Game Day: Suns (1-0) @ Blazers (1-0), Fri 10/21/22

[pickle]

I also think that that little bunny isn't so easy to make. I like that Landale is scrappy and doesn't hesitate with his shot when he's on the receiving end of a drive and kick out. He's the least of our problems right now.

[Flagrant Fowl]

I think we’d better get used to games like this. The clutch time stuff last year was fun but it was definitely an outlier season. It’s pretty clear they’re not going to lean on Chris Paul every 4th quarter, and I’m guessing we all agree that’s the right choice even if it results in some frustrating losses. Booker, Mikal, and Ayton all had a chance to make a play to win the game and came up short.

I’m holding out hope Paul isn’t completely cooked and is just easing his way into form, hopefully peaking in the Spring. He’s front rimming nearly every shot and he had a little more time on the one he made late in the 4th. We’ll see…

[virtual9mm]

I think we’d better get used to games like this. The clutch time stuff last year was fun but it was definitely an outlier season. It’s pretty clear they’re not going to lean on Chris Paul every 4th quarter, and I’m guessing we all agree that’s the right choice even if it results in some frustrating losses. Booker, Mikal, and Ayton all had a chance to make a play to win the game and came up short.

I’m holding out hope Paul isn’t completely cooked and is just easing his way into form, hopefully peaking in the Spring. He’s front rimming nearly every shot and he had a little more time on the one he made late in the 4th. We’ll see…

Exactly my sentiments, if CP3 still has a bit of Point God left, save it for the Conf semifinals and beyond.

[ShelC]

[ShelC]

Definitely won't panic over the 2nd game of the year. Seems like the Blazers always make it tough on us with Dame and Nurk. We got blown out by them by 20 last year in the 3rd game of the season.

I think this was one of those games where all the little mistakes added up and kept them in the game. We can never seem to guard Dame, Nurk is a load for DA and Simons came on late. The FT disparity was too much to overcome and there were definitely some missed calls on guys like Book, Lee and DA. I didn't think we looked bad against the zone and had some nice plays to break it, but teams are going to go zone against us if we're throwing Okogie, Lee and Craig out there.

Really disappointed to see Cam go down again. He started the game looking good, took the charge and never looked the same. Lee filled in well but we need Cam out there. We're small enough as it is and also need the shooting.

DA was great most of the game but passed up those easy looks in the lane later on. Also didn't do a great job boxing out Nurk but might've been held back by foul trouble. Missing the FT is a killer, but the 2nd miss was perfect and almost let us tie it up again, so there's that.

Landale is a good enough role player and backup for us. Not sure where the criticism is coming from. He hustles, hits the boards, passes well and can score inside and out. For 15 minutes a night, he's great.

CP turned it on a bit later in the game which was encouraging. He was getting to his spots and hit a few middys but he's definitely looking to the other guys to do more of the scoring and playmaking. He looks like he's still playing his way into shape tho, which hopefully means he took the summer off to stay fresher for the season.

Mikal was great and did what he could against Dame. His offense was there early in the game but I think got lost as the game went on, which has happened before. He needs more than 10 shots.

Thought Okogie was really good on defense and is a great disruptor but you're really playing 4 on 5 when he's out there. He did have a nice fakeout on a break that got him to the basket for a layup. Need more plays for him where he's cutting and getting easier looks.

A lot of minutes on our starters so hopefully they have some juice for the Clips.

[Mori Chu]

After sleeping on it I'm not too upset about this game. I think we are adjusting as a team to the new reality, namely, that CP3 needs to scale back his role since he's pushing 40, and that Jae Crowder is gone. CP3 is still capable of managing the offense a bit and getting 10+ assists, but he can't score nearly as well or get a needed bucket in crunch time. And Cam Johnson is still going through a lot of growing pains trying to find his way as a starting PF. The repeated nagging injuries are somewhat concerning.

I do think I saw some things I liked in this game. For starters, obviously Booker is showing that he is an elite player who can be the best guy on a contending team. 30+ points is just expected from him every night at this point. I also thought Ayton had a really strong game. Yeah, he blew a FT that could have won the game, yeah he could have gone harder to the basket at the end. But overall he was way more good than harm, and probably is our second-best player overall at this point. As I said in another post, he seems to be a lot better at catching passes and making quick moves; no more bobbling and dropping the ball.

I also thought Mikal played a really good game, particularly the first half. His stats were pretty pedestrian but I think his impact was greater. I like how he is clearly trying to dribble the ball more and take the ball to the basket. He had a few nice drives last night, and he couldn't do that sort of play a year or two ago. He also played tough defense on Lillard, though you wouldn't entirely know that given Dame's high scoring night. I think Dame would have had 55 points without Mikal hounding him.

For the bench guys, I think Payne looks a bit reinvigorated so far this year. Fairly modest stats from him, but I liked how he looked on the floor. I also think some of our offseason signings look pretty decent: Landale and Lee are two obvious examples of guys who are doing pretty well in rotation minutes. Better than I expected.

Anyways, I don't think this team is ready to contend for a title, but I like some signs of growth from the roster so far. I hope we can get a good trade return for Crowder. And maybe some kind of midseason trade or signing (Melo?). It's too bad because this team could actually really use Jae Crowder. I wish we could get on the phone with him and just iron things out and get him back on the court. But alas.

[LazarusLong]

Nurkic killed the Suns ... 20 pts and 17 rebounds. When he didn't rebound, he tipped the ball to teammates on missed shots.
Probably his best game since he came back from his injury.

And ... where the hell is Saric? He has size and court savvy ... could have kept Nurkic busy with his offense.
Nurkic was obviously not worried about Landale ...

