Game Day: Suns (8-26) @ Magic (14-18), Wed 12/26/18

[Xylus]

The players deserved that win. I'm glad they got it. Igor deserves the loss. Pathetic coaching on his part at the end of the 4th. I'm glad Booker was screaming at him about that timeout. Or lack thereof...You don't let a team of 20 year olds make their own decisions on how to guard the last play of the game...unless the coach himself is clueless as well.

I feel like this team is ready to take the next step but lack of a coach and a OF os really gliding back their development.

I disagree with this. I think it's better to have that last timeout to give you an extra offensive possession if the Magic manage to tie it up. If you call the TO, you give the Magic the opportunity to set up their offense, rather than forcing them to score on the fly. Credit to Augustin for drawing that foul, but I think Coach Igor made the right call. The Magic were hypothetically more likely to score if a timeout is called and then you have no counter.

[Indy]

The players deserved that win. I'm glad they got it. Igor deserves the loss. Pathetic coaching on his part at the end of the 4th. I'm glad Booker was screaming at him about that timeout. Or lack thereof...You don't let a team of 20 year olds make their own decisions on how to guard the last play of the game...unless the coach himself is clueless as well.

I feel like this team is ready to take the next step but lack of a coach and a OF os really gliding back their development.

I disagree with this. I think it's better to have that last timeout to give you an extra offensive possession if the Magic manage to tie it up. If you call the TO, you give the Magic the opportunity to set up their offense, rather than forcing them to score on the fly. Credit to Augustin for drawing that foul, but I think Coach Igor made the right call. The Magic were hypothetically more likely to score if a timeout is called and then you have no counter.

Exactly. They didn't have a TO left. Why give them one? Make them run their offense on the fly, and save a timeout for us if we need it.

[specialsauce]

I hate when we have a small lead with a minute left in the game and we try to milk the clock. It always ends up a forced bad shot at the end of the shot clock that we almost always miss. Just run your offense until you get a good shot. It’s like pass prevent defense in football to me and I hate pass prevent defense.

Agreed. We've done it a bunch and I think it comes from not having an experienced guard on the floor to lead things. We usually go with Booker at point and he never seems confident in late game situations handling the ball. Late in the Cs game he was slowly walking the ball up and Igor was yelling and motioning to him to speed it up and attack. Sure enough, he drove the ball straight to the basket and got the foul. Point is, you can't play not to lose. Gotta stay aggressive and play to win.

I feel like this team is ready to take the next step but lack of a coach and a OF os really gliding back their development.

We're not ready to take a next step. We're still an extremely young team with no point guard or power forward. Just because we're playing well and have won some games, doesn't mean we're ready for a "next step". We're not even halfway thru the year.

I disagree that we don’t have a PF. TJ I think is great at that spot with Mikal at the 3. I don’t want to mess with that. I would focus on upgrading the 1 in a big way and rounding out your bench. I would put every effort into getting a star point guard. I think we’re set 2-5.

[ShelC]

I really like what TJ's done this season but I don't think he's the long term solution at PF. If he were a bit bigger and a better rebounder you might persuade me. It's working for now, but isn't sustainable IMO.

[SDC]

the team doesnt need a traditional pf.

[Split T]

If Ayton is the 15 rebound a night monster he’s been recently and defends like he did in OT last night, warren is fine at the 4.

[EDC]

the team doesnt need a traditional pf.

I feel like we need someone who can box out. When Ayton goes for the block if he doesn't get it the other team gets the offensive rebound so often. Maybe what we have can work but the forwards have to do a better job boxing out and rebounding.

[Indy]

If Ayton is the 15 rebound a night monster he’s been recently and defends like he did in OT last night, warren is fine at the 4.

Big "IFs" but I agree.

[Mori Chu]

I like both guys, but a Warren/Ayton frontcourt is pretty challenged on defense and rebounding, as others have said. Warren would have to put in a similar effort this offseason to learn about better defensive positioning and rebounding, which I don't know if he can really do. You can sit in a gym and shoot 1000 threes, which he seems to have done. But practicing defense and rebounding is harder. You'd have to find a special big-man coach to work with him.

[Split T]

I think a lot of it is mindset. Warren is a pretty good transistion scorer. Harder to do that when you’re focusing on securing the rebound. Although warren has actually improved this year as a defensive rebounder. His offensive rebounding has dropped significantly.

[Indy]

I think a lot of it is mindset. Warren is a pretty good transistion scorer. Harder to do that when you’re focusing on securing the rebound. Although warren has actually improved this year as a defensive rebounder. His offensive rebounding has dropped significantly.

Exactly. We can't ask him to take more 3s and leak out on fast breaks, but also be boxing guys out and defending in the paint. You can switch it up and do one or the other situationally, but that would have to fit into a larger defensive scheme.

[Superbone]

[Indy]

I didn't notice how calm he was

[JCSunsfan]

I think a lot of it is mindset. Warren is a pretty good transistion scorer. Harder to do that when you’re focusing on securing the rebound. Although warren has actually improved this year as a defensive rebounder. His offensive rebounding has dropped significantly.

His offensive rebounding has dropped significantly because there is this huge Bahamian kid in the way grabbing all of them.

[Indy]

I think a lot of it is mindset. Warren is a pretty good transistion scorer. Harder to do that when you’re focusing on securing the rebound. Although warren has actually improved this year as a defensive rebounder. His offensive rebounding has dropped significantly.

His offensive rebounding has dropped significantly because there is this huge Bahamian kid in the way grabbing all of them.

I wish that were the case. Ayton is doing wonderful on the boards, but...

Ayton is grabbing 10.6% of the offensive rebounds while he is on the court. Holmes is grabbing 12.2 while he is there. Last year, Alex grabbed 13.2 ,and Tyson had 12.2.

It is more about TJ being further out than last year.

[Superbone]

[Indy]

I forget who said it (either here on on twitter) but it didn't look like he was going to get that block because he didn't really gather himself for a big move/jump. Just kind of effortlessly slid over and hopped up. It was really great to see. Let's see if he can keep it going tomorrow.

[Cap]

I hate when we have a small lead with a minute left in the game and we try to milk the clock. It always ends up a forced bad shot at the end of the shot clock that we almost always miss. Just run your offense until you get a good shot. It’s like pass prevent defense in football to me and I hate pass prevent defense.

Agreed. We've done it a bunch and I think it comes from not having an experienced guard on the floor to lead things. We usually go with Booker at point and he never seems confident in late game situations handling the ball. Late in the Cs game he was slowly walking the ball up and Igor was yelling and motioning to him to speed it up and attack. Sure enough, he drove the ball straight to the basket and got the foul. Point is, you can't play not to lose. Gotta stay aggressive and play to win.

I feel like this team is ready to take the next step but lack of a coach and a OF os really gliding back their development.

We're not ready to take a next step. We're still an extremely young team with no point guard or power forward. Just because we're playing well and have won some games, doesn't mean we're ready for a "next step". We're not even halfway thru the year.

It’s amazing how quickly a win streak can change the general vibe from “Putting this disaster of a roster together is malpractice” to “We’re ready to take the next step.”

[ShelC]

We might be back to "fire Igor", and "wish we drafted Luka instead of Ayton" by the end of this home stretch.

[Superbone]

I forget who said it (either here on on twitter) but it didn't look like he was going to get that block because he didn't really gather himself for a big move/jump. Just kind of effortlessly slid over and hopped up. It was really great to see. Let's see if he can keep it going tomorrow.

It was awesome at the end of the game how happy Holmes was for Ayton. He hugged him and wouldn't let him go.