NBA JAM: PHOENIX SUNS

In our continuing rundown on the NBA season, Neate looks at the Pacific Division, specifically the Phoenix Suns.

Last season: 54-28, 2nd in Western Conference, lost 4-2 to Dallas in third round
Coach: Mike D'Antoni
New faces: Marcus Banks, Eric Piatkowski (well, new to the Suns, anyhow)
Funny-looking white guy: Well, Steve Nash certainly was back on Draft Day 1996
Blogs: Rising Suns, SunsGossip

The Suns are far away the coolest team in the NBA, between their left-leaning two-time MVP point guard from Victoria, B.C., Steve Nash and the explosive Amaré Stoudamire, now working his way back after playing only three games in '05-06 before injuring his knee and requiring season-ending surgery. Plus the one and only Neal Pollack is a big Suns fan.

Nash, though, is probably due for a letdown after playing way over his head for the past two seasons as the key cog in Phoenix's open-throttle offence. The plan is to give Marcus Banks, Nash's understudy, more time at the point and try to save the 32-year-old Canadian icon for the playoffs.

Obviously we're biased here since we've been following Nash's career since Santa Clara days, but the hope here is that the Suns can prove something to all the doubters who contend a running, gunning offence-first team can't win in today's NBA. They're probably wrong -- a running team in the Phoenix style is going to win one of these years, but odds are it likely won't be the Suns -- another team will copy what they do, adapt it, assemble the right pieces and reach the NBA summit. (Maybe it will be the Toronto Raptors, but let's not go nuts.)

You know Phoenix's strengths -- they run the floor and shoot 3-pointers more often and better than anyone else. Of course, there's nights were the fast-break opportunities just aren't there, and the outside shots just don't fall, and that's when not there, their lack of defence and rebounding tends to get exposed.

Still, the bottom line is that Phoenix plays a purer form of basketball that is much more pleasing to watch than the teams who treat the ball like a precious heirloom and walk it up the floor every time. For that alone, they're the team you'd like to see coming out of the West to play in the NBA Finals.

Also in Pacific Division: L.A. Clippers, L.A. Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings

That's all for now. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.