Game Day: Suns (14-31) @ 76ers (6-39), Tues 1/26/16

[Superbone]

Can we really lose to the Sixers w/o Okafor twice in the same season?

Did you really have to ask? High draft pick, here we come!

[Ring_Wanted]

Being a "great teammate" doesn't mean shit though once you're out on the court.

I beg to differ. If you are liked, people cut you some slack on the court (even we fans do).

[Nodack]

I think everybody is playing because we are short on bodies. Everybody is getting minutes. Booker and Goodwin are starting. I don't see anything to complain about there. Len is getting lots of minutes, playing great with only one hand. Tucker isn't great but, this hate for him is a little over the top for me.

If we are in full blown tank mode then everything is going well.

[TOO]

Can we really lose to the Sixers w/o Okafor twice in the same season?

Did you really have to ask? High draft pick, here we come!

Yes, because even though losing is the best thing for the team, the fan in me still wants to win every game.

[Ring_Wanted]

I think everybody is playing because we are short on bodies. Everybody is getting minutes. Booker and Goodwin are starting. I don't see anything to complain about there. Len is getting lots of minutes, playing great with only one hand. Tucker isn't great but, this hate for him is a little over the top for me.

If we are in full blown tank mode then everything is going well.

Preach!

[Ring_Wanted]

Can we really lose to the Sixers w/o Okafor twice in the same season?

Did you really have to ask? High draft pick, here we come!

Yes, because even though losing is the best thing for the team, the fan in me still wants to win every game.

We are the worst team in the League. Every other team is the fav against us. Get to terms with it. Give up looking for joy in wins. Embrace Booker's Alan Houston impersonation, Archie's felineness. Len's hugeness ahhaha. The Ninja Warrior, I mean Warren. Knight's moments of brilliance.

Hope for better times.

yeahhhh

[carey]

It's about Tucker still stealing minutes from Warren. The short leash on him is confusing. No one on this team plays defense. You're going to single Warren out?

[Indy]

Being a "great teammate" doesn't mean shit though once you're out on the court.

I am not sure what you mean? He regularly talks about how great he was to play with, not what a great friend he was. It sounds to me like he was talking about on the court stuff, not off.

[Indy]

It's about Tucker still stealing minutes from Warren. The short leash on him is confusing. No one on this team plays defense. You're going to single Warren out?

I think it comes down to his body language, actually. He never appears to be hustling (even though he probably is). And I am fine spending time teaching a young guy that he has to hustle and fight through screens. You watch Archie and Booker and they both do that.

All that said, I would much rather see TJ on the court at the 3 than PJ. Any time, any game.

[carey]

I think he's just that kind of player. In football they call it deceptive speed. Not sure what they call it in basketball.

[Superbone]

I think he's just that kind of player. In football they call it deceptive speed. Not sure what they call it in basketball.

Bench sitter.

[Indy]

I think he's just that kind of player. In football they call it deceptive speed. Not sure what they call it in basketball.

I agree he is that kind of player. But I also wonder what he looks like in practice.

[specialsauce]

Was not a fan of Hornacek in this game. Sooo much PJ Tucker (33 minutes through 3 quarters - barf), even though he was getting schooled by Covington and bricking all of his shots (the assists were nice). What's it going to take for Hornacek to realize he's usually not a net positive out there despite all the hustle?

Also, taking out Archie when he picked up his 4th early in the 3rd. That's a time when you let the player play through it. Sixers upped there lead and by the time Archie came back it was too late.

On a macro level, Archie has been this talented all year, yet he's been absolutely buried behind some craptastic combination of Price and Weems. He's got the shortest leash on the team and if Price hadn't hurt his toe, he'd still be rotting. What does Hornacek have against him?

So most of this is conjecture, because I don't have any insider info, but if I had to guess for both, they are related. I get the impression that PJ is more of an old-school guy that listens to and respects his coach, and tries hard (even if he is ineffective). Archie seems like a guy that doesn't listen or respect his coach (even if he tries hard and is effective). These guys spend a lot of time together besides the 2.5 hours during games, and I don't think anyone outside of Robot and Saucey genuinely think Hornacek is stupid. So there is something going on.

And I know this might not count for much, but Casey Jacobson played with PJ in Germany, and he regularly talks about what a great teammate he was there.

Caught this, and yes that is accurate I do genuinely think Hornacek has a low coaching IQ and very little guts

[specialsauce]

Can we really lose to the Sixers w/o Okafor twice in the same season?

We shouldn't be losing to them at all, but the feeling around here (Philly) is the Sixers are actually a better team and much better defensively without Okafor. His Defense is AWFUL and it allows Noel to play center where he is suppose to play.I think 4 of their 7 wins have come without Okafor.

My best friend is a die hard Sixer fan and can't stand him. I'm not that harsh, but the dude coldn't play D in college either. He'll get better though.

Ish is making a hell of an impact, especially for Noel, right? It is so weird that NOP sold him for two second round picks when they need all the help they can get, at all positions.

Btw I'd be willing to open the wallet for Okafor (although probably wouldn't meet their asking price, which should be awfully high). I think he could work with Len.

Ugh. No to Okafor. I don't want anything to do with any of the punks (Blake Griffin) or delinquents that can't seem to keep their name out of the news (Okafor). Can't cheer for them now, and I would rather lose without them than win with them on the team.

[iLLmatic]

Being a "great teammate" doesn't mean shit though once you're out on the court.

I am not sure what you mean? He regularly talks about how great he was to play with, not what a great friend he was. It sounds to me like he was talking about on the court stuff, not off.

It's that whole George Castanza motto of looking busy so people think you're a hard worker. Maybe Warren doesn't have as much flare to his hustling like PJ lol.

[In2ition]

Can we really lose to the Sixers w/o Okafor twice in the same season?

We shouldn't be losing to them at all, but the feeling around here (Philly) is the Sixers are actually a better team and much better defensively without Okafor. His Defense is AWFUL and it allows Noel to play center where he is suppose to play.I think 4 of their 7 wins have come without Okafor.

My best friend is a die hard Sixer fan and can't stand him. I'm not that harsh, but the dude coldn't play D in college either. He'll get better though.

Ish is making a hell of an impact, especially for Noel, right? It is so weird that NOP sold him for two second round picks when they need all the help they can get, at all positions.

Btw I'd be willing to open the wallet for Okafor (although probably wouldn't meet their asking price, which should be awfully high). I think he could work with Len.

Ugh. No to Okafor. I don't want anything to do with any of the punks (Blake Griffin) or delinquents that can't seem to keep their name out of the news (Okafor). Can't cheer for them now, and I would rather lose without them than win with them on the team.

It's way too early to characterize Okafor as a delinquent and lost cause. Don't give up on him just yet, I think he's probably actually a pretty good dude and will learn from his recent pitfalls.

[OE32]

If Len can continue to hit that jump shot, then Okafor would fit in very nicely with our offense. We'd lose rim protection on defense, however - it's not like Okafor's going to go chasing 4s around the court the way Alex seems to be able to.

[JCSunsfan]

Okafor reminds me of Armen Gilliam. He had the ability to put up big stats, especially at garbage time, but played some of the worst defense I have ever seen for a big man.

What a disappointement, especially for the #2 pick. We eventually traded him away for a dirt worker in Kurt Rambis.