Bench coming up big for Suns

PHOENIX - In past seasons the members of the Suns bench were known as "the Fitness Club" because about the only time they would get any work in would be during practice. Former coach Mike D'Antoni regularly used a seven man rotation, and when someone from the bench did get in the game it was usually towards the end of a blowout.

So far this season, however, Alvin Gentry has turned to his bench early and often, regularly going nine or 10 players deep in a game, with significant minutes being played by reserves Leandro Barbosa, Jared Dudley, Goran Dragic and Louis Amundson.

Amundson, who has averaged a career-high 16.3 minutes-per-game this year, said the bench's success can be partly attributed to knowing they are going to play every night.

"We know we're going to be called upon every game so we just try to stay ready," he said. "Some nights we're going to play more than others, but that's part of being a professional - you have to continue to be ready."

Gentry said the bench has played well, making it easier to give his reserves key minutes. Giving the team quality minutes is something Amundson said the reserves strive for.

"We take pride in going in there and leaving the game better than we found it," he said. "We all take pride in our time on the floor, building a lead or playing good D and getting a few stops before the starters come back on the floor."

Gentry, who said Dudley is the leader of the group and Amundson's value does not always show up on the stat sheet, also praised point guard Goran Dragic's improvement. He noted that the group as a whole has given the team one of the better benches in the league.

"We like our bench, and I think if you look at most of the good teams in this league their benches are really good and they seem to contribute for them most nights," he said.

Steve Nash, whose minutes played has been a hot topic since returning to the Suns, certainly appreciates the value of a good second unit. He said it is beautiful to see the Suns' bench giving other teams' benches a hard time, praising the "grittiness" of the group.

"They've done an outstanding job of - I think it's fair to say - dominating some second units out there. It's really good for our team to see that depth and toughness," he said.