Kerr knows change takes time

Steve Kerr figured that after the first month of the season - with a new coach, new system and a half-dozen new players on the roster - that the Suns would be sitting somewhere around .500 when the calendar flipped to December.

Suns show support for Barbosa

That was before Leandro Barbosa spent all of training camp and a week of the season in Brazil, before Matt Barnes missed five games due to suspensions and other assorted maladies turned coach Terry Porter's rotation plans inside-out.

The losses haven't been pretty - especially against the upper crust of the Western Conference - but they haven't come as frequently as the Suns GM steeled himself for. And at 9-5, the Suns were tied for the second-best record in the conference Monday with a chance to end November strong with four games against losing teams, beginning with Tuesday's trip to Oklahoma to meet the 1-13 Thunder.

"I don't know if people understand what it takes to change styles and rotations and players' minutes, especially for us because we have been such a rhythm team," Kerr said. "We've been dialed into what we were doing because it was just a continuation of the last season. Now, everything is different. Yeah, it's just basketball but at this level, any indecision or unfamiliarity is going to show up."

It sure showed up in home losses to New Orleans, Houston and the L.A. Lakers and on the road in Utah - four teams that have set systems, coaches and, for the most part, rotations.

"I know that when I played in Chicago and running (Phil Jackson's) triangle, after a few years everyone was so locked in," Kerr said. "Even on nights when we didn't shoot or execute well, we still scored points and won games because the system carried us through.

"We don't have that to rely on right now. That's why you see the turnovers and the inconsistent play. It's obvious we're not clicking offensively. We're showing signs and spurts where we look pretty good and then we sputter and the turnovers come in bunches."

Kerr is most pleased with Phoenix's defense. The Suns beat Portland 102-92 on Saturday, marking the eighth time in 14 games they held an opponent to less than 100 points, winning seven times - the only loss was a 94-82 loss to the Rockets when the offense struggled badly.

"Some of (the defensive numbers) is a function of not playing as fast and not being as exposed as a result. But the rest of it is we're just better. We have more attention to detail and we trust a little more when it comes to getting help. I'm very optimistic that we're going to get better in that area and it will really show up when the offense is fully in sync."

The Suns have a chance to work on the timing this week. After the Thunder, the Suns travel to Minnesota Wednesday before coming home to face Eastern foes Miami (7-6) and New Jersey (6-6).

Suns at Thunder

When: 6 p.m. Tuesday

Where: Ford Center, Oklahoma City, Okla.

TV: KUTP (Channel 45)

Radio: KTAR (620 AM)

Records: Suns 9-5; Thunder 1-13

History: This is the first-ever meeting between the Suns and Thunder. When they were the Seattle SuperSonics, the Suns won 115 of 200 all-time meetings including 11 of the last 15 and all four meetings last season. In their last trip to Seattle, the Suns won 110-98 on March 19 as Steve Nash and Raja Bell combined for 43 points and Amaré Stoudemire led all scorers with 26 points. Jeff Green led the Sonics with 17 points.

Suns notes: Phoenix begins a run of four straight games against teams with losing records against the woeful Thunder. Leandro Barbosa returns to the lineup after missing five games following the death of his mother. Matt Barnes is hobbling with a toe injury and was limited in practice Monday, but said he will play. Coach Terry Porter said he was unsure if he would rest Shaquille O'Neal in the first of back-to-back games.

Thunder notes: After a horrible start in their new city, the Thunder fired coach P.J. Carlesimo and hired assistant Scott Brooks, a younger coach with NBA playing experience. He has a tough job in front of him, but isn't totally without weapons. Kevin Durant is an able scorer and Nick Collision has had some huge games against the Suns. "It's embarrassing. It's disheartening," Thunder guard Damien Wilkins told The Oklahoman. "If you would have told me at the start of the season that we would come out and start like this, I would have laughed at you."