SL Game Day: Rockets (1-1) @ Suns (1-1), Mon 7/10/17

[Superbone]

Time: 3:30 pm AZ (3:30 pm PT/6:30 pm ET)
Place: Thomas & Mack, Las Vegas, NV
TV: NBATV

Game 3 of Suns NBA Summer League basketball. I hope to see a more focused and intense team from tipoff today. I'm going to try to get behind the Suns bench for this one. Yesterday I was across the court and a few rows behind Sarver, McDonough, Mike Breen, and Mark Cuban. Unfortunately couldn't hear what Sarver and McDonough were saying to each other.

Go Suns!!!

Dis • cuss

[Big Jake Little Jake]

Hopefully I see you there Superbone. I'll be wearing the Rex Chapman jersey. (Yes really).

Hope to see a better game out of Chriss. Less pouting, more rebounding.

[In2ition]

Hopefully I see you there Superbone. I'll be wearing the Rex Chapman jersey. (Yes really).

Hope to see a better game out of Chriss. Less pouting, more rebounding.

Less point blank misses and turnovers too, please.

[ShelC]

Yea I'm interested to see how the team responds. Jackson and James are the only ones bringing it. Jones Jr looks good but he's reliant on others to make plays. Don't want to beat a deadhorse but Chriss needs to get his act together. Last year Booker looked like he didn't belong out there because he was so good. This year, Chriss acts like he doesn't belong out there because he's so good. Not the case. He should be dominating inside, plain and simple. The coaches should challenge him with 10 boards and 3 dunks in traffic. None of this finesse shit and fadeaways. Strong with the ball.

I'd like to see more assertiveness from Bender and Reed. I think aggressiveness is certainly an issue for Bender. He's gotta look for more scoring opportunities. His defense has been good tho.

[In2ition]

I have to admit that I was so discouraged by the game yesterday, that I don't even know if I want to tune in on another Summer league game. After buying in on #TheTimeline, and even buying a tshirt, I'm incredibly disappointed in how they looked, attitude, lack of improvement, etc. I'm seriously questioning whether or not Jackson is ever going to be able to fix his shot and starting to feel like Chriss is just Markieff 2.0. Bender, I hate to say it, might be a bust. I think I might need to step away as the fall from excitement has me quite wounded.

[ShelC]

I'm trying to keep an open mind. It is July, afterall and Chriss and Bender are just 20 and 19, respectively. Bender shows at least some bball IQ and acumen but you can't say either are standing out or making any "wow" plays.

Jackson's shot and mechanics were well known before the draft. He's not a shooter, which is OK. As long as his defense, slashing, ball handling and passing progress he'll be fine.

[Ring_Wanted]

I have to admit that I was so discouraged by the game yesterday, that I don't even know if I want to tune in on another Summer league game. After buying in on #TheTimeline, and even buying a tshirt, I'm incredibly disappointed in how they looked, attitude, lack of improvement, etc. I'm seriously questioning whether or not Jackson is ever going to be able to fix his shot and starting to feel like Chriss is just M******f 2.0. Bender, I hate to say it, might be a bust. I think I might need to step away as the fall from excitement has me quite wounded.

One has to be ready to entertain the possibility that Bender is just a decent role player, Chriss is a bust and Jackson is just a pretty good player. Obviously I am hoping for much more, but nobody should be surprised if things turn out like that.

[Split T]

I think we shouldn't take these games too serious. It'd be great if our guys dominate, but it's summer league. It means nothing.

[In2ition]

I have to admit that I was so discouraged by the game yesterday, that I don't even know if I want to tune in on another Summer league game. After buying in on #TheTimeline, and even buying a tshirt, I'm incredibly disappointed in how they looked, attitude, lack of improvement, etc. I'm seriously questioning whether or not Jackson is ever going to be able to fix his shot and starting to feel like Chriss is just M******f 2.0. Bender, I hate to say it, might be a bust. I think I might need to step away as the fall from excitement has me quite wounded.

One has to be ready to entertain the possibility that Bender is just a decent role player, Chriss is a bust and Jackson is just a pretty good player. Obviously I am hoping for much more, but nobody should be surprised if things turn out like that.

You're right. I let my hopefulness get the better of me.

[Wally_West]

I think we shouldn't take these games too serious. It'd be great if our guys dominate, but it's summer league. It means nothing.

Agreed. I don't get the overreaction I'm seeing by some on this board at all.

[Superbone]

Hopefully I see you there Superbone. I'll be wearing the Rex Chapman jersey. (Yes really).

Hope to see a better game out of Chriss. Less pouting, more rebounding.

I'll look for you. Pretty sure I saw a Chapman jersey on Friday. I'll be sporting a black Suns shirt with the firebird logo on it.

