Preseason: Denver @ Suns 10-14-19

[Mainstreet]

Suns with a late run with the bench to cut it to 4 points.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Win or lose we've come back and made it a contest. Still, I find myself in dire need of a large chalkboard so that I can write "I will not overreact" a few thousand times. Most of my overreactions would center around Booker, his defense, his place in this offense and whether he'll still be here a year from now.

 

[Mainstreet]

And the Suns within 1 point.

 

[Mainstreet]

Final:

Nuggets 107 - Suns 102

 

[Mainstreet]

Win or lose we've come back and made it a contest. Still, I find myself in dire need of a large chalkboard so that I can write "I will not overreact" a few thousand times. Most of my overreactions would center around Booker, his defense, his place in this offense and whether he'll still be here a year from now.

I'm in the "I will not overreact" camp right now but Booker certainly did not look comfortable in the Suns offense tonight and committed 3 turnovers with his 8 points on 3-7 shooting.

I should add Booker had 4 assists and 2 steals.

 

[Mainstreet]

I hesitate to post this. It gives pause.


Brendon Kleen‏ @BrendonKleen14

Deandre Ayton did not attempt a free throw in 62 minutes this preseason

9:22 PM - 14 Oct 2019

 

[Mainstreet]

Some final stats.

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[Mainstreet]

If this is true, it's more encouraging to hear about Booker. I want to believe.


Kellan Olson‏Verified account @KellanOlson

Williams said they've purposefully not been running things for Booker and saving a lot of stuff this preseason. Said it's not a good way for the offense to run if they're just waiting for Book to bail them out. Expect a different offense in the opener.

9:40 PM - 14 Oct 2019

 

[Mainstreet]

At small forward, final stats indicate Bridges had 4 points on 2-6 shooting.

Cam Johnson had 9 points on 3-10 shooting.

Oubre had 11 points on 3-11 shooting but had 5 free throws.

 

[AzStevenCal]

If this is true, it's more encouraging to hear about Booker. I want to believe.


Kellan Olson‏Verified account @KellanOlson

Williams said they've purposefully not been running things for Booker and saving a lot of stuff this preseason. Said it's not a good way for the offense to run if they're just waiting for Book to bail them out. Expect a different offense in the opener.

9:40 PM - 14 Oct 2019

Me too and that report helps tamp down my overreaction instinct. I just know that if this is what Booker will look like as a part of this offense we're going to have a tough time surviving his defense.

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

I thought his defense was fine tonight. He contested fine. Screen management is a team effort and there still seems to be some trouble spots there.

 

[Hoop Head]

If anyone remembers last year's preseason, TJ wasn't shooting 3's yet. It's not unusual for a coach or player to have a player hold something back. I remember that first game and how it was a revelation of sorts that TJ was taking and nailing 3's, which continued for the next few games. That's just 1 thing I remember about last year but thought it was worth mentioning based on Monty's comments about not going to Booker much.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I thought his defense was fine tonight. He contested fine. Screen management is a team effort and there still seems to be some trouble spots there.

I think I might have given the wrong impression here. I have never thought his defense was quite as bad as his reputation suggests but regardless, he is and likely always will be mediocre at best on D. My point wasn't that his defense looked particularly bad tonight, but that it will be difficult to overcome if Booker isn't a dominant force on the other end of the court. And so far, in this offense, he's looked very replaceable. So, like I said, overreaction.

 

[BC867]

I'll go on record and predict that Booker will score 25+ points in our home
opener vs. Sacramento.

IF ... he plays as a Shooting Guard and accepts Rubio as the Point Guard.

Which Book should want to do, not only to help the team, but start his
campaign early for the All Star game.

 

[Carolinacacti]

Well at least Booker is healthy. I agree Book will average 25+ this year but the ball has to be in hands. This team cannot live and die bye the three pointer without Booker.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I hesitate to post this. It gives pause.


Brendon Kleen‏ @BrendonKleen14

Deandre Ayton did not attempt a free throw in 62 minutes this preseason

9:22 PM - 14 Oct 2019

In other words . . . a good likelihood he hasn’t increased his level of aggression.

