Game Day: Suns (2-1) @ Lakers (0-4), Tues 11/04/14

[djy2j]

Thank God for Green and Thomas! Those dudes brought it tonight. The Morris twins stats were decent but man. Anyone else think they just did as much harm to the team as they did help?

Goran and Bledsoe should be well rested tomorrow. Bled looked especially disinterested in the 4th except forb1 offense and 1 defensive play.

Miles Plumlee, the season started 4 games ago, come join. Itll be fun.

Welcome back PJ Tucker!

[jkalldaway]

At the expense of others? Ask Gerald and Markieff if they agree with that.

[SDC]

do you think the lakers are capable of going 0-82 this year?

[SDC]

the best part about playing the lakers is the lengthly highlight videos after the game on youtube

[video][/video]

[Superbone]

it's possible that the lakers will try to lose their games against the suns to avoid surrendering their pick?

Believe me, they're not trying to lose. Kobe playing 44 minutes and jacking up 37 shots?! Are you freaking kidding me?

[SDC]

it's possible that the lakers will try to lose their games against the suns to avoid surrendering their pick?

Believe me, they're not trying to lose. Kobe playing 44 minutes and jacking up 37 shots?! Are you freaking kidding me?

he is oblivious to what is happening around him. by april, he'll figure it out.

edit: i think he's trying to earn his 24.5 million paycheck.

[Cap]

Thomas played 30 minutes...scored 22 points on 16 shots, led the team in free throw attempts had three steals and was one assist away from a double-double...and we are mad at that? Who are you people? Oh...and we won.

He also led the team in +/- with +11. GG was second with +9.

[Phoenix219]

I'm definitely going to miss Green when he's gone. He's no Shannon Brown.

Really though, I can't help but wonder how Green would have worked out here those last couple Nash years with Gortat.

[virtual9mm]

Two predictions:

1. Isaiah Thomas will win 6th Man of the Year
2. Kobe will take the scoring title on a 25-30 win team.

[carey]

Thomas is good, but he takes away what was special about last year's team. He doesn't move the ball. At all. It's glue in his hand, dribble dribble dribble. The 9 assists is a product of having the ball the entire possession Marbury style. Not good for the season.

I'm interested in seeing if Coach and the team can get him to adjust over time. If not his numbers will look really good for his salary and he might be moveable.

Might be? We could move him tomorrow if we were allowed to. He's an amazing player to watch. The ball sticks a little bit but he is that "ball in his hands" type of PG. We have been complaining we don't have that guy for a while, but it looks like we have found him. I'm just shocked it's in such a small package. I have no problem if when we are down one bucket he gets the ball. He can get his shot off whenever. It's pretty marvelous.

There's one thing I don't like though. It's the Mayweather connection. I have always rooted against the guy. He may be the best fighter of our generation but he defines poor sportsmanship. He ducked the other best fighter of the last decade & earned a Billion off beating No. 2's. I don't want to see his mug every damn game. I hope its just the West Coast cities.

[iLLmatic]

I've only noticed Mayweather's appearance at games played in southern California. Has he been to any of the other games?

[Ring_Wanted]

Good to see we took care of business. This one could have been a loss perfectly given how it was playing out into the 4Q.

IT3, Green and Markieff carried the team offensively. Thomas is unguardable and forced a ton of fouls. If Green is in is rhythm he is TMac, and that usually makes him play with more focus on D. Kieff again seemed like he was not there but his contribution was constant, and he hit some tough shots in crunch time.

Goran had a quiet game but he was good. His long distance shooting is still off but he drove to the basket and even got his hands on a number of rebounds. He hit one of those semi turn around close jumpshots he was authomatic at last year, which is encouraging. Also tried a couple of pick and rolls with Kieff in the 4Q. First one nice execution, second one a mess.

Marcus played Kobe well, and so did Tucker on the one play that did matter late in the 4Q. Tucker doesn't have his speed yet and seems out of shape, but since his game is based on hustle he is still able to contribute. That defense on Kobe+rebound+3pt sequence was really clutch.

Len made his presence felt again, mainly on the glass. His defense was a bit of a mixed bag because he alters shots but is also easy to fool into fakes. Offensively he is still invisible to his teammates for any purposes but setting screens. A real factor nevertheless. Tem FG% differential favors us heavily when he is on the court.

Bledsoe was not there today besides a good defense on Lin and two drives to the basket when the game was close. But this is why we have depth. As long as everybody buys into Hornacek we can afford nights like this one.

Speaking of Horny, his 3 PG lineup is not capturing the eye, although it's not harming us visibly either. Right now it is all about individual play, so I would like to see more ball movement. This is an area where not having a dominant pick and roll/pop set can hurt, since it is an ideal way to put things in motion. At this moment, Bledsoe is the one who tries most those plays, but his passes have been mostly either intercepted or botched by poor hands.

