Some good quotes from Suns players on why they are starting to get on a roll in the Western Conference. This article from espn.com comes after their win over the Bulls on Tuesday night:In the span of just a few weeks, the Suns have turned from a team that couldn't figure out which direction it wanted to go, to a team that no Western Conference opponent wants to see come playoff time.
So, what happened?
Suns head coach Alvin Gentry said it all boils down to closing out games, something his veteran-led team had a hard time doing earlier in the season. "That's what I think we've done, and we've had different people do it," he said after his team's latest win. "Steve (Nash) made a couple of big shots, but then Channing (Frye) came up and probably made the biggest shot of the game."
As Gentry is the first to tell you, though, closing out games doesn't just mean making a big play on the offensive end. "We've been able to come up with stops when we need them, too," he said. "I think that's the big thing right there because we got in the habit of exchanging baskets and that puts so much pressure on your offense that it can overwhelm you]."
Richardson believes that he and his teammates have formed an entirely new identity over the past couple of months. "We're a totally different team," he said. "Two months ago we were a team that had big leads that we'd end up giving back. We weren't focused on the defensive end. This half of the season now we're really focused on the defensive end and helping each other out. The way we're playing now is huge. We're going to need to play like this in the playoffs. With the game on the line you have to come up with stops to get wins."
That's exactly what Richardson & Co. did against the Bulls late in the game, and that's the biggest reason they are most likely headed to the playoffs and the Bulls most likely are not.
Stoudemire believes there is another key reason as well. "I think our intensity has been improved," he said. "I think we've gotten better defensively. We're scoring the ball at will. We're defending guys one-on-one and also collectively. Our rotations have been on point. We turned our focus up a notch. That also adds to determination. With all that being said, that's what allowing us to play better so far."
