Spotlight On The 7 Seconds Or Less Suns
One of my favorite rotations ever in the NBA was the 7 seconds or less Suns. Specifically the 2007 season. Let me set the stage for you.
At center was Amar'e Stoudemire. He was coming off a lost season the previous year, and he had something to prove in '07. He made his first and only All NBA 1st team this season.
At power forward was Boris Diaw. Diaw had won Most Improved Player the year before, and was called upon to play numerous positions and help fill the void that was left when Stoudemire went down with injury. This particular season he got to play alongside Stoudemire, and had less responsibilities, but was no less important to the team's success.
At small forward was Shawn Marion who was pound for pound possibly the most well-rounded player in the NBA at the time. (Despite his hideous looking jump shot that was somehow effective.) The previous year he had a career season, which was to be expected, for the same reasons that Diaw did also, but this season he and Stoudemire gelled like a well-oiled machine.
The shooting guard was Raja Bell whose claim to fame was being one of, if not the only, guy who could reasonably contain Kobe who was without question the best scorer in the game at that point. Bell did the dirty work for an otherwise finesse Phoenix team. He also could hit the spot up 3 which worked perfectly with the Sun's run and gun offense.
And finally for the starters was the straw that stirred the drink, Steve Nash. This team wouldn't have been nearly as effective without Nash running the show. He had just won the previous 2 season's MVP's coming into the '07 season, and in my opinion got robbed this season. (Damn you Dirk!) Nash was without question the best point guard in the league, and was arguably having the best season of his career.
The main cog off the bench was Leandro Barbosa who had a career season, and earned 6th Man of the Year in the process. Barbosa's claim to fame was being uber-fast with the ball (The Brazilian Blur) and being one of the best 3 point shooters in the league.
Unfortunately in the end, this team will be remembered much like the Sacramento Kings at the turn of the century. Ridiculously entertaining and talented, but never made it to the Finals. This 07's team looked to have the best chance of winning it all, especially since the West's first seed (Dallas) was upset in the first round. But it wasn't to be. The Suns fell to the Spurs in the second round, (as many do) albeit a certain hip check and suspensions may have altered the series.
The next year the team was blown up when Marion was traded for Shaq in a colossal failure move for the Suns. Diaw and Bell were traded the next season. Ironically in 2010, Nash along with Amar'e, and newcomers Jason Richardson and Grant Hill made a push all the way to the Western Conference Finals before losing to eventual champs Los Angeles in 6 games. It wasn't the same as the "good ole days" though. Amar'e bolted to NYC after that season, and Nash was traded 2 years after that.
The thing that I find fascinating is how the players' careers wound up after leaving Phoenix. In 2007 I would have said that Amar'e had the highest ceiling of the 6 guys I mentioned at the top. He has no doubt had a really good career, but the injuries have continued to plague him, and he is without question now the most overpaid role player in the NBA earning a cool 23 million this upcoming season. All at the ripe old age of 31.
Barbosa had a solid 2008 season, but has steeply declined in nearly every season since. He's very injury-plagued as well, but ironically is back on the Suns; a mere shell of his former self. Raja Bell seemingly disappeared after being traded, but didn't decline too terribly statistically; at least not right away. He hasn't played the 2012 season.
Nash, as we all knew was playing against father time. He was the elder statesman of the group. We saw a gradual declined each of the years until he was traded to LA in 2012; and it's been ugly ever since. With the exception of Andrew Bynum or Greg Oden, Nash has probably been the most injury-prone person the last two seasons. It's really sad how his body has broken down. He has essentially said without saying it officially, that the 2015 season will be his last. I'll always remember '07.
It's pretty fascinating how the two remaining players that are still relevant, are the two "Swiss army knives" of the group. Marion is no longer an all-star like he was in '07, but he is still a great role player, and was the first of the group to win a ring with the '11 Mavericks. Now on the revamped Cavs team, he may get his second ring. Granted, he is playing behind LeBron so he won't shoulder too much of a load this time around.
Much like the rest of his former teammates (sans Marion) Boris Diaw seemingly fell off the map once leaving the Suns. He still put up an interesting stat line that kept fantasy players at notice, but his inconsistent play usually resulted in him being on the waiver wire. The rest of the NBA world however had long forgotten about ole Boris. That is until he was picked up by the Spurs. Reuniting with old pal Tony Parker, and being reinvigorated by Coach Pop, Diaw may have single-handily altered the outcome of the 2014 Finals. You see, he was inserted into the starting lineup and created all sorts of match-up problems for Miami and their lack of big men. Diaw, like Marion now had a ring (maybe more on the horizon?). Yes in 2014, Boris Diaw was the most relevant player from the 7 Seconds or Less Suns. Who would have thunk it?
