Game Day - Summer League Edition: Suns (0-1) @ Heat (1-0), Mon 7/10/23

[Superbone]

Haywood talking shit about the Suns defense like he clearly hasn’t watched them.

Just came here to comment about that. That and he said the Suns had 2 30 point scorers and still lost to the Nuggets. Yep, that's exactly the narrative. Nothing else happened. At.all.

Haven't heard someone be so out of touch with a contending team in some time. Brendan Heywood doesn't watch NBA basketball.

Yeah, that was weird. And does he have any idea that Vogel is a defensive minded coach and dang good at it? Haywood has already put the new Suns out to pasture before they've had a single moment on the court together. Talk about being out of touch and making assumptions. Not only that but I know for a fact that at least Book and KD can be plus defenders.

[carey]

Weren’t the Suns top 10 in defense with KD?

[BKinSJC]

Weren’t the Suns top 10 in defense with KD?

I don't think you can draw any real conclusions from the 8 games the KD played in the regular season. In the playoffs, over the course of 11 games, the Suns had a defensive rating of 119.4, third worst of all the playoff teams -- and one of the two that was worse was the beat-up Clippers that the Suns torched for four straight games mostly without Kawhi Leonard.

Since that time the team has changed coaches to one known for a defensive mindset, got bigger and stronger in the backcourt in the Paul/Beal swap, and changed out a number of role players for ones that theoretically should be able to provide more on the defensive end. If everybody buys in and plays with energy and focus, there's no reason why it shouldn't be a good defensive team.

[carey]

Well, more to the point I was talking about people saying a KD/Book team could never defend & thinking the data proved otherwise. That data is likely skewed in both directions because we couldn't slow don't Jokic.

[Flagrant Fowl]

If every Suns player had been healthy for the 2 months leading up to and during the entire playoffs would the outcome have been different? Maybe, but not certainly.

Jokic is so good right now that it's not unrealistic to imagine him overcoming 3 surefire Hall of Fame players (and Ayton).

It's not as much fun to debate reality, but a significant part of the Nuggets title can be attributed to being ready at the right time. In fact, that's typically the case for most NBA champions.

[Superbone]

If every Suns player had been healthy for the 2 months leading up to and during the entire playoffs would the outcome have been different? Maybe, but not certainly.

Jokic is so good right now that it's not unrealistic to imagine him overcoming 3 surefire Hall of Fame players (and Ayton).

It's not as much fun to debate reality, but a significant part of the Nuggets title can be attributed to being ready at the right time. In fact, that's typically the case for most NBA champions.

Yep. We were so close in 21 but then Giannis took his game up a notch plus the bull in a china shop rules. The Giannis injury situation was kind of weird. In the earlier series they made it sound like a potential really bad injury and then he seemed to be 100% for the Finals.

[pickle]

I would also say CP3 was clearly hampered during that finals series. Not an excuse per se. But having the right timing on injuries is important.

[Superbone]

I would also say CP3 was clearly hampered during that finals series. Not an excuse per se. But having the right timing on injuries is important.

I think even Book was compromised in the Finals.

[virtual9mm]

If every Suns player had been healthy for the 2 months leading up to and during the entire playoffs would the outcome have been different? Maybe, but not certainly.

Jokic is so good right now that it's not unrealistic to imagine him overcoming 3 surefire Hall of Fame players (and Ayton).

It's not as much fun to debate reality, but a significant part of the Nuggets title can be attributed to being ready at the right time. In fact, that's typically the case for most NBA champions.

Just slow down Jokic the best you can while playing tight D on the role players. You need a decent center to do it as well as good wing defenders. Easier now that some of the best ones have left. The Nugz are beatable.

[Superbone]

If every Suns player had been healthy for the 2 months leading up to and during the entire playoffs would the outcome have been different? Maybe, but not certainly.

Jokic is so good right now that it's not unrealistic to imagine him overcoming 3 surefire Hall of Fame players (and Ayton).

It's not as much fun to debate reality, but a significant part of the Nuggets title can be attributed to being ready at the right time. In fact, that's typically the case for most NBA champions.

Just slow down Jokic the best you can while playing tight D on the role players. You need a decent center to do it as well as good wing defenders. Easier now that some of the best ones have left. The Nugz are beatable.

As we will show next year.

[virtual9mm]

Indeed, this is our game plan