Game Day: Thunder (7-9) @ Suns (8-7), Wed 1/27/21

[Split T]

Why is Shabazz Napier still unsigned? Could use him as a 3rd pg.

[specialsauce]

BTW, lost in all this is a nice game by Nader.

For a guy who seemed to be a trade throw-in, he's much better than expected, at least so far ...

Nader seems like the only guy other than Chris Paul who is willing to drive to the basket. He isn't awesome at it, but the fact that he at least attacks the basket forces the defense to collapse and either nets him a layup or opens up a pass to a 3-point shooter. We need more of that. I suspect that's why Nader is getting minutes over Galloway.

IMO the biggest problem with the current roster construction is that we acquired a ton of spot-up shooters and not enough guys with other discernable talents. We need a mix: some guys who drive to the basket, some defensive specialists, some great passers, some excellent shooters. We have a bunch of James Joneses of various heights.

I'm pretty disillusioned with Chris Paul at this point, too. He seems overweight to me and his body language often looks like he's going through the motions. I hate how much he holds the ball and dribbles unnecessarily. I especially dislike when he goes into "shake and bake" type moves for no reason, further eroding the shot clock. As many others have said, the offense just stagnates when he does this. It seems like Paul would be most effective with a strong P&R partner, but Ayton is too inconsistent to be that for him. Paul does try to feed Ayton on rolls to the basket, but it often leads to bobbled passes and turnovers due to Ayton's bad hands.

I actually think we would be better with Rubio as our starting PG. I know Rubio's stats are dreadful in Minnesota right now, but I think a lot of that is situational for that team. Plus Rubio's got to be disheartened being sent to such a dysfunctional place after giving his best to Phoenix. I think if he were here he would be pushing the pace better than Paul has been. And while Rubio is considered a poor shooter, I have no more confidence in Paul's shot. When Chris Paul pulls up for a 3, I just assume it will bounce out. Paul's midrange shooting is good, but that won't save us.

I want to mention Bridges. I love, LOVE, Bridges. But he was basically a non-factor last night against OKC. He scored 7 points, shot 3-13, and 1-6 on 3s. That just isn't good enough. If Booker is out, Bridges should be trying to get 18-20 ppg to help make up the gap. Ayton also had a bad game, scoring just 5 points on 2-7 shooting.

I don't want to overreact too much given that we're missing our best player in Booker. But there are some real problems with the roster and the strategy right now. I do think this is a playoff team, but probably not a contender in the brutal West.

I don’t like Nader but I agree with the rest of this post.

And no, Kelly Oubre is not who I’m thinking of when I’m thinking about this roster being constructed with another playmaker/athlete off the bench.

I think our bench is going to be fine if Dario and Cam can ever get right.

We really needed a backup 4 that is an athlete/physical player. Not Damian Jones.

As mediocre as he is, Holmes would be a good fit next to Saric off the bench and much cheaper than Crowder.

All of this is moot. We’re stuck with Chris Pail for 2 years and if he does not stop with the shake and bake, walking the ball up the court play then the rest of the roster construction doesn’t matter we will not win.

[ShelC]

Nader's a solid basketball player and fine as a 9th-10th guy. He shouldn't be a major part of a rotation and I think we've been playing him mainly because Book's been out and we've seen teams like the Rockets and Nuggets with bigger/thicker swings. Gallo can't matchup in those situations and while he's a flamethrower when his shot is falling, he doesn't provide anything else.

Teams have scouted us, have adjusted to us, know to play to our weaknesses. Can't ask Bridges and Cam Johnson to be things they're not. Jones wanted a roster with shooters everywhere and now the shots aren't falling. Something's gotta give.

[Flagrant Fowl]

I don't really get the obsession with Galloway. He's pretty worthless if he's not hitting 50% of his shots in combination with a defensive matchup that's not going to be a huge liability. He's Troy Daniels.

Nader is the better all around player, which is what the team needs with Booker, Saric and Payne out right now.

[Split T]

I don't really get the obsession with Galloway. He's pretty worthless if he's not hitting 50% of his shots in combination with a defensive matchup that's not going to be a huge liability. He's Troy Daniels.

Nader is the better all around player, which is what the team needs with Booker, Saric and Payne out right now.

