Kings @ Suns 1-8-18

[Chaplin]

What a big win without our "best" player

Come on. It was a great win, sure, but to imply Booker isn’t our best player is nonsense. Not sure why it becomes open season on Booker when we get a RARE victory without him.

 

[Hoop Head]

Some nights Crawford looks like he has one foot in the grave. More turnovers and fouls than points. -17


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Did you see him at the end when he had him arm on one of the assistant coaches shoulders watching the game? It was like he was the coach and sitting with an injured player. I like what he's brought to this team and wouldn't mind seeing him added to the coaching staff next year. Ideally he'd retire now and join the staff but I don't see that happening.

 

[devilalum]

I think that's exactly what he'll be. A good back-up combo guard.

3D


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[devilalum]

Come on. It was a great win, sure, but to imply Booker isn’t our best player is nonsense. Not sure why it becomes open season on Booker when we get a RARE victory without him.

I’m not sure how it relates to Booker but they played their best TEAM ball of the year in that second half. Nobody standing around watching.


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[Mainstreet]

Did you see him at the end when he had him arm on one of the assistant coaches shoulders watching the game? It was like he was the coach and sitting with an injured player. I like what he's brought to this team and wouldn't mind seeing him added to the coaching staff next year. Ideally he'd retire now and join the staff but I don't see that happening.

Only a guess but this may be one of the reasons he came to the Suns... with the hope to be an assistant coach next season.

 

[Proximo]

here we go again with the hyperbolic sarcasm.

it's the fault of the passer (terrible timing)
it's the fault of the receiver (Ayton is terrible at getting open)
it's the fault of the coach (needs to have strategies and plays to free Ayton. needs to drill him on moving without the ball and jumping to receive an inside pass that should be thrown high and ahead of Ayton)

My point is unlike many would have you believe the problem is not simply Igor doesn’t want to feed Ayton.

He would have to have an IQ of 50 not to want our most efficient offensive weapon to get more shots. But apparently many people are incapable of logical thought.

 

[Shaggy]

Loved that Oubre dunk at the end.

 

[1tinsoldier]

Bridges Jackson Oubre Holmes and Melton are a really good defensive 5. All 5 had at least 3 steals.

yes, another 20+ deficit and another comeback from our energetic youngsters. As i said, their youth is our asset, not our liability.

it can be argued that:
our 2nd unit is more effective than our 1st
or, to put it another way,
the Suns may be more effective without our stars/top 3 players on the floor -- Booker, TJ, Ayton
or
the whole of our best defensive players is greater than the parts of our best offensive players

yes, the last one

 

[devilalum]

yes, another 20+ deficit and another comeback from our energetic youngsters. As i said, their youth is our asset, not our liability.

it can be argued that:
our 2nd unit is more effective than our 1st
or, to put it another way,
the Suns may be more effective without our stars/top 3 players on the floor -- Booker, TJ, Ayton
or
the whole of our best defensive players is greater than the parts of our best offensive players

yes, the last one

Bridges Oubre and Jackson can all score too.


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[Mainstreet]

My point is unlike many would have you believe the problem is not simply Igor doesn’t want to feed Ayton.

He would have to have an IQ of 50 not to want our most efficient offensive weapon to get more shots. But apparently many people are incapable of logical thought.

It may have been Eddie Johnson... not completely sure... but he said something like Ayton should make himself visible when players drive to the basket so they can dish him the ball for easy opportunities.

A lot of times he is not in their line of sight.

I would think this would be easy to learn with time.

 

[1Sun]

Bridges Oubre and Jackson can all score too.


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All the more reason Warren should be trade bait for a point guard, which is what should have happened last offseason the moment they traded for Bridges.

 

[Suns_fan69]

Oubre really was a force to be reckoned with, on both ends of the court. He definitely stepped up his game and really kept the Suns in it at a few different spots there in the 4th. Kudos to him.

What a fun game to watch. Well, the second half anyways.

 

[SirStefan32]

I just finished watching. Almost turned it off at halftime. Fast forwarded to watch the third quarter anyway, and holy crap, what a game! I love watching them when they play defense! Oubre was outstanding. Holmes was great as well. Holmes is really starting to remind me of Ben Wallace with a soft touch around the rim. Melton played very well, as did Jackson with the exception of a two-minute stretch where he got really frustrated. Add a point guard and let them get another half a season of experience, and this team is going to be scary.

