The Suns rank eighth in the NBA in opponent field-goal percentage (42.3) after finishing 25th in that category last season.

"We've done a good job of containing dribble penetration for the most part," coach Alvin Gentry said. "If you're not rotating in dribble penetration, then you can keep your bigs on their bigs so the rebounding becomes less of a factor. (Assistant coaches) Elston (Turner) and Dan Majerle have done a great job with what we're trying to establish and just the whole atmosphere we're trying to create defensively."