PHOENIX — We’re not talking about a Syracuse, every-possession, 2-3 zone. But the Phoenix Suns, since Alvin Gentry took over as head coach, have used a zone defense often to jump-start their fast-breaking style.
“It’s an old-school philosophy that zones help you run,” Nuggets coach George Karl said.
The Nuggets are in Arizona to take on the Suns tonight at 8 p.m. (airing on Altitude).
“It puts you in position to run,” Karl said. “It puts your outlets and your running wings, your lanes pretty much assigned. If you don’t move the zone around, it’s an easier defense to run out of, and I think that’s why they’re doing it.”
If the Nuggets are to win tonight, they will have to solve the zone. That’s going to require patience and probably a solid 3-point shooting game.
“We’ve got to shoot some threes tonight,” Karl said. “But I don’t want to get crazy with it.”
With a 38-31 record, Phoenix is still in the hunt for a playoff spot, just 3 1/2 games behind Dallas for eighth. The Nuggets expect the Suns to play like a team hungry for a playoff spot.
“I still think they are in the arena,” Karl said. “Someone is going to have to knock them out. Anytime you have Steve Nash leading a team I don’t think you’re going to see any quit in them. And I like the challenge from the standpoint of how we’ve got to play tonight to be successful.
“Mentally we’ve got to stay more disciplined and focused than we probably have been. We’ve got to keep the turnover count in an area where their running game isn’t motivated by our bad offense.”
And the Nuggets have to solve a team that has beaten them eight-straight times in Phoenix. The Nuggets haven’t won here since April 7, 2004.
“We just have not been able to sustain 48 minutes of competing,” Karl said. “We’ve had very good halves here, very good situations. But we’ve seen the fade as the game goes on, and their running game and intensity usually wins at the end.
“But I don’t know if that matters. I think what matters is the race that we’re in right now and the opportunity that we have to try to finish in a very high position. If we do well this week I think we then become a competitor for second (in the Western Conference) or maybe even third. And we want to get one of those home courts.”
Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com