 

[95pro]

Booker's D is still bad, getting screened too easily and still gambling. Look at how others fight or slip through screens to stay on their man. Booker now with a legit pg, just stands there and watches, like he watches on defense already. He's not actively in the game without the ball in his hands.

Ayton's lack of free throws shows a lack of attacking, he's avoiding contact.

 

[Hoop Head]

Booker's D is still bad, getting screened too easily and still gambling. Look at how others fight or slip through screens to stay on their man. Booker now with a legit pg, just stands there and watches, like he watches on defense already. He's not actively in the game without the ball in his hands.

Ayton's lack of free throws shows a lack of attacking, he's avoiding contact.

I think Booker standing around on offense has to do with what Monty said with how they weren't running things through Booker right now or setting a lot of plays for him. I'll worry about him standing still on plays when he's not the focal point going forward, right now it's not much of an issue.

As far as Ayton goes, I know he avoids contact on defense but I don't think he avoids contact on offense. I know he's more passive than I'd like to him to be but I don't think it's a matter of avoiding contact on offense so much as not knowing how to get a call. It is something that players learn.

Booker was great at drawing contact early on. Bledsoe was also really good and probably helped Booker understand how to be effective in that regard. For a big it's a little different and Ayton hasn't had anyone here that could help teach him in that regard. Tyson wasn't an offensive player and wasn't around long. Holmes was young just like Ayton. Baynes isn't a guy who draws contact. Hopefully we can find someone to work with him.

 

[Chaplin]

I thought Ayton was pretty aggressive in the game last night. I don't think he really knows how to draw contact that well, but it isn't because he's avoiding it--at least that didn't seem the case last night.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I thought Ayton was pretty aggressive in the game last night. I don't think he really knows how to draw contact that well, but it isn't because he's avoiding it--at least that didn't seem the case last night.

I don’t know what to say, when you’re 7’1 and playing center I think you have to be trying to avoid contact to not have a single free throw in three games, even in limited minutes.

 

[Chaplin]

I don’t know what to say, when you’re 7’1 and playing center I think you have to be trying to avoid contact to not have a single free throw in three games, even in limited minutes.

Sounds like you didn't watch the game. It's easy to infer that, of course. But like I said, he played aggressive last night.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Sounds like you didn't watch the game. It's easy to infer that, of course. But like I said, he played aggressive last night.

No I didn’t (what did you use to watch?!?). So I’ll take your word for it. That said, one game is an anomaly, three is a pattern. And it’s a pattern that he already established last season. So there’s precedence to believe he’s shying away from contact rather than drawing it. Not good.

 

[BC867]

I thought Ayton was pretty aggressive in the game last night. I don't think he really knows how to draw contact that well, but it isn't because he's avoiding it--at least that didn't seem the case last night.

A Center not knowing how to draw contact, as you say, for whatever reason
is a problem. Or not having the bulk for it.

All last season, he was unsuccessful getting to a good shooting position
coming off the high pick & roll. That is a power move that he lacks. It is
not a given that he can ever develop it.

Grooming him as a Power Forward, as he was in college, seems to be the
best plan.

 

[Mainstreet]

In other words . . . a good likelihood he hasn’t increased his level of aggression.

Ayton is not good at creating contact to draw fouls.

He was active against Denver but that doesn't equate to getting to the free throw line.

This is how the really good players guarantee a steady stat line even when their shooting is off. They rely on the other parts of their game. Oubre had an off night shooting but still got to the free throw line six times.

 

[95pro]

Ayton is not good at creating contact to draw fouls.

He was active against Denver but that doesn't equate to getting to the free throw line.

This is how the really good players guarantee a steady stat line even when their shooting is off. They rely on the other parts of their game. Oubre had an off night shooting but still got to the free throw line six times.

Drawing fouls does other things:

gets a guy a ticket to the bench

puts them in the penalty which leads to less aggressive defense