Kokoskovs offense

[AzStevenCal]

My god its the defense that's bad and Chriss would have helped that.

Not likely. He would have helped in the blocked shots category but he would have cost us in other areas - he had no clue what to do or where to be with team defense. In that regard though, he'd fit in nicely with this current group as they're lost with team D too. But I also disagree with the idea that he couldn't pair with Ayton or that he'd unnecessarily clog the key.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Looks like Kokoskov was just yet another in a long line of horrendous decisions by McDonough. Bring in a new, hopefully competent GM, and let him hire a coach who knows what he's doing.

Dude it's been 10 games...

No coach is going to step into this situation and have the guys playing well right away (except maybe a few coaches in the entire league). Just need to be patient and let things develop.

 

[95pro]

Dude it's been 10 games...

No coach is going to step into this situation and have the guys playing well right away (except maybe a few coaches in the entire league). Just need to be patient and let things develop.

The west is stacked too! Other teams are having trouble getting their ship headed in the right direction too. Even the lakers with the an all time great was having trouble. Houston is getting rolled with an all star in CP3 and capella. It’s been 10 games.

 

[SirStefan32]

Dude it's been 10 games...

No coach is going to step into this situation and have the guys playing well right away (except maybe a few coaches in the entire league). Just need to be patient and let things develop.

That's exactly right. What I am focusing on is the positives. Anderson was moved to the bench, Bridges had some playing time for a few games (though not much last night), Warren has been solid, defensive intensity in the first half was very good. There are plenty of good things we are seeing. I mean, we almost beat Boston last night, and it wasn't until the last few minutes that the Suns fell apart. It's frustrating, but we are seeing some positive things.

I kind of look at the most recent few games vs. the few games before that. I didn't see the Nets game since I was on a business trip, but outside of that, the most recent 4-5 games were better than the first 4-5 games. Igor strikes me as a methodical coach, and while I feel like he is slow to adjust to some things, I am going to need more than ten games to declare him a terrible coach.

 

[Mainstreet]

We would be a better team right now if we had Chriss instead of Ryan Anderson.

It's like both teams were dumping bad contracts and each hoping they could use the other team's garbage.

 

[1tinsoldier]

Just need to be patient and let things develop.

like "things developed" over the past 10 years of bad coaching and management?

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

like "things developed" over the past 10 years of bad coaching and management?

New coach, new system, a lot of new players. We need to let this group of players and coaches develop together. One of the major issues we have had over the past 8 years or so has been the amount of player and coach turnover.

 

[1tinsoldier]

New coach, new system, a lot of new players. We need to let this group of players and coaches develop together. One of the major issues we have had over the past 8 years or so has been the amount of player and coach turnover.

everybody, including myself said that a month ago.
it would be understandable to give them a season or 2 to gel
but many here have assimilated new information.
--that there appears to be fundamental flaws in the coaching that is obvious to anyone watching
and it's probably hurting more than helping player and team development

JJ regressed
Ayton regressed
veterans from other teams (Ariza, Anderson, Crawform) regressed
Bender and Chriss and Daniels regressed even further than when they played for the last place team last season

it's not the first time the suns have had a new coach, system, and players.
i enjoyed those losing seasons without being as critical of the coach.
i'll still enjoy watching this season too
but not through rose colored glasses

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

everybody, including myself said that a month ago.
it would be understandable to give them a season or 2 to gel
but many here have assimilated new information.
--that there appears to be fundamental flaws in the coaching that is obvious to anyone watching
and it's probably hurting more than helping player and team development

JJ regressed
Ayton regressed
veterans from other teams (Ariza, Anderson, Crawform) regressed
Bender and Chriss and Daniels regressed even further than when they played for the last place team last season

it's not the first time the suns have had a new coach, system, and players.
i enjoyed those losing seasons without being as critical of the coach.
i'll still enjoy watching this season too
but not through rose colored glasses

That's because the players are not comfortable with each other yet and that is understandable when you consider 9 new players all trying to learn a new offense (one that has been successful elsewhere btw). Also consider that Koko is new to being a head coach and will understandably make some mistakes both from play-calls and substitutions standpoints. Moving on from that coach after just 11 games would not only hurt the development of the players, but would likely make no other candidate want to touch this job with a 10 foot pole. Simply put you can not come to a complete conclusion on the job that Koko has done because he hasn't had enough time to actually get everything fully integrated just yet. Some of that is figuring out rotations and some of that is getting the players fully comfortable with the offense/figuring out how to use each player best within that offense.

