CNNSI.com's Marty Burns surveys the NBA landscape every week with his Roundball Roundup. Check back during the week for Marty's columns, power rankings and NBA mailbag. To send a question to Marty's mailbag, click here.
The tone in Suns GM Bryan Colangelo's voice was ominous. "We're underachieving," he told me Friday, two days before head coach Scott Skiles suddenly resigned. Though Colangelo didn't want to go into details, it was clear he felt a change was needed to shake Phoenix's core of veterans out of its lethargic state.
Unfortunately for Suns management, the switch to assistant Frank Johnson alone isn't going to be enough. Phoenix's problems this season have largely been on the defensive end -- the team has slipped from seventh in the NBA a year ago in points allowed (and ninth in field-goal percentage defense) to 20th this season (and 15th in FG percent defense). They simply have not been able to make up for the loss of Jason Kidd and Cliff Robinson, the team's two best defenders.
Johnson, a defensive specialist as a player, might be able to inspire more hustle and trust on that end of the court. He also might help alleviate some of the chemistry problems that saw Penny Hardaway and Stephon Marbury at each other's throats after a practice earlier this season. But Phoenix just doesn't have enough frontcourt talent to contend with the big boys in the West, no matter how much Suns management thinks otherwise.
Trade talk heats up
With Thursday's trade deadline looming, the rumor mill is cranking up. The hottest new dish has Pacers forward Jalen Rose and guard Travis Best going to the Bulls for Brad Miller, Charles Oakley and Ron Artest. Then there is Jazz forward Karl Malone, who claims he is being shopped again. GMs around the league are pretty much split on whether we'll actually see many deals. Last year's trade deadline was busy, with the Mavericks (Juwan Howard) and Sixers (Dikembe Mutombo) pulling off surprising trades. The year before, however, there was just one minor transaction involving Hawks guard Anthony Johnson.
Luck comes around for Bucks, Heat
The reeling Bucks finally caught a break Sunday, defeating the Vince Carter-less Raptors to snap a three-game losing skid. It was a much-needed win for Milwaukee, which lost to the Heat in OT at home Friday night when the officials failed to call an obvious double-dribble violation on Miami guard Eddie Jones late in the game. Not that the Heat were offering to give it back. Last year they lost a buzzer-beater to Milwaukee when Bucks guard Sam Cassell got away with grabbing then Heat-forward Anthony Mason's arm during a key jump ball late.
Happy birthday, MJ
Michael Jordan says he celebrated his 39th birthday Sunday by reclining on his couch at home and watching the Duke-Maryland game. Of course, Jordan had already celebrated in his usual grand style Friday night in Phoenix, scoring 22 points and nailing the game-winning jumper at the buzzer for a 97-96 victory. It was the third time this season MJ has blown out the candles on an opponent with a last-second shot. The Wizards have now won 27 games, eight more than they did during the entire 2000-01 season.
Baby Bulls still can't match Gang Green
With its entire preseason starting lineup on the bench in suits (Greg Anthony, Ron Mercer, Eddie Robinson, Charles Oakley and Brad Miller), the Bulls fielded a Romper Room lineup Friday night in a loss to the Nets. Chicago's unit of Kevin Ollie, Trenton Hassell, Ron Artest, Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler was the youngest this season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, averaging a mere 22 years, 214 days. However, it was still short of the NBA record of 22 years, 52 days, set by the 1997-98 Celtics (Chauncey Billups, Ron Mercer, Antoine Walker, Walter McCarty and Travis Knight).
An opposing team's scout gives the lowdown on 7-foot Grizzlies forward Pau Gasol, the Spanish phenom who leads all rookies in scoring (17.6), rebounds (8.9), field-goal percentage (52.2%) and blocks (2.31).
"His length is remarkable. He's got such long arms, and he knows how to position his body around the basket. He's skilled. He can put it on the floor, he's got good court awareness, and he passes pretty well. I'm a big believer in offensive rebounds, and he does a good job there, too. He still needs to add some bulk, but when he does it's going to be tough to deny him the ball on the block. He already knows how to position himself, and he doesn't seem to be afraid of contact. I like his poise. He's unemotional but he plays with intensity.
"They say he still needs work on his defense, but he looks pretty good to me. He blocks shots, and he uses those long arms well. He sort of does it quietly, but he's a real presence under the basket. He's the best rookie I've seen this year."
This week's theme: President's Day
1. Which of the following NBA guards once shot .542 from the floor for an entire season?
a. Pearl Washington
b. Earl Monroe
c. Norm Nixon
2. Which of the following coaches has never coached in the All-Star Game?
a. Phil Jackson
b. Chris Ford
c. Fred Carter
3. According to Mark Cuban's data (through Jan. 18), which of the following NBA officials called the most technicals per game (0.70)?
a. Tom Washington
b. Bennie Adams
c. Bill Kennedy
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