Timberwolves @ Suns 12-15-19

[Suns_fan69]

Crawford is easily my second favorite player on the team right now. He probably takes 2 or 3 shots a game that he shouldn't, but he is such a great presence on the floor for the rest of the team.

I hope point Book is a thing of the past.

Ayton finished well, wonder if it really is a conditioning thing as he got to sit a good long while in the first.

Evans with a lot of 4th quarter minutes, made a couple nice passes and played pretty good defense.

 

[BC867]

I see that Holmes was 5th in scoring. Because I didn't see the whole game, was that strictly as backup Center or, by any chance, was he given a chance to play alongside Ayton?

 

[1Sun]

Still not a fan of Igor (and Josh Jackson's continued regression concerns me in particular), but at least we can now see the potential with this roster, especially if we add an NBA level point guard and power forward.

Nice win.

 

[1Sun]

I see that Holmes was 5th in scoring. Because I didn't see the whole game, was that strictly as backup Center or, by any chance, was he given a chance to play alongside Ayton?

As a back-up. He got some more time because Ayton was in foul trouble.

 

[Mainstreet]

The Suns might have their answer at point guard given time in rookie Melton.

http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4066436

 

[Proximo]

Really everyone but Jackson played pretty well tonight.

I am anxious to see how the two new guys fit in. But I am actually feeling pretty good right now about the team.

 

[1Sun]

The Suns might have their answer at point guard given time in rookie Melton.

http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4066436

I still think he is more ideally suited to an instant offense role off the bench. He isn't much of a facilitator.

 

[BC867]

As a back-up. He got some more time because Ayton was in foul trouble.

Thanks. I just checked the box score. They totaled exactly 48 minutes between them.

It is so nice to see a Suns team where their Centers don't total 36-40 minutes.

 

[95pro]

Good game. They never let up and continued to fight.

Contrary to Eddie J I like the suns protesting and showing emotion on missed calls and bad calls.
Holmes activity and physicality definitely lets him get away with more.

Melton was solid again sparing booking time at sg.

Evans can stay in g league. Not high on him at all. I can see more upside in Okobo.

Bridges was great on defense. I like JJ hustling and playing on defense when he made mistakes.

I forgot how annoying Tom Leander can be at times.

 

[BC867]

Nothing produces a winning attitude more than . . . winning. It has been so easy to see these last few games.

I just hope that Igor takes a step up as well and coaches by the needs of the moment rather than strictly pre-game plans.

 

[Suns_fan69]

I actually thought Evans did fine out there. He had a couple really nice passes (alley oop to Jackson off a fastbreak, a bullet into Ayton for a bucket) and took care of the ball. Okobo probably is still ahead of him, but I don't really see much separation between the 2. Melton I think is ahead of both though, i was wrong about him.

 

[Hoop Head]

I forgot how annoying Tom Leander can be at times.

THIS ^ . I'm glad someone else brought it up. He didn't ruin the win but he did make a little harder to enjoy. I preferred Steve Albert to him and I'm sure in the minority in that regard but I've never liked Leander.

 

[Mainstreet]

Really everyone but Jackson played pretty well tonight.

I am anxious to see how the two new guys fit in. But I am actually feeling pretty good right now about the team.

I think once Oubre settles in, he will improve the Suns. It's almost ironic how the Suns got him but he is the best player out of the Ariza trade.

If Rivers can play, the Suns get a bump without giving up anything more than Ariza.

 

[SirStefan32]

THIS ^ . I'm glad someone else brought it up. He didn't ruin the win but he did make a little harder to enjoy. I preferred Steve Albert to him and I'm sure in the minority in that regard but I've never liked Leander.

No, I am with you. I couldn't stand Albert, but I don't think Leander is better. If he would just drop the stupid catch-phrases, he wouldn't be so bad, but this "elevates and detonates" and "downloads a three", and "offline" crap is just beyond ridiculous.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Really everyone but Jackson played pretty well tonight.

I am anxious to see how the two new guys fit in. But I am actually feeling pretty good right now about the team.

