Game Day: Hawks (16-35) @ Suns (11-42), Sat 2/2/19

[In2ition]

There are flashes/glimpses of basketball where you get excited and see the potential. We have talented guys. It's not like we're rolling out a roster like the Knicks, Bulls, Magic (no disrepect to those teams). Maybe we just need more time. We know we need a PG and PF. I just feel like we should be better in certain areas by now like transition defense, help defense, defending the rim. Young guy get crazy on offense and take bad shots. A PG should help that. But I still feel like the PnR lob pass is still our main offense.

I also can go with never seeing Booker at PG again. He's just not a PG or heady player/passer in that role. He can't create space for himself, can't create offense for others the way we need him to.

Another thing I'll be happy to see go away with a pg, is when Booker stands there trying to get the pass to act like the pg instead of running down on offense to be ready for a pass to score.

[LazarusLong]

... or maybe because there is no rhythm or flow to the offense, he's picking up bad habits ...

[SunsRIt]

Josh Jackson looked good.

[ShelC]

I have no problem with our wingplay. Still a big fan of Jackson, Bridges seems to be figuring it out, Oubre gives us a lot of both ends. Booker's actually a major drag on the defense, especially at point. He's just not a bouncy, quick guard. He plays with heavy legs and isn't explosive. That's not me killing the guy and saying he's overrated and needs to be traded; but we need to hide those deficiencies on both ends. Can't have him guarding PGs and would actually try hiding him on 3-D guys with limited offense. And we need to get back to him being a shooter/go-to guy in the halfcourt and not dribble around trying to breakdown the D and create.

[Vladimir_Taltos]

I'm looking at the numbers for the Hawks...and we were killed on the boards. Our PFs got nada for time last night...so...but the general flow of the game for us just...sucks.

So...
PG...needed!
PF...needed?
Coach...fire?

That question needs to be asked. How much of our circumstance is coaching at this point? Dis-cuss...

[The Bobster]

I'm looking at the numbers for the Hawks...and we were killed on the boards. Our PFs got nada for time last night...so...but the general flow of the game for us just...sucks.

So...
PG...needed!
PF...needed?
Coach...fire?

That question needs to be asked. How much of our circumstance is coaching at this point? Dis-cuss...

I wouldn't put a "?" after PF. They can't keep running all these SF out there every night and keep trying to match up against PF.

[carey]

Okobo actually played well at pg tonight. We lost because Collins killed us on the boards and Trae Young got hot at the end.

The refs didn't allow us to play defense at all last night. We should have been able to put Bridges on Young in the 4th but he was in danger of fouling out by then. Young just ate Booker & Okobo alive.

[Nodack]

I'm looking at the numbers for the Hawks...and we were killed on the boards. Our PFs got nada for time last night...so...but the general flow of the game for us just...sucks.

So...
PG...needed!
PF...needed?
Coach...fire?

That question needs to be asked. How much of our circumstance is coaching at this point? Dis-cuss...

I wouldn't put a "?" after PF. They can't keep running all these SF out there every night and keep trying to match up against PF.

I was excited to see Ayton and Holmes on the floor together in the third quarter. I have been wanting to see what that combo.

[gosuns]

I'm looking at the numbers for the Hawks...and we were killed on the boards. Our PFs got nada for time last night...so...but the general flow of the game for us just...sucks.

So...
PG...needed!
PF...needed?
Coach...fire?

That question needs to be asked. How much of our circumstance is coaching at this point? Dis-cuss...

I wouldn't put a "?" after PF. They can't keep running all these SF out there every night and keep trying to match up against PF.

I was excited to see Ayton and Holmes on the floor together in the third quarter. I have been wanting to see what that combo.

I think we won that stretch, and they aren’t even used to play together. How many games do we have to watch getting absolutely pounded on the inside. Play a PF at the four!

[ShelC]

Yea that was a nice surprise to see. I don't think they were out there for an extended period and not sure what the actual lineup was but I feel like it'd work best with our best shooters out there....Craw/Okobo, Booker, Bridges at the 1-3 spots.

[Superbone]

Everybody here is analyzing the situation well. Surely (and don't call me Shirley!), the Suns see the same thing yet they don't do anything about it. My only hope is that they've given up on this season and they're waiting until the off-season to fix things. Either that or we're getting a good PG and PF at the trade deadline. A PG alone would be a good start.

