The Phoenix Suns don't play again until the Houston Rockets visit on Friday. Will that be enough time for Marquese Chriss and Isaiah Canaan to recover from injuries?
Jackson: "I think I did a really good job just waiting on the defense to make a mistake." Scott Bordow/azcentral sports
Triano: "This is probably [Dragan Bender's] most complete game. I thought he was sound defensively, as well." Scott Bordow/azcentral sports
Bordow: Suns' #TheTimeline shows life as Bender, Jackson bring big games off the bench. Scott Bordow/azcentral sports
Suns interim coach Jay Triano on Friday's loss to the Spurs.
Suns insider Scott Bordow breaks down the Suns' loss to the Spurs on Friday.
Suns center Tyson Chandler on his team's loss to the Spurs on Friday.
Suns insider Scott Bordow recaps a predictable Phoenix loss to the Nuggets after a rough trip to Denver on Wednesday.
Interim coach Jay Triano discusses the Suns' loss to the Nuggets in Denver on Wednesday.
Suns forward Marquese Chriss discusses the lack of effort in Phoenix's loss to the Nuggets on Wednesday.
Suns insider Scott Bordow breaks down a crazy Suns comeback against the Hawks at home on Tuesday.
The Phoenix Suns ran a trick play for the ages to beat the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night. Greg Moore and JJ Hensley from azcentral sports discuss in today's Shot Clock. Thomas Hawthorne/ azcentral sports
azcentral sports Suns insider Scott Bordow explains the crazy finish to the Suns' win over the Grizzlies on Tuesday.
Suns interim coach Jay Triano explains how Tyson Chandler was allowed to score with 0.4 seconds left on an alley-oop dunk from an inbounds pass to beat the Grizzlies on Tuesday.
Suns center Tyson Chandler discusses his game-winning play to beat the Grizzlies on Tuesday.
Milwaukee Bucks point guard Eric Bledsoe discusses his former team ahead of the Suns vs. Bucks game on Wednesday.
Devin Booker discusses an incident with a Lakers coach late in Monday's loss to Los Angeles.
azcentral sports' Chris Cole talks to Suns fans outside of Talking Stick Resort Arena before Phoenix's season opener on Wednesday. Yihyun Jeong/azcentral sports
- Phoenix Suns injury report
- Josh Jackson on his big game vs. Thunder
- Jay Triano on Suns win over Thunder
- Scott Bordow on Suns win over the Thunder
- Triano on Suns' loss to Spurs
- Bordow on Suns' loss to Spurs
- Chandler on Suns' loss to Spurs
- Scott Bordow recaps Suns' loss to Nuggets
- Jay Triano on Suns' loss to Nuggets
- Marquese Chriss after Suns' loss
- Scott Bordow recaps Suns' crazy win over Hawks
- The Suns trick play
- Scott Bordow recaps crazy finish to Suns' win
- Jay Triano on Suns' game-winning play
- Tyson Chandler on game-winning dunk
- Eric Bledsoe discusses trade from Suns
- Devin Booker on incident with Lakers coach
- Suns fans: What do they know? Do they know things?? Let's find out
There’s an interesting duality to Suns rookie forward Josh Jackson.
He has a confidence in him that is unshakeable and sometimes misguidedly takes him places he shouldn’t be. Like, say, driving to the basket against three defenders. That confidence also extends to interviews, where Jackson is not afraid to express his opinion in a way few rookies would.
Take this exchange from Wednesday afternoon when a reporter asked Jackson if he’s studied film of Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala, whom Jackson has been compared to by Suns interim coach Jay Triano.
“I’ve watched a lot of film on Andre Iguodala,” Jackson said. “He’s another wing, slasher, defender and a guy who can make plays for his teammates.”
So, you think you can be that kind of player?
“I think I can be a little bit better than Andre Iguodala,” Jackson replied.
The statement comes off as outlandish considering Iguodala has been an All-Star, an NBA Finals MVP and a two-time NBA champion. But it’s reflective of the absolute confidence Jackson has in himself.
Yet within that belief system, there’s also a willingness on Jackson’s part to listen, learn and admit his mistakes. It’s why, before the Suns played the Atlanta Hawks last Tuesday, Triano was comfortable in delivering a blunt message to Jackson.
“I said, ‘I’m losing confidence in keeping you on the floor,’ ” Triano told Jackson.
Triano followed up by benching Jackson for the entire game against Atlanta, the first time in Jackson’s career that he had been a DNP-CD.
“It was kind of hard to take in,” Jackson said. “I kind of really didn’t understand what he was saying.”
Then Jackson was given the raw numbers showing that the Suns were a better team when he wasn’t on the floor. Heading into the Atlanta game, Phoenix’s offensive rating was 97.4 with Jackson on the court and 106.7 without him. The defensive rating was 111.3 with Jackson and 106.6 without him.
“That definitely surprised me,” Jackson said.
Triano knew Jackson could handle the criticism – “I think all our guys can take it. That’s one of the things I like about our guys. They accept coaching,” he said – but just to make sure, he also moved the conversation forward, asking Jackson how the coaching staff could rebuild its confidence in him.
Jackson suggested he and Triano watch video together.
“Just to see what he sees,” Jackson said. “Sometimes, two people look at the same play and see two totally different things. He has a basketball mind and he’s really smart, so just trying to see what he sees and trying to pick his brain a little bit.”
Jackson said he wanted to approach Triano earlier in the season about spending quality time watching video, but, “I didn’t really think I could just go up to him and have that type of conversation with him.”
That’s all changed.
“Now we kind of have a schedule where, every week, I’ll come in and we’ll watch film or just talk about things that happened in the previous games and practices just for me to get better,” Jackson said.
The payoff has been immediate. In the three games since his benching, Jackson is averaging 14 points, 5.7 rebounds and three assists per game while shooting 48.6 percent from the field and 55.6 percent from 3-point range. He had his best game of the season in Phoenix’s victory over Oklahoma City on Sunday, finishing with 17 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and no turnovers.
“I feel like things are getting better for me,” Jackson said.
All because Triano had something he needed to say – “It eats me up if I don’t get it off my chest,” he said – and Jackson was willing to listen.
“It was just a conversation about where I thought he was in his rookie season and how we can work together better, me utilizing him and him fitting into what we’re trying to do,” Triano said. “His suggestion was that we watch more film and more tape, and we’ve done that on a consistent basis since then, and I think it’s helped him and I think it’s helped me understand him a little bit more.”
Injury update
Neither point guard Isaiah Canaan (strained adductor muscle) nor forward Marquese Chriss (hip flexor) practiced Wednesday, and Triano said he doesn’t know if either player will be available for Friday’s game against the Houston Rockets. If Chriss can’t play, Dragan Bender would move into the starting lineup.
MORE: Suns playing themselves out of high lottery pick: 'It's not OK to lose'
MORE: 'It's a step for us': Dragan Bender, Josh Jackson ignite Suns past Thunder
MORE: Suns sign Isaiah Canaan to guaranteed deal for rest of season
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