Phoenix Suns' Marquese Chriss admits to being out of shape when season began

BOSTON – By any measure Marquese Chriss has had a disappointing season for the Suns.

He’s averaging 6.3 points per game compared to 9.2 as a rookie. His shooting percentage has dropped from 44.9 to 39.1 while his 3-point shooting has remained the same at 32.1 percent. Chris is averaging 4.8 rebounds (4.2 last season) but the Suns wanted him to take a much more significant jump in that category.

On Friday, as he sat on the scorer’s table at Northeastern University after practice, Chriss revealed why he’s struggled. He said he let himself get out of shape this summer.

“I let myself get to a place where I shouldn’t have been,” said Chriss, who declined to say how much weight he gained. “I think it happens to a lot of people. For me it was a learning experience.”

Chriss said he felt invincible coming out of college, thinking he could eat whatever he wanted and stay in basketball shape.

“You’re on a limited budget in college but all of a sudden I had nothing but free time and money,” he said. “I needed to learn how to manage. I needed to grow up in that aspect of my life so I’m grateful that it happened sooner rather than later.”

Chriss said he didn’t realize he had gained weight until his best friend and his mother told him, “You’re getting big.” He said he looked in the mirror and realized they were right. Consequently, he changed his diet, eliminating fast foods that used to be a staple and limiting his intake of fried food.

“A lot of bad food,” he said. “I’m just being conscious now of what I’m eating. I’m not really looking at calories but looking at, ‘Is this a good meal for an athlete?’ ”

Chriss said he’s just now back in the shape he was as a rookie.

“I want to be past that,” he said. “I want to be able to play 35 minutes. And effective minutes, not just be on the floor.”

Chriss will have to give the Suns a more consistent effort if he wants those kinds of minutes. He lost his starting job earlier this season in part because interim coach Jay Triano believed Chriss’ energy wasn’t what it needed to be.

“I took some plays for granted,” Chriss said. “Obviously not starting is a kick in the ass. I think I needed it.”

Kyrie killing it

Point guard Kyrie Irving, who was the subject of trade rumors to Phoenix in the offseason, is averaging 23.4 points and 5.2 assists per game for Boston.

“He’s such a great one-on-one player that he makes you have to guard him with more than one person,” Triano said. “We have to really be solid on him but also with our support behind him and be ready to close out because he has a cast of guys that can really shoot the ball and are executing at a high level.”

One of those guys is rookie forward Jayson Tatum, who was the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, one spot ahead of Phoenix rookie Josh Jackson. Tatum is shooting 49.7 percent from the field and averaging 13.7 points per game.

“I really liked him (coming out of the draft),” Triano said. “I thought he was a guy who can defend, someone who can really shoot the ball and has a great understanding of the game. When we interviewed him in pre-draft workouts he was an impressive kid who we thought would be who he is right now.”

BICKLEY: The Suns will regret passing on Kyrie Irving

No set starting lineup

Triano said his starting lineup would continue to be a work in progress because he wants the Suns’ young players to have to earn their way into a starting position.

“Some guys may start but they may have a short leash,” Triano said. “I think with young guys you want to keep them honest and make sure you’re getting the work ethic you want out of them all the time. If somebody doesn’t continue to work, we’ll move them around and either lessen their minutes or change the starting lineup.”

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Saturday's game

Suns at Celtics

When: 11 a.m.

Where: TD Garden, Boston.

TV/radio: FSAZ/KTAR 98.7 FM.

Update: The Celtics have the best record (19-4) in the NBA despite losing Gordon Hayward the first game of the season with a fractured leg. Kyrie Irving, acquired in an offseason trade with Cleveland, is averaging 23.4 points and 5.2 assists per game. Rookie Jayson Tatum, taken one pick ahead of Phoenix’s Josh Jackson, is averaging 13.7 points per game while shooting 49.3 percent from the field. The Suns could be without center Alex Len, who did not take part in Friday’s practice because of an ankle injury. Interim coach Jay Triano said Friday he had yet to determine his starting lineup.