Pacers @ Suns Thursday game thread, November 13th, 2025

[clyde2tw]

I have been critical of him, but that was a good game. He could play pf except for his outside shooting.

Except for all types of shooting other than dunks! I see why the team likes his overall potential, but he'll need to abandon the guly push shot first before able to stay in the NBA long term.
And ManMan and Fleming are too raw, particularly Fleming seems completely lost. Send them to G-league for 30 games.

 

[Chaplin]

I actually love what we are doing with Oso, making him bring the ball up. It’s very unique and not something you see in the league.

Really helps our wide open offense if the opposing center has to guard him in the backcourt.

 

[Hoop Head]

Remember when people said Book wasn't a #1 and needed KD to compete? Wonder why KD and Book never accomplished this in their 2 1/2 seasons together....

Brooks isn't better than KD on his own but he is better for the Suns than KD ever was.

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[Carolinacacti]

Suns play on the court has Proven to me that Durant and coaching were the problem. Of course Grayson losing weight and doing what he is doing helps. Is Oso going to prove me wrong too? I hope so.

 

[Mainstreet]

Devin Booker talks about getting energy from his teammates and chippy play.

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[JCSunsfan]

I actually love what we are doing with Oso, making him bring the ball up. It’s very unique and not something you see in the league.

Really helps our wide open offense if the opposing center has to guard him in the backcourt.

Ott seems to know how to get something out of this limited player. For his size, Oso moves exceptionally well, is a fantastic passer, blocks some shots, finishes pretty well at the rim, and plays team D. I will give him that.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Devin Booker talks about getting energy from his teammates and chippy play.

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Dillon and Jordan mentioned.

 

[Mainstreet]

Remember when people said Book wasn't a #1 and needed KD to compete? Wonder why KD and Book never accomplished this in their 2 1/2 seasons together....

Brooks isn't better than KD on his own but he is better for the Suns than KD ever was.

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The difference is between individual play (isolation) versus team play.

Devin Booker thrives in team play with players like Chris Paul, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson...

 

[BirdGangThing]

sounds like the gameplan was to get in siakam's head and also force him left all game long - diabolical

 

[95pro]

Its one good game for Oso guys, cmon.

Am i glad for the team success, yes, but lets stay level headed with him against a bad team.

 

[Hoop Head]

Its one good game for Oso guys, cmon.

Am i glad for the team success, yes, but lets stay level headed with him against a bad team.

Yeah the Pacers are hurting for bigs. They lost Myles Turner in the offseason and Obi Toppin to injury. Tony Bradley was a former 10 signing here but was their starter. I'm glad Oso stepped up but he was playing G-League level talent at best. I think he needs more time in the G-League to prepare him better for minutes against better competition as it should boost his confidence but if we're playing G-League bigs then I guess letting him loose is fine.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Its one good game for Oso guys, cmon.

Am i glad for the team success, yes, but lets stay level headed with him against a bad team.

Just go back and watch the highlights and watch the center play only.

Oso plays much physical than I had realized. He also plays really smart ball. The screens he sets under the basket when teammates are driving are something I seldom see other centers do. It takes significant court awareness and the ability to respond quickly to do it. He also is ALWAYS blocking out on rebounds. Because of it, his teammates often get rebounds that they otherwise would not. He is better rolling on the pick and roll than most centers we have had. He is just much quicker and more mobile. He also alters more shots at the rim than I realized.

He had a good scoring game last night, and so that is why I focused on him. But when I did, it was all those little things that he does all the time that I noticed. I might go back and check the Dallas game that way as well.

 

[Mainstreet]

Yeah the Pacers are hurting for bigs. They lost Myles Turner in the offseason and Obi Toppin to injury. Tony Bradley was a former 10 signing here but was their starter. I'm glad Oso stepped up but he was playing G-League level talent at best. I think he needs more time in the G-League to prepare him better for minutes against better competition as it should boost his confidence but if we're playing G-League bigs then I guess letting him loose is fine.

The way the game started, I thought the Suns may be in for a long night. The Pacers played in your face defense until the Suns took control late in the 1st quarter.

What the Suns have this season, especially if they have all their weapons, is the ability to explode offensively and put some distance between them and an opponent.

As I mentioned in another thread, Oso epitomizes how the Suns want to play. He may not have all the shooting skills a team might want, but he excels in the open court. I think this is why he gets consistent playing time. Also, I think he has upside in other parts of his game.

 

[Dback Jon]

sounds like the gameplan was to get in siakam's head and also force him left all game long - diabolical

It’s amazing having a coach and staff that actually develop game plans for specific opposing players

 

[AzStevenCal]

Ighodaro's results in this game make me think he might play better off the bench.

I'm not trying to take away from Oso's night but when your opponent is down 9 or 10 players, it's a lot easier for a lesser player to stand out.

 

[Hoop Head]

The way the game started, I thought the Suns may be in for a long night. The Pacers played in your face defense until the Suns took control late in the 1st quarter.

What the Suns have this season, especially if they have all their weapons, is the ability to explode offensively and put some distance between them and an opponent.

As I mentioned in another thread, Oso epitomizes how the Suns want to play. He may not have all the shooting skills a team might want, but he excels in the open court. I think this is why he gets consistent playing time. Also, I think he has upside in other parts of his game.

We seem capable of doing what teams regularly did to us, moving the ball to create looks when our primary option isn't dribbling the air out of the ball. There's always someone cutting with purpose as the ball moves as well so you can catch a defender out of position. The offense has been the biggest surprise, it's smooth and unrelenting.

