Suns News: Preseason 2017

Discussion of the league and of our favorite team.
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Ring_Wanted
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Re: Suns News: Preseason 2017

Post by Ring_Wanted »

In2ition wrote:
Ring_Wanted wrote:
ShelC wrote:I don't know that we've had a player like him in recent memory. A SF who can defend, handle the ball, get to the basket, and also get others involved. His jumper still worries me, but he can make his shots in rhythm.
LeBron. Iggy.
I must have missed those years when the Suns had LeBron and Iggy. ;)
haha didn't read 'we' as in Suns.

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Mori Chu
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Re: Suns News: Preseason 2017

Post by Mori Chu »

ShelC wrote:I think he'll be a SWAK for us in a very, very good way.
Sealed With A Kiss?
Shallow Water Active Kit?
Suns Win! Al KoyMc?

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Cap
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Re: Suns News: Preseason 2017

Post by Cap »

Marty [Mori Chu] wrote:
ShelC wrote:I think he'll be a SWAK for us in a very, very good way.
Sealed With A Kiss?
Shallow Water Active Kit?
Suns Win! Al KoyMc?
SWiss Army Knife.

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Superbone
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Re: Suns News: Preseason 2017

Post by Superbone »

Cap wrote:
Marty [Mori Chu] wrote:
ShelC wrote:I think he'll be a SWAK for us in a very, very good way.
Sealed With A Kiss?
Shallow Water Active Kit?
Suns Win! Al KoyMc?
SWiss Army Knife.
Thank you. I was wondering too.
"Be Legendary."

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ShelC
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Re: Suns News: Preseason 2017

Post by ShelC »

Ha sorry! I believe it's more of a football term (I know it from the 49ers) but I think it applies nicely to JJ.

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O_Gardino
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Re: Suns News: Preseason 2017

Post by O_Gardino »

Suns Will All Kayak

I thought Shel was referring to next summer's team building experiences after group yoga.
The league needs heroes, villains... and clowns. -- Aztec Sunsfan

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Mori Chu
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Re: Suns News: Preseason 2017

Post by Mori Chu »

ShelC wrote:Ha sorry! I believe it's more of a football term (I know it from the 49ers) but I think it applies nicely to JJ.
Just giving ya a hard time. I figured it out but I had to stare at it for a minute.

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Split T
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Re: Suns News: Preseason 2017

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https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2017 ... -nba-elite
During Thursday’s media availability, again which only lasts a portion of practice, Watson showcased a new variation. The starters, wearing black jerseys, featured a 6-man rotation of Bledsoe, Booker, Jackson, Warren, with Chriss and Len alternating reps at the five spot. At points, Chriss would slide to the four for more rim protection and Jackson would leave the floor.
Looks like we might see Jackson and Warren start at the 3/4. I think I'd feel better about Len starting with them. Starting Chriss at the 5 and relying on him to be our sole paint protector is asking for trouble. He'd pick up 2 fouls in the first 3 minutes anyways and have to go to the bench.

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Indy
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Re: Suns News: Preseason 2017

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Split T wrote:https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2017 ... -nba-elite
During Thursday’s media availability, again which only lasts a portion of practice, Watson showcased a new variation. The starters, wearing black jerseys, featured a 6-man rotation of Bledsoe, Booker, Jackson, Warren, with Chriss and Len alternating reps at the five spot. At points, Chriss would slide to the four for more rim protection and Jackson would leave the floor.
Looks like we might see Jackson and Warren start at the 3/4. I think I'd feel better about Len starting with them. Starting Chriss at the 5 and relying on him to be our sole paint protector is asking for trouble. He'd pick up 2 fouls in the first 3 minutes anyways and have to go to the bench.
And probably a tech before the end of the 2nd quarter. I wish we spent just as much effort for giving Bender a chance as we do Chriss

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Ring_Wanted
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Re: Suns News: Preseason 2017

Post by Ring_Wanted »

I really want to try JJ-Warren plus Len/Chandler. I'm not about wasting TJ and/or JJ to give Chriss and Bender playing time. Chriss backup PF (does people truly believe he is 6'10 athletic marvel?).

Also, didn't people want Bender at C? Let him share the minutes with Chandler and Len. He could even have a chance at starting if he does stuff well (man, is it just me our starting C spot is really up for grabs on the cheap).

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Indy
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Re: Suns News: Preseason 2017

Post by Indy »

Ring_Wanted wrote:I really want to try JJ-Warren plus Len/Chandler. I'm not about wasting TJ and/or JJ to give Chriss and Bender playing time. Chriss backup PF (does people truly believe he is 6'10 athletic marvel?).

Also, didn't people want Bender at C? Let him share the minutes with Chandler and Len. He could even have a chance at starting if he does stuff well (man, is it just me our starting C spot is really up for grabs on the cheap).
Agreed. Let those 3 guys play C, and really Tyson should get the least minutes.

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Mori Chu
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Re: Suns News: Preseason 2017

Post by Mori Chu »

Ring_Wanted wrote:I really want to try JJ-Warren plus Len/Chandler. I'm not about wasting TJ and/or JJ to give Chriss and Bender playing time. Chriss backup PF (does people truly believe he is 6'10 athletic marvel?).

