Game Day: Suns (5-5) @ Celtics (3-5), Mon 11/17/14

[LazarusLong]

As for last night's game, Len's development is encouraging. Nice to see TJ on the floor (nice stroke on the trey!) Great game by Kieff.

On the downside, the Suns are awful on team defense. Holy crap, sometimes they just really stink.

[SwingMan]

LMAO!!!! Don't take no shit off anybody Swing, you tell'em!

Honestly, I'd rather talk hoops - realistic hoops where discussion is encouraged as opposed to pissed on.

Len with that steal, the break and finish coast-to-coast last night was truly something to behold - I knew he could run when healthy, but I'd never seen anything that would indicate he could pull that off.

And that jumper - the ball's got to be at least 9 & a half feet in the air before Len releases it. He gets the pocket on that, it's un-defendable.

[Indy]

As for last night's game, Len's development is encouraging. Nice to see TJ on the floor (nice stroke on the trey!) Great game by Kieff.

On the downside, the Suns are awful on team defense. Holy crap, sometimes they just really stink.

Yeah, it was like they don't know what to do when someone sets a screen. I don't know if it is defensive awareness, or something we just don't practice, or what. But it seems like we only prepared for 1 on 1 defense.

[EDC]

The one time Amare defended, right? Or was it the game where he had 8 assists and started to talk about point-center?

Ah man what could have been. I still regret how the Suns handled Amare. That and I wish he had more drive to succeed and play defense. That game against KG was a thing of beauty. Such talent.

If nothing else those SSOL Suns were as exciting as hell but it is hard not to think what if.

[SwingMan]

As for last night's game, Len's development is encouraging. Nice to see TJ on the floor (nice stroke on the trey!) Great game by Kieff.

On the downside, the Suns are awful on team defense. Holy crap, sometimes they just really stink.

Yeah, it was like they don't know what to do when someone sets a screen. I don't know if it is defensive awareness, or something we just don't practice, or what. But it seems like we only prepared for 1 on 1 defense.

Lots of late rotations are what I've been seeing thus far - Longabardi may be a bit overrated IMO, but he's not responsible for players not talking to each other.

[Indy]

As for last night's game, Len's development is encouraging. Nice to see TJ on the floor (nice stroke on the trey!) Great game by Kieff.

On the downside, the Suns are awful on team defense. Holy crap, sometimes they just really stink.

Yeah, it was like they don't know what to do when someone sets a screen. I don't know if it is defensive awareness, or something we just don't practice, or what. But it seems like we only prepared for 1 on 1 defense.

Lots of late rotations are what I've been seeing thus far - Longabardi may be a bit overrated IMO, but he's not responsible for players not talking to each other.

There are late rotations, and I can kind of understand that at times. What I don't understand is not having a defined defensive plan for an incredible common play, that will be run by the same 3-4 guys during the game. I know there are scouting reports, and I have to imagine there is a strategy for each set of guys on how you are going to play it based on where they are setting the screens, who is setting the screen, and who is guarding them. I know I am oversimplifying it, but that is because I am not paid millions of dollars and considered one of the top 50 people in the world on how to build strategies for this stuff...

[EDC]

Well they did have problems remembering the few offensive plays we have and executing them. Maybe they just keep forgetting how they are suppose to guard the play.

It really boggles my mind that they can have problems remembering plays. It is a good thing they aren't in the NFL.

[SwingMan]

As for last night's game, Len's development is encouraging. Nice to see TJ on the floor (nice stroke on the trey!) Great game by Kieff.

On the downside, the Suns are awful on team defense. Holy crap, sometimes they just really stink.

Yeah, it was like they don't know what to do when someone sets a screen. I don't know if it is defensive awareness, or something we just don't practice, or what. But it seems like we only prepared for 1 on 1 defense.

Lots of late rotations are what I've been seeing thus far - Longabardi may be a bit overrated IMO, but he's not responsible for players not talking to each other.

There are late rotations, and I can kind of understand that at times. What I don't understand is not having a defined defensive plan for an incredible common play, that will be run by the same 3-4 guys during the game. I know there are scouting reports, and I have to imagine there is a strategy for each set of guys on how you are going to play it based on where they are setting the screens, who is setting the screen, and who is guarding them. I know I am oversimplifying it, but that is because I am not paid millions of dollars and considered one of the top 50 people in the world on how to build strategies for this stuff...

Far as that goes, that could be growing (pains) and learning on Hornacek's part, could be scouting.

I know that Len's doing all he can, though - he's got good fundamentals that strength has to catch up with yet, but the foundation's definitely there.

[da_suns_fan]

It's time to put the Tolliver experiment on hold. Warren is just much better.

