Game Day: Suns (8-19) @ Timberwolves (7-19), Mon 12/19/16

[O_Gardino]

McD built the roster and hired Watson. I assume he has heavy involvement from Robert. The bad passing / etc is on those decision makers.

So is the bad minutes distribution. I said all summer that you can't find time for this many players. Nobody ever does. It's just impossible to put a system in place and have a good flow to the game when you sub in 12 different guys. On paper, you can write the minutes distribution any way you want, but IRL no coach is going to go deeper than 10 consistently. Every team with a 15 man roster needs veteran practice players who know that they are going to get a lot of DNPs and know why they are there.

[Mori Chu]

Rubio, 12 assists in 37 minutes. *swoon*

(and 1-5 shooting :-/)

[Shabazz]

I saw last night that Booker is shooting 28% on open 3s this season (closest defender within 4-6 feet). Yikes. Can't blame that on Bledsoe.

[O_Gardino]

I saw last night that Booker is shooting 28% on open 3s this season (closest defender within 4-6 feet). Yikes. Can't blame that on Bledsoe.

I bet half of those are 4 feet behind the arc and shot on the move.

[EDC]

His first two three point attempts were no where close to going in. Both of those were wide open right at the line. The second didn't even hit the rim.

I'm not really worried about him. I wish he was doing better but he has plenty of time to grow. I think he will improve in the second half of the season once we trade away a bunch of people.

[Cap]

Watson's gotta be showcasing Tucker. Only reason to be giving him minutes like that. But even then, does that guy really need to be showcased? Don't teams know what he is? And couldn't we showcase him with 28 or 30 minutes and still get Chriss and Bender time? Warren is rusty so I understand easing him back in.

I don't think "showcasing" is actually a thing. Other teams know what he's capable of. It doesn't matter whether he's playing 35 minutes a game or 15.

I also suspected Knight played better. Checked the box, -5. Oh well.

That's four games in a row with a single-digit +/-. All negative, but better than his average.

[Indy]

I also suspected Knight played better. Checked the box, -5. Oh well.

That's four games in a row with a single-digit +/-. All negative, but better than his average.

Now there is that famous cap positivity!

[Superbone]

I also suspected Knight played better. Checked the box, -5. Oh well.

That's four games in a row with a single-digit +/-. All negative, but better than his average.

Now there is that famous cap positivity!

We don't need a cap on positivity around here. We need all we can get.

[LazarusLong]

I also suspected Knight played better. Checked the box, -5. Oh well.

That's four games in a row with a single-digit +/-. All negative, but better than his average.

Now there is that famous cap positivity!

We don't need a cap on positivity around here. We need all we can get.

I'm heartened that Knight has improved from truly shitty to somewhat awful.

[Gladiator]

Rubio, 12 assists in 37 minutes. *swoon*

(and 1-5 shooting :-/)

The shooting's not bad by Rubio's standards

[Gladiator]

Booker shot 40% from the field and 29% from 3 after the all star break last year. I think maybe our expectations are part of the problem.

He's 20, he continues to flash ability, but he's still 20.

I thoroughly agree with this take. He'll be fine. He could easily still be in college, but instead is averaging 19ppg and showing flashes of nice playmaking.

[Indy]

Booker shot 40% from the field and 29% from 3 after the all star break last year. I think maybe our expectations are part of the problem.

He's 20, he continues to flash ability, but he's still 20.

I thoroughly agree with this take. He'll be fine. He could easily still be in college, but instead is averaging 19ppg and showing flashes of nice playmaking.

This, along with his ability to post smaller guys, is what makes me so happy. It is hard to find a 2 that can create for others, can score off the block, and has his stroke, attitude, confidence, etc. I do feel we are rushing him a bit, but I can't be upset with his progress so far.

[Cap]

His poor 3P% dating back to February is puzzling and frustrating. His form looks good and he used to hit them, so what's happening?

[Mori Chu]

His three-point percentage will go way up when all of the following things happen:

- He gets more experience.
- The Suns have more offensive options (Warren, etc.), so that defenses can't focus so much on Booker.
- The Suns get a real PG who can set up Booker for more open shots.

[OE32]

I think Booker needs to calm down, and remember that he is, first and foremost, a spot up shooter. Shoot it calmly, smoothly, consistently. Focus. That's what he did when he was a rookie getting limited minutes. His concentration has worsened since he's received all this attention.

[UglyTruth]

Thing with Booker is that we all thought he could be a #1 option kind of player but he's simply going to be more of a #3/#4 option type of player on an actual contender.

It just sucks seeing that kind of production that Minnesota and New York are getting from Towns and Porzingis but of course Booker was drafted late lottery so he's gonna play more like a late lottery pick than a top 4 pick that Towns and Porzingis were.

[UglyTruth]

His three-point percentage will go way up when all of the following things happen:

- He gets more experience.
- The Suns have more offensive options (Warren, etc.), so that defenses can't focus so much on Booker.
- The Suns get a real PG who can set up Booker for more open shots.

These are both things we said last year too. Remember when everyone thought how much better Booker will be next to Bledsoe than he will be with Price or whoever the PG was last season?

Maybe we need to bring Ronnie Price back and start him next to Booker?

And Booker was awful in the games before Warren got injured too. If anything, he's done slightly better without Warren than with him.

[Superbone]

Thing with Booker is that we all thought he could be a #1 option kind of player but he's simply going to be more of a #3/#4 option type of player on an actual contender.

It just sucks seeing that kind of production that Minnesota and New York are getting from Towns and Porzingis but of course Booker was drafted late lottery so he's gonna play more like a late lottery pick than a top 4 pick that Towns and Porzingis were.

Totally disagree with all of that.

[UglyTruth]

Thing with Booker is that we all thought he could be a #1 option kind of player but he's simply going to be more of a #3/#4 option type of player on an actual contender.

It just sucks seeing that kind of production that Minnesota and New York are getting from Towns and Porzingis but of course Booker was drafted late lottery so he's gonna play more like a late lottery pick than a top 4 pick that Towns and Porzingis were.

Totally disagree with all of that.

I hope I'm wrong but this is the player that many draft experts expected from him out of the draft.

He just needs to develop a 3pt shot, his man is now constantly doubling off him or clogging up the paint for Bledsoe. Booker was a decent shooter before coming into the league but it just looks like the NBA 3pt line is too far for him right now.

[Mori Chu]

Just write down Booker's age and date of birth in large writing somewhere in view of you right now, and leave it visible for about 5 years. Whenever you're about to post a complaint about the progress in his game, take a good 30-second look at those numbers first.