Suns' Gentry explains how Richardson is scorching Blazers

Phoenix Suns coach Alvin Gentry and guard Jason Richardson spoke with the media following the Suns’ 108-89 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday at the Rose Garden.

Gentry on Jason Richardson:

He’s played great. He’s played great. I think he’s been a guy that’s spaced the floor for us. They’ve done a good job of taking away Amare’s (Stoudemire) game away from him on the rolls. But in order to do that, you have to have an extra defender. And we’ve done a good job of swinging the ball and finding Jason. And, obviously, he’s in a good groove shooting the basketball right now. So, he’s (a) key for us. And he did a good job defensively, also. I thought he did a really good job and went to the boards. I thought he had a really, really good game for us.

On how Richardson is getting wide open:

If you’re going to trap the screen-and-roll with Steve (Nash), then you have to have an extra defender — the weak-side defender has to take the roll guy. And if he takes the roll guy, then, if we swing it to Channing (Frye), they either rotate to him; they’ve got to play halfway. Channing did a good job of swining the ball immediately to J-Rich, and J-Rich had open shots. They have to close out; they couldn’t get back and close out in time.