrates that proverb.

Although I still had the opportunity to continue playing for a break-even salary, I realized that my real talents lied elsewhere, and I had to go pursue them. I decided that my love for basketball and creativity should be combined, so I started applying at NBA Entertainment. After a few interviews, one of which lasted only 10 minutes because of my inability to speak Mandarin Chinese, I finally ended up at NBA.com.

During my times there I performed nearly every job possible, and worked every shift imaginable. I updated team sites, the NBA homepage, created photo galleries, posted video, wrote articles and blogged. Deciding to make a move to further my career, I applied for the Suns.com position. Knowing how long it takes to find or get offered a job, I couldn’t believe how fast VP of Interactive Services Jeramie McPeek got back to me. Within a few days we had an hour and a half interview and the prospect of moving cross country began to dawn on me. Upon receiving the job offer, I said I was completely flattered, but that I wanted to take some time to consider the magnitude of the decision.

While I was pondering the move, I received a phone call from a 602 area code that I figured was from someone in human resources or something. When the caller identified himself as Mike D’Antoni, it took me a good couple of seconds before I could even respond. He said he was just calling to find out why I would even think twice about leaving New York and come out to Phoenix. He went on to suggest that I would be crazy to ignore the weather and the other various perks of working for the Suns.

Once realizing that it was in fact, really Mike D’Antoni, and not someone playing a prank, I took the opportunity to gush about my admiration for him as a coach stemming from the time when we were both in Italy. After almost completely embarrassing myself, he reiterated that he was calling me to let me know how great of a guy Jeramie is to work for and how the Suns are an unbelievable organization. I thanked him repeatedly, assuring him that his words had not fallen on deaf ears.

A lot of people want money, fame and fringe benefits, but I am the type of person who just wants to be appreciated. I had already felt like I was being appreciated, and I hadn’t even worked a second yet. So I started to think, what would it be like once I got there?

It was difficult to leave my life in New York, but since I was offered the position of Web Content Coordinator, I have been so busy moving, getting readjusted and having such a great time, that I haven’t even had time to stop and reflect on the change.

But I think that is a good sign, one that indicates that there might just be a plot of green grass awaiting me in the desert.