Do you like Q better now?

[jibikao]

Ok, I admit. When I voted for JJ when we had that keep "JJ or Q" thread. I was pretty sure I wanted to keep JJ because Q can go from the hottest hand to the coldest hand on earth.

But after Game 1 and Game 2, this dude has REALLY been growing on me. Q made several key defensive stops and made 3pt when we really needed one. Q didn't force a lot of shots in Game 1 and made the right decision by going inside. This dude is fearless. That last block is just freaking cool.


I want to keep Q. I think he fits perfectly on our team and he definitely has stepped up in playoffs so far.

What do you guys think?

 

[Clif]

why not keep both?

 

[mribnik]

why not keep both?

I agree. There have been numerous occassions where I have sided with one player or another, but it seems obvious to me that the best thing to do is to shell out the money, resign JJ, and have them both.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

such different players, but both so important to this team.

jj is the calm, cool, smooth one. the comparison to the greyhound is soooo fitting. amidst the storm he usually comes up with a big calming midrange jumper.

q is our fire. he's the emotional backbone of the team. and he's so clutch. he's been that way all year. from his trey to kill the lakers to his repeated fourth quarter heroics last night.

both were players that i was critical of at the beginning of the year. i would allow neither to get away now . . .

 

[RJ May]

Ok, I admit. When I voted for JJ when we had that keep "JJ or Q" thread. I was pretty sure I wanted to keep JJ because Q can go from the hottest hand to the coldest hand on earth.

But after Game 1 and Game 2, this dude has REALLY been growing on me. Q made several key defensive stops and made 3pt when we really needed one. Q didn't force a lot of shots in Game 1 and made the right decision by going inside. This dude is fearless. That last block is just freaking cool.


I want to keep Q. I think he fits perfectly on our team and he definitely has stepped up in playoffs so far.

What do you guys think?

Are you asking who we like better out of Q and JJ? I'd still take JJ over Q any day of the week.

 

[jibikao]

I started this thread 'cause a while ago (near the end of the regular season) there was a Poll for JJ VS Q. I see JJ won the most of the votes and I too, voted for JJ because Q was going through a very tough time and he could go 0/7 or even 0/14.

But I think Q really steps up in playoffs so far. His clutch shot and defense really won the game for us. I am not saying Q > JJ but I think both of them are so fitting to this team.

I want to keep them both even though many suggest that we could trade Q for a better inside defender.

JJ has been excellent as well. I was afraid that he was going to chicken out like he did occassionally against elite teams. JJ and Q were great in the 4th quarter last night.


We've got a great TEAM.

 

[Chaplin]

I hate these debates because it isn't fair to either player. Most people lump them together, but as many on this board have pointed out, they are far from the same player. JJ is more steady and, dare we say, consistent, while Q is much, much more clutch. In fact, he may be our best clutch player.

 

[Cheesebeef]

there's no reason really to have this debate - it's like asking your parent who your favorite son in (no pun intended).

Both guys - as all of our starting five are absolutely vital to the team.

I'm curious as to coloradosun's thoughts though - he seems to dislike Q the most - and think we'd be even better with Iggy on this squad(something I think is rather laughable - but whatever).

Bottom line - get JJ signed to an extension and we can stop having these debates.

 

[jibikao]

Actually, some of you misunderstood the point of this thread because I wasn't trying to compare JJ and Q. I was trying to point out that Q has really proven why he is the vital part of Suns' success. We hear/read posts about how Q took too many shots and how he could just "disappear" in a game to go 0/7 and 0/14. And the Poll shows a lot more people wanted to keep JJ than Q.


I started this thread 'cause Q has really impressed me in the past two games. Looks like Q really loves this kind of intensity and challenge which he could never get when he was in Clippers.

I think we have the best Starting Five!!! Oh yeah baby.

 

[jbeecham]

Q was very impressive in the 4th qtr last night with the 3, the block, the rebounds and free throws. I was down on Q earlier in the season, but he's a really valuable part of the team and I'm amazed by how well he's playing in his first ever playoff games (Pretty good for someone with no playoff experience).

 

[Ballamania]

the main thing i like about Q is his toughness. he brings a never back down attitude. i love that. you have to have someone who is fearless and doesnt care who he is playing against. i try to instill that in the kids that i coach but most of the time it seems to be an innate ability. he also has had some games where ive seen him not score a lot but gets key rebounds and putbacks in traffic. the suns need Q or someone like him.

 

[JPlay]

I love Q, he's my favorite player. His attitude and clutch play always show when the Suns need him. He brought a mentality to the Suns. Play loose, be versatile. I think we're only tapping about 75% of his potential. He's capable of putting up 20+ a night easily and can play in the post if needed. We have him playing the role of the spot shooter, but his advantage is that he can make shots with someone right in his face, where JJ usually has to be wide open.