At center was Amar'e Stoudemire. He was coming off a lost season the previous year, and he had something to prove in '07. He made his first and only All NBA 1st team this season.
At power forward was Boris Diaw. Diaw had won Most Improved Player the year before, and was called upon to play numerous positions and help fill the void that was left when Stoudemire went down with injury. This particular season he got to play alongside Stoudemire, and had less responsibilities, but was no less important to the team's success.
At small forward was Shawn Marion who was pound for pound possibly the most well-rounded player in the NBA at the time. (Despite his hideous looking jump shot that was somehow effective.) The previous year he had a career season, which was to be expected, for the same reasons that Diaw did also, but this season he and Stoudemire gelled like a well-oiled machine.
The shooting guard was Raja Bell whose claim to fame was being one of, if not the only, guy who could reasonably contain Kobe who was without question the best scorer in the game at that point. Bell did the dirty work for an otherwise finesse Phoenix team. He also could hit the spot up 3 which worked perfectly with the Sun's run and gun offense.
And finally for the starters was the straw that stirred the drink, Steve Nash. This team wouldn't have been nearly as effective without Nash running the show. He had just won the previous 2 season's MVP's coming into the '07 season, and in my opinion got robbed this season. (Damn you Dirk!) Nash was without question the best point guard in the league, and was arguably having the best season of his career.The main cog off the bench was Leandro Barbosa who had a career season, and earned 6th Man of the Year in the process. Barbosa's claim to fame was being uber-fast with the ball (The Brazilian Blur) and being one of the best 3 point shooters in the league.
Unfortunately in the end, this team will be remembered much like the Sacramento Kings at the turn of the century. Ridiculously entertaining and talented, but never made it to the Finals. This 07's team looked to have the best chance of winning it all, especially since the West's first seed (Dallas) was upset in the first round. But it wasn't to be. The Suns fell to the Spurs in the second round, (as many do) albeit a certain hip check and suspensions may have altered the series.
The next year the team was blown up when Marion was traded for Shaq in a colossal failure move for the Suns. Diaw and Bell were traded the next season. Ironically in 2010, Nash along with Amar'e, and newcomers Jason Richardson and Grant Hill made a push all the way to the Western Conference Finals before losing to eventual champs Los Angeles in 6 games. It wasn't the same as the "good ole days" though. Amar'e bolted to NYC after that season, and Nash was traded 2 years after that.
The thing that I find fascinating is how the players' careers wound up after leaving Phoenix. In 2007 I would have said that Amar'e had the highest ceiling of the 6 guys I mentioned at the top. He has no doubt had a really good career, but the injuries have continued to plague him, and he is without question now the most overpaid role player in the NBA earning a cool 23 million this upcoming season. All at the ripe old age of 31.
Barbosa had a solid 2008 season, but has steeply declined in nearly every season since. He's very injury-plagued as well, but ironically is back on the Suns; a mere shell of his former self. Raja Bell seemingly disappeared after being traded, but didn't decline too terribly statistically; at least not right away. He hasn't played the 2012 season. Nash, as we all knew was playing against father time. He was the elder statesman of the group. We saw a gradual declined each of the years until he was traded to LA in 2012; and it's been ugly ever since. With the exception of Andrew Bynum or Greg Oden, Nash has probably been the most injury-prone person the last two seasons. It's really sad how his body has broken down. He has essentially said without saying it officially, that the 2015 season will be his last. I'll always remember '07.
It's pretty fascinating how the two remaining players that are still relevant, are the two "Swiss army knives" of the group. Marion is no longer an all-star like he was in '07, but he is still a great role player, and was the first of the group to win a ring with the '11 Mavericks. Now on the revamped Cavs team, he may get his second ring. Granted, he is playing behind LeBron so he won't shoulder too much of a load this time around.
Much like the rest of his former teammates (sans Marion) Boris Diaw seemingly fell off the map once leaving the Suns. He still put up an interesting stat line that kept fantasy players at notice, but his inconsistent play usually resulted in him being on the waiver wire. The rest of the NBA world however had long forgotten about ole Boris. That is until he was picked up by the Spurs. Reuniting with old pal Tony Parker, and being reinvigorated by Coach Pop, Diaw may have single-handily altered the outcome of the 2014 Finals. You see, he was inserted into the starting lineup and created all sorts of match-up problems for Miami and their lack of big men. Diaw, like Marion now had a ring (maybe more on the horizon?). Yes in 2014, Boris Diaw was the most relevant player from the 7 Seconds or Less Suns. Who would have thunk it?
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