Phoenix Suns Blog – Page 54 – NBA Blog

DeMarcus Cousins rocks preseason NBA debut

Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee reports:

One exhibition game into his NBA career, Cousins justified the excitement.

The Kings’ first-round pick had 16 points and 16 rebounds in a 109-95 win over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night at Arco.

“I thought DeMarcus gave us everything we’re looking for in the post on both ends of the floor,” Kings coach Paul Westphal said after the exhibition opener for both teams. “He showed why we think so highly of him. And if he ever gets in shape, he’ll really be able to do a lot.”

Cousins’ conditioning was criticized before the Kings drafted him fifth overall in June.

Cousins averaged just 23.5 minutes in his lone season at Kentucky. He played 29 minutes, 47 seconds against the Suns.

Cousins made 8 of 13 shots. Five of his rebounds were offensive rebounds.

Josh Childress fitting in early with Suns

Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic reports:

Partizan Belgrade's Jan Vesely (L) tries to stop Olympiacos Piraeus's Josh Childress during their Euroleague Basketball Final Four semifinal game in Paris May 7, 2010. REUTERS/Marko Djurica (FRANCE - Tags: SPORT BASKETBALL)

It figured that Childress would need time to find his niche on a team loaded with wing players, but he already fits.

In an intrasquad scrimmage Saturday at University of California-San Diego, Childress’ 28 points and fellow newcomer Hedo Turkoglu’s 22 points led a team with Steve Nash and Jason Richardson to a 101-80 rout of a team with Grant Hill, Robin Lopez, Goran Dragic and Channing Frye.

Turkoglu stuck to perimeter scoring on 7-of-11 shooting, but Childress was all over the floor, like he had been all training camp.

“Don’t let it fool you,” Childress said. “I’m dragging.”

It was hard to tell with how often Childress beat teammates upcourt on fast breaks, cut in half-court offense, got steals and deflections and crashed the boards.

He had five rebounds Saturday, when he scored almost exclusively by moving without the ball.

“He has an unbelievable feel for the ball,” Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. “He’s athletic enough that he’s going to get out and run. He’s going to be able to get out in front of the pack enough that he can come up with easy plays.”

InsideHoops.com editor says: Childress’ European basketball experience probably gives him a court IQ advantage over a lot of other NBA players. Keep an eye on the away-from-ball things he does this season, like cutting, creating passing lanes, setting effective screens, etc.

What’s your take on Childress? Discuss it on the Phoenix Suns forum.

Which Hedo Turkoglu will show up for Suns?

Paola Boivin of the Arizona Republic writes:

The NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2007-08 who helped Orlando to the 2009 Finals? Or the one who was considered a bust in Toronto last season because of sub-par production and a dispassionate air?

It’s up to him, really. At 31, he still has game-changing skills. The spot-up shooting. The slashing through the lane. The ability to create mismatches thanks to a 6-foot-10 frame.

But he has to buy into the Suns’ system, which is really the only way the machine works in Phoenix. It’s an insiders team. You’re in or you’re out. You have to accept the reality that you might not come off the floor one night and barely get on it the next.

Coach Alvin Gentry is not afraid to buck convention. He is less about formulas and more about feel. If the bench has the hot hand, they’re staying in.

“I understand that,” Turkoglu said. “The reason (it works) here is that there’s really good chemistry and those guys accept those roles. For me, I just have to be one of them, just be the guy whenever they need me. I’m going be out there and every single night I’m trying to do my best.”

Suns sign coach Alvin Gentry to contract extension

The Phoenix Suns signed head coach Alvin Gentry to a contract extension that will keep him with the club through the 2012-13 season.

“It was important to extend Alvin’s contract before this season,” said Suns President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby. “He proved his mettle as the perfect coach for the Suns last season. We are excited to have him lead our team going forward.”

Originally elevated as the 14th head coach in franchise history on an interim basis on Feb. 16, 2009, Gentry was named the club’s head coach on May 9, 2009. In just 113 games under his leadership, Gentry’s Suns have compiled a 72-41 (.637) record, giving him the third-highest winning percentage among coaches in franchise history (Paul Westphal, Mike D’Antoni).

“This extension gives me the opportunity to keep improving this team,” said Gentry. “It shows I’m working for an owner who wants to win and demonstrates the confidence he has in me. I am really happy to be working with the management team we have in place and am very excited for the start of our new season.”

The 30-year coaching veteran in both the professional and collegiate ranks took the reins of the Suns in 2009 with the stated goals of establishing a homecourt advantage, returning the club to its trademark offensive explosiveness, and developing a young, productive bench.

In just a season-plus under his leadership, the Suns own a 46-12 (.793) home mark, seventh-best of any NBA team in that span, and perhaps most impressively are 31-6 (.838) at home against the ultra-competitive Western Conference. Phoenix has led the NBA in scoring in each of the last two seasons and averaged 112.3 points during his tenure, even more than the trendsetting Suns posted from 2004-05 to 2007-08 (109.8). In 2009-10, the Suns bench ranked 10th in the NBA, averaging 33.2 points. Gentry and the bench gained national attention during the playoffs when the group increased its scoring average to 34.1 points, best in the NBA, as Gentry played 10 or more Suns in 16-straight postseason games for the first time since 1993.

