In2ition wrote:As long as Bender stays aggressive and doesn't just allow himself to sit back wait and possibly hide, he will be fine and grow. He's not going to get better by just waiting in the shadows, he needs to be actively involved, not waiting to be involved, making it happen.
I read somewhere that his National coach lit into him before this last game, and may have something to do with him playing so well. +34 is outstanding in a game where it was only about a 12 pt difference in most of it. He can do so many good things on the floor that make a huge difference and stat stuff across the board. That's what we are all looking for as Suns fans.
That's on coaching as well, having a coach that guides you and knows when to push, when to teach, and when give him space. Not sure Watson dedicated enough time nor attention, and a player this young easily gets timid and lost when is relegated, specially euro players, usually coming from structured environments with multiyear programs, seniority rankings within the team and junior leagues. Americans are more into a Conquering-the-world mindset and jumping from one level to the next focusing on themselves more than on a team or program, so I can see why Chriss gained the coach's attention and favor with less BB IQ but more drive.
Bender looks really engaged and not at all hesitating in this game, so we can see he is capable to insert himself within a game's flow.