Game Day: Wizards (4-20) @ Suns (13-12), Sun 12/17/23

[TOO]

Solid win that was much needed. Still much to figure out and address, but a win even a small one against a poor team we should beat is a start for now.

There was nothing “solid” about that win. We gave the Wiz every opportunity and they just blew it.

It was solid that we didn't completely collapse yet again and lose by a large margin. And it was also solid that we did manage to score better in the 4th quarter rather creatively giving the game away in magnificent fashion. Overall, Please don't misunderstand my optimism here man. I'm not at all disillusioned as to our likely outcome this season, even though I am trying to remain somewhat positive given our current circumstances.

Suns new strategy is to just trail the whole time, can't collapse from behind.

[Flagrant Fowl]

There's nothing to be proud of with this win. The Suns were ass for the entire game, the Wiz are simply ass-ier.(?)

The whole team is in a funk right now. Even when they hustle they manage to screw up and leave a shooter wide open or dribble the ball off of their own foot. I can imagine it's deflating to think they're about to get rolling with everyone healthy only for Beal to go down again, but opponents are smelling blood in the water when they play the Suns now. They can't wait to get out and run against the Suns matador defense.

[Flagrant Fowl]

I'm approaching Ayton levels of impatience when it comes to these guys saying stuff they don't follow through with on the court this season.

[Shabazz]

It doesn't make sense for a team with this much firepower to play at the pace it does or to have the shot profile it does. We trade contested 2s for open 3s and wonder why other teams build big leads.

[Gladiator]

I am still gob smacked that a line-up with Book, KD, a smart passing C in Nurkic plus (tonight) a couple of shooters in Allen and Gordon (or Little/whoever who are supposed to be 3 and d guys) can’t seem to get any easy shots. It’s infuriating!
It feels like the court is much smaller on our end and easy to defend and much bigger on the defensive end, with space for all. Very weird.

[TOO]

It doesn't make sense for a team with this much firepower to play at the pace it does or to have the shot profile it does. We trade contested 2s for open 3s and wonder why other teams build big leads.

Yep. I don't think the Suns hired the right guy for the personnel. Vogel seems like a nice guy, says the right things, but him and Young have so many weapons on offense and they have absolutely no identity or direction.

[Superbone]

Yes, it is quite disappointing. I am going to lower my expectations for a while and hope they put it together from coaching to players. Just look for improvement from game to game win or loss.

[3TheHardaway]

I’m trying to remind myself that even the 2021 team struggled to find its identity. There was a time where it was nearly not a joke to say Cam Payne was outplaying the rest of our guards. Obviously Paul and Book figured it out, but that wasn’t pretty until about 1/3 into the season.

This team has much more to clean up (lazy passing, stagnant offense) and much less defensive versatility. We’ll see what they can figure out.

[SunsSince92]

I've just looked at our schedule for the next few games......yikes. We need to start figuring this out quick or this thing could go south rapidly!

[Superbone]

I've just looked at our schedule for the next few games......yikes. We need to start figuring this out quick or this thing could go south rapidly!

We’ve had the easiest schedule in the league to date and didn’t take advantage of it. It’s only going to get harder from here.

[ShelC]

Postgame Quotes and Videos

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[ShelC]

Tough to say what's really going on but the team looked tired and frustrated last night. We pulled out the win for once in the 4th but we know who the opponent was and it shouldn't have even been close to begin with. Book won us the game, he willed us to the win which is what great players do. The team in general just didn't have it.

Another game where a smaller guard has a big scoring game against us. Gafford had a career night and if Kuzma or Poole hit a few more shots, maybe the Wizards pull it out. So there's something lacking on the defensive end. Nurk and Eubanks played well enough I thought, just couldn't keep Gaff out of the lane. Nurk's really brought it on the boards lately.

Not ready to fire Vogel, just want to see improvements and consistency. Everything seems hard on offense, spacing seems off and you can count on guys like Allen, Nas, Metu, Nurk and Goodwin making at least one bonehead play a night. They all seem aware of what's going on - Vogel telling Book to take over, KD talking about staying together, the KD-Metu chat in game. And while it's not too late, it also isn't "still early".

[Split T]

I've just looked at our schedule for the next few games......yikes. We need to start figuring this out quick or this thing could go south rapidly!

We’ve had the easiest schedule in the league to date and didn’t take advantage of it. It’s only going to get harder from here.

It’s still easy through the new year, but it turns after that. Need to get it together these next two weeks

[Sunsfanatic76]

Solid win that was much needed. Still much to figure out and address, but a win even a small one against a poor team we should beat is a start for now.

There was nothing “solid” about that win. We gave the Wiz every opportunity and they just blew it.

It was solid that we didn't completely collapse yet again and lose by a large margin. And it was also solid that we did manage to score better in the 4th quarter rather creatively giving the game away in magnificent fashion. Overall, Please don't misunderstand my optimism here man. I'm not at all disillusioned as to our likely outcome this season, even though I am trying to remain somewhat positive given our current circumstances.

Suns new strategy is to just trail the whole time, can't collapse from behind.

Sad but true!

[Mori Chu]

[Superbone]