The Suns want rookie playmaker Tyler Ulis to look for his shot.
Sometimes the playmaker in Tyler Ulis gets the best of him.
In the second quarter of Tuesday’s loss at Atlanta, the Suns rookie took a pass up top. He was all alone, no defender within 10 feet, but instead of shooting the open 3-pointer, UIis faked a pass to the left and penetrated through the lane. He fired a pass to cutting T.J. Warren, but an official whistled the Suns for three seconds.
“Shoot it!” coach Earl Watson shouted.
The Suns love Ulis’ unselfishness, but they also want the point guard to look for his shot, to be more aggressive. Before Tuesday’s contest, during the team’s shootaround at Philips Arena, veteran Ronnie Price talked with Ulis about this very thing.
“He’s very talented,” Price said. “He has a chance to have a long career in the league. He has a lot to his game that people are starting to see, so for him, it’s just getting comfortable and keeping him confident. As a team we all trust him. We all know what he’s capable of doing, but we can’t have him second-guessing himself with shots.”
Since the Suns shut down starter Eric Bledsoe on March 15, Ulis has taken over at the point.
Throughout this stretch, he’s flourished as a playmaker. In 40.5 minutes, Ulis has averaged 9.1 assists and just 2.4 turnovers. Just as important, he’s gotten everyone involved at an impressive level.
Over eight games, the oft-cutting Warren has been the recipient of 21.9 percent of Ulis’ assists. Guard Devin Booker (16.4) and forward Marquese Chriss (16.4) are next, followed by forward Jared Dudley (12.2), big man Alan Williams (12.2) and center Alex Len (11). Nineteen of Ulis’ 73 assists have led to 3pointers, 13 have led to dunks, eight off lobs. That’s spreading the love. Ulis, however, hasn’t been effective as a scorer. Although he’s averaged a respectable 12.8 points with Bledsoe out, he’s shot just 34.9 percent from the field, hitting 3 of 23 from 3-point range. Watson isn’t concerned so much with the numbers, he just wants the point guard to stay aggressive. It hasn’t helped, he added, that Ulis hasn’t had a steady backup during this stretch.
“(With Price recently hurt), he has no point guard to rotate with and he’s playing against top-tier guys,” Watson said. “We’ve seen Tyler be effective coming off the bench, but when you start the game and you have no backup point guard, something’s going to take a hit.”
Ulis was decent from 3-point range during his college days at Kentucky, shooting 42.9 percent as a freshman and 34.4 as a sophomore. Overall, this season he has shot 39.6 percent from the field and 22 percent from deep. Watson said the point guard is a much better shooter – “by far” – than those numbers reflect.
“It’s just from not having the game reps,” Ulis said.
“I’m turning down shots that I have to take. Out here, at shootaround I make a lot (of 3s) in a row, but if you don’t take them in the game you can never get that game rhythm or game flow.
“Ronnie was just talking to me about it. He told me I have to take those shots because I put myself in a box if I don’t. I know I can make it, I just have to take it.” Free throw
The Suns on Wednesday signed forward Jarell Eddie to a second 10-day contract. In five games, Eddie has averaged 4.8 points in 12.5 minutes . ... Guards Devin Booker (ankle) and Leandro Barbosa (hamstring) are listed as questionable for Thursday’s contest.