 

[SirStefan32]

There is no sane GM or owner who would look at the Suns right now and blame Igor.

 

[1tinsoldier]

no, it's not the rotations. we've all disagreed with every coach's rotations at times
(though the last 2 games, Canaan playing more minutes than anyone except Booker, on either team, is offensive)

no, "no sane GM or owner can look at the Suns and blame Igor" for taking a last place team and still sucking with it
but 2 wins, a 20 point 4th quarter collapse and 8 blowouts in 1 month
and you have to start asking why he isn't making adjustments
and why most of the players looked best their first game of the season
and progressively worst as the season progresses -- lost on both offense and defense

and no sane GM or owner could look at the #1 pick ("a generational big man") being misused,
and repeatedly taken advantage of by opposing coaches on offense and defense
and not blame Igor for lack of direction, guidance, leadership and fundamental understanding of the game!

for the love of God, who's idea was it that Ayton plays ball toss 20 to 25 feet out, night after night?

 

[itlnsunsfan]

no, it's not the rotations. we've all disagreed with every coach's rotations at times
(though the last 2 games, Canaan playing more minutes than anyone except Booker, on either team, is offensive)

no, "no sane GM or owner can look at the Suns and blame Igor" for taking a last place team and still sucking with it
but 2 wins, a 20 point 4th quarter collapse and 8 blowouts in 1 month
and you have to start asking why he isn't making adjustments
and why most of the players looked best their first game of the season
and progressively worst as the season progresses -- lost on both offense and defense

and no sane GM or owner could look at the #1 pick ("a generational big man") being misused,
and repeatedly taken advantage of by opposing coaches on offense and defense
and not blame Igor for lack of direction, guidance, leadership and fundamental understanding of the game!

for the love of God, who's idea was it that Ayton plays ball toss 20 to 25 feet out, night after night?

To be fair, he has made adjustments. Warren is now starting over Anderson and Jackson received only 5 minutes of playing time this last game. Other than our first game, we played our best ball this season for the majority of the Celtics game. I was pissed for sure that we didnt foul, but I still do think this coach is a pro.

 

[WildBB]

for the love of God, who's idea was it that Ayton plays ball toss 20 to 25 feet out, night after night?

Or setting inefective picks out there, with no chance of getting the role pass.

 

[1tinsoldier]

To be fair, he has made adjustments. Warren is now starting over Anderson and Jackson received only 5 minutes of playing time this last game. Other than our first game, we played our best ball this season for the majority of the Celtics game. I was pissed for sure that we didnt foul, but I still do think this coach is a pro.

again, rotations are not the adjustments i'm most concerned about

regarding the Celtics game, we were hot the first quarter, they were awful
we played even for 2 more, the team chocked the last
and, yes, Igor probably blew it by not telling them to foul

 

[Superbone]

again, rotations are not the adjustments i'm most concerned about

regarding the Celtics game, we were hot the first quarter, they were awful
we played even for 2 more, the team chocked the last
and, yes, Igor probably blew it by not telling them to foul

Apparently you haven't read any postgame articles. Kokoskov says he told them to foul. However, the players either somehow didn't understand that or just didn't follow through.

 

[BC867]

Apparently you haven't read any postgame articles. Kokoskov says he told them to foul. However, the players either somehow didn't understand that or just didn't follow through.

I hope that is being addressed. If the team neither understands (somehow?) nor follows instructions (either/or), that would indicate a real problem with leadership.

 

[1tinsoldier]

If the team neither understands (somehow?) nor follows instructions (either/or), that would indicate a real problem with leadership.

yes, it's worse if he did tell them to foul
but didn't communicate clearly
and/or they didn't respect his decision making and knew they could get away with doing what they wanted

 

[Hoop Head]

Honestly I'm not buying Igor saying he told them to foul. Booker, Ayton, and Canaan all said the play was to let him them shoot and not to foul. Beyond that Igor had talked up Bridges about how good he was and how he's a player that he'll use at the end of close games just a couple days ago. First close game he had the chance to put in Bridges at the end and he didn't. So it appears his comments were lip service to the press.

