Regarded as one of the game's top second units just two years ago, the group consisting of Sebastian Telfair, Michael Redd, Shannon Brown, Markieff Morris and Robin Lopez has found a comfort level since the All-Star break.

"I've been real happy with the way the reserves have played," Suns coach Alvin Gentry told Arizona Sports 620's Burns and Gambo Thursday. "I think Robin has stepped up, Michael Redd has had his moments for us, and I think Sebastian is really catching on to what we want to do, and he's done a great job for us.

"Shannon Brown has been pretty consistent."

Gentry, though, added that while he likes how his bench has played of late, the team needs to get its starters back on track.

Included in that group is Channing Frye, whose season-long struggles have led to a 40 percent shooting percentage and a scoring average of 10.4 points per game -- the lowest mark of his Suns career.

"He's struggled this year more times than I've seen him struggle," Gentry said, noting that if Frye is struggling it's up to other guys to pick up the slack.

"I think everybody wants to play well and I think everybody is very much engaged, and if a guy's not doing it then we've got to have someone else step in and do it for them, so that's why we've tried to develop our bench, that's why we wanted to be a deep bench."