Suns @ Kings Sunday game thread 12-27-2020

[Mainstreet]

The Suns finish their second night of back-to-back games with the Kings on Sunday.

Kings are now 2-0 on the season after beating the Suns 106-103 last night.

Suns fall to 1-1 on the season.

The Suns get a day off before playing the Pelicans at home on Tuesday.

Start time is listed at 7 p.m. Arizona time.

The game will be televised on FSAZ.

 

[Mainstreet]

Kings outworked the Suns last night playing with more energy. The Suns need to correct this if they hope to win tonight.

Lots of other reasons as well but the Suns can't come out with a slow start and expect to win. They have to get Ayton more involved.

 

[1Sun]

Kings outworked the Suns last night playing with more energy. The Suns need to correct this if they hope to win tonight.

Lots of other reasons as well but the Suns can't come out with a slow start and expect to win. They have to get Ayton more involved.

Ayton has to want to be more involved.

 

[Mainstreet]

The Kings defensive plan on Ayton appeared to include keeping a body in front of him. I noticed that Ayton never appeared to be open during the game. I kept thinking with his size, how can that be.

Ayton needs to improve getting lob passes and be involved in more pick and rolls.


From Duane Rankin, Arizona Republic:


Marvin Bagley III, who is very familiar with Ayton from competing in The Valley in high school, said the Kings wanted to get him off his spots and make it "rough" on him.

He didn't to unveil the complete game plan. Understandable.

The Kings and Suns will go at it again in less than 24 hours, but Walton gave a little insight as to the plan for defending Ayton.

"We just wanted to keep a body in front of him," he said. "We didn't care how big the body was. Just keep a body in front of him."


https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...nd-phoenix-suns-first-loss-season/4051755001/

 

[Mainstreet]

Another thought about the Kings defensive plan, Ayton has a tendency to bring the ball down. Keeping a defender in front of him does not allow him to bring the ball down which he shouldn't anyway but he does.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

We missed a TON of open 3s. I thought we played much better last night than against Dallas. Encouraging to see the progress. The shots will fall.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

Payne looking extremely legit is hugely important moving forward.

When Saric comes back we won’t ever have to see Frank or Jones again. Another big factor.

 

[mjb21aztd]

Go suns

Kings are a decent team i really like fox good pg

Really want to see a monster gm from ayton like a barkley type from the old days. .

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

Monty made the key adjustment of putting Bridges on Fox. I think we see that match-up more tonight and we make open shots and take this one down.

 

[95pro]

I’d really like to see Smith on Holmes tonight. Smith might be the only guy with enough energy to match his.

 

[95pro]

Another thought about the Kings defensive plan, Ayton has a tendency to bring the ball down. Keeping a defender in front of him does not allow him to bring the ball down which he shouldn't anyway but he does.

I think the scouting report says Ayton doesn’t have the balls to take it to anyone at all, so it doesn’t matter if it’s a small or a big on him. If we, the posters on this forum can see that, I’m sure they know as well.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think the scouting report says Ayton doesn’t have the balls to take it to anyone at all, so it doesn’t matter if it’s a small or a big on him. If we, the posters on this forum can see that, I’m sure they know as well.

If Ayton were more aggressive he wouldn't need to have a lot of plays run for him as he would score a lot of points on put-backs after missed shots. He stands around too much. Suns need to find a way to get him more involved.

 

[itlnsunsfan]

I think the scouting report says Ayton doesn’t have the balls to take it to anyone at all, so it doesn’t matter if it’s a small or a big on him. If we, the posters on this forum can see that, I’m sure they know as well.

This is what I was thinking. It doesn't matter how big the body in front of him is because he doesn't punish his defender.

 

[1Sun]

Monty made the key adjustment of putting Bridges on Fox. I think we see that match-up more tonight and we make open shots and take this one down.

And that is why the Chris Paul trade is a failure. I don't think anyone in the Suns organization was counting on having to put Bridges on the opposing point guard because Paul couldn't defend anymore.

 

[Suns_fan69]

This is what I was thinking. It doesn't matter how big the body in front of him is because he doesn't punish his defender.

That's the part that drives me (and many others I'm sure) insane. Even when he has a smaller defender pinned in the low post, when he gets the ball it's 90% of the time a short hook. Very rarely does he try and seek contact to score through the defender.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

And that is why the Chris Paul trade is a failure. I don't think anyone in the Suns organization was counting on having to put Bridges on the opposing point guard because Paul couldn't defend anymore.

Dude only the absolute most elite defenders in the league can stay in front of Fox. He is insanely quick. I would argue that no one can lock him up on a regular basis.

 

[1Sun]

Dude only the absolute most elite defenders in the league can stay in front of Fox. He is insanely quick. I would argue that no one can lock him up on a regular basis.

He's DeAaron Fox, not Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving or Kemba Walker.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

And that is why the Chris Paul trade is a failure. I don't think anyone in the Suns organization was counting on having to put Bridges on the opposing point guard because Paul couldn't defend anymore.

22/12/0tov lol

 

[1Sun]

22/12/0tov lol

On 8 for 19 shooting, and a decent defending point guard should never have to be covered for by a small forward on defense.

It's early, but thus far the Chris Paul trade is a total failure.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

On 8 for 19 shooting, and a decent defending point guard should never have to be covered for by a small forward on defense.

It's early, but thus far the Chris Paul trade is a total failure.

This is just idiotic. Bridges is our best perimeter defender and that is fine because he is an elite defender. Makes sense for your best perimeter defender to guard the other teams best perimeter player....

 

[1Sun]

This is just idiotic. Bridges is our best perimeter defender and that is fine because he is an elite defender. Makes sense for your best perimeter defender to guard the other teams best perimeter player....

The Kings' best perimeter player is Buddy Hield. Fox can't shoot. Any halfway decent defending point guard can handle Fox as a result. Unfortunately, Chris Paul is no longer a halfway decent defending point guard.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Poor Chriss, first a broken brain and now a broken bone.

 

[1Sun]

Poor Chriss, first a broken brain and now a broken bone.

What ever happened with Dragan Bender and Tyler Ulis?

Man, as much as I give James Jones a hard time, that 2016 draft by McDonough was a historic failure...

 

[Mainstreet]

As expected Saric and Nader are out again tonight. Hope to get Saric back later in the week.

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[Mainstreet]

Dude only the absolute most elite defenders in the league can stay in front of Fox. He is insanely quick. I would argue that no one can lock him up on a regular basis.

Yeah, Fox is lightning quick. He is a one man fast break.