Here's the quote from Igor after the Grizzlies game a few days ago...

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And then last night against the Celtics, Bridges was nowhere to be seen at the end. I'll give Sidery some credit for asking him about it but I would have probably pushed the issue a little more than he did. Asking specifically why he said that about Bridges if he didn't intend on doing it 4-5 days later in the first chance he had to back up his comments.

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[Superbone]

https://theathletic.com/644001/2018...ter-suns-blow-big-lead-in-ot-loss-to-celtics/

But why did Morris get free to launch that shot in the first place? Why didn’t Phoenix subscribe to basketball 101 — committing a non-shooting foul while up three points with less than seven seconds remaining on the game clock?

The Suns were supposed to foul a ballhandler at that spot on the court, coach Igor Kokoskov said. Or they weren’t, said Booker, Canaan and rookie big man Deandre Ayton. The discrepancy suggests either an unfathomable miscommunication from coach to team, or two teammates’ refusal to throw one of their own under the bus.

“You take the blame and the responsibility as a coach …” Kokoskov said “The coverage was to ‘black’ any ball screen, which is switching. And also, any catch that far out from the 3-point line, (the call) is to foul.

“(Your players) have to be careful when you commit that foul, because Kyrie was going downhill, very sneaky. Right now, the way (officials are) calling shooting fouls, you have to trust your guys. The call was (to) foul.”

 

[Superbone]

Honestly I'm not buying Igor saying he told them to foul. Booker, Ayton, and Canaan all said the play was to let him them shoot and not to foul.

You really think he would lie to the press about that? For what purpose?

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Honestly I'm not buying Igor saying he told them to foul. Booker, Ayton, and Canaan all said the play was to let him them shoot and not to foul. Beyond that Igor had talked up Bridges about how good he was and how he's a player that he'll use at the end of close games just a couple days ago. First close game he had the chance to put in Bridges at the end and he didn't. So it appears his comments were lip service to the press.

Here's the quote from Igor after the Grizzlies game a few days ago...

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And then last night against the Celtics, Bridges was nowhere to be seen at the end. I'll give Sidery some credit for asking him about it but I would have probably pushed the issue a little more than he did. Asking specifically why he said that about Bridges if he didn't intend on doing it 4-5 days later in the first chance he had to back up his comments.

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Stick with the team that was in the midst of choking away a 20 point lead? Eh . . .

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

You really think he would lie to the press about that? For what purpose?

Yeah I gotta support this thought process. Igor would’ve had to be lying and throwing his team under the bus simultaneously. I find that a difficult concept to swallow.

 

[1tinsoldier]

to be fair, Igor said his call was to switch, but foul past the 3 pt line
--not foul on one condition -- foul on another condition

in which case, Canaan should have fouled
but (as i recall) he left his man wide open by double teaming when the ball was passed

 

[Hoop Head]

You really think he would lie to the press about that? For what purpose?

Why are Booker, Ayton, and Canaan lying then?

Maybe they're both telling the truth and it was a miscommunication issue, I'm not sure. Based on what I've seen and heard from Kokoskov up to this point I don't think he's earned benefit of doubt. My issues is how he basically did lie with his comments about Bridges being a go-to guy in end game scenarios. I understand going with the guys who brought you there to a degree but a change should have been made once they choked away 10 points of their lead. It was obvious that lineup wasn't working.

If it's one group or the other, the players or the coaches, I believe the players. It could have been a communication error though and then neither side was lying. I think there's a strong possibility of that happening. I think that's more likely than either group lying and in that case, why was there miscommunication? Was it Kokoskov's accent, the players not listening to the instructions as close as they should. I don't know. It's pointless to try to nail down at this point.

 

[1tinsoldier]

the bottom line: up 3 with 5 on the clock, Igor should have been clear and firm about fouling
rather than conditional, or uncommitted enough that the players felt switching was his preference

nice guy. long time assistant. Igor is probably not confident in Igor, and neither are the players

so many blowouts, chocking a 20 pt lead, i'm sure it's in everyone's head at this point