Game Day (Preseason): Suns (0-0) @ Pistons (0-0), Sun 10/8/23

[Superbone]

Nurkic did nothing for me.

He doesn’t work for you.

[Split T]

This team was incredible when we played our real rotation…I’m not concerned at all about defense or backup pg play yet. No Lee is not the answer, but Beal probably is.

Nurkic didn’t look great, especially defensively, but it’s 1 game(really a Quarter and a half).

Gordon’s shot didn’t look great either, but he did show an ability to get to the rim. So did Beal.

Allen was awesome, Yuta can shoot, our big 3 is phenomenal.

[Drewsprocket]

I really think we need a point guard on the roster, at least off the bench, and Saben Lee is obviously not it. Hopefully Goodwin surprises me if he can be healthy.

It’s early but I am willing to change my mind. This team would benefit from a better than Lee third string pure pg in the event Beal or Book is out. Maybe Goodwin fits this bill. Not someone looking for his shot, someone who can run a pick and roll.

[Split T]

Guys Lee is a 2-way guy, he’s not our backup pg

[TOO]

Yep. It's unfortunate Goodwin was out, but he's a pretty capable back up PG.

[Cap]

I don’t know what anybody expects Lee to do when he’s out there with Metu, Johnson, Azubuike and Little.

[Split T]

And I don’t know what anybody expects him to do when he’s out there with Metu, Johnson, Azubuike and Little.

Exactly…we were running 2 2-way guys with another guy that’s gonna get cut out there with Metu and either Yuta or Little. We’ll never see that lineup in the regular season, unless we’re up 30

[JeremyG]

This team was incredible when we played our real rotation…I’m not concerned at all about defense or backup pg play yet. No Lee is not the answer, but Beal probably is.

Nurkic didn’t look great, especially defensively, but it’s 1 game(really a Quarter and a half).

Okay fine I'll comment on Nurkic.

If this is how he plays when he's actually giving effort and trying to impress a new team, it's gonna be even worse than I thought. What we needed most this year from our center was defense.

[JeremyG]

Guys Lee is a 2-way guy, he’s not our backup pg

No, but he is our only (supposed) true point guard on the roster. That needs to change.

[Split T]

Guys Lee is a 2-way guy, he’s not our backup pg

No, but he is our only (supposed) true point guard on the roster. That needs to change.

Having a “true” pg on the roster is the least of my worries.

Booker is a perfectly good pg. The offense looked incredible when we played our starters.

[Split T]

This team was incredible when we played our real rotation…I’m not concerned at all about defense or backup pg play yet. No Lee is not the answer, but Beal probably is.

Nurkic didn’t look great, especially defensively, but it’s 1 game(really a Quarter and a half).

Okay fine I'll comment on Nurkic.

If this is how he plays when he's actually giving effort and trying to impress a new team, it's gonna be even worse than I thought. What we needed most this year from our center was defense.

It’s preseason game 1

[JeremyG]

Guys Lee is a 2-way guy, he’s not our backup pg

No, but he is our only (supposed) true point guard on the roster. That needs to change.

Having a “true” pg on the roster is the least of my worries.

Booker is a perfectly good pg. The offense looked incredible when we played our starters.

We can't play our starters 48 minutes. And our big 3 are injury prone. We're going to need pg depth, and I'm not sure Goodwin will be the answer.

[TOO]

How about we see Goodwin before we jump off a bridge? I'd like another PG as well, just replace Lee though, he stinks. But also, if they continue to push pace PG won't be a position to worry about.

[Split T]

Guys Lee is a 2-way guy, he’s not our backup pg

No, but he is our only (supposed) true point guard on the roster. That needs to change.

Having a “true” pg on the roster is the least of my worries.

Booker is a perfectly good pg. The offense looked incredible when we played our starters.

We can't play our starters 48 minutes. And our big 3 are injury prone. We're going to need pg depth, and I'm not sure Goodwin will be the answer.

I’m still not too worried. It’s a regular season problem. Beal and Book will cover 48 minutes in the playoffs. If one is hurt, we have bigger problems. Our guard rotation looks to be Book/Beal/Gordon/Allen. Very solid

[Split T]

[Superbone]

This team was incredible when we played our real rotation…I’m not concerned at all about defense or backup pg play yet. No Lee is not the answer, but Beal probably is.

Nurkic didn’t look great, especially defensively, but it’s 1 game(really a Quarter and a half).

Okay fine I'll comment on Nurkic.

If this is how he plays when he's actually giving effort and trying to impress a new team, it's gonna be even worse than I thought. What we needed most this year from our center was defense.

It wasn't all bad. It was nice to see our center fighting for rebounds for a change even when they were out of position.

[Wally_West]

Lol guilty


I’ll still DHgate the jersey tho

[Wally_West]

[Aztec Sunsfan]

This team was incredible when we played our real rotation…I’m not concerned at all about defense or backup pg play yet. No Lee is not the answer, but Beal probably is.

Nurkic didn’t look great, especially defensively, but it’s 1 game(really a Quarter and a half).

Okay fine I'll comment on Nurkic.

If this is how he plays when he's actually giving effort and trying to impress a new team, it's gonna be even worse than I thought. What we needed most this year from our center was defense.

It wasn't all bad. It was nice to see our center fighting for rebounds for a change even when they were out of position.

We knew they were trading talent for effort. At least he went straight to the basket the couple times he got the ball inside instead of fumbling the ball and/or ending up with a fadeaway or a pass. Also, there was a sequence where he got the ball in the high post and put it on the floor into the paint using his body to protect the ball, then handed over to Booker I think. I wasn’t afraid of a turnover, he seemed so in control of the flow, almost Saric-like, and I guess this is all that is required from the guy on offense, so probably the real upgrade is on this side of the ball.

On defense, it’s unfair to ask for a one-man wall, is like we want a Gobert at $15mill to call it a good trade. He seems to be a team defender, working on a flow, but our entire team is going to be required to work in this side as a unit, as we lack pure defenders on favor of offense. As with Ayton, there is a reason Nurkic was on the trading block, and I would guess is almost the opposite: Effort lacking athletic talent. Portland grew tired of him and looks at Ayton as a chance to upgrade the talent level.


My soul is going to rest from watching a guy dragging his feet, and looking overwhelmed under pressure. So I voted UPGRADE, the team as a whole is upgraded, and I won’t be comparing the center position one on one to evaluate this trade.

Overall, there was better movement on a off the ball, granted that it was Detroit, but they almost looked effortless on offense and still managed to 80% FG. Maybe Goodwin’s injury played a part, but it looks like Gordon is going to be our backup PG. Makes sense from a minutes’ distribution point of view, and hopefully it pays off. Having Book, Beal an Gordon taking chunks of those 48 minutes will open space for a defensive guard pairing with a defensive wing for longer stretches of the game. We need real effort instead of that dominayton BS, and they need whatever they can fetch to replace Lillard’s production, not Nurkic’s, it’s just that they also needed to get it from the frontcourt.

We are as injury prone as last year, but now we have appropriate depth to deal with it better. We don’t have to rely anymore on CP3 or Ayton to produce a reliable third source of points, and probably abandoned the ideal of a balanced two way team. The Suns are going for number ONE offense paired with a decent defense, and I’m okay with that. Having Vogel and so much length must give the team the option to face a defensive stop now and then, Ayton was useless on those cases, as he lacked the killer instinct to force his will on a particular play, on either side of the ball.


It’s game one of the preseason, I’m not going to forecast anything yet. But I’m HAPPY with today’s outcome and early looks.

[ShelC]

Postgame Quotes and Videos

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