I like JJ a lot too and when his mid range jumper is on he's almost impossible to guard. They both have positives and negatives. JJ can be a ball hog once he gets the ball and starts driving and Q is extremely streaky at times. But it seems that either one of them is always on. when they are both on it's scary.

 

[Gaddabout]

The Suns can't play this offense without Q. They have no other guard off the bench who can also do something beneath the boards. It's that kind of versatility that makes the offense go.

 

[arthurracoon]

such different players, but both so important to this team.

jj is the calm, cool, smooth one. the comparison to the greyhound is soooo fitting. amidst the storm he usually comes up with a big calming midrange jumper.

q is our fire. he's the emotional backbone of the team. and he's so clutch. he's been that way all year. from his trey to kill the lakers to his repeated fourth quarter heroics last night.

both were players that i was critical of at the beginning of the year. i would allow neither to get away now . . .

 

[Chris_Sanders]

JJ can be a ball hog...

LOL compared to Q???

I like Q, but earlier in the season Eric called him the Black Hole of Basketball and he was dead on. The ball goes to Q and never comes out again.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

LOL compared to Q???

I like Q, but earlier in the season Eric called him the Black Hole of Basketball and he was dead on. The ball goes to Q and never comes out again.

bingo

 

[elindholm]

I like Q, but earlier in the season Eric called him the Black Hole of Basketball

Hmm, I don't think that line was mine, but I might have said something similar. In any case, I've come to have a lot of respect for Richardson's knack of coming up big at critical times.

 

[George O'Brien]

I have been frustrated by Q's reluctance to attack the basket after establishing his reputation in the paint with the Clippers. I really like it when he attacks the basket because he is a decent free throw shooter and it will open up the outside. Also, when he is down in the paint, he gets offensive rebounds and put backs.

In any case, I think we should consider how many teams in the top 5 or 6 teams have 5 of their 8 man rotations made up of guys under the age of 26.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I like Q, but earlier in the season Eric called him the Black Hole of Basketball

Hmm, I don't think that line was mine, but I might have said something similar. In any case, I've come to have a lot of respect for Richardson's knack of coming up big at critical times.

It was something similiar. I just remembered it because I thought it was pretty clever. I too am a big fan of how clutch Richardson is. He is an athletic Rex Chapman.

 

[cly2tw]

Q with his grittyness is very close to Manu. His most valuable virtue is the more pressure the better he performs. Jj has a better shooting form, is a little mroe smooth handling the ball but lacks this grittyness. Well, did he have it, he'd be another TMac. So let's be happy that we have them both.

 

[cly2tw]

I have been frustrated by Q's reluctance to attack the basket after establishing his reputation in the paint with the Clippers. I really like it when he attacks the basket because he is a decent free throw shooter and it will open up the outside. Also, when he is down in the paint, he gets offensive rebounds and put backs.

I don't think he was reluctant. It's been the design of our offense with Nash dominating the ball distribution most of the time and JJ the rest of the time. When Q gets the ball, it's designed to be a open 3pt shot most of the time. Q himself said something like he'd like to drive or post up more.

 

[Suns_fan69]

I think the other reason we don't see Q as much on the low blocks as we'd like is that usually we already have a beast down low. As proficient as Q is with his back to the basket, I'd rather have amare there any day of the week.

The team is fairly good at recognizing when there's a mismatch though; I remember at least one instance where somehow watson got matched up on Q and Q promptly set up down low and pretty much demanded the ball.

Anyways, I agree with the general consensus that Q has been absolutely clutch for us this year. Between the drawn charges, the key tip ins and the timely 3's, Q has found a way to show up when it counts. There's no one I feel more comfortable with taking the last shot than Q at this point, and on that team, that's saying lots.

As a sidenote, Shawn's really impressed me with his willingness to take the big shots down the stretch as well. He was probably the last person I'd want with the ball in his hands with the game on the line, but he's making a believer out of me.

 

[F-Dog]

I've liked Q for a while now--ever since he pulled himself out of his slump at the beginning of the season. He's a smart kid who helps the team in a lot of different ways, and he's obviously clutch, too.

I wish he would improve his percentages and develop more of an in-between game, but Q doesn't seem like a finished product. IMO he'll be a much better player in two or three years, when all of the Clipper leaches away.


As for JJ vs. Q, I would still take JJ, but they compliment each other very well--the Suns really need to keep both of them.

 

[coloradosun]

Q's personality is better suited for the playoffs. As much as I did not like his performance during the regular season, I am seeing the benefit of having his mentality in the lineup during the playoffs. I think some of his toughness is rubbing off on JJ, I did not ever think that I would see Johnson get a technical foul.

 

[arthurracoon]

I see Q is starting to drive to the hoop more now as well.