Oso is a semi decent cog in the offense if he's kept in the paint or close because he has size to set screens, finish inside, and make good passes but it won't be long until we see him being dared too shoot like Okogie was. He has some skills but the lack of shooting can be a problem if teams quit paying mind to him on the offensive end.

 

[BirdGangThing]

I'm not trying to take away from Oso's night but when your opponent is down 9 or 10 players, it's a lot easier for a lesser player to stand out.

oso does better against fast tall teams than richards does - but richards has the size to bang with the jokics and zubacs - i thought we'd start oso last night because they're tall and fast

but i think ott started richards so the starters could carry richards - which they tried to do in the first but thankfully the bench came in and blew the game wide open

oso and richards are different tools - sometimes you need an apple sometimes an orange - richards balled out in the game before and took oso's minutes - ott's lineups are like a box of chocolates

 

[Mainstreet]

We seem capable of doing what teams regularly did to us, moving the ball to create looks when our primary option isn't dribbling the air out of the ball. There's always someone cutting with purpose as the ball moves as well so you can catch a defender out of position. The offense has been the biggest surprise, it's smooth and unrelenting.

Oso is a semi decent cog in the offense if he's kept in the paint or close because he has size to set screens, finish inside, and make good passes but it won't be long until we see him being dared too shoot like Okogie was. He has some skills but the lack of shooting can be a problem if teams quit paying mind to him on the offensive end.

No doubt, Oso's shot is a weakness in his game and teams may soon sag off of him because of it.

However, as Oso develops, he might counter this measure with his point guard skills. His game might grow to resemble Ben Simmons. I'm not comparing talent here, only style.

Oso will still need to get to the basket, though, to be the most effective on offense.

 

[Chaplin]

We seem capable of doing what teams regularly did to us, moving the ball to create looks when our primary option isn't dribbling the air out of the ball. There's always someone cutting with purpose as the ball moves as well so you can catch a defender out of position. The offense has been the biggest surprise, it's smooth and unrelenting.

Oso is a semi decent cog in the offense if he's kept in the paint or close because he has size to set screens, finish inside, and make good passes but it won't be long until we see him being dared too shoot like Okogie was. He has some skills but the lack of shooting can be a problem if teams quit paying mind to him on the offensive end.

Oso is capable of a lot more intangibles than Okogie was. JO's defense was superior, but he wasn't a screen and roll player and certainly didn't normally mix it up down low, either getting rebounds himself or blocking the opposing center out so someone like Colin can get the board. A majority of Colin's boards (which he has surprisingly gotten a lot of) are because Oso blocks out his man and allows the smallest guy on the court to sneak in and get the ball.

 

[95pro]

Just go back and watch the highlights and watch the center play only.

Oso plays much physical than I had realized. He also plays really smart ball. The screens he sets under the basket when teammates are driving are something I seldom see other centers do. It takes significant court awareness and the ability to respond quickly to do it. He also is ALWAYS blocking out on rebounds. Because of it, his teammates often get rebounds that they otherwise would not. He is better rolling on the pick and roll than most centers we have had. He is just much quicker and more mobile. He also alters more shots at the rim than I realized.

He had a good scoring game last night, and so that is why I focused on him. But when I did, it was all those little things that he does all the time that I noticed. I might go back and check the Dallas game that way as well.

Go back and watch the rest of his games, from last season too.

 

[JCSunsfan]

No doubt, Oso's shot is a weakness in his game and teams may soon sag off of him because of it.

However, as Oso develops, he might counter this measure with his point guard skills. His game might grow to resemble Ben Simmons. I'm not comparing talent here, only style.

Oso will still need to get to the basket, though, to be the most effective on offense.

I was thinking Ben Simmons recently as well. And yes, style, not talent.

Does every 4 need to be a stretch 4 in today's NBA? It is an honest question. I am not sure.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Go back and watch the rest of his games, from last season too.

Nah. Don't have time. I am more interested in where he is now under Ott's coaching, than where he was when KD was dominating the ball.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Oso is capable of a lot more intangibles than Okogie was. JO's defense was superior, but he wasn't a screen and roll player and certainly didn't normally mix it up down low, either getting rebounds himself or blocking the opposing center out so someone like Colin can get the board. A majority of Colin's boards (which he has surprisingly gotten a lot of) are because Oso blocks out his man and allows the smallest guy on the court to sneak in and get the ball.

Yep. I noticed that a lot with Oso. He blocks out the other team's primary rebounder and while he does not get the rebound himself, other Suns players sneak in and get them.

 

[Suns_fan69]

I actually love what we are doing with Oso, making him bring the ball up. It’s very unique and not something you see in the league.

Really helps our wide open offense if the opposing center has to guard him in the backcourt.

Yeah, good catch. I think it's a response to so many teams (including Pacers who kind of spearheaded this last year) pressuring guards as they bring the ball up court. Bigs are typically less suited to this kind of sustained on-ball pressure so having a ball handling 5 counteracts that.

 

[95pro]

I actually love what we are doing with Oso, making him bring the ball up. It’s very unique and not something you see in the league.

Really helps our wide open offense if the opposing center has to guard him in the backcourt.

He did get picked though. The following possession he brought up again with more determination and got rid of early. We've been having numerous guys all season bring the ball up aside from our 'guards'.