| 24 November 2009
Being on top of the world isn't easy. Sure it's better than being out of the money - but that doesn't make it the perfect place to be. To coin some imperfect English - it ain't no Garden of Eden.
Now - if all goes as expected - the dreaded and even hated Los Angeles Lakers will grab a win against the New York Knicks on Tuesday and carve another notch on their collective bed post. That'll leave them tied with the Suns atop the Pacific Division of the Western Conference as we creep towards Thursday's Thanksgiving Day eating fest.
Frankly, the Suns have to look that challenge in the eye and Coach Alvin Gentry should be spending some time weighing just what to do with his awesome point scoring arsenal - the only offense in the NBA to score at least 100 points in every game so far this season.
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While a great deal can be said about the hurdles facing the Suns as they go forward - we're not going to venture down the speculative road. Instead, we're taking this opportunity to make a simple suggestion straight from our heart - keep Robin Lopez off the court.
Trade'em, pay him off or have Robin sell cars. We don't care - just keep Lopez off the court. Yep - it sounds mean - but you know we're right.
Here's the story - Robin Lopez fractured a small bone in his foot in early October before the season got underway. We were told that he might be out for about two months. That timetable would have him coming back on about Pearl Harbor Day - oh, how fitting.
Since RoLo's injury the Suns offense has proven to be incredibly explosive as they lead the NBA with 110.35 ppg. And bringing in a center - like Lopez - who has proven himself incapable of scoring production and/or competent defensive play would be a disaster. Indeed - despite his being in excess of 7-feet tall - young Lopez's basketball skills are a mere shadow of what is needed to really compete in the NBA.
That would explain Robin scoring barely 189 points last season and grabbing an average of one rebound for every 6 minutes on the court. And it all comes down to Mr. Lopez not being comfortable in his own skin.
No - we're not smoking that wacky weed. Instead - we've been reading a book and it tells a revealing tale.
Written by Chris Ballard, this wonderful book entitled "The Art of a Beautiful Game", recounts an incident that took place in the Suns locker room last year when Shaquille O'Neal questioned why Lopez was always bending over when he played defense on the court. "You're always bending over. You're a 7-footer. Be a 7-footer."
The story continues. "You know what it is? You don't like being tall. You don't like being tall at all."
According to Ballard, Lopez's only response to the exchange was an ever so articulate "Huh?"
How fitting.
See ya'.
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