In his first full season on the bench in 2009-10, Gentry was a two-time NBA Western Conference Coach of the Month for November 2009 and March 2010. In leading the Suns to 54 wins, his career-high as a coach, and the conference’s third-best record, Gentry finished fifth in NBA Coach of the Year voting.

Gentry became just the fifth head coach in franchise history to lead his team to a Western Conference Finals berth in his first full season. Gentry coached the Suns to 10 postseason victories in 2010, tied for the second-most in a single postseason in franchise history.

In 21 seasons in the NBA, Gentry has enjoyed three other head coaching stints with the Los Angeles Clippers (2000-03), Detroit Pistons (1997-2000) and Miami Heat (1995). He has worked alongside some of the game’s most respected coaches, including Larry Brown, Kevin Loughery, Doug Collins and Mike D’Antoni. Gentry joined the Suns organization as an assistant coach on June 1, 2004.

A point guard at Appalachian State under Press Maravich and Bobby Cremins, Gentry earned a degree in management in 1997 and began his coaching career as a graduate assistsant at the University of Colorado the following season.

The 55-year-old Gentry is married to Suzanne and has three children: Alexis, Ryan and Matthew.

Jason Richardson must step up this season

Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic reports:

Jason Richardson and the Suns need the same thing – a big season from him. Phoenix needs his scoring with Amar’e Stoudemire gone, and Richardson needs to play well and win to set up his next contract. He will be paid $14.4 million this season and said there has been preliminary talks about an extension that could keep him from becoming a free agent next summer.

“I feel like I’m going to college,” Richardson said. “I’ve got to pick a decision. It’s going to be fun. I’m not even worried about it. What happens, happens. If I get an extension here, I would love to be here and maybe finish my career here. It’s a business. You never know. There’s no pressure on me to go out and perform just because it’s my contract year. I’m always a firm believer that if you work hard, things will come out your way.”

Richardson said he is ready to be a first or second option again. He worked this summer on mid-range shooting and ball handling because of how he was run off the 3-point line last season.

Phoenix Suns Jason Richardson (L) heads up court on a fast break as Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant (R) watches in the first quarter of Game 3 of the NBA Western Conference Finals at the US Airways Center, in Phoenix, AZ, May 23,2010. . UPI/Art Foxall Photo via Newscom

Former employee suing Shaq

QMI Agency reports:

Shaquille O’Neal is being sued by a former employee who accuses the NBA superstar of trying to plant child pornography on his computer.

Shawn Darling, who worked for O’Neal as an IT consultant from 2007-09, is taking the Celtics big man to court in Florida for “intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy and civil R.I.C.O (a racketeering charge).”

According to the lawsuit, Darling was ordered to delete information from a computer and email account that would have exposed multiple affairs O’Neal was having while he was still married. After the information was deleted, Shaq allegedly tried to plant child pornography on Darling’s computer to frame the employee and keep him from releasing any of the incriminating evidence.

UPDATE: The Boston Herald reports:

In a lengthy statement released by his representatives yesterday, O’Neal called Darling “an ex-con” with a lengthy record. He portrayed the suit as a brazen cash-grab by a man who previously tried to extort him for $12 million by threatening to expose O’Neal’s personal communications and e-mails.

“Mr. O’Neal has made it crystal clear that he will never respond to these outrageous tactics,” Shaq’s representatives said in a statement. “As a result, Darling filed a lawsuit which seeks only to embarrass, harass and extract money from Mr. O’Neal.”

Phoenix Suns name John Treloar director of player personnel

The Phoenix Suns named 30-year basketball veteran John Treloar the club’s director of player personnel.

In his new role, Treloar will assist President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby and General Manager Lance Blanks in all personnel decisions and will lead the club’s draft scouting process.

“I have a tremendous amount of respect for John and his knowledge of the game,” said Blanks. “His longstanding track record of consistency and success are admirable. He is a perfect fit for what we are trying to do.”

Treloar, 53, joins the Suns following the last two seasons as the head coach of the NBA Development League’s Erie BayHawks, an affiliate of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors, where he was also responsible for all personnel decisions. Treloar joined the expansion franchise in 2008, and both assembled the squad and led it to a playoff berth in club’s inaugural season.

“We are excited to add John Treloar to our basketball operations department,” said Babby. “He brings a wealth of experience and will enhance our ability to evaluate players from all sources.”

A 30-year veteran of basketball as both a coach and general manager, Treloar enjoyed success as an assistant coach at Louisiana State University (2004-08) and Indiana University (1997-2004) under Bob Knight and Mike Davis, helping to guide the Hoosiers to six NCAA Tournament appearances and the 2002 Final Four.

At the professional level, Treloar’s head coaching experience was established over eight seasons in the CBA with the Wichita Falls Texans (1990-94), Chicago Rockers (1994-95) and Connecticut Pride (1996-97). His teams made seven playoff appearances in eight seasons and in 1991 Treloar became just the second coach in league history to win a championship in his first season on the bench. Prior to becoming a coach, Treloar served as general manager for both the Mississippi Jets (1987-88) and Texans (1988-89).