 

[SirStefan32]

Oubre really was a force to be reckoned with, on both ends of the court. He definitely stepped up his game and really kept the Suns in it at a few different spots there in the 4th. Kudos to him.

What a fun game to watch. Well, the second half anyways.

I usually think of him as a combination of Bridges and Jackson, but he showed quite a bit of Booker tonight as well.

 

[1tinsoldier]

Bridges Oubre and Jackson can all score too.

they score enough that, in combination with their defense, their production is positive

i'd put it this way.
our 2nd tier players (which includes Melton and Bridges who also start) defense is better than their opponents 2nd tier offense on any given night

i don't think their defense would be enough to stifle some of the better offensive teams starters however.

 

[Shaggy]

I hope they can find away to keep Oubre for next year, or does he have one more year on his contract?

 

[1Sun]

Oubre really was a force to be reckoned with, on both ends of the court. He definitely stepped up his game and really kept the Suns in it at a few different spots there in the 4th. Kudos to him.

What a fun game to watch. Well, the second half anyways.

First quarter wasn't bad, nor were the first few minutes of the second quarter. Unfortunately the Suns then imploded. Igor called one timeout to try to stem the tide after something like an 8-0 run. Then a second implosion occurred, Igor did nothing, and the team looked gone. The second half on the heels of that was a pleasant surprise.

 

[SirStefan32]

I hope they can find away to keep Oubre for next year, or does he have one more year on his contract?

Restricted free agent. He can sign an offer sheet with any team, but the Suns have the right to match it. If he doesn't sign an offer sheet and doesn't agree to an extension with the Suns, he can be here next year on a qualifying offer, and become an unrestricted free agent the following year.

I am sure he'll get an offer. Whether or not the Suns match it will depend on the offer. $10-12M, they will definitely match. $13-15M... maybe? $15M+ per year... definitely not.

 

[1tinsoldier]

All the more reason Warren should be trade bait for a point guard, which is what should have happened last offseason the moment they traded for Bridges.

that's a real idea if there is a real candidate available

the irony is, TJ's offense is better than last year, and so is his defense

it would be a shame to lose him -- unless it leads to a more valuable piece and a more balanced starting lineup.

unfortunately, we also need his size

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I hope they can find away to keep Oubre for next year, or does he have one more year on his contract?

He will be a RFA. Ultimately it comes down to how much he is going to cost. The reason Washington made him available like they did is because they felt like they wouldn't be able to afford to keep him.

 

[Hoop Head]

Come on. It was a great win, sure, but to imply Booker isn’t our best player is nonsense. Not sure why it becomes open season on Booker when we get a RARE victory without him.

There always has to be a whipping boy and since Igor didn't do anything tonight that people could complain about and sound reasonable it's open season on Booker. A win is a win, I don't care how it comes about. It would be nice if Booker was there but I think the games without him highlight how badly we need to a PG so he can play off the ball more. It's no fault of his own that he's stuck playing PG either so I don't understand why some people seem to blame him for not being James Harden, who was always a combo guard.

 

[elindholm]

He would have to have an IQ of 50 not to want our most efficient offensive weapon to get more shots. But apparently many people are incapable of logical thought.

But Ayton is efficient only when he successfully gets the ball in good position and an easy decision to make. The Suns' team efficiency when going to Ayton is quite low. Usually the result is a tentative pass-out, a turnover, or a broken play that doesn't result in an actual turnover but still leads to garbage. Ayton is simply not a good offensive option at this stage of his development unless the conditions are nearly perfect, which they rarely are. It's like having a three-point shooter who makes 45%, but only if he's had two seconds to set his feet, no one is anywhere near him, and he hasn't had to run the floor to play defense in the last few possessions.

 

[ProdigalSun]

Come on. It was a great win, sure, but to imply Booker isn’t our best player is nonsense. Not sure why it becomes open season on Booker when we get a RARE victory without him.

We have rarely been winning with him. I like Booker but we are paying him to be the best player and the best players in this league elevate the players around them to get W's

 

[JCSunsfan]

Couldn't watch the game. Just read the thread. Hilarious in retrospect.

 

[Chaplin]

We have rarely been winning with him. I like Booker but we are paying him to be the best player and the best players in this league elevate the players around them to get W's

And? Are you saying our chances of winning increase without him? Utter nonsense. This is the opposite of the sky is falling.