[O_Gardino]

I have to admit that I was so discouraged by the game yesterday, that I don't even know if I want to tune in on another Summer league game. After buying in on #TheTimeline, and even buying a tshirt, I'm incredibly disappointed in how they looked, attitude, lack of improvement, etc. I'm seriously questioning whether or not Jackson is ever going to be able to fix his shot and starting to feel like Chriss is just M******f 2.0. Bender, I hate to say it, might be a bust. I think I might need to step away as the fall from excitement has me quite wounded.

One has to be ready to entertain the possibility that Bender is just a decent role player, Chriss is a bust and Jackson is just a pretty good player. Obviously I am hoping for much more, but nobody should be surprised if things turn out like that.

You're right. I let my hopefulness get the better of me.

Be hopeful! These guys haven't proven anything yet, but they aren't done yet, either. Both Bender and Chriss were gambles. Jackson is a safer bet, but doesn't have the upside of some other guys taken after him. We aren't entitled to any of these guys turning into stars, but we can hope that they will excel.

[Superbone]

Slow down, In2ition. Let's give it some time and see what happens. Too soon to panic.

BTW, I hadn't seen #TheTimeline until you mentioned it but now I've seen it quite a few times since including on AZCentral. I should have my shirt next week.

[Indy]

I have to admit that I was so discouraged by the game yesterday, that I don't even know if I want to tune in on another Summer league game. After buying in on #TheTimeline, and even buying a tshirt, I'm incredibly disappointed in how they looked, attitude, lack of improvement, etc. I'm seriously questioning whether or not Jackson is ever going to be able to fix his shot and starting to feel like Chriss is just M******f 2.0. Bender, I hate to say it, might be a bust. I think I might need to step away as the fall from excitement has me quite wounded.

One has to be ready to entertain the possibility that Bender is just a decent role player, Chriss is a bust and Jackson is just a pretty good player. Obviously I am hoping for much more, but nobody should be surprised if things turn out like that.

I think, right now, that is what we are on track to see. Let's hope they change their trajectory and take those leaps we really need them to take.

[TOO]

Hopefully I see you there Superbone. I'll be wearing the Rex Chapman jersey. (Yes really).

Hope to see a better game out of Chriss. Less pouting, more rebounding.

Just less of Chriss in general would be ok.. What a fatty.

[Cap]

I think we shouldn't take these games too serious. It'd be great if our guys dominate, but it's summer league. It means nothing.

Agreed. I don't get the overreaction I'm seeing by some on this board at all.

It's July in Phoenix, what else are we gonna do?

[In2ition]

Slow down, In2ition. Let's give it some time and see what happens. Too soon to panic.

BTW, I hadn't seen #TheTimeline until you mentioned it but now I've seen it quite a few times since including on AZCentral. I should have my shirt next week.

I'm supposed to get my shirt in tomorrow. Hopefully it fits. See, I'm hopeful.

My main disappointment was that Chriss came out and it seemed felt entitled, thinking he should just dominate, just because. The fact was, he had a bad attitude and should have felt that he was going to dominate with a chip on his shoulder, instead he gain 15 lbs of FAT, instead of muscle, got stuffed by the rim on a dunk that normally would have worried that his head would have hit the rim. Keeps forcing a dribble and EVERY SINGLE time he puts the ball on the floor, it's a practically guaranteed turnover. I'm thinking to myself, "Come on dude, figure it out! Quit being your own worst enemy and blaming everyone else." Where is the eye of the tiger from this guy? Everyone else is hungry and he thinks because he made some 2nd team All-Rookie team, that he's arrived. Sheesh.

Bender, is a whole other problem. Get some damn confidence and go out and dominate these fools. Instead, he's languishing around the perimeter again, half the time when he does bring the ball up, I'm worried it's going to be picked, fumbled, or he falls over. Also, when is someone going to f'ing tell him to get some arc on his shots? I swear just working on that particular part of your shot will improve it by at least 15-20% from the line and the field. It's frustrating to me, because I've been coaching basketball since '92 and I know for a fact that I could fix Jackson, Bender and Chriss's shooting problems, even though all have different quirks that need adjusting.

[iLLmatic]

Ultimately it all falls on McDonough and his drafting. Hopefully he doesn't take us on another road that leads to a dead end. This 7 year playoff drought has practically sucked all of the desire out of me to want to tune into an NBA game period.

[ShelC]

I'm heading down that path with McD too. We've had some really high draft picks now and it doesn't look like there's a gamechanger/stud among them. We got Booker at 13, who's for sure a stud. But Len (5), Bender (4), Chriss (8) are questionable at the moment, with Len really looking like he's on his way out. You can't go thru this period of losing and miss on top 10 picks, or top 5 for that matter.

[3rdside]

Ultimately it all falls on McDonough and his drafting. Hopefully he doesn't take us on another road that leads to a dead end. This 7 year playoff drought has practically sucked all of the desire out of me to want to tune into an NBA game period.

I'd say it ultimately comes down to the culture McD is emanating from above - he can draft the next 3 Michael Jordans for all we like but if he really is the weak leader that enabled the douchery of the M**** B**s to proliferate, douchery that now might be resurfacing with Chriss, then we're not going anywhere.