Suns @ Celtics, Thur 3-14-24

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

This team was built for the playoffs.

That said, they aren't built for these playoffs. Stick a fork into the season and go into next year with a better plan -- preferably with a better coach that holds players accountable and won't get starstruck.

Man watching this squad I have a tough time projecting how they can turn this around next season. It may just be fatally flawed team overly dependent on midrange shooting without enough athleticism to maintain defensive intensity. And dumb.

 

[Chaplin]

Bol Bol - 15 minutes, 4-5 FG, 2-2 3FG, 4 rebounds, 1 steal
Royce O'Neal - 27 minutes 0-7 FG, 0-5 3FG, 5 rebounds, 4 assists

What is Vogel doing? I like Royce but he's been unplayable for the 2nd game in a row. His defense sure didn't help tonight.

No consistency from Vogel and his rotations. It's no wonder our bench guys can never get going.

 

[Proximo]

Guess our big 3 decided to not show up and shot poorly against a red hot shooting Cs team. That’s it in a nutshell 25 threes and Suns shooting stars all played average at best. Careless uninspiring basketball on other Suns part all game basically…

You say this as if it’s a surprise.

there has maybe been one game where they all did.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I mean you do realize both of these things can be true, right? Like I don't think the referees have been the difference in the game tonight, but I definitely believe it's worked in the celtics favor tonight.

They've just beaten us all the way around and especially with their three-point shooting and our terrible three-point shooting tonight.

I think it always seems that way though. The dominating team always seems to get the calls. That’s just the nba.

 

[95pro]

Bol Bol - 15 minutes, 4-5 FG, 2-2 3FG, 4 rebounds, 1 steal
Royce O'Neal - 27 minutes 0-7 FG, 0-5 3FG, 5 rebounds, 4 assists

What is Vogel doing? I like Royce but he's been unplayable for the 2nd game in a row. His defense sure didn't help tonight.

Bol has been really efficient. I don’t get it, on why he’s being pulled. He just seems to be on a short leash.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I still got faith. We start clicking we can beat anyone....and beat em bad. Just need to figure it out...quick

We haven’t really beaten many teams bad this year.

 

[Proximo]

Bol Bol - 15 minutes, 4-5 FG, 2-2 3FG, 4 rebounds, 1 steal
Royce O'Neal - 27 minutes 0-7 FG, 0-5 3FG, 5 rebounds, 4 assists

What is Vogel doing? I like Royce but he's been unplayable for the 2nd game in a row. His defense sure didn't help tonight.

No consistency from Vogel and his rotations. It's no wonder our bench guys can never get going.

So who does he play instead of Royce?

you act like there are other good options.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

This team doesn't get any better and continues to make the same stupid mistakes time and time again. They clearly don't pay any attention to the coaching staff.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

It’s amazing. Our bench stinks, suns can’t buy a three. Other teams have bench guys popping off threes every game it seems.

And other teams seem to find random guys off the street who become contributors. Can’t recall the last time we did that.

 

[95pro]

So who does he play instead of Royce?

you act like there are other good options.

I don’t think that is what anyone is saying but you play the hot hand.

 

[BirdGangThing]

I really don’t care what coach we had, we are not beating the celts when they shoot the 3 like this.

with a better defensive coach the celts wouldn't shoot 3 like that

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Yeah, but I wasn't excusing the players was I? I'm not claiming Vogel has been a fantastic coach either… Not even a really good job coaching. I don't think the difference in the game tonight was the coaching.

Oh I think our entire season is equal parts coaching - particularly as regards scheme - and players who have low IQ and low energy and have seemingly no clutchness.

 

[95pro]

The Celtics just have better 2 way players in Brown, Tatum and White. Then Holiday can just focus on defense without exerting himself on offense.

Meanwhile our best 3pt shooter, statistically, is the worst defender on the team.

 

[AzCardsfan76]

I’m done with Vogel. I’ve written this season off, they may have a hard time making the Play-In with the remaining schedule. Even if they make the play-in, and get to the playoffs they will be bounced in the first round.

