azdad1978
Championship!!!!
By Mike Tulumello, Tribune
Quentin Richardson can shoot, after all. Fans and media types were wondering about this after Richardson’s first month of can’t-hit-the-sea-from-thepier shooting, when he shot 29 percent in his first 11 games.
But the Suns’ designated gunner kept firing them up and has hit enough shots to be a big part of the Suns’ amazing 31-5 start. Since his wayward start, he’s knocked down 40 percent of his 3-pointers.
In fact, he’s made 108 3-pointers, tops in the NBA. That puts him on pace to hit 246, which would the thirdmost ever in the NBA and would shatter Dan Majerle’s club record of 199.
If he keeps firing at the same rate, he would attempt 683 3-pointers, which would break the NBA record of 678, set by George McCloud of Dallas in 1995-96.
Richardson’s antidote for a slump: "I just keep shooting."
No, Jerry Colangelo and Robert Sarver are more likely to fire coach Mike D’Antoni than Richardson is to stop shooting.
Like most gunners, Richardson isn’t cowed by a few errant shots, or a couple of off nights or — in this case — a month in the dumps.
Because of that gunner’s mentality, "He’s not afraid to take big shots at big moments," D’Antoni says.
Not only that, but, "He comes back after bad games with strong games. He doesn’t lower his head at bad moments.
"He’s able to put troubles away and go to the next moment."
Yet, every player has limits, and Richardson knows his, D’Antoni suggests.
"I want players to know, after taking it, that it’s a bad shot," the Suns coach says.
"They’ve got to know that. If I start second-guessing or yell at them, then they start hesitating.
"We’re going to take some quick shots. But if you’re playing at 100 mph, you have to make split-second decisions."
Richardson, among others, has fessed up to a bad shot now and then, says D’Antoni, who thinks the Suns are getting better with their shot selection.
Yet to hear Richardson (or any other gunner) tell it, he probably hasn’t been to confession too often.
To them, the meaning of a bad shot has yet to be clearly defined by Webster.
"You have to have confidence in yourself," he says.
"I don’t think you would be able to take what some people would call a bad shot without having confidence.
"You don’t see it as a bad shot. You see it as a shot you can make."
This mind-set is a big reason why he came out of his early-season slump.
"I don’t think anything special or particular happened," he says. "I just continued shooting."
"He doesn’t remember his last shot," says Steve Nash, who hints he wishes he had the same characteristic.
With the exception of lategame situations, where a big shot may have to be taken, "I’m way too sensitive to have that mentality.
"That’s valuable for our team: A guy who will shoot no matter what."
D’Antoni also credits Richardson’s rebounding as a major reason the Suns are able to use a small lineup.
He praises him as well for changing his game to fit the Suns.
In college at DePaul and in his early NBA years with the Clippers, he used his strength inside to post up players.
"But that’s not how we play," D’Antoni says. "He’s been great about accepting it."
He also says Richardson is a smart enough player to blend in effectively with the Suns’ racehorse pace.
"His basketball IQ is really high. It fits in with how we want to play," without a lot of play-calling, he said.
Also, he seems to have put to rest any doubt he can play alongside Joe Johnson even though their games are a bit similar.
(Some NBA observers think the Los Angeles Clippers failed to match the Suns’ free agent offer for Richardson because his game overlapped with that of Corey Maggette.)
"If you’re a good basketball player, you can play with anybody," D’Antoni says.
Richardson also gives the Suns the sort of flair and presence this group of mostly soft-spoken players seems to need.
"He gives our team personality," Nash says.
"We have a pretty quiet team. He’s a presence for us."
Nowhere is this more visible in Richardson’s headthumping routine after shots.
He and Darius Miles came up with this idea when Richardson was a rookie with the Clippers.
Various opponents have mimicked Richardson at times, though he says nobody has taken it personally.
"It’s all in fun," he says.