Let's see what we can do against the Grizzlies.

[OE32]

Great post, RW!

So far this season, Gerald and IT have outplayed Goran and Eric. The offense in our starting line-up has been atrocious. And I don't imagine inserting PJ for Marcus is going to improve matters.

[Ring_Wanted]

Thanks. They certainly have, but I'd leave the Morrii out of the awfulness brush. They have done their thing constantly (every single away commentator has praised them by the way, and they are right). , unlike Plumlee.

Miles has been outplayed clearly by Len, and if he doesn't wake up he is going to find himself benched as soon as Len can give you 25 healthy minutes. If your guards are going to marginalize the pivot no matter what, might as well put out there the one who gives you actual defense and rebounding.

I am looking forward to being allowed to count on Tucker at full strength, but this could be an ongoing issue. If certain habits of his are indeed true, he could have trouble getting in shape. This game he was winded. Goran too, as you can see.

[EDC]

Really Sauce? IT3 was probably one of our best players tonight. I know who you've annointed your most hated player towards this season, 4 games in.

Best offensive players tonight.

There is no doubt IT is doing great offensively and it is nit picking on a win but this is the game thread where we are mostly reacting to what is happening at the moment on the court.

Plenty of times IT was wandering around on defense leaving his man with wide open threes. Mostly the passing thing is about watching him drive to the hoop and ignore the big man who would have an easy dunk in order to take a really tough shot of his own. To his credit he makes a lot of those shots.

[Ring_Wanted]

Plenty of times IT was wandering around on defense leaving his man with wide open threes. Mostly the passing thing is about watching him drive to the hoop and ignore the big man who would have an easy dunk in order to take a really tough shot of his own. To his credit he makes a lot of those shots.

I see this as well. But so far IT3 means wins, that's undeniable too.

[JCSunsfan]

Thomas is good, but he takes away what was special about last year's team. He doesn't move the ball. At all. It's glue in his hand, dribble dribble dribble. The 9 assists is a product of having the ball the entire possession Marbury style. Not good for the season.

I'm interested in seeing if Coach and the team can get him to adjust over time. If not his numbers will look really good for his salary and he might be moveable.

Might be? We could move him tomorrow if we were allowed to. He's an amazing player to watch. The ball sticks a little bit but he is that "ball in his hands" type of PG. We have been complaining we don't have that guy for a while, but it looks like we have found him. I'm just shocked it's in such a small package. I have no problem if when we are down one bucket he gets the ball. He can get his shot off whenever. It's pretty marvelous.

There's one thing I don't like though. It's the Mayweather connection. I have always rooted against the guy. He may be the best fighter of our generation but he defines poor sportsmanship. He ducked the other best fighter of the last decade & earned a Billion off beating No. 2's. I don't want to see his mug every damn game. I hope its just the West Coast cities.

Its all in your mind Sauce. The ball sticks no more in IT's hand than it did in Nash's. Do you all remember how much Nash dribbled around the court until someone was open? Its just that IT shoots a little more at the end of all that. Coming off the bench with that kind of efficient fast offense is awesome.

The problem tonight was not IT, it was a disinterested Bledsoe. Looks like he had a touch of the flu or something. Its a long season and players will have off nights. Memphis tonight. Bled will be ready.

[Mori Chu]

I'm glad we got this win, but I really want to see more pick-and-rolls. I don't want us to rely on the "PG creates something out of nothing" offense all year, even if we do have 3 amazing PGs in our rotation.

[Ring_Wanted]

I'd like it too, but what we have is Kieff and Len-Plumlee. Kieff can do some two on two but not much (and above all with his brother) and anyway right now he is better at creating for himself.

Len has an uncanny knack for running towards the ballhandler, and Miles works well with Bledsoe but has limitations, starting with his motor.

I think ball movement is a better goal at this moment. Some inside-outside for a change too. Len still has to get his first post up situation, I believe.

[OE32]

Alex got one post-up when the ball fell into his hands near the end of the shot clock. He was instantly doubled, and he immediately passed out to the open shooter (who did not shoot).

The biggest thing for Alex right now is to remain calm. He got in trouble for a spell in the second when he fumbled a pass. You could see the nerves the characterized his play last year return, but only for a minute or so. The sequence reminded me: Alex is young.

... Agreed that Goran has looked slow this year. He doesn't look to be in optimal shape. These first 4 games, if I had to choose between Goran and Gerald, it would be no contest. Seeing as Frye affected Goran's offensive stats so dramatically last season, it begs the question, What if this continues?