Jackson throw some stupid passes and couldn't shoot but he impacted the game almost the entire time he was on the court. And it's no coincidence that he had the highest plus/minus tonight.

 

[AzStevenCal]

No, I am with you. I couldn't stand Albert, but I don't think Leander is better. If he would just drop the stupid catch-phrases, he wouldn't be so bad, but this "elevates and detonates" and "downloads a three", and "offline" crap is just beyond ridiculous.

I hate his catch phrases but IMO he is much better than Albert as he actually calls the game that is being played. Albert would have had a better accuracy rate on his calls if he'd just yelled out names and actions randomly.

 

[1Sun]

Jackson throw some stupid passes and couldn't shoot but he impacted the game almost the entire time he was on the court. And it's no coincidence that he had the highest plus/minus tonight.

I maintain that if he only could play within himself offensively while continuing to put forth consistent effort on defense and on the boards, he could be another Scottie Pippen. He just needs the right coaching/development.

 

[95pro]

Also the suns really negated an all defensive team person like Covington and the athletic ability of Wiggins.

Glad rose is playing better now. Rooting for the guy given his injuries, always good to see a person come back from those types of injuries.

 

[BC867]

I forgot how annoying Tom Leander can be at times.

Please explain why you feel that way. Kevin Ray rambles on and on every single play, then mentions who scored at the end of the set. And his color commentators have to interrupt him to do their job.

Tom Leander uses the right balance of calling the play as it happens without overdoing it. And he is a pro at giving Tom Chambers plenty of color commentary time as well, which is a key responsibility of a play-by-play TV announcer.

Catch phrases worked for Al McCoy when basketball was a novelty in Phoenix. And we all got a kick out of it. "Swisheroo for two." "Twine time."

Imagine if someone used something like that now in the Suns 51st season. Leander learned that. I commend him for making the adjustment.

Kevin Ray is closer to Steve Albert than he is to Tom Leander. Albert did his New Yawk comedy routines. At least KRay talks about basketball, but not the action on the court.

 

[Mainstreet]

I hate his catch phrases but IMO he is much better than Albert as he actually calls the game that is being played. Albert would have had a better accuracy rate on his calls if he'd just yelled out names and actions randomly.

I like Leander better as well. When I dislike play calling I think about it all game. With Leander I don't.

 

[BC867]

No, I am with you. I couldn't stand Albert, but I don't think Leander is better. If he would just drop the stupid catch-phrases, he wouldn't be so bad, but this "elevates and detonates" and "downloads a three", and "offline" crap is just beyond ridiculous.

From what I've seen, he did drop the stupid catch-phrases.

As I just posted, he was trying to follow in the footsteps of Al McCoy, but these are different times.

I don't know if you have watched any Mercury games, but I haven't heard Leander use catch phrases in either Mercury or Suns games for quite a while.

In fact, once this season he said "elevate and detonate" when covering for KRay as a joke between plays and he and TC laughed about it

 

[JCSunsfan]

for those watching, can anyone put their finger on why the Wolves are so damn mediocre? That's a team with a lot of talent.

Coaching. Thibs is a screamer. It gets old fast.

 

[BC867]

Coaching. Thibs is a screamer. It gets old fast.

There is a lot of room between a screamer and not showing any emotion.

I hope Igor can find it.

 

[95pro]

Coaching. Thibs is a screamer. It gets old fast.

I don’t remember who passed the ball to Dieng, then Thibs screams “give it back” haha, he micromanages it seems. And the constant shouting.

 

[elindholm]

Nice hustle.

Now then, which conspiracy theorist is gonna be first to come out and say, "Suns won because Ariza's poisonous 'I hate being here' attitude is gone!"

Why is that a conspiracy theory? Ariza was terrible and sucked the life out of the team every second he was on the floor. It was brutal watching him. Given the number of minutes he consistently got, he's one of the most destructive players in Suns history on a per-game basis.

The Ariza Era, during which the Suns went 5-24, is over. Let the healing begin.