Suns News: Week 5 (11/17 - 11/23)

[Superbone]

[pickle]

[pickle]

[Split T]

I’d guess Booker, Dunn, Grayson, Royce, and Gillespie? Brooks only not in there due to missed games.

[pickle]

I’d guess Booker, Dunn, Grayson, Royce, and Gillespie? Brooks only not in there due to missed games.

Yep, those are the five. Excellent call.

[ShelC]

This is largely the same team as last season minus two parasites. Ott deserves credit but I think it's more addition by subtraction than anything else.

[O_Gardino]

It felt like Bud was a parasite, too.

[pickle]

[ShelC]

Bud looked checked out at the introductory press conference. I don't know if the game passed him by or if he knew it was a losing cause with KD and Beal once they all got into the gym. I think he might've had more success without Beal and KD there but not much.

[ShelC]

[Split T]

It felt like Bud was a parasite, too.

Agreed

[Superbone]

It felt like Bud was a parasite, too.

This. Ott deserves a lot of credit. I guarantee you this team wouldn't be playing with this spirit if Bud was still here.

[Superbone]

Bud looked checked out at the introductory press conference. I don't know if the game passed him by or if he knew it was a losing cause with KD and Beal once they all got into the gym. I think he might've had more success without Beal and KD there but not much.

I think he may have lost his joy due to the recent death of his brother. He may just be done as a coach.

[Superbone]

86 years young. About a half year younger than my mom.

[Superbone]

I hope this give young Koby some confidence when he returns. I wonder if he'll ever get meaningful minutes this season. Would probably depend on health since we have so many great shooters. Too bad the Valley Suns can't get a win though.

[BKinSJC]

Story from The Ringer about the rise of full-court pressure defenses features some Suns info:

... When the ball drops through the net, the rebounders break off the lane lines to jog downcourt, but Gillespie goes the other way. He veers toward the baseline near Golden State’s bench, attaching himself to Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski in the backcourt. It’s a small maneuver, but a meaningful one. Gillespie and the Suns have made it a point to pressure opposing ball handlers full court this season.

“It’s one way for me to stick in the league,” Gillespie tells me. “I got to play hard. I got to compete. That’s probably my calling card as an NBA player.”

...

The Suns are applying backcourt pressure more than three times as often as they did last season, according to Synergy Sports. Their overall defense has improved, their opponent turnover rate has spiked, and they’ve jumped out to a surprising 9-6 start behind a newfound feistiness.

...

“Try to make them take at least six seconds off the clock,” says Suns guard Jordan Goodwin of his goal when pursuing a full-court press. “So they start offense like 15 [seconds on the shot clock], instead of 20 or 18.”

...

In Phoenix, Gillespie and Goodwin have similarly latched onto the opportunity to dictate the terms of engagement without contributing volume scoring.

“I got to affect the game in a different way, and that’s defense,” Gillespie says. “Pressuring the ball, competing at a high level, being scrappy, grabbing rebounds, deflection, steals, all the little things.”

[Mori Chu]

... Has he, though? (jk he certainly has played better lately)

[Superbone]

[Superbone]

Ott vs Bud:

[ShelC]

KD vs No KD.