Yup, I really thought he'd help us. He's been miserable. I said before Warren even went down to the DL that he should just take all of Tolliver's minutes.

I actually want this, right now as our starting line-up.

Bledsoe
Dragic
Warren
Markieff
Len

With a bench of:

IT
Green
Tucker
Marcus
Plumlee

Those are the only guys I want to see playing. I could live shortening the rotation even further too leaving Marcus out even though I've been impressed by how hard he's working defensively.

I like it.

[Indy]

It's time to put the Tolliver experiment on hold. Warren is just much better.

Yup, I really thought he'd help us. He's been miserable. I said before Warren even went down to the DL that he should just take all of Tolliver's minutes.

I actually want this, right now as our starting line-up.

Bledsoe
Dragic
Warren
Markieff
Len

With a bench of:

IT
Green
Tucker
Marcus
Plumlee

Those are the only guys I want to see playing. I could live shortening the rotation even further too leaving Marcus out even though I've been impressed by how hard he's working defensively.

I knew I read this somewhere. I agree with that, except to me it is probably a Green/Tucker/Marcus battle to see who is doing the most for the team that night, and those top 2 get the most burn. Green can shoot you into a game, and shoot you out. And his defense is not even there. Marcus can be invisible if he isn't playing good defense, which seems to help his offense. Tucker... well, damn, he was one of my favorite players last year, but now I just don't know. I really hope his off-season idiocy and his recent excuse for missing the bus aren't related, and aren't a pattern.

[carey]

INF and Swing going at it. Now THATS worth watching.

Why encourage this? Inf's general demeanor sometimes rubs people the wrong way & Swing is always looking to start shit. I'm surprised it isn't a daily occurrence between those two. I'm glad Inf isn't taking the bait & hope others follow his lead going forward.

You're a fine one to talk about board civility after this past July.

I suggest you hop off the soapbox and get back on your perch.

LMAO!!!! Don't take no shit off anybody Swing, you tell'em!

[ Image ]

He's not telling me anything, dude. He's a shit stirrer, plain & simple. I have tried to vote him off the board numerous times. Just go back and read his posts he spends just as much time talking about the people that make the posts as the damn people that play the game.

[Mori Chu]

Please play nice, boys.

[Superbone]

If he can just stay healthy...

Speaking of which, wonder what Robot is thinking (if his head hasn't exploded already)...

Good question. He hasn't been around to take his lumps.

As INF said, we are 11 games in. Let's wait to celebrate the lack of missed games due to injury until he has played at least 20% of the season, OK?

Why stop at 20?

[carey]

Also, I've done what I promised. I've been a better & nicer poster refraining from personal attacks. You can see who hasn't even tho that person swore he'd be different if given his privileges back.

[Indy]

If he can just stay healthy...

Speaking of which, wonder what Robot is thinking (if his head hasn't exploded already)...

Good question. He hasn't been around to take his lumps.

As INF said, we are 11 games in. Let's wait to celebrate the lack of missed games due to injury until he has played at least 20% of the season, OK?

Why stop at 20?

I certainly don't want to stop there. I'm just saying it is early to celebrate a healthy Len.

[Superbone]

Len with an and1 when we were down by one point with 3 minutes left, as well as his rebound and clinching free throws (fouling Rondo on a three with two seconds left was so dumb, though)

One of the most exciting things about the young man is that he seems to be clutch at winning time. (Fouling Rondo behind the 3-point line excepted.)

[Indy]

As much as I screamed at the TV when he made that foul, you could just see he was really caught up with emotion (more so than anyone else on our team at the time). Even if that cost us the game, I would have been really happy with his performance, not only earlier in the game, but especially in crunch time.

[Superbone]

If he can just stay healthy...

Speaking of which, wonder what Robot is thinking (if his head hasn't exploded already)...

Good question. He hasn't been around to take his lumps.

As INF said, we are 11 games in. Let's wait to celebrate the lack of missed games due to injury until he has played at least 20% of the season, OK?

Why stop at 20?

I certainly don't want to stop there. I'm just saying it is early to celebrate a healthy Len.

Of course. It wasn't just about staying healthy for Robot though. It was also about him being anything more than a stiff which is clearly not the case.

[Ring_Wanted]

Len with an and1 when we were down by one point with 3 minutes left, as well as his rebound and clinching free throws (fouling Rondo on a three with two seconds left was so dumb, though)

One of the most exciting things about the young man is that he seems to be clutch at winning time. (Fouling Rondo behind the 3-point line excepted.)

There must be something about Boston wit Len. Last year he won us the game there with a putback, if I remember correctly.

[Indy]

He did, Ring.