Nader is better all around, but Gallo is shooting 48% from 3. He’s ok on defense, he’s not Troy Daniels. Not sure why Carter or Moore are ahead of him in the rotation. Moore especially has shown nothing. Carter brings defense, but has been an awful shooter.

[Flagrant Fowl]

I don't really get the obsession with Galloway. He's pretty worthless if he's not hitting 50% of his shots in combination with a defensive matchup that's not going to be a huge liability. He's Troy Daniels.

Nader is the better all around player, which is what the team needs with Booker, Saric and Payne out right now.

Nader is better all around, but Gallo is shooting 48% from 3. He’s ok on defense, he’s not Troy Daniels. Not sure why Carter or Moore are ahead of him in the rotation. Moore especially has shown nothing. Carter brings defense, but has been an awful shooter.

You're right about Moore, but Galloway has tunnel vision like Troy Daniels. It's either going up from 25 feet or he's passing the ball. That's extremely easy to defend.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Of course I say that and Galloway gets two makes inside the paint tonight against the Warriors...

[Split T]

Of course I say that and Galloway gets two makes inside the paint tonight against the Warriors...

Haha I wasn’t gonna say anything, but...

[Superbone]

Nader's a solid basketball player and fine as a 9th-10th guy. He shouldn't be a major part of a rotation and I think we've been playing him mainly because Book's been out and we've seen teams like the Rockets and Nuggets with bigger/thicker swings. Gallo can't matchup in those situations and while he's a flamethrower when his shot is falling, he doesn't provide anything else.

Teams have scouted us, have adjusted to us, know to play to our weaknesses. Can't ask Bridges and Cam Johnson to be things they're not. Jones wanted a roster with shooters everywhere and now the shots aren't falling. Something's gotta give.

Tonight, Nader said, “Hold my beer.”

[INFORMER]

I really don't understand Chris Paul's approach on offense, as a whole.

I’d love to see it on another team.

Me too.

[INFORMER]

This team has got to push the pace. We won’t win until Monty stands up to CP3 and demands he push the ball. He did it to Ricky consistently last year, I remember him prodding him to push the ball up the court. He’s not doing with with Chris.

Apparently, we should have never messed with the bubble team.

No, that team had clear deficiencies, and 3 out of 8 of the wins came against teams resting players. The Suns needed to keep building. But that doesn't mean the changes made were good changes.

[INFORMER]

And while Rubio is considered a poor shooter, I have no more confidence in Paul's shot. When Chris Paul pulls up for a 3, I just assume it will bounce out.

Fair point. I don't know what has happened to his 3-point shot.

[Charlie Smithy!]

And while Rubio is considered a poor shooter, I have no more confidence in Paul's shot. When Chris Paul pulls up for a 3, I just assume it will bounce out.

Fair point. I don't know what has happened to his 3-point shot.

I'm certainly not trying to speak this into existence, but it kind of reminds me when Jimmy Jackson suddenly lost his shot with us, I believe during his second season.

Thankfully Chris can still hit the mid-range

[LazarusLong]

The Suns got the last bit of game from Jimmy J in the 04-05 season -- he hit about 46% from deep.

Next year he struggled to hit 29% with Suns. Did a bit better with the Lakers, but he was out of the league after 05-06.

[Charlie Smithy!]

The Suns got the last bit of game from Jimmy J in the 04-05 season -- he hit about 46% from deep.

Next year he struggled to hit 29% with Suns. Did a bit better with the Lakers, but he was out of the league after 05-06.

As a side note, Laz, I'm still kind of amazed that the combo of Kidd, Jackson, and Mashburn never led to anything for the Mavericks.

[INFORMER]

Toni Braxton.

[specialsauce]

This team has got to push the pace. We won’t win until Monty stands up to CP3 and demands he push the ball. He did it to Ricky consistently last year, I remember him prodding him to push the ball up the court. He’s not doing with with Chris.

Apparently, we should have never messed with the bubble team.

No, that team had clear deficiencies, and 3 out of 8 of the wins came against teams resting players. The Suns needed to keep building. But that doesn't mean the changes made were good changes.

They did. We needed an upgrade at PG, but I’m a different way than Jones was thinking. We just needed a better fit of a PG next to Book, not a star necessarily. And we needed some toughness. We got neither so far.