Game Day: Rockets (19-9) @ Suns (11-17), Sat 12/21/19

[iLLmatic]

Yes I'm sure we'll miss aytons empty stats

Because shooting 58% and getting 16 points and 10 rebounds a night are worthless.

They replace a lot of those minutes with.... Frank Kaminsky.

..
Yawn.. Let me know when he wins us a game.. Until then he's an empty stat stuffer.

If you’ve forgotten, he single-handedly won us a handful of games last year, usually on the defensive end, including an overtime that he completely took over.

They don’t care. All they want to do is whine and bitch about Ayton. Maybe they should leave and become Mavs fans. It’s getting really freaking old. Enough bagging on Ayton until he had a chance to play and prove them wrong.

Where did I mention anything about the Mavs?

[Indy]

you didn't.

[Mori Chu]

Harden had 47 on 15-27 shooting (9-19 on 3s!) and Westbrook had 30 on 11-21 shooting (1-2 on 3s). That's basically the game; we couldn't stop these two. Harden in one particular stretch had three or four 3s in a row that were just demoralizing.

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=401161079

[Superbone]

Random comment - a five guys meal deal costs $25 in London ... I love the burgers but wtf paying that much for one!

They are overpriced here too but that's ridiculous! (We can see your picture.)

[Superbone]

Harden had 47 on 15-27 shooting (9-19 on 3s!) and Westbrook had 30 on 11-21 shooting (1-2 on 3s). That's basically the game; we couldn't stop these two. Harden in one particular stretch had three or four 3s in a row that were just demoralizing.

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=401161079

I don't know why we waited until the end of the game to double Harden to prevent him from scoring 50. It worked and would probably be the better strategy against the Rockets. Let somebody else beat us.

[Cap]

Harden had 47 on 15-27 shooting (9-19 on 3s!) and Westbrook had 30 on 11-21 shooting (1-2 on 3s). That's basically the game; we couldn't stop these two. Harden in one particular stretch had three or four 3s in a row that were just demoralizing.

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=401161079

I don't know why we waited until the end of the game to double Harden to prevent him from scoring 50. It worked and would probably be the better strategy against the Rockets. Let somebody else beat us.

Somebody else like Westbrook, who scored 30 with 10 assists? Or the other starters, who shot 15-19?

[Superbone]

Harden had 47 on 15-27 shooting (9-19 on 3s!) and Westbrook had 30 on 11-21 shooting (1-2 on 3s). That's basically the game; we couldn't stop these two. Harden in one particular stretch had three or four 3s in a row that were just demoralizing.

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=401161079

I don't know why we waited until the end of the game to double Harden to prevent him from scoring 50. It worked and would probably be the better strategy against the Rockets. Let somebody else beat us.

Somebody else like Westbrook, who scored 30 with 10 assists? Or the other starters, who shot 15-19?

Sure. At least force them to keep Harden and Westbrook out there at the same time. We lost by about 20. I think we'd have a better shot the other way.

[carey]

Bridges fg is 48%, his FT is almost 80%

He's shooting only 30% on threes this season, but historically he's been a good outside shooter, so I'm not too worried about this.

Historically?! This is his second season in the league.

Bridges has been a disappointment. I always felt his ceiling is a great role player, but right now, he isn't even a good role player. I expected great defense and great 3-point shooting, but so far he has been a mediocre at both. I really hope he turns it around.

Same. He’s been pretty bad.

The team has a lot of issues. Booker doesn’t seem to know how to play without the ball in his hands. His scoring efficiency has gone up but he doesn’t grasp when it’s time to take over and control the game offensively. To impose his will on the other team. To me that is what All-Star players do and he can’t really do that yet. I’d be fine with another snub this year.

I don’t know where to start with Ayton. The suspension and now the injury has ruined the first third of the season. He seems more talk than player at the moment. If you traded him now I’m not sure I’d care that much which says a lot.

Cam Johnson has been fine but the hip soreness is a major cause for concern. I read that it was supposed to get better and better the farther removed from surgery you are so not sure what to think now that he’s once again missing games because of it.

I don’t have much to say about Jerome. I worried his lack of athleticism would limit his effectiveness in the league and that seems to be the case so far. Maybe he gets on track but I’m not expecting much from him anymore.

Oubre has been a bright spot. He gets lost defensively often but he’s usually busting his ass out there on both sides of the court. Not sure that applies to everyone right now.

[SDC]

Bridges fg is 48%, his FT is almost 80%

He's shooting only 30% on threes this season, but historically he's been a good outside shooter, so I'm not too worried about this.

Historically?! This is his second season in the league.

.

If you include his college years, yes.

[Superbone]

I don’t have much to say about Jerome. I worried his lack of athleticism would limit his effectiveness in the league and that seems to be the case so far. Maybe he gets on track but I’m not expecting much from him anymore.

