Half-court eventually answer for Suns

Going into last night’s game against the Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash sounded like a kid whining about taking his vitamins.

Nash’s is having trouble making the necessary adjustments to Terry Porter’s style, saying to the Arizona Republic that the offense lacks “creativity” and “flow.” Ideas valued in Nash’s basketball philosophy.

But more than winning?

Nash might want to concentrate on not getting wiped away every time he gets screened and let Porter have control of this team. The Phoenix Suns now have a calculated attack.

Phoenix is going to have to get used to the fact that learning to play playoff basketball is sometimes a tedious task. For years the Spurs have been derided for their matter-of-fact, uninteresting style of play. But when the playoffs come around the Spurs are a tough team to beat because they start playing that slow knockdown, drag-out style in the preseason and don’t change all year.

You’re going to see things like an easy bucket in transition getting passed up in favor of setting up the offense for a high-percentage shot.

Running and gunning is one thing, but in the end the team that wins is the team that does the most with their accumulated possessions. Why not slow down and think about getting the highest percentage opportunity each time you have the ball? That’s the way teams win championships in this league.

Also, if there’s one thing the other top teams have over Phoenix, it’s overall team athleticism and a good half court offense can neutralize the athletic advantage of a good defense.

Posting up Shaq with Steve Nash on the wing feeding him the ball is about as good an attack as any team has in the league. The defender guarding Steve Nash really can’t sag off of him to help out the man guarding Shaq. Nash is prone to shooting over 50-percent from the field and with those two on the same side of the floor, coaches know exactly where the two players guarding them are. Neither can afford to leave their man. A third defender would be needed to help double-team Shaq and then the Suns are playing three-on-two on the other side. That is why you play half court basketball. It's getting fast break numbers without running.

Every good team in the league has a combination like Shaq and Nash, a combination that forces three defenders to guard two players. Rasheed and Iverson is one. Garnett and Allen is another. Duncan and any one of the Spurs’ perimeter players can force a double team.

Be patient, Phoenix. The wins totals aren’t going to be what they were, but the team is going to be rougher and tougher and more ready to stand up to the big dogs in the Western Conference.