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

[Shabazz]

(Exhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeee)

[bajanguy008]

I didn't even think he was gonna get to that because he didn't really do a strong gather but just goes to show how effortlessly he can protect the rim if he stops hesitating on rotations or choosing to stay grounded n just put his hands up

https://twitter.com/TheMattPetersen/status/1078117549219475456

[carey]

[carey]

I could hear Jeff Van Gundy on this
he hates when players don't jump in a natural shooting motion to get the call

https://twitter.com/esidery/status/1078113668884250624

1) I hate that Mikal bit on the pump fake, but...
2) You can't let a guy jump out and sideways and THEN kick his feat out behind him to initiate contact. It was a garbage call all around.

[Xylus]

Great defense from Ayton in the overtime period. It really made the difference.

[Mori Chu]

What a finish from Booker. Pretty amazing that we've won so many games lately. Has the team turned a corner (from awful to mediocre)?

[Xylus]

Booker scored 7 points in a 44-second span in the last minute of the 4th. He was HUGE.

[Xylus]

Booker scored 7 points in a 44-second span in the last minute of the 4th. He was HUGE.

Correction: 9 points in the last minute of the game.

[Cap]

What a finish from Booker. Pretty amazing that we've won so many games lately. Has the team turned a corner (from awful to mediocre)?

I went to Zipps tonight and the Suns game was playing on half the TVs there. I usually have to ask to get the Suns on a TV. Does that count as turning a corner?

[Mori Chu]

What a finish from Booker. Pretty amazing that we've won so many games lately. Has the team turned a corner (from awful to mediocre)?

I went to Zipps tonight and the Suns game was playing on half the TVs there. I usually have to ask to get the Suns on a TV. Does that count as turning a corner?

It depends on which direction you approached Zipps from.

[djy2j]

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.

Glad to see a winning road trip for once. Keep pushing

[JeremyG]

Interesting line from Ayton tonight: 8 pts, 12 rebs, 4 blks

Zero shots in overtime.

But locked in defensively in OT. I'll take that.

Agreed, but we need to go to him for easy points when we need them, like in OT...a lot of those fruitless offensive possessions are what made it go down to the final possession.

[Nodack]

A win is a win. I had no problem with the foul call on Bridges. I have seen that play thousands of times before. When an offensive player gives a pump fake and the defensive player leaves his feet, the offensive player can jump sideways into the defensive player and as long as he is in his shooting motion it will be called a foul on the defensive guy 99.999999% of the time.

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.

The Oubre trade has been a good one for the Suns. He’s a little cocky but, he is the full package.

There can be no denying that the Suns have improved a lot in the past couple of weeks. They are much more competitive and fun to watch.

[Flagrant Fowl]

That OT was brutal to watch for both teams and the Suns were lucky to be playing against an equally inexperienced/inept team.

[Superbone]

Booker's career high against the Magic is 14 over the course of 5 games. I'd say the chances are very high of eclipsing that. I'd rather have the W, though.

How about both?

[Superbone]

Okay I don't want to lay any blame if we lose this... but... where is our "Dis • cuss"

Phew!

[Superbone]

If Booker is just going to sit at the top of the key until there is like 7 seconds less we might as well run the offense during that time to try and get an open shot. Then give it to Booker to bail us out.

Booker doesn't quite have a handle on "7 seconds or less".

[Superbone]

That OT was brutal to watch for both teams and the Suns were lucky to be playing against an equally inexperienced/inept team.

We outscored them 4-2 in OT and I believe all of those points were in the first minute and a half of OT.

[bajanguy008]

That OT was brutal to watch for both teams and the Suns were lucky to be playing against an equally inexperienced/inept team.

We outscored them 4-2 in OT and I believe all of those points were in the first minute and a half of OT.

I didn't even realize that's all it was , wow

[ShelC]

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.