Suns @ Timberwolves game thread 12-16-17

[95pro]

Didn't watch the game, highlights only. Canaan looks like a young Felton during his prime days as a Knick. He just looks really confident and poised. Looks like he's been playing in the NBA this whole time. Only highlights though, could also be a lack of scouting. James looked good early this season but returned to himself (no actually being a good PG).

 

[StreetTruckinTitan]

Leander saying they won by a finger, referring to Ulis injuring his finger and putting Canaan back in. While he's correct it's pretty messed up he would make that comment.

I dont see a problem with what he said. If Ulis would have broken his nose then Leander could have said, won by a nose. Thats funny stuff.

 

[Mainstreet]

As I understand it, the NAZ Suns traded a first round pick in the G-League for Canaan. His signing was allowed by the NBA as a hardship exception because the Suns were down four players.

My guess is the Suns will have to waive or trade a player in order to keep him.

The two moves on Tuesday gives Phoenix options moving forward. While the Suns’ roster is currently full with 15 players and the two-way contracts of rookie Alec Peters and recently-signed wing Danuel House, Jones and Canaan could give the Suns depth if the team opens up roster spots via trade.

I would like to keep Canaan.

Any thoughts?

http://arizonasports.com/story/1346...rade-pg-isaiah-canaan/?show=comments#comments

 

[Mainstreet]

Here is more about Canaan.

https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2017/12/suns-plan-to-sign-isaiah-canaan-to-nba-deal.html

Apparently the Suns are allowed 16 players on their roster because of the hardship exception.

 

[SirStefan32]

Like clockwork... I bang on Bender and he actually shows a little something tonight.

Keep banging, brother! Whatever the hell gets him to show what he can do is OK with me.

 

[Hoop Head]

Did anyone else see James when Ulis went to the bench last night? It looked like he was smirking at him. You could see Monroe grimacing at the injury but James appeared happy. I'm trying to find video to post.

He could have been looking over Ulis, I'm not 100%, that's why I'm asking and looking for video.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

Did anyone else see James when Ulis went to the bench last night? It looked like he was smirking at him. You could see Monroe grimacing at the injury but James appeared happy. I'm trying to find video to post.

He could have been looking over Ulis, I'm not 100%, that's why I'm asking and looking for video.

Found it at 1:23:55.

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I'm definitely not a Mike James fan, but I don't see any evidence that he was responding negatively. I think the fair interpretation is that he was grossed out by the injury.

 

[Hoop Head]

Found it at 1:23:55.

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I'm definitely not a Mike James fan, but I don't see any evidence that he was responding negatively. I think the fair interpretation is that he was grossed out by the injury.

Glad you found it, I guess he wasn't smiling at the injury or anything, it appeared he was looking past him during the part where I thought he was smiling at him. I guess the look I thought was him being a d-bag is just his normal resting face.

 

[Phrazbit]

Didn't see any of this game, reading through the thread it seems like Len was trash, but I gotta say, stats stuffing combined with +/-, it looks like this may have been his best game as a Sun. Is it somewhere in the middle? The comments in the thread and the results are so far apart that it's confounding.

Also, Bender, keep on bending. Every time I watch the guy play I feel like he is passing the eye test and the Suns just are not putting him in the right spots. I agree that this dude should not be buried in the corners (despite him being a good shooter from there), but he is good enough with the ball and his instincts are good enough that he should be playing from the top of the key, the primary big to set screens, make passes and shoot from the top of the arch.

 

[Hoop Head]

Didn't see any of this game, reading through the thread it seems like Len was trash, but I gotta say, stats stuffing combined with +/-, it looks like this may have been his best game as a Sun. Is it somewhere in the middle? The comments in the thread and the results are so far apart that it's confounding.

Also, Bender, keep on bending. Every time I watch the guy play I feel like he is passing the eye test and the Suns just are not putting him in the right spots. I agree that this dude should not be buried in the corners (despite him being a good shooter from there), but he is good enough with the ball and his instincts are good enough that he should be playing from the top of the key, the primary big to set screens, make passes and shoot from the top of the arch.

Len had good numbers but didn't necessarily play as good as those would make you think. He got a lot of rebounds because the players he was on the floor with are all bad rebounders. I can't recall more than 2 of his 19 rebounds that didn't end up right in his hands. His rebounds were a lot like Chandlers usually are, from the result of standing in the right spot rather than boxing out or jumping up to get them.

On offense he was awful, as usual. He was standing out towards the 3 point line a lot. I know that opens up the lane but Minnesota wasn't exactly following him out that far so it didn't really help. It kept him far enough away that he wasn't in position to grab many offensive rebounds.

Credit to him for going straight up on the final play while Butler drove against him. Butler kind of fumbled it before trying to toss it up for a shot and Len swatted it back, which saved the game for the Suns. He wasn't awful but he wasn't great. I'd say he was about as good as Chandler typically is.