Matchups led to Biyombo playing over Landale
Jock Landale understands Monty Williams must make coaching decisions he feels gives the Phoenix Suns the best chance to win every game.
Landale just really wanted to play Sunday against the Knicks because his family made the global trip from Australia to Phoenix to see him play in an NBA game for the first time in person.
“It hurt for a second just ‘cause this is the first game my family was able to see me play basketball in the NBA,” said Landale, who wasn’t injured or on the team’s injury report Sunday.
Landale also noted Williams didn’t know his family was in town, but they’ll be around for a couple of weeks as the Suns play the second of their fourgame homestand Tuesday against the Lakers.
So hopefully they’ll finally get to see him play in an NBA game in person while in the states.
For now, the final result of Williams’ decision is what’s most important to Landale.
“I think it was good for the team,” Landale said. “I think that’s where my head is always at. What’s best for the boys and us winning.”
Playing in the team’s previous 15 games, Landale has been the backup five to Deandre Ayton so far this season, but Williams chose to play Bismack Biyombo in that role Sunday.
“It was strictly about the size (the Knicks) had,” said Williams about his decision to play Biyombo instead of Landale. “I thought those guys are so doggone big, not that Jock can’t play with those guys, but Biz has physicality. He plays with great energy, and we just felt like he was a bit more physical for those matchups.”
Having 7-footer Mitchell Robinson return for the Knicks from a right knee sprain played a role in Williams’ decision to go with Biyombo as well.
“He’s a big dude,” said Williams about the 240-pound Robinson. “So I just went that way.”
The move worked as Biyombo grabbed 10 boards and scored five points in 21 minutes of Phoenix’s 116-95 victory over New York at Footprint Center.
“Bizzy is a hell of a player and he’s been playing great,” Landale said.
Williams has raved about how Biyombo can perform even after going several games without playing. The 6-8 big collected DNPs in Phoenix’s two previous games against Golden State and at Utah, but got the call Sunday and grabbed six of the team’s season-high 22 offensive rebounds.
“The season is always a long season,” Biyombo said. “It’s ups and downs. You never get too high, never get too low in life, in general. I think for us, after losing in Utah, you go back and you look at film, the amount of points we gave up.”
The Jazz scored 134 points in a onepoint
victory Friday over Phoenix. It’s the most points the Suns had allowed this season.
Phoenix responded by holding a team under 100 points for the first time in seven games.
“Coming into tonight with a different mentality and different approach,” Biyombo said. “Credit the coaches for putting us in the right positions, giving us the right game plan to execute and then we just got out there and executed. At the end of the day, I don’t think it’s about who plays and who is not playing. I think it’s about a team and the long-term goal we’re trying to accomplish.”
Up by as many as 26 points, Phoenix dominated New York on the glass, 6039, as Ayton grabbed a game-high 11 boards with four coming on the offensive glass.
Thanks for the inspiration, Biyombo. “Going after those plays when you got to put in effort and me looking like Bizzy,” said Ayton, as Biyombo stood nearby listening. “It takes effort.”
Williams also played Ish Wainright at the backup four to matchup against the Knicks athletic stretch four Obi Tobbin. Dario Saric had been getting minutes backing up Torrey Craig, who is starting for the injured Cam Johnson (knee).
“It’s one of those things that could change the next game,” Williams added. “We’ll just do our best to make the
right calls when we can, and it wasn’t anything foundational. It was just something that we felt for today.”
Landale believes Williams would’ve let him know if he was messing up, but said he never had a conversation like that with his head coach.
So not playing Sunday came as a surprise to Landale, who is averaging seven points on a career-best 51.2% shooting in his second NBA season out of St. Mary’s in California.
Having his family here added to taking the coaching decision to heart, but Landale can certainly live with the results of it.
“Bizzy has been huge in the minutes that he’s played,” Landale said. “Always brings a presence down the stretch. If I was having an off night early on, he would come in and pick the team up. I respect it. It’s a great move and we won by 25. (Biyombo) had a hell of a game, man. He had like 10 freaking rebounds in like 12 minutes. Biz doing what Biz does and DA had a great game as well. They held it down.”
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