Valley of the Suns
Fansided

Five team improvements heading into Training Camp

By Matthew Daniels

PHOENIX, AZ - OCTOBER 10: Dragan Bender
PHOENIX, AZ - OCTOBER 10: Dragan Bender /
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1. Ball Movement

MIAMI, FL – MARCH 21: Tyler Ulis #8 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball against the Miami Heat on March 21, 2017 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL – MARCH 21: Tyler Ulis #8 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball against the Miami Heat on March 21, 2017 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Isolation can be a very effective tool in the hands of a great ball handler – an area where Phoenix is lacking. Although Phoenix does not have the ball handlers to kill opposing teams with isolation, that has not stopped them.

Playing Like Iverson

At times, everyone on the team wanted to play like Allen Iverson. From Bledsoe and Ulis to Bender and Chriss, isolation was on every player’s mind. As a result, part of the team’s shooting difficulties were direct results of poor ball movement. It may be a new trend in the league, but bringing the ball up the court and holding on to it until there is 10 seconds left will greatly decrease the team’s chances of scoring.

Next: #SUNSat50 Recap: Classi Uin Released!

The Fix

This fix is very easy, just pass the ball. It may seem simple – and it is. The ball is faster than any player in the league. Phoenix’s players must be taught how to move the ball to create shots. When you turn on a Warriors game, they almost never use isolation to get their shots. They pass the ball around to create nearly every shot. With solid ball movement, even average shooters turn into solid, dependable shooters.

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