[Superbone]

[Superbone]

[Indy]

I'm looking at the numbers for the Hawks...and we were killed on the boards. Our PFs got nada for time last night...so...but the general flow of the game for us just...sucks.

So...
PG...needed!
PF...needed?
Coach...fire?

That question needs to be asked. How much of our circumstance is coaching at this point? Dis-cuss...

I wouldn't put a "?" after PF. They can't keep running all these SF out there every night and keep trying to match up against PF.

I was excited to see Ayton and Holmes on the floor together in the third quarter. I have been wanting to see what that combo.

I think we won that stretch, and they aren’t even used to play together. How many games do we have to watch getting absolutely pounded on the inside. Play a PF at the four!

Looking at the charts, we didn't win that stretch, and it was in the 2nd. Surprisingly, there wasn't a single stretch last night that Holmes' time on the court resulted in us winning those minutes. His best stretch was in the 2nd half of the 3rd where he subbed in for Ayton and we played them even the rest of the quarter. That is really unusual for him.

[Indy]

So I take that back--We won those 3:47 by 1 point. Here are the stats for the 3:47 to finish the second where Holmes and Ayton played together:

Code: Select all

Start   51-49
Finish  58-57
Pts Net +1 Suns
Trb Net +1 Suns
Ast Net +1 Suns
TOs Net +1 Hawks (meaning they had 1 more TO)

[djy2j]

I keep forgetting we “tried” bringing in a real coach but low balled him on an offer.

It’s comically bad how far they are letting this franchise fall into the abyss. There’s no one being held accountable for anything. It’s an embarrassment to the NBA brand.

[JeremyG]

The question is, is Silver paying close enough attention to all of these details to notice the big picture of what has been happening with the organization?

[gosuns]

So I take that back--We won those 3:47 by 1 point. Here are the stats for the 3:47 to finish the second where Holmes and Ayton played together:

Code: Select all

Start   51-49
Finish  58-57
Pts Net +1 Suns
Trb Net +1 Suns
Ast Net +1 Suns
TOs Net +1 Hawks (meaning they had 1 more TO)

Interesting. If i recall well the first Hawks possession they got like 3 offensive rebounds. Remarkable that we still ended up outrebounding them. Plus giving up just 7 points in that stretch isn’t bad. Obviously it’s not enough time to judge anything,

[Nodack]

We’ve had a ton of coaches. The parts aren’t all there yet and the parts we do have still need some breaking in. I see positives in this year. We do have a more complete team than last year. We have some nice pieces. Ayton and Bridges have been positive additions. Both are solid starters as rookies. Holmes has been a nice addition. Oubre gets a lot of flak but, if you ask me which player I would rather see play, Oubre or Ariza it’s not even close. Oubre has been a much more engaged exciting player. His stats have gone up and down. Then again everybody’s stats go up and down.

The way I see it, we are missing a real pg and a pf. Most people feel the same way. Blaming the players and coaches for that fact isn’t fair to them. We have a few young pg’s that have shown some promise but none of them have cemented themselves as starters. The way I see it we were never going to win a championship this year with this lineup so what does it all matter in the long run whether they win 6 or 30 games other than pride? It’s all about learning lessons and building the team. Every team except one will go home losers in the end of the season.

The pressure is on the Suns management to finish getting the pieces that will fill out the roster. We are in last place in the West. Maybe we pick up a stud pg or sf in the draft? We could get lucky. We have a plethora of sf’s. Oubre is most likely just a rental for this year unless they decide to make a deal but he is just another sf in the list. Bridges, Warren and Jackson are our sf’s. All three have improved their game noticeably this year. Could we part with one of them and help secure a decent defensive bruiser rebounder pf? Oubre will free up some cash when he is gone after the season. There are options.

[ShelC]

Where did Melton go?

BTW, as well as the Oubre trade worked for use and as well as he's played, I'm not exactly itching to break the bank for him. Would I give him TJ's 12 and send TJ packing? I would. But I'm not paying TJ 12, Oubre 12-15, and then still have at Jackson and Bridges to deal with.