The Suns Remain The Same

Although D'Antoni has not been the Suns' head coach for a few years now, and Amare has joined him in New York, the Suns are still playing their exciting kind of 7 second basketball. The Suns were a big question mark when this season started and many (including us) didn't see them making the playoffs. That may still be the case, but I have watched all three of the Suns' games so far this year and I think (with the exception of some slightly iffier than normal 3s and the pale shadow of Robin Lopez's finishing an easy pass compared to Stoudemire's) that they are essentially playing the same Sun 'n Gun basketball. What's fascinating is that they continue to play this kind of basketball even when they're playing their second unit and none of the players from their old glory days are in the game (they are also missing Kerr, their old CEO and GM, and whoever preceded him in those positions). It's very eerie, as if the spirit of the old Suns has somehow come to command the bodies of the new players. But where is this spirit located? Is it in the building, the climate, something in Arizona's water, is it the noise made by the boisterous fans, or something the coaching staff under Gentry teaches? Undoubtedly the last of those has something to do with it, but I can't help but think that part of the answer lies in Nash's passes (the name of my upcoming country album).



I mean, if you're receiving passes like that (and, if you have the athletic ability), then you can't help but play crazy, NBA Jam style basketball, right? Similarly, you can't help but play troubling at best defense as your expending most of your energy on offense and moving to quick to get into the firm positions good defense requires. (Note about the above video, please watch on mute.) I think one player and those who have played with him can come to command a team's spirit, defining it for ages, even after he is gone. That seems to be the case with the Los Angeles Lakers, who contain many players I have rooted for in the past and who I reserve the right to root for again in the future. Get them under the leadership of Phil Jackson and the "example" of Kobe Bryant, however, and they turn into a bunch of fucking assholes. The lasting team spirit is a fascinating theory of NBA teams and one that will see a lot of testing this year, as the league has been shaken up so much, and so many teams now have the opportunity to grow in new directions, remain the same, or wither on the vine. These are exciting times, dear readers; whether they mark the end of days or the rebirth of basketball Eden is, at this point, anyone's guess. I will keep you posted as I uncover more.