Phoenix Suns - Time For a Change

During game 3 of the Suns/Spurs series, the ESPN announce team laid into Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic for writing this article.

In summation, Bickley claims that D'Antoni has failed to develop the Suns bench, lacks the personality to control an NBA team, and fails to make the necessary mid-game adjustments needed to be successful (especially in the Playoffs). Fans are unhappy, and Bickley feels that D'Antoni is on the "hot seat".

The crew from ESPN - specifically Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy - jumped all over this idea of Phoenix wanting to send D'Antoni out of town, going so far as to call the idea "ridiculous". While I didn't necessarily enjoy Bickley's article, or find it especially insightful, the idea of a possible coaching change isn't far fetched.

Why do former players and coaches generally refuse to make negative comments about current NBA coaches? D'Antoni has failed to get the Suns over the hump and deserves criticism for his shortcomings as a head coach. Hey, Mark and Jeff, you're being paid as basketball analysts . . . objectively analyze something!

Here's the facts:

D'Antoni has coached 4 full seasons (and part of the 2003-2004 season) with a very talented group of players. In 2005 the Suns lost to the Spurs 4-1 in the Conference finals, in 2006 Phoenix was again eliminated in the conference finals - this time by Dallas 4-2. In 2007 they took a step backwards, losing to the Spurs 4-2 in the 2nd round. Now, after gambling the future on Shaquille O'Neal (Steve Kerr, you're seat may be warm too), they are 1 game away from being swept in the 1st round and eliminated by San Antonio yet again.

Jackson and Van Gundy claim D'Antoni is an "offensive genius". Call me cynical, but it doesn't take a genius to get scoring output from Nash (2004-Present), Shawn Marion (2003-2008), Leandro Barbosa (2003-Present), Amare Stoudemire (2003-Present), or Joe Johnson (2003-2005).

The Suns have failed to address the following issues for the past 4 years:

Phoenix is soft, they don't hustle to loose balls, they don't fight on the boards, they can't play defense, and they're mentally fragile. Is it all Mike's fault? . . . Absolutely not. But, either a major roster overhaul is needed (which will be close to impossible with current contract situations), or it's time for a coaching change. Can anyone envision the Suns winning a championship next year with D'Antoni coaching a core of Shaq, Nash, Stoudemire, Barbosa, Bell, Diaw, and Hill?

Is the seat on fire yet, or is it that Arizona sun burning your ass?