A Rotation Decision That Hurt The Suns | NBA Playbook

A Rotation Decision That Hurt The Suns

Suns’ coach Alvin Gentry made a name for himself these playoffs for having a tremendous amount of trust in his bench.  Guys like Channing Frye, Goran Dragić, and Jared Dudley each probably won a game themselves at some point during the Suns’ playoff run.

Coach Gentry had a great feel for when to keep his bench in, and when to put his his starters back in, but in Game 6 against the Lakers, he made two poor decisions regarding his rotation that probably cost his team the game.  Riding Dragić, the Suns were able to cut the Lakers’ lead to 5 points with just about 6 minutes left.  The 6 minute mark in the 4th quarter is usually when Gentry puts Nash and the rest of his starters back in, but in Game 6, he decided to ride the hot hand.  Coming out of a timeout with 5:35 left in the game, Gentry had the perfect opportunity to go back with his starters, but he didn’t.  Here were the Suns’ next two possessions on the offensive end:

Two pretty bad three point shots. One where you had Barbosa just dribble out the clock and launch it, and one where Dragić took it way too quick.  Now the Lakers only expanded their lead by two points during the time when the Suns came out of the timeout and when Steve Nash returned, however a lot of momentum was lost with those two possessions.  This is an elimination game and there is no real excuse to keep Nash on the bench until 3:26 left in the fourth quarter.
01
Jun 2010
POSTED BY Sebastian Pruiti
POSTED IN 2010 Playoffs 4th Quarters Coaching Strategy LA Lakers Phoenix Suns
DISCUSSION 6 Comments
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  • Chris

    The second one was a good look. I’m not sure they could have come up with a better look by going through their offense.

    The first one was awful. It’s kinda hard to imagine what they were trying to run there. It looks like Barbosa had made up his mind to take a three on the possession, it’s almost like he’s completely locked in, doesn’t even see the pick in front of him.

  • Bryan

    First play was one of their favorites, down screen right into spread ball screen. Lakers always seemed to anticipate Suns’ calls out of timeouts well–great scouting. They switched the down screen and then again the ball screen which put Artest (best defender) heavily involved in both. Barbosa didn’t have much of a choice with no time on the clock. On 2nd, Dragic turned around and found himself wide open. Can’t really find fault with that.

  • Wesley

    I love what you do here and usually gain great insight. That being said this post is a little bit “hindsight is 20/20″ rather than analysis. Is it really the coach’s fault that the players on the court couldn’t get a better shot? Seems to me the players just failed to execute when they have time and again proven they know how to. Playing Nash or not playing Nash is a gut call and there’s nothing in this review to suggest Nash would have guaranteed a better outcome.

  • Sebastian Pruiti

    I understand that the second was a great look, but I would be more comfortable with the ball in Nash’s hand rather than Dragic’s.

  • Sebastian Pruiti

    I know it is a gut feel and all that but you let your starter (and two-time MVP and All-Star), the one who is able to create so much for everybody, Nash sit on the bench for almost 9 minutes in the 4th quarter of an elimination game? That is putting too much faith in your bench in an elimination game. Just my opinion though.

  • Ron

    Good call. I thought Goran’s shot was more ill-advised than straight up bad like Barbosa’s since he had his feet set but he also had 18 seconds on the shot clock. Gentry should’ve taken our LB, who after that little scoring spurt was just killing the Suns Offensive rhythm, and replace him with Nash. Suns could’ve stayed with Dragic on the floor since he was the hot hand but LB definitely had to go.

    To Wesley, the first out of bounds play was terrible. Barbosa has never been a play maker and putting the ball in his hand out of the time out was just a bad coaching decision. The play should’ve been called so Dragic had the ball. I know LB is more experienced but he’s shown this season his playmaking has regressed a lot.

    Either way, I felt Gentry should’ve went with Nash earlier than the usual 6min mark. I understand the second unit was making a big comeback, but this is an elimination game, there’s no reason why Nash should be in the game that late.