The fact that the offense is still a complete and total mess with hero ball is amazing. Even worse is how bad the defense is, truly pathetic, one of the worst transition and perimeter defenses I’ve seen in quite some time.

Vogel is not making the adjustments and the talent on this team is going to waste.

This isn’t an overreaction, it’s been the entire season, rinse, wash repeat…..

 

[sdscard4]

Holiday owns our ass that's for sure.

 

[Covert Rain]

The Suns are going to have to play close to perfect playoff run to get to the finals let alone win them. There is nothing about this team’s IQ, offensive innovation or defense prowess that tells me it’s going to happen.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

with a better defensive coach the celts wouldn't shoot 3 like that

I dunno. We aren’t very athletic. Our defense gets easily broken down off the dribble creating the scramble on defense which invariably results in the dunk or wide open 3. Yes, part of it undeniably is scheme. Our guys play way off the corner shooters - so far they never recover on a closeout. But it’s because we can’t stop any penetration in the lane. The idea is we build a wall with those pinching in, but laughable irony is that they’re piss poor at creating the wall too. So teams just get to choose how they want to score on us.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

The Suns are going to have to play close to perfect playoff run to get to the finals let alone win them. There is nothing about this team’s IQ, offensive innovation or defense prowess that tells me it’s going to happen.

This team simply isn’t capable of playing even close to perfect.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

The Suns are going to have to play close to perfect playoff run to get to the finals let alone win them. There is nothing about this team’s IQ, offensive innovation or defense prowess that tells me it’s going to happen.

Get to the finals?!? We're barely going to make the playoffs. Anyone who thinks this team has any title ambitions is delusional or isn't watching the games. We're nothing like a finals worthy team.

 

[clyde2tw]

There is a good reason why Nets'd give up ONeale for free. He is not a reliabe 3pt shooter. He is almost another JO, with better size, a little better 3pt %, more experience, but much less athletic and less of a lock-down defender. Our main hope is that Gordon miraculously refinds his shooting and scoring touch, to have an additional scoring threat after Allen. It'd be our 5th best shooter which is inferior to Boston's 8th or 9th.

Otherwise, we need to work out more sets on both sides to hide the respective weakness of Nurk, RO, JO, Bol, while our core KD, Book, Beal, Allen, Gordon all also need to improve on D, within better executed sets like quick double teaming and associated proper rotation. Like we saw Brown's last 3pt with one-on-one facing Bol, it's a disaster to let Bol face this challenge this late while we were trying to catch up on a 14some pt deficit.

 

[sdscard4]

I can tell you all the top teams want Phoenix as the 6. No way in hell the top 2 seeds want a first round date with us

 

[ASUCHRIS]

I can tell you all the top teams want Phoenix as the 6. No way in hell the top 2 seeds want a first round date with us

Why? What about our team would scare anyone at this point? Even when our stars go off, we still lose games.

 

[clyde2tw]

I dunno. We aren’t very athletic. Our defense gets easily broken down off the dribble creating the scramble on defense which invariably results in the dunk or wide open 3. Yes, part of it undeniably is scheme. Our guys play way off the corner shooters - so far they never recover on a closeout. But it’s because we can’t stop any penetration in the lane. The idea is we build a wall with those pinching in, but laughable irony is that they’re piss poor at creating the wall too. So teams just get to choose how they want to score on us.

Brown did the main damage as he abused our starting players Book, Beal, Allen at will, and RO as well, and while also assisted by refs like in the BS foul call on Booker. Only JO, Roddy, Little may present good matchup, but they all are not fitting on offense yet.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I can tell you all the top teams want Phoenix as the 6. No way in hell the top 2 seeds want a first round date with us

Dude… no one is scared of this team.

 

[Yuma]

Bol has been really efficient. I don’t get it, on why he’s being pulled. He just seems to be on a short leash.

The only thing I can figure is they don't want him to get hurt before the playoffs.

 

[sdscard4]

Dude… no one is scared of this team.

I get it this team is underachieving. But you honestly think Minnesota...OKC or Denver want any part of our 3? Cause a few dudes on Denver have already stated as much. No way in hell they want any part of Phx in round 1