Game Day: Suns (1-0) @ Nuggets (1-0), Sat 10/20/18

[O_Gardino]

Didn’t get to see much of the game. Was Ayton hobbled by the sprained ankle?

Unclear if he was just physically dominated or hobbled. It's also the first time Ayton's seen someone who can toss him around like a rag doll. Jokic is f*** huge, just like Sabonis in his day.

I mean, Ayton's taller and far more muscular. Jokic certainly isn't DeAndre Jordan. Sarcasm?

[O_Gardino]

Didn’t get to see much of the game. Was Ayton hobbled by the sprained ankle?

Not noticeably. Foul trouble probably the main culprit

Foul trouble and that continuing inability to pass the ball in to him.

This.

[O_Gardino]

Looking forward to this one. Jokic may be a tough matchup for Ayton. He'll pull DA farther away from the basket than he likes to operate. Worried that the Joker will score 40 on us and mess with Ayton's confidence.

Murray and Harris could put 50 on us, though. Let's play some D tonight, guys.

[SDC]

lonzo hss no future with the lakers. lets trade for him using josh jackson and a first round pick.

[Split T]

lonzo hss no future with the lakers. lets trade for him using josh jackson and a first round pick.

Why do you think he has no future with the Lakers?

Also, why do you want him? He shot like 45% from the FT line.

[In2ition]

lonzo hss no future with the lakers. lets trade for him using josh jackson and a first round pick.

Idk, Rondo is going to be suspended and Lonzo is going to start coming up.

This game was crap. I think you guys all summed it up quite well. Bridges needs to play more.

[Mori Chu]

I mostly like the distribution of minutes that Coachoskov is using. But I agree with others that it'd be nice to see more Bridges. And I still wish that Bender got more run. I am not at all interested in seeing Ryan Anderson out there; I'd much rather see Bender get those same minutes, regardless of the numbers..

[SDC]

lonzo hss no future with the lakers. lets trade for him using josh jackson and a first round pick.

Why do you think he has no future with the Lakers?

Also, why do you want him? He shot like 45% from the FT line.

were replacing one bad FT shooter with another... but suns finally get a point guard

[SDC]

lonzo hss no future with the lakers. lets trade for him using josh jackson and a first round pick.

Idk, Rondo is going to be suspended and Lonzo is going to start coming up.

This game was crap. I think you guys all summed it up quite well. Bridges needs to play more.

hart is more likely to start

[Ring_Wanted]

This is going to happen a lot this season. If we are not hitting our threes, we are done because there is very very little defense to compensate. Carrying dead weight in Anderson and Chandler doesn't help either, you just can't have them getting a combined 35-40 mpg.

Jokic owned Ayton with his weight and this should be a good lesson to learn for him. But even more than that he needs to dare to put the ball on the floor and drive by a big man. If he turns the ball over, so be it, but Ayton needs to have other big men on their toes. Decrease the pace if needed at this moment.

When we are getting destroyed like this, I'd love to see Igor try something different. Want to see some genious.

Anyway, we won't mean business until the PG is solved (I appreciate Canaan, but on what other team he'd find minutes?).

[In2ition]

I wonder why Ayton doesn't take anyone off the dribble? Could it be that Igor is asking him not to at this time? He is going to be crowded away from the basket, and it could have really helped get Jokic into foul trouble if he would learn how to do that, as Jokic doesn't have the speed to keep up. Just explode with a first step, but I can't tell so far if Ayton even has a first step.

[In2ition]

I would not be surprised for the kids to knock off Golden State. Jokic was super-motivated to put the rookie in his place and cement his status as a dominant center. Now, it's Ayton's turn for payback against either an undersized Draymond or whatever stiffs they can put in Ayton's path.

Draymond is considered one of the best defenders the NBA has ever seen. I'm not sure that rookie Ayton is going to have great success at this time.

[O_Gardino]

Sure, we didn't hit 3s, but it looked to me like we didn't take quality 3s in the rhythm of the offense.

[INFORMER]

first loss of the season.

[INFORMER]

I really don't get it with the Nuggets. Everyone's so high on them and while I really like Malone, I still don't love their perimeter players like Murray, Harris and Barton.

I get it. Jokic is an offensive juggernaut, plus he can board. The team has depth, and Murray keeps getting better and better. I like them.

[Superbone]

first loss of the season.

I don't get it.

[INFORMER]

Word. I agree with all of this. I really want them to start TJ Warren. I think he's ready for it and would help in that role.

I don't think we need to start Warren. I think the sixth man role is the best way to get the most out of him. He doesn't defend or rebound enough to work as a smallball 4.

[INFORMER]

Jokic was super-motivated to put the rookie in his place and cement his status as a dominant center.

Nah. Jokic is just a great player, and he took advantage of a team that has little frontcourt defense.

[INFORMER]

first loss of the season.

I don't get it.

It was just funny to see that as one of the first posts of the gameday thread, funny because of who posted it, funny because of the actual outcome, and funny because it was said so definitively without any explanation.

[Indy]

Ayton vs Jokic is going to be fun to watch.

hindsight--ouch