Al McCoy: Dudley, Beasley showing improvement in new roles with Suns
Dec 28, 2012, 11:49 PM | Updated: 11:49 pm
The Phoenix Suns lack a marquee player on the roster, and instead have been forced to tinker with their lineup to generate offensive production.
The Suns boast an 11-18 record but an abysmal 2-11 mark away from US Airways Center. Alvin Gentry’s squad will open a crucial three-game road trip Friday night in Indiana and will face a trio of difficult opponents in the Pacers, Timberwolves and Thunder over the coming days.
Suns play-by-play announcer Al McCoy told Arizona Sports 620’s Doug & Wolf Friday he thinks the team’s young and inexperienced roster has had trouble finding confidence in a hostile environment.
“It’s a young team, it’s players that haven’t played together until this year and of course the starting lineup just changed a couple weeks ago,” McCoy said.
One player who has stepped it up as of late is Jared Dudley, who is coming off a career-high 36 point night against the Knicks Wednesday.
McCoy thinks Dudley has emerged as a team leader with the Suns, and he attributes that to the 27-year-old finding comfort in his new role.
“I think that moving Jared Dudley into the starting lineup in that small forward position, which is his natural position, has been a tremendous plus for the Suns,” McCoy said.
Another positive change for Phoenix has been moving the beleaguered Michael Beasley to a bench role. McCoy is encouraged with what the Suns are getting from Beasley in that capacity.
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