SALT LAKE CITY – As the Suns head into the All-Star break and the final 23 games of the season, one of their top priorities has to be unlocking the mystery that is Marquese Chriss.
But how does a coach figure a player out and get him to play up to his potential when the player himself doesn’t know what’s wrong?
In a short but revealing interview following the Suns’ shootaround Wednesday, Chriss said he can’t explain why he isn’t playing with the same aggressive mindset he had during a six-game stretch in December and January when he averaged 12.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game while shooting 50.9 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from 3-point range.
“I don’t know,” Chriss said. “If I did, I’d probably be able to change it faster. I just think there’s some things I need to face and need to correct and just do it as fast as possible. Like I said, if I knew what it was, I’d try to change it quickly.”
Later, without going into detail, Chriss said, "There’s a lot of stuff going on. I’m just trying to get the most out of the situation I’m in and just try to persevere through a lot of things that are going on.”
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Chriss also had a curious reply when asked if he was looking forward to the All-Star break. He talked about getting healthy and getting back into a rhythm but then ended his response by saying he was looking forward to some time by himself.
Whatever is bothering Chriss is showing up on the basketball court. Over the last eight games, he’s averaging 5.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game and shooting just 31.3 percent from the field and 22.7 percent from 3-point range. He has been bothered by a hip strain – “It’s there and I’m thinking about it,” Chriss said – but that doesn’t explain the bad body language and frustration fouls that were largely absent six weeks ago or the postgame verbal altercation he got into with a strength coach that prompted the Suns to sit him out against the Charlotte Hornets on Feb. 4.
The Suns had hoped Chriss’ performance in December and early January – coming after a summer in which he admittedly got out-of-shape, affecting his early season performance – was a turning of the corner. Instead, Phoenix is back to just asking the basics out of their second-year forward.
“Play with confidence, play with high energy,” interim coach Jay Triano said. “We looked at film from (the Golden State loss), and he was really good running the floor, rebounding, pursuing rebounds. That’s what we want. If he does that the rest of the game, will fall into place for him.
“That’s all we’re asking for right now. Small steps.”
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The Suns have been patient with the 6-foot-10 Chriss because they believe his elite athletic ability can, at some point, translate into a player who can impact the game on both ends of the floor. There have been teases, most notably the Jan. 2 game against Atlanta when Chriss had 17 points and 11 rebounds and a game-saving, out-of-nowhere blocked shot with seven seconds left.
But the inconsistency has left some wondering whether former coach Earl Watson did Chriss a disfavor by starting him 75 games his rookie season.
“He’s been gifted minutes early in his career,” Triano said. “There’s a lot of teams where early draft picks don’t even get to play. There are some coaches that believe you figure the league out your first year and then play the second year.”
Triano has taken a different approach with Chriss. He’s benched him for not hustling and sat him down when Chriss’ emotions have gotten the best of him. And although Chriss’ numbers are better as a starter than as a reserve – 7.4 points, 5.3 rebounds as a starter, 4.8 points, 4.3 rebounds as a reserve – Triano is not about to reward sometimes-indifferent play.
“When we think he should be in the starting lineup, that’s what will happen,” Triano said.
The Suns can push buttons, encourage Chriss or be hard on him. Ultimately, none of it matters. It’s Chriss who has to decide what kind of player he wants to be.
Wednesday, he sounded as if that epiphany is still beyond his grasp.
“I’m just trying to turn the corner and get my mindset back to where it was at,” he said. “I’m really just trying to refocus myself to when I was playing well.”
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