| | PHOENIX -- Phoenix's perpetual-energy point guard is tearing up the competition, despite the injuries, illness and turmoil
around him.
On Friday night in Portland and Saturday night at home against
Sacramento, Jason Kidd pulled off triple-doubles, the first to do
that on consecutive nights since Grant Hill in April 1997.
|  | | Jason Kidd, right, got the best of Kings guard Jason Williams, center, on Saturday. |
In his previous two games, Kidd missed a triple-double by a
rebound in one game and an assist in the other. He is averaging 24
points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in his last four games.
"He's playing as well as I've ever seen him play," Sacramento
coach Rick Adelman said. "I think the thing you love about him is
when he gets down on the offensive end on a break, he's really
under control. Now he's making that 15-, 16-foot jumper off the
dribble, and he's a handful."
His Friday totals: 32 points, 10 assists, 11 rebounds. On
Saturday: 27 points, 14 assists, 14 rebounds. In 82 minutes on the
court, Kidd had three turnovers.
"He's really taking care of the ball," Phoenix coach Scott
Skiles said. "The guy's got the ball in his hands every time down
the court. He's going to make some turnovers, but the last two
nights he's been great taking care of it, and that's why we're
getting good shots."
The Suns are 3-0 since Danny Ainge abruptly quit, saying he
wanted to spend more time with his family. The job went to Skiles,
Ainge's fiery top assistant and a former point guard who holds the
NBA assist record at 30.
Skiles is emphasizing a fast-paced style that fits Kidd
perfectly.
"Right now we're playing aggressively and up-tempo and taking
care of the ball," Kidd said.
While the team dealt with the unexpected coaching change, the
number of players dwindled.
Penny Hardaway, who is supposed to team with Kidd in what the
Suns call "Backcourt 2000," has missed seven games with a sore
right foot and probably won't be back for at least another week.
Luc Longley has a bad back and rookie Shawn Marion, a starter
earlier in the year, remains on the injured list with a bad knee.
Then after the victory Friday, Tom Gugliotta had a seizure on
the team bus. While all test results were normal, he won't be back
until doctors are confident there is nothing wrong with him.
With just nine players available, the Suns went out and hammered
the Kings.
"Either we have a really deep team that can kind of patch
things up with four starters out, or you can put any four guys out
there with Jason Kidd," Rex Chapman said. "The guy's
unbelievable."
More and more players and coaches are acknowledging that Kidd is
the best point guard in the game. He was first team all-NBA last
season. He has 28 career triple-doubles, tying him with Michael
Jordan as sixth all-time. The serious flaw in his game early in his
career, the inability to shoot from outside, has been rectified by
hours and hours of practice.
At 26, his best years should be ahead.
"I'm going to shoot or pass or do something to get the team
going," Kidd said. "My role isn't going to change with a full
team or if we've got only seven players. The biggest thing is for
me to keep the style of play that I've been playing all my life."
In an era of young point guards who shoot first and pass second,
Kidd is a throwback.
"My job is to get guys involved, set the tempo, play hard and
have fun," Kidd said.
For his teammates, playing alongside Kidd is definitely fun.
"You love to play with somebody who's constantly pushing the
ball up the floor looking for open guys for easy buckets," said
Cliff Robinson, who scored 23 against Portland and a season-high 33
against Sacramento. "If you've played with him for a while, and
you know how to read him, he'll definitely find you." | |
ALSO SEE
Gugliotta home for 30th birthday, two days after seizure
Former Suns coach MacLeod signs on as Phoenix assistant
Kidd has second triple-double in as many nights
Blazers can't cope with Suns' Kidd stuff
Ainge resigns as Suns coach; Skiles takes over
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