A native of Clinton, Miss., Treloar and wife, Debra, have two children, Taylor and Trey. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Bellhaven College and a master’s degree in behavioral studies from the University of Alabama.

Golden State Warriors sign Louis Amundson

The Golden State Warriors have signed free agent forward Louis Amundson to a contract, the team announced today. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released.

Amundson, 27, appeared in 79 regular-season games last season for the Phoenix Suns, averaging 4.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 14.8 minutes per contest – all of which were career bests. A key member of the Suns rotation who came off the bench in all 79 games, Amundson played 20-or-more minutes in 14 regular-season games last year, averaging 9.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.14 blocks and 22.1 minutes in those contests. The 6’9’’ forward also appeared in all 16 of Phoenix’s postseason games, averaging 2.9 points and 3.5 rebounds in 12.1 minutes per game as the Suns advanced to the Western Conference Finals.

“We feel very fortunate to add a player like Lou to our roster as we approach the beginning of training camp,” said General Manager Larry Riley. “We’ve had our eyes on him for several weeks now and are confident that his presence will add depth to our front line. Lou is a player who will provide us with many of the intangibles that help teams win basketball games. He’s a high-energy guy who can rebound, run the floor, defend and get to the all-important loose balls. He played a big role for the Suns last season in their run to the Western Conference Finals and that success can only benefit him and his new teammates as we move forward.”

Overall, Amundson has appeared in 182 regular-season games over four seasons with Philadelphia, Utah and Phoenix, posting career averages of 4.0 points, 3.6 rebounds in 13.0 minutes per contest. After going undrafted in the 2006 NBA Draft out of UNLV, Amundson began his professional career with the Colorado 14ers of the NBA Development League, where he was named D-League Rookie of the Year despite being called up to the NBA in February and splitting the remainder of the 2006-07 season between the Utah Jazz (one game) and Philadelphia 76ers (10 games). After spending the 2007-08 season with the 76ers, the Ventura, CA, native played for the Warriors entry in the 2008 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas and has played the last two NBA seasons with the Suns.

Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum is blocked by Phoenix Suns center Louis Amundson (R) in the first half during Game 6 of the NBA Western Conference finals in Phoenix, Arizona May 29, 2010. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASKETBALL IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Kevin Durant leads USA to first World championship since 1994

Reuters reports:

World championship favorites the United States ended a long wait by beating Turkey 81-64 in the final Sunday to win their first title in 16 years thanks to inspirational forward Kevin Durant.

Still only 21 and coming off his third professional season, the Oklahoma Thunder prodigy won the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award with a series of majestic performances.

Easing past his markers to score from a wide range of positions, Durant racked up 28 points in the final, including 20 in the first half after the hosts had taken an early 17-14 lead.

Durant buried one three-pointer after another to give the U.S. a 42-32 lead at halftime and his Oklahoma team mate Russel Westbrook provided excellent support with 13 points, six rebounds and three assists.

The AP reports:

Lamar Odom added 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Americans, who won gold in the worlds for only the fourth time, doing so with a team that was no sure thing after coming to Turkey without the superstars from its Olympic gold medal team…

Hedo Turkoglu of the Phoenix Suns scored 16 points for the Turks, who were bidding for their first title and were boosted by huge crowd support, with fans in red filling most of the 15,000-seat Sinan Erdem Dome…

The whistling was so loud when U.S. players were introduced that it was hard to make out the names. There were more whistles and boos every time the Americans had the ball in the early going, and the building was at its loudest when Turkoglu made consecutive 3-pointers to give Turkey its first lead at 15-14 with 4:07 remaining in the first quarter.

Kevin Durant of U.S. (C) is surrounded by team mates as they celebrate their victory against Turkey after their FIBA Basketball World Championship final game in Istanbul, September 12, 2010. REUTERS/Murad Sezer (TURKEY - Tags: SPORT BASKETBALL)

Hedo Turkoglu is all business in Turkey

Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun reports:

Hedo Turkoglu did all his talking on the floor Sunday night.

Had he taken that approach in his season in Toronto not to mention an off-season spent slagging the organization that brought him there, Turkoglu might still have a few fans left in Canada.

As it is, he’s probably not missing any of you.

Not when he’s the biggest sporting entity in his home country of Turkey. That spot of honour was only further solidified after leading the Turkish team into the quarter finals of the FIBA world championship with a 20-point evening that included going 4-of-7 from three point range as Turkey demolished France 95-77.

This was not the Turkoglu Torontonians witnessed. The goofy smiles and clowning around with opponents that marked his time in Toronto was replaced by a game-faced Turkoglu ready to do what needed to be done.

If Turkoglu actually takes Turkey to a world championship title, a distinct possibility with the combination of tight defence and team-play on offence they are showing, bronze statues of Turkoglu will likely begin popping up all over the country.

April 12, 2010: Toronto Raptors' Hedo Turkoglu (26) during the NBA basketball game between the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Piston at the Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan.