The dramatic outline has been established for the Phoenix
Suns.
They have six regular-season games remaining,
with five within the comfy embrace of US Airways Center. The last act
begins Monday night with a visit from the Portland Trail Blazers as the
Suns sit one game outside the Western Conference playoff
fence.
"Here we are," Steve Nash said. "We're not out
of it."
Nash's even-keel declaration occurred
following Saturday's loss at San Antonio, where a balky hip limited the
38-year-old point guard to a few ticks less than six forgettable
minutes. With the Suns already trailing 21-4, Coach Alvin Gentry decided
Nash and his hip could live to fight another
day.
They're not out of it, remember? Let's see if
Suns fans can say the same in about three
months.
Will they -- along with the players, coaches
and franchise management -- still be in what could be a compelling race
to employ Nash? Based on the texture of how things unfold, the story of
Nash's future hiring figures to be far more interesting than competing
for a playoff date with the Spurs or Oklahoma City
Thunder.
So, while Suns fans brace themselves for
this final push, they also could be witnessing Nash's last stand as the
face of the franchise.
The point guard, his teammates
and his coaches certainly don't have the energy to waste on such
conjecture. They've done an outstanding job of ignoring immediate and
long-range ramifications of their losing or winning, rallying to win 19
of their last 31 games.
But for the rest of us, these
last five home games should be savored -- just in case. While Nash
hasn't been able to generate a trip to the NBA Finals, his work in
Phoenix has provided countless memorable moments that are balanced on a
slightly perceptible line separating competition and
entertainment.
Speculation regarding Nash's next
professional move is dictated by who and where you
are.
Over the weekend, the subject came up in three
different conversations I had with NBA personnel executives. All three
seem convinced that Nash's desire for a championship ring will
necessitate his moving on. Keep in mind that they had no inside intel
and all work for teams that are in good shape at point
guard.
In Phoenix -- where followers in various
circumstances have sifted through public prioritizing of Nash's
motivations -- the variables that matter include family, teammates,
coaches, coveted trainers, organization and the city
itself.
Yeah, the next six games could be extremely
interesting.
And if things go really well, the Suns
and their fans could have a few more dates to enjoy the show before Nash
and the franchise team up for their big decision.
BACKUP GOING
FORWARD
This week's Suns survival may
require Sebastian Telfair to continue producing big numbers in the
minutes Nash isn't utilizing.
In the last six games,
Telfair -- who began the season as the third-string point guard on a
two-unit squad -- has given Phoenix an average of 11.9 points in
slightly less than 19 minutes per game. Those numbers were goosed a bit
by the 21-point, 31-minute effort in Saturday's loss at San Antonio,
during which Telfair was the only Sun playing with fire on every
possession.
During this seven-game run, "Bassy" has
amassed 32 assists against only five turnovers while applying relentless
pressure on defense. His size and occasional positioning errors haven't
always translated into a great defensive possession, but Telfair has
loomed in his opponent's face the entire time he's been on the
floor.
"I'm really a little surprised at how
effective he's been," said an NBA personnel executive who's seen Telfair
for about seven seasons. "I mean, he's really not that good when you
think about it. He's small, doesn't have any length, he's not overly
athletic and really not a very good shooter.
"He does
handle the ball very well, but he understands that he has to play all
out on every play ... and, to his credit, that's what he's been
doing."
Quickness certainly can fall under any
interpretation of athleticism's umbrella, and Telfair is quick. He also
continues to work on making shots that can be found (and he finds 'em)
in the Suns' offense; Bassy has bagged 32 of his last 62 attempts from
the field.
How that translates for the Suns this week
and for Telfair in the long term are issues to sit back and
witness.
WATT
NOW
The latest edition of NBADraft.com's
mock draft includes a listing for former Goodyear Desert Edge forward
Mitchell Watt.
Based on his strong showing at the
Portsmouth Invitational Tournament -- a pre-draft showcase for
off-Broadway prospects -- Watt has jumped up into the 60th (last)
position in the two-round mock.
Getting there has
been quite a journey. Watt averaged 12 points, eight rebounds and four
blocks on a 28-2 Desert Edge team that claimed the 2008 Arizona 4A-II
state championship. After escaping the discriminating eyes of recruiters
out West, Watt played four seasons at the University of Buffalo, where
the senior forward recently was named the Most Valuable Player of the
Mid-American Conference.
His rise from Desert Edge to
NBA prospect included a battle with Guillan-Barre Syndrome before his
sophomore season at Buffalo. For more on that challenge and Watt's
recent work, check out this
NBA.com link.
Although it's nice
to be noticed, doing well at Portsmouth doesn't exactly guarantee a
spot in the draft or even NBA employment. But it's certainly looking
more plausible.
For relevant input, here's some
perspective rendered by a scout who works for an NBA
team.
"He played well at Portsmouth, but I'm not
really sure what he is," the scout said in reference to what position
Watt might play. "I don't really see him as a three, and I don't think
he's as tall as he was listed."
Watt, registered at
6-foot-10 by the sports information staff at Buffalo, officially checked
in at 6-8, 220 at Portsmouth. His wingspan was measured at 7 feet. He
generally is regarded as a power forward, although 6-8 doesn't exactly
fit the fussy blueprint most personnel executives have for that
position. On Tuesday, I'll have a story that offers a bit of scrutiny
regarding the misrepresented altitude of four
men.
Anyway, another scout offered the same
sized-oriented reservations but did predict Watt will get paid to
play.
"He played extremely hard at Portsmouth," scout
No. 2 said, "and he has a couple of skills that translate. He'll have
to improve to play at our level, but it's been done before. We've seen
that a lot in the league, not just this year but over the last several
years. I seriously doubt, though, that there won't be a place for him on
a professional team in Europe or somewhere competitive."