Jerome had one of his better games last night in which athleticism wasn't an issue. I'm hopeful that he can figure it out. His outside shot is money. The floaters aren't bad either.

[specialsauce]

Bridges fg is 48%, his FT is almost 80%

He's shooting only 30% on threes this season, but historically he's been a good outside shooter, so I'm not too worried about this.

Historically?! This is his second season in the league.

Bridges has been a disappointment. I always felt his ceiling is a great role player, but right now, he isn't even a good role player. I expected great defense and great 3-point shooting, but so far he has been a mediocre at both. I really hope he turns it around.

Same. He’s been pretty bad.

The team has a lot of issues. Booker doesn’t seem to know how to play without the ball in his hands. His scoring efficiency has gone up but he doesn’t grasp when it’s time to take over and control the game offensively. To impose his will on the other team. To me that is what All-Star players do and he can’t really do that yet. I’d be fine with another snub this year.

I don’t know where to start with Ayton. The suspension and now the injury has ruined the first third of the season. He seems more talk than player at the moment. If you traded him now I’m not sure I’d care that much which says a lot.

Cam Johnson has been fine but the hip soreness is a major cause for concern. I read that it was supposed to get better and better the farther removed from surgery you are so not sure what to think now that he’s once again missing games because of it.

I don’t have much to say about Jerome. I worried his lack of athleticism would limit his effectiveness in the league and that seems to be the case so far. Maybe he gets on track but I’m not expecting much from him anymore.

Oubre has been a bright spot. He gets lost defensively often but he’s usually busting his ass out there on both sides of the court. Not sure that applies to everyone right now.

To me the biggest disappointment of the season by far aside from Aytons suspension is the continued inconsistent and underwhelming play from Devin Booker. Despite him having much better teammates around he has had 1 good game followed by 3 shit games and continues to be injury prone. Not what you expect from your franchise player.

[Superbone]

Booker still needs to learn when to take over. He doesn't need to be Harden but he needs to learn where to pick his spots.

[virtual9mm]

They are figuring things out. I will judge after we get Ayton back for 10 games. I was remarking to Cap and LL that they haven't figured out exactly how to use Ayton yet. Play him with Baynes and let him play a Garnett role on defense with Baynes holding low post position, low post on offense with Baynes stretching.

Guards always do a better job stopping shooters who can drive if they can get up in the face of the defender and count on a shot blocker to cover for them. Otherwise, they are pinned between the horns of a dilemma. The key to fix is shot blocking and it will be up to a healthy Ayton to be that weak side shotblocker.

[specialsauce]

Booker still needs to learn when to take over. He doesn't need to be Harden but he needs to learn where to pick his spots.

Take over? How about just consistently score 20 ppg and make a real impact on the game. Let’s start with that.

[sunshoopjunky]

I wonder if when the refs are getting ready for the game they scout teams. I can imagine them telling each other before our games let’s keep an eye out everyone, Phoenix leads the league in fouls per game. Human nature would say that we are behind the eight ball when it comes to our reputation in the league as a team that fouls more then any other, not because we play gritty, hard nosed, physical basketball, but because we are the Suns. Unfortunately the only way I see to fix this to play not only better than the other team but far enough better we take the refs out of the game rather than the refs taking us out of the game. Hopefully we do well enough this season that the perception is Monty came in and changed the team. That could save us from our reputation and help us not take as long to get out of this hole as it did to dig it.

[Split T]

Booker still needs to learn when to take over. He doesn't need to be Harden but he needs to learn where to pick his spots.

Take over? How about just consistently score 20 ppg and make a real impact on the game. Let’s start with that.

He’s averaging 25 a game. He’s scored 20 in 18/26 games. And of the 8 he didn’t, he scored 18 or 19 in 5 of them. He’s shooting .50/.40/.90. If you think he’s been the biggest disappointment, you’re expecting way too much out of him.

[Superbone]

[Indy]

I didn't think that was a big miss-step from Rivers, or a great move from Ty. It is basically what happens 27 times a night to our perimeter defenders. He was half a step out of position.

[INFORMER]

Agreed. Rivers inexplicably gave Jerome space there, and Jerome hit a jumper over him. Props to Jerome for hitting the shot, but I don't think anyone got "shook" on that play.

[INFORMER]

I don’t have much to say about Jerome. I worried his lack of athleticism would limit his effectiveness in the league and that seems to be the case so far. Maybe he gets on track but I’m not expecting much from him anymore.

Jerome had one of his better games last night in which athleticism wasn't an issue. I'm hopeful that he can figure it out. His outside shot is money. The floaters aren't bad either.

He had one possession where he actually did a good job defending Harden on one possession; Harden just raised up and hit a 30-footer over him. Nothing you can do about that.