BONUS SHOT: Nash has moved to third place in All-Star voting among Western Conference guards, behind Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant. Amare Stoudemire has moved to fifth among forwards.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=34745
Quentin Richardson can shoot, after all. Fans and media types were wondering about this after Richardson’s first month of can’t-hit-the-sea-from-thepier shooting, when he shot 29 percent in his first 11 games.
But the Suns’ designated gunner kept firing them up and has hit enough shots to be a big part of the Suns’ amazing 31-5 start. Since his wayward start, he’s knocked down 40 percent of his 3-pointers.
In fact, he’s made 108 3-pointers, tops in the NBA. That puts him on pace to hit 246, which would the thirdmost ever in the NBA and would shatter Dan Majerle’s club record of 199.
If he keeps firing at the same rate, he would attempt 683 3-pointers, which would break the NBA record of 678, set by George McCloud of Dallas in 1995-96.
Richardson’s antidote for a slump: "I just keep shooting."
No, Jerry Colangelo and Robert Sarver are more likely to fire coach Mike D’Antoni than Richardson is to stop shooting.
Like most gunners, Richardson isn’t cowed by a few errant shots, or a couple of off nights or — in this case — a month in the dumps.
Because of that gunner’s mentality, "He’s not afraid to take big shots at big moments," D’Antoni says.
Not only that, but, "He comes back after bad games with strong games. He doesn’t lower his head at bad moments.
"He’s able to put troubles away and go to the next moment."
Yet, every player has limits, and Richardson knows his, D’Antoni suggests.
"I want players to know, after taking it, that it’s a bad shot," the Suns coach says.
"They’ve got to know that. If I start second-guessing or yell at them, then they start hesitating.
"We’re going to take some quick shots. But if you’re playing at 100 mph, you have to make split-second decisions."
Richardson, among others, has fessed up to a bad shot now and then, says D’Antoni, who thinks the Suns are getting better with their shot selection.
Yet to hear Richardson (or any other gunner) tell it, he probably hasn’t been to confession too often.
To them, the meaning of a bad shot has yet to be clearly defined by Webster.
"You have to have confidence in yourself," he says.
"I don’t think you would be able to take what some people would call a bad shot without having confidence.
"You don’t see it as a bad shot. You see it as a shot you can make."
This mind-set is a big reason why he came out of his early-season slump.
"I don’t think anything special or particular happened," he says. "I just continued shooting."
"He doesn’t remember his last shot," says Steve Nash, who hints he wishes he had the same characteristic.
With the exception of lategame situations, where a big shot may have to be taken, "I’m way too sensitive to have that mentality.
"That’s valuable for our team: A guy who will shoot no matter what."
D’Antoni also credits Richardson’s rebounding as a major reason the Suns are able to use a small lineup.
He praises him as well for changing his game to fit the Suns.
In college at DePaul and in his early NBA years with the Clippers, he used his strength inside to post up players.
"But that’s not how we play," D’Antoni says. "He’s been great about accepting it."
He also says Richardson is a smart enough player to blend in effectively with the Suns’ racehorse pace.
"His basketball IQ is really high. It fits in with how we want to play," without a lot of play-calling, he said.
Also, he seems to have put to rest any doubt he can play alongside Joe Johnson even though their games are a bit similar.
(Some NBA observers think the Los Angeles Clippers failed to match the Suns’ free agent offer for Richardson because his game overlapped with that of Corey Maggette.)
"If you’re a good basketball player, you can play with anybody," D’Antoni says.
Richardson also gives the Suns the sort of flair and presence this group of mostly soft-spoken players seems to need.
"He gives our team personality," Nash says.
"We have a pretty quiet team. He’s a presence for us."
Nowhere is this more visible in Richardson’s headthumping routine after shots.
He and Darius Miles came up with this idea when Richardson was a rookie with the Clippers.
Various opponents have mimicked Richardson at times, though he says nobody has taken it personally.
"It’s all in fun," he says.
BONUS SHOT: Nash has moved to third place in All-Star voting among Western Conference guards, behind Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant. Amare Stoudemire has moved to fifth among forwards.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=34745
