It is not hard to find reasons to worry and it is easy to overestimate the moves of the competition. Here is Coro:
http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PaulCoro/34153
What about the Suns? To say anything good is to get accused of wearing rose colored glasses. So here is the rose colored view of why the Suns have a chance of being in the elite. Obviously this might not happen, but is not out of the question.
1. DRAGIC: For Nash to play only 32 minutes a game leasves 16 minutes to be covered, or roughly a third of the game. If Dragic has game, this will have a huge impact on the Suns competativeness when Nash is out. If Dragic is effective, it will and leave a more effective Nash at game end.
Dragic is supposed to have very good court vision If he can get more producitivty out of Barbosa when Nash is out. Dratic can play with Barbos awho is much better off the ball and Dragic is better defender who can compensate for Barbosa's defensive weaknesses better than Nash.
Porter taled about Dragic's ability to run the break but also the pick and roll as well as the drive and kick, so Dragic should be able to do many of the Nash plays even if not as well.
2. BARNES: They are looking to start Barnes where he would get the benefit of Nash passing. Check some of the youtube clips on message 78. He is a lot better than Giricek and COULD be a good three point shooter. http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/f7/barnes-to-start-ahead-of-hill-119348-6.html
Rosie glasses points out that in 2006-07 Barnes had a breakout year, but last season was overwhelmed by the passing of his mother. Playing with Nash and more open looks should help, but just a new environment should help.
3. HEATHLY HILL: Grant Hill suffered an appendectomy in Jan which aggravate an old hernia injury that had been under control. The combination was very hard to recover from and the short bench meant he never really recovered and kept reaggravating it. Hill is now recovered, but to be safe the Suns want him to play fewer minutes. The rose glasses point out that he was averaging just under 16 ppg prior to his operation.
4. LOPEZ GIVES BIG DEPTH: Last year D'Antoni only played Skinner 12.8 minutes in 66 games. Every report has suggested that Lopez will be a real contributor this year and with 9'5" reach mean there will be a serious shot blocker on the floor all the time. The Rosie glasses say he will be a big part of the rotation and help limit the number of minutes Shaq plays in preparation for the playoffs.
5. USE OF SHAQ WILL BE BETTER THIS YEAR: Even at far less than 100% last year, Shaq averaged 61.1% from the fiield and the team's overall scoring was just a couple of tenths of a point less than the year before. Reports that Shaq is in better condition (not much lighter but with more muscle and less fat). Rosie glasses points out that the Suns training staff is exceptional at getting guys ready to play and hopefull that will mean Shaq too.
On the floor, what matters is Shaq's mobility, which by most reports seems pretty good. If he can move, he's one of the most dominant low post players in the last 30 years and will typically draw double teams. Last year they didn't work hard enough at getting him the ball or use his passing skills on kick outs and cutters. Rosie glasss points out that it is hard to guard three guys who each require double teams.
6. Focus on Defense: In the last 20 games of the regular season, the Suns defense was dramatically improved with the addition of Shaq, but that was without a coherent defensive scheme. On a team with as many athletic players, a heavier emphasis on defense could make this one of the better defensive teams in the NBA. It sounds like Cartright is going to be a good defensive coach for Amare and the other other bigs.
Obviously rosie glasses might be wrong, but so could a lot of the gloom and doom predictions. IMHO, if rosie glasses is even close to being right, the Suns will be right up there.
http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PaulCoro/34153
What about the Suns? To say anything good is to get accused of wearing rose colored glasses. So here is the rose colored view of why the Suns have a chance of being in the elite. Obviously this might not happen, but is not out of the question.
1. DRAGIC: For Nash to play only 32 minutes a game leasves 16 minutes to be covered, or roughly a third of the game. If Dragic has game, this will have a huge impact on the Suns competativeness when Nash is out. If Dragic is effective, it will and leave a more effective Nash at game end.
Dragic is supposed to have very good court vision If he can get more producitivty out of Barbosa when Nash is out. Dratic can play with Barbos awho is much better off the ball and Dragic is better defender who can compensate for Barbosa's defensive weaknesses better than Nash.
Porter taled about Dragic's ability to run the break but also the pick and roll as well as the drive and kick, so Dragic should be able to do many of the Nash plays even if not as well.
2. BARNES: They are looking to start Barnes where he would get the benefit of Nash passing. Check some of the youtube clips on message 78. He is a lot better than Giricek and COULD be a good three point shooter. http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/f7/barnes-to-start-ahead-of-hill-119348-6.html
Rosie glasses points out that in 2006-07 Barnes had a breakout year, but last season was overwhelmed by the passing of his mother. Playing with Nash and more open looks should help, but just a new environment should help.
3. HEATHLY HILL: Grant Hill suffered an appendectomy in Jan which aggravate an old hernia injury that had been under control. The combination was very hard to recover from and the short bench meant he never really recovered and kept reaggravating it. Hill is now recovered, but to be safe the Suns want him to play fewer minutes. The rose glasses point out that he was averaging just under 16 ppg prior to his operation.
4. LOPEZ GIVES BIG DEPTH: Last year D'Antoni only played Skinner 12.8 minutes in 66 games. Every report has suggested that Lopez will be a real contributor this year and with 9'5" reach mean there will be a serious shot blocker on the floor all the time. The Rosie glasses say he will be a big part of the rotation and help limit the number of minutes Shaq plays in preparation for the playoffs.
5. USE OF SHAQ WILL BE BETTER THIS YEAR: Even at far less than 100% last year, Shaq averaged 61.1% from the fiield and the team's overall scoring was just a couple of tenths of a point less than the year before. Reports that Shaq is in better condition (not much lighter but with more muscle and less fat). Rosie glasses points out that the Suns training staff is exceptional at getting guys ready to play and hopefull that will mean Shaq too.
On the floor, what matters is Shaq's mobility, which by most reports seems pretty good. If he can move, he's one of the most dominant low post players in the last 30 years and will typically draw double teams. Last year they didn't work hard enough at getting him the ball or use his passing skills on kick outs and cutters. Rosie glasss points out that it is hard to guard three guys who each require double teams.
6. Focus on Defense: In the last 20 games of the regular season, the Suns defense was dramatically improved with the addition of Shaq, but that was without a coherent defensive scheme. On a team with as many athletic players, a heavier emphasis on defense could make this one of the better defensive teams in the NBA. It sounds like Cartright is going to be a good defensive coach for Amare and the other other bigs.
Obviously rosie glasses might be wrong, but so could a lot of the gloom and doom predictions. IMHO, if rosie glasses is even close to being right, the Suns will be right up there.
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Nice post Irish. Refreshing to read an optimistic spin on the Suns.
That's terrible E. 
