Game Day: Suns (2-0) @ Jazz (0-2), Sat 11/01/14

[Ring_Wanted]

Len has to start against certain teams, if he can play 25-30 minutes. Len-Tucker on the lineup could help a lot.

[Ring_Wanted]

There was an embarrasing sequence in the 1Q where Hayward drove past Marcus, dunked in the toreador face of Kieff just so Marcus bounced the ball in and gave it to Trey Bruke for a essentially unconstested layup. The Morrii were carrying the scoring, literally, but that gave Utah its first lead of the game.

Markieff needs to be called of for his defense, help and weak sice above all. And Plumlee too as he is nowhere the same level from the first half of last season. During the summer league I said I all wanted to see from Miles was improved conditioning, but his motor is not there.

[Ring_Wanted]

The Jazz are choking the middle. That's what their commentators were saying when they went up in the score.

Teams with BIGS maybe were not defendable last season either, but you could pay them back on offense because there was real space. Nobody respects Kieff or Tolliver, and neither improves our already weak defense in the paint, above all if Miles can't deliver.

[Ring_Wanted]

Green showed signs of life, but his overall efficiency was not great. And he needs to have some shooting selection. That's what he did last season, but this year he is trying like he is going to die after every possession. I'd like to see Archie earn minutes with defense.

The 3pt defense was one of our strong points in 13-14, but everybody seems to be late a lot. Dragic and IT3, particularly. And Dragic is showing a tendency to fouls on shooters because he can get to them on time so he reaches, and refs are paying more attention to that stuff now.

[carey]

Free throw attempts:

Utah: 32
Phoenix: 11

I am on a trip with my girl & didn't get to watch but this explains a lot. I echo the others in suggesting this was a letdown game for sure.

[Shabazz]

I'd like to see a little more passing from IT3. Get the big guys involved a little more when he's out there. He's not even looking for the pass.

[Ring_Wanted]

Sounds like Demarcus Cousins haahah.

[Shabazz]

Regarding that ugly looking P-n-R, from Paul Coro:

View from press row

Isaiah Thomas plays with passion. That includes an edge that does not hide his feelings. At the end of Saturday's first quarter, coach Jeff Hornacek called for Alex Len to screen for Thomas. Thomas tried to wave him off and the play bottled up for no shot. Thomas barked at Len. Hornacek told Thomas he wanted the screen and Thomas shot back.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/n ... /18362717/

[SwingMan]

Regarding that ugly looking P-n-R, from Paul Coro:

View from press row

Isaiah Thomas plays with passion. That includes an edge that does not hide his feelings. At the end of Saturday's first quarter, coach Jeff Hornacek called for Alex Len to screen for Thomas. Thomas tried to wave him off and the play bottled up for no shot. Thomas barked at Len. Hornacek told Thomas he wanted the screen and Thomas shot back.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/n ... /18362717/

Yeah, Thomas was pressing big time - trying to play hero ball.

[Superbone]

Well, I just hope it was a learning experience for the team. That they have to keep the same focus and energy consistently no matter who they're playing. They'll get to perseverate on this one for couple days so hopefully it'll sink in.

[Cap]

Be prepared for many more games like this. Teams that are as reliant as this team is on the perimeter are rarely consistent.

On the upside, it's a young team, and Len looks like he'll be really good in a couple of years.

[EDC]

Regarding that ugly looking P-n-R, from Paul Coro:

View from press row

Isaiah Thomas plays with passion. That includes an edge that does not hide his feelings. At the end of Saturday's first quarter, coach Jeff Hornacek called for Alex Len to screen for Thomas. Thomas tried to wave him off and the play bottled up for no shot. Thomas barked at Len. Hornacek told Thomas he wanted the screen and Thomas shot back.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/n ... /18362717/

It is early but Thomas should watch himself. The team had pretty good chemistry and yelling at the coach isn't going to make him any friends.

Not saying it is going to happen or should happen but are there any restrictions on trading IT?

[Aztec Sunsfan]

The usual waiting for the december 14th tradeline and nothing else I think.

[pickle]

from what little i've seen, our 3 pgs mostly play one on one with the occasional p+r to create some additional offense, so the 3 pg attack isn't looking to be particularly effective.

i've yet to watch the utah game but plan to tonight.

in the meantime, i would still prefer to keep IT3 on the second unit to attack the opposing team's second unit. while i do feel that he can "get his" even with and against a starting lineup, i would prefer our starting guards to involve other players more than IT's game allows. thoughts?

[Mori Chu]

I have loved IT3 so far but I felt like in this Utah game he was just jacking up shots 1 on 1 every time. I hope he works within the offense more in future games.

[pickle]

i watched the game... i think len played hard but was hit with a few silly fouls that limited his availability/effectiveness. green was playing well in the second quarter. we were playing very lazily on defense, but the offense was there. there were a number of open shots that we just weren't making. incidentally, one thing about eric bledsoe that bothers me ever so slightly is his jump shot, particularly his 3 point shot. it's flat-footed and a little slow. with him being only 6'1", it isn't the most effective shot to launch with taller guards running out at him.

i don't understand how the 1st quarter foul by markieff on hayward was a clear path foul but then when archie had a steal going the other way in the second quarter and was tripped up it wasn't. but i guess i'm not being paid to be an nba ref.

i was generally okay with dragic's play even if he didn't seem fully charged. eric, on the other hand, as well as IT to an extent, played a little too much hero ball and their passing to the bigs, be it p+r or drive and dish, were sloppy. markieff played quite well.

this one i'll chalk up to just a downer. hope we pick it up and whup the lakers.

[Split T]

I didn't think the markieff foul was clear path but it was close. Archie's wasn't because he didn't have possession of the ball

[pickle]

that's what i don't understand... he tipped the ball ahead and he was clearly running faster than hayward. so if there was no foul, he would've had possession. whereas hayward and markieff both went for the ball, kind of like a wide receiver in football. it's not like hayward got possession and then markieff went up and bumped him. it was a foul for certain, but i don't get the clear path thing.

[Mori Chu]

Utah has always been a friendly home environment for the Jazz, whether it's foul calls or counting stats (like the generous assist-counting for much of Stockton's career).

[Ring_Wanted]

There was some home cooking, but not as much as other years. Anyway, the Jazz won with all fairness.