Also, didn't people want Bender at C? Let him share the minutes with Chandler and Len. He could even have a chance at starting if he does stuff well (man, is it just me our starting C spot is really up for grabs on the cheap).
I agree that JJ-TJ-(Len|Chandler) is our best 3-4-5 lineup and the one I want to see them play the most. I'm just not sold on either of Chriss or Bender as a starting PF right now, though I do want to see Bender get a lot of minutes (preferably more at the 5 than the 4).

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O_Gardino
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Re: Suns News: Preseason 2017

Post by O_Gardino »

Bender isn't a 5. He's one of our better perimeter defenders, and not nearly as good defending under the rim. I like Warren at 4, but when Jackson is out I would rather see Warren at 3 and Bender at 4.
The league needs heroes, villains... and clowns. -- Aztec Sunsfan

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The Bobster
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Re: Suns News: Preseason 2017

Post by The Bobster »

Bender's biggest problem is that he's not strong enough to guard centers in the post. He may get strong enough eventually, but he's nowhere close right now.
Author of The Basketball Draft Fact Book: A History of Professional Basketball's College Drafts
Available from Scarecrow Press at - https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780810890695

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Ring_Wanted
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Re: Suns News: Preseason 2017

Post by Ring_Wanted »

O_Gardino wrote:Bender isn't a 5. He's one of our better perimeter defenders, and not nearly as good defending under the rim. I like Warren at 4, but when Jackson is out I would rather see Warren at 3 and Bender at 4.
I agree with you, but don't see the Suns pushing this direction. In my opinion, Bender is a 3-4, in part because his body is not mature enough to battle inside, like Bobster says, but also because his skillset (he grew up as a PG, if I am not mistaken).

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The Bobster
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Re: Suns News: Preseason 2017

Post by The Bobster »

Through the first 2 preseason games -

Daniels - 16.5 pts, 2.5 reb, 0.0 ast
Len - 16.0 pts, 11.0 reb, 0.0 ast
Warren - 16.0 pts, 5.0 reb, 1.0 ast
Booker - 14.5 pts, 2.0 reb, 5.0 ast
Jackson - 12.5 pts, 5.5 reb, 0.5 ast
James - 11.0 pts, 1.0 reb, 4.0 ast
Bledsoe - 8.5 pts, 2.0 reb, 2.5 ast
Ulis - 8.5 pts, 1.5 reb, 4.5 ast
Chriss - 6.5 pts, 5.5 reb, 1.5 ast
Millsap - 2.0 pts, 0.0 reb, 0.0 ast
Bender - 2.0 pts, 7.5 reb, 2.0 ast
Chandler - 0.0 pts. 2.0 reb. 1.0 ast
Jones - 0.0 pts, 1.0 reb, 0.0 ast
Peters - 0.0 pts, 0.0 reb, 0.0 ast

DNP - Bennett, Dudley, Jok, Knight, Reed, Williams
Author of The Basketball Draft Fact Book: A History of Professional Basketball's College Drafts
Available from Scarecrow Press at - https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780810890695

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Superbone
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Re: Suns News: Preseason 2017

Post by Superbone »

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/suns ... contender/
Still, 24 wins is 24 wins. Any way you slice it, Phoenix was a really bad team last year, atrocious defensively and bottom third offensively while playing at the second-fastest pace in the league. Of course, the losing paid at least one major dividend: The Suns landed the No. 4 overall pick, where they took Josh Jackson, who some people had ranked as the best player in what could end up being one of the most talented drafts in recent memory.

If we're being honest here, a similar outcome to this season would be a win for Phoenix: continued development for one of the youngest rosters in the NBA, and another high lottery pick. If the latter were to come to fruition (and there's a very good chance it will), the Suns -- with a core of Jackson, Devin Booker and another elite 2018 prospect, to go along with two more recent lottery picks in 20-year-old Marquese Chriss and 19-year-old Dragan Bender -- would really have something cooking.

Does that mean we're encouraging tanking before the season has even started? Not necessarily. Let's see how it goes. Perhaps the Suns exceed all expectations, and come March, somehow find themselves in contention for the eight seed in the mercilessly loaded Western Conference. That's unlikely, but then again, nobody would've predicted that 48-win season back in 2013-14, when Goran Dragic and Jeff Hornacek nearly took the afterthought Suns to the playoffs.
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The Bobster
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Re: Suns News: Preseason 2017

Post by The Bobster »

Realistically, this is not a good team, so if they do trade a couple of veterans and finish with 20 to 30 wins and a high lottery pick I don't consider that tanking. Last year, when they starting shutting down players who were fine physically, yes. That was tanking. But it was probably the best thing for the franchise at the time.

Now I just want to see Warren, Bender, Chriss, Ulis, Booker, Jackson, Jones, Len, Reed and Williams playing as many minutes as possible this year, both for evaluation and development.
Author of The Basketball Draft Fact Book: A History of Professional Basketball's College Drafts
Available from Scarecrow Press at - https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780810890695

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bajanguy008
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Re: Suns News: Preseason 2017

Post by bajanguy008 »

https://twitter.com/sbordow/status/916798190606630912

Good , I hope this means he will not have any lingering effects from hitting his head
SUNS Fan from the Land of Sun, Sea and Sand ;)

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Mori Chu
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Re: Suns News: Preseason 2017

Post by Mori Chu »

That's good news about TJ. Would be crushing to lose him for a lengthy period again so soon after getting him back.

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