[carey]

Chris Paul being a shell of his self is going to keep this team in the bottom half of playoff seeds and a 1st or 2nd round exit. It just is what it is. We knew it was a possibility when we signed him to that deal 2 years ago but we didn't know he would basically fall off a cliff instead of gradually decline.

[Mori Chu]

Some game highlights:

[TOO]

Suns win that game with a decent bench. That's really all there is to it. Way too top heavy. Jones needs to do something.

[JeremyG]

I didn't get to watch the game last night, but weren't we up by 5 with like a minute left in OT? And then next thing I knew, we were down 2? How did that happen??

[JeremyG]

I love Ayton, don't mean to pile it on, but if he had just gone up with two hands with the intent to harm on that last play, it would've been an and one and not a two free throws to tie situation. All in all this game wasn't too bad, but it does reaffirm my feeling that the Suns will be on the borderline of the 6-8th seed range, playing the play-in game this year.

Ayton had a good game but we would have won if he knew how to be aggressive. If he had just dunked the ball at the end of OT rather than laying it up we would have won.

I am so confused. Didn't he do exactly what everyone has been begging him to do? He went up with both hands to dunk the ball, went into the contact, drew the foul, and got to the free throw line. If he was going for the layup the ball would have left his hands (and he may have made the shot and gotten an and-1). Or if he had tried a more "finesse" move, like a short fadeaway jumper in the lane, he probably would have tied the game. Unless you're a great free throw shooter that may actually be the smarter move at the end of a game.

[specialsauce]

Please no more Jock Landale. Dude couldn’t make a bunny. This cute experiment is cute, but there’s a reason he’s a nobody.

Strange take. He’s a back up Center. You want them to play Biyombo instead?

Dario

[specialsauce]

plenty of blame to go around tonight - Bridges misses a big free throw at the end of regulation, ayton misses at the end of overtime, booker can't make a shot down the stretch in OT and lee with too many shooting fouls in crunch time.

am i missing anybody?

Paul throwing that stupid ass pass to Book when we were up 5.

Terrible pass.

And has Cam Johnson improved any aspect of his game since last year other than getting injured?

I was really hoping he or Mikal would leap forward immediately with on-ball skills but man he just aimlessly dribbles around and his defender has no problem just waiting him out until he passes or shoots a contested shot. It’s rather that or drive all the way to the rim and get stuffed with a knee to the quad

[Split T]

Two plays that stand out to me, besides Ayton and Mikal missing free throws..

1. The play CP3 threw it away when we were up 5 with like 1:30 to go.

2. I think two plays later with a 2 point lead? Booker got a pretty good look near the basket and missed. Have to make those shots.

[Split T]

Am I misremembering? The play by play doesn’t show a cp3 turnover near the end of the OT…it has an Ayton offensive foul when we are up 4…that must have been the play? I don’t remember the foul.

[JeremyG]

Am I misremembering? The play by play doesn’t show a cp3 turnover near the end of the OT…it has an Ayton offensive foul when we are up 4…that must have been the play? I don’t remember the foul.

Here's the video: https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=& ... Twardoski)

[TOO]

I love Ayton, don't mean to pile it on, but if he had just gone up with two hands with the intent to harm on that last play, it would've been an and one and not a two free throws to tie situation. All in all this game wasn't too bad, but it does reaffirm my feeling that the Suns will be on the borderline of the 6-8th seed range, playing the play-in game this year.

Ayton had a good game but we would have won if he knew how to be aggressive. If he had just dunked the ball at the end of OT rather than laying it up we would have won.

I am so confused. Didn't he do exactly what everyone has been begging him to do? He went up with both hands to dunk the ball, went into the contact, drew the foul, and got to the free throw line. If he was going for the layup the ball would have left his hands (and he may have made the shot and gotten an and-1). Or if he had tried a more "finesse" move, like a short fadeaway jumper in the lane, he probably would have tied the game. Unless you're a great free throw shooter that may actually be the smarter move at the end of a game.

You're not confused, you're just spinning it to make your beloved look better. He goes up like a big pussy, always has, always will. No power.

[ShelC]

https://nbafullhd.com/78915-2/


40 min mark - Blazers show 2-3 zone and Suns initiate with Book coming out on top, Lee flashing to the middle and then out to the corner. DA screens for Mikal out of the corner who gets the ball in the near post and throws it up to DA for the shot and foul.

46:30 - Blazers go 2-3 zone again and Suns show the same look but the Blazers are better prepared. The Suns' timing may have been off as well (quicker than the previous play) which hurt the spacing. CP makes a lazy crosscourt pass to Book that was tipped and being intercepted. DA was at the 3pt line backscreening for Book to get the pass and bumped the defender but was called for an offensive foul.

[Superbone]

I love Ayton, don't mean to pile it on, but if he had just gone up with two hands with the intent to harm on that last play, it would've been an and one and not a two free throws to tie situation. All in all this game wasn't too bad, but it does reaffirm my feeling that the Suns will be on the borderline of the 6-8th seed range, playing the play-in game this year.

Ayton had a good game but we would have won if he knew how to be aggressive. If he had just dunked the ball at the end of OT rather than laying it up we would have won.

I am so confused. Didn't he do exactly what everyone has been begging him to do? He went up with both hands to dunk the ball, went into the contact, drew the foul, and got to the free throw line. If he was going for the layup the ball would have left his hands (and he may have made the shot and gotten an and-1). Or if he had tried a more "finesse" move, like a short fadeaway jumper in the lane, he probably would have tied the game. Unless you're a great free throw shooter that may actually be the smarter move at the end of a game.

I guess you didn't hear EJ. He would have had an easy dunk and "and one" if he had dunked with his left.