I forget what game it was but it was against a team trying to take away the pick and roll. We switched it up and let Amare run the offense through him on the block with off-ball screens and back cuts off of his motion. We need to do more of that and I think we will as Sun Tzu gets completely back to full strength.

I too don't believe in the obsession to double team constantly unless Nash gets caught on a switch. All that double teaming does a few things.

First, we're giving up wide open shots in situations where a double team wasn't even necessary.

Second, in all of the recovery and switching, when the shot does go up, our rebound-capable players are out of position because of the switching which keeps the offensive rebounding for other teams so disgustingly high.

Personally, I wouldn't mind a straight up defense (unless a guard is backing Nash down), where the defense funnels guys down the baselines and into our bigs who will still be in proper position guarding their men as well as allowing our bigs, (even though they're a little smaller most of the time), to handle the post defense so the weak side help can come to assist or be ready for the box out.

This way perhaps one guy gets 35 – 40 every night but the rest of the perimeter guys are cold and sitting there and we're winning by 12.

I also think we should commit fully on the pick and roll switch where the big attacks the release side and the guard follows on the front side of the cutter so he can't just release to the paint.

Make the pass higher, longer, more delayed so that defensive recovery isn't such a struggle.

I know we want to seduce teams into jacking up shots they wouldn't normally take and that's fine. The problem is the way we've designed our defense to accomplish that leaves us with absolutely no rebounding position and tons of second chance points for the opposition even when we manage to force teams into bad shots.

Suns line up on the road should start J-Dud in place of Frye. This small ball team will create havoc and make most of its shots. Easy to sag on the pick & roll when they know Frye will miss. As poorly as we’re doing on the road without LB (one of our best road warriors along with Nash and J-Dud ), what do we have to lose? This stretch at this time, so early in the season, may be a blessing in disguise, ONLY if it serves as a wake up call to Alvin to make changes. Without his learning how to improve, it will have been a pure loss. Hill may have some issues at home and is not playing or shooting well. J-Rich is a chucker and Kyle is right to say that most of his shots should go to STAT. Having said all that, we were one bad call away from celebrating a gutsy win vs. another very good team on the road. Some credit for last night’s game should rightfully go to Rick and the Mavs, They were hungry for a win and would stop at nothing to get it, even allowing Josh to play.

Most of our losses came at the back of a back-to-back when we never even competed with the other very good team. Some additional changes to our line up MUST be made for those situations where we are not even playing D-League ball. STAT, J-Rich, Frye and Hill have been miserable on the road in the back of a back-to-back. Keep these four starters on the bench. Instead, start Louis, Earl, J-Dud, and the Brazilian Blur (when he comes back). They will play, as they have in those games, with much more energy and competitiveness. Open the lineup to healthy competition. This will make our regular starters hungrier than they have been. This will also allow some of our younger guys a shot at moving up. Time to rest on our press clippings is gone. Time to see just what Gentry is made of.

MUST start and ALSO finish with LB. Let’s go SUNS!!!!

There was a foul early in the game where upon replay, and for most, normal play, was a complete PHANTOM foul. There was zero contact whatsoever. It was a one point game. Dirk then got a complete bogus reaching in call with six seconds left in the third for an and one situation. How does a player get to continue a set shot on a reaching in foul? He was stationary. Anyway, these fouls and more all around poor officiating against Dallas as well. The refs blew a clear blocking foul on Grant Hill. This poor officiating makes heartbreaking losses even more frustrating.

Tonight, the Suns played hard. They were a team who in the second quarter looked in BIG trouble offensively. We miss Leandro Badly.

Gentry was up to something again it seemed as Robin Lopez came in, was active in getting four rebounds in three minutes, but didn’t see the court in the second half.

Channing Frye CONTINUED to struggled on the road. He went 1-7 and 0-4 from three-point land. What’s the deal? Honeslty, Gentry may need to consider benching him and playing a natural Center next to Amar’e when Channing is on the road and struggling.

J Rich took TWENTY Field Goals! His scoring was completely helpful, but he continues to be the most frustrating Suns player on the court (SANS Amar’e) He was active in stealing rebounds when he wasn’t needed on the glass, but I like the hustle. He took bad off the dribble shots and long two’s again. I HATE these shots. Inevitably he shoots 5 of them again. Remove these 5 and replace them with assists, or more post ups and drives to the basket. RAISE YOUR BASKETBALL I.Q.!

Amar’e looked dominant early. His shot was ON. Plain and simple, that shot is back. He was hustling on the glass even though he only came down with 5 rebounds. He had 20 points, 3 assists and was active on the glass tipping balls out to other players and boxing out for Channing and J Rich to thieve him… He is playing team basketball and showed it off at times.

WHY DON’T THE SUNS USE AMAR’E. He was draining shots 3/3 to start the game with a great pass after they started playing him different. Then we went into BAD one on one offense and lost our rhythm and the game. Keep Amar’e involved and it looked like we had an opportunity to pull away. Once again he had the third most shots with fourteen. Grant had eleven FG attempts. Granted, Nash when HOT like tonight should have the most shots. But Amar’e should average our most field goal attempts.

The Suns can lose close games on the road. This was a rough one, and the games don’t get easier. Friday we have Orlando at home. It’s a back to back with the Nuggets @ Denver so we could use the win. I am excited we can have a day to practice some new things and hopefully figure out how to get some offense injected into that second unit.

68% of our games (15) were on the road.

Of this 15 games, 7 were against over-.500 teams.

In my opinion, we had only two UNEXPECTED LOSSSES: against the Hornets and the Knicks. All the other losses were roadies against "better teams" (Lakers, Magic, Cavs and Mavs).

On the other hand, we snatched a few UNEXPECTED WINS, against Celtics, Heat and Rockets. And still are undefeated at home.

In a long season, when you have an average team (which I think its the Suns case), you gotta have more unexpected wins than unexpected losses. And I think we managed to do this in this first quarter of the season.

I know what I've said is pretty obvious, but the key to our success this season is to steal some games against the "better teams" and avoid, at all costs, to lose to the Timberwolves of this world. And losing to subpar teams has been our Walton's foot in the past few years.