Game Day: Suns (33-23) @ Rockets (24-31), Friday 2/23/24

[Mori Chu]

I just don't think this team is a contender. Feels like a first-round exit or maaaaybe second round if they overachieve. There is simply no way we can hang with the actually great teams in the league like the Celtics, Nuggets, Bucks, Clippers, etc. Not with all this iso offense and lethargic defense. This isn't a great team, and we are all-in. This is going to haunt us for a decade to come.

[specialsauce]

You have to trade KD. Sorry.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Funny, same thing happened last spring when it was only Booker and KD.

How about we wait until the end of the playoffs with the intention of a healthier lineup

[Superbone]

Funny, same thing happened last spring when it was only Booker and KD.

How about we wait until the end of the playoffs with the intention of a healthier lineup

I agree. Doesn’t look great now but let’s see what happens. Right now it feels like what Mori described. First round exit or second round if things break our way. I don’t think any Finals team has looked so bad defensively and so iso offensively.

[iLLmatic]

This team hasn’t looked elite all year. I’m still waiting for them to shift into that next gear and it hasn’t happened.

[Wally_West]

I just don't think this team is a contender. Feels like a first-round exit or maaaaybe second round if they overachieve. There is simply no way we can hang with the actually great teams in the league like the Celtics, Nuggets, Bucks, Clippers, etc. Not with all this iso offense and lethargic defense. This isn't a great team, and we are all-in. This is going to haunt us for a decade to come.

[ShelC]

Postgame Quotes and Videos

Spoiler: show/hide

[bajanguy008]

It's unfortunate that our stars poor play made it hard for folks to enjoy/appreciate Bol's game but.....

Book !!
KD !!

I refuse to let you and couple of the supporting cast run up my blood pressure smh (well at least not until tomorrow against the Lakers )
Bol had me smiling and jump out my seat a couple times and that's what I gonna choose to remember from this otherwise shit show. Full credit to the kid who clearly continues to put in the work behind the scenes.

[Split T]

Didn’t watch the game, but seems like making judgements on a team on the 2nd night of a back to back when they are missing 2 starters is not the best idea. I do think the team has a ways to go, but I’m gonna wait and see.

[ShelC]

It goes beyond B2B and missing 2 starters. It's the complete lack of cohesion and structure on either side of the ball. We're 60 games in and still talking about the same stuff. Missing Beal shouldn't have the same impact as missing Steve Nash in the 7SOL days. Even when CP or Book missed games the past 3 years, we still won with our offensive system and defensive effort and fundamentals.

[Mori Chu]

This team just doesn't have it. Which would be fine, since only one team can win the title; but we mortgaged a decade's worth of picks and assets to put this team together. By the standards of cost and opportunity, this has to be one of the most disappointing teams of the past few decades in the NBA. And it doesn't show any reasonable prospect of getting better. Letting them have more time to gel and get to know each other has been prudent, but we're about 3/4 of the way through the season at this point. This is what the team is. It's a team full of extremely talented players that just lets any damn fool bring the ball up the court and try to run an offense, often leading to double teams and turnovers, or else to contested long jumpers after zero passes. And on defense we're mediocre at best. This is not a contender. Zero chance this team wins a title. And next year, they'll be worse, as KD / Beal will be a year older and many of our role players may leave, and we'll be way over the cap/tax limit.

I like KD, but at this point if we could get 3 1sts for him, I'd be fine with trading him. Same for Beal, if we could just dump his salary, though I doubt anybody would take it. I think we should just reset and start the long slow rebuilding process. I'd do a fire sale for anybody but Booker.

IMO the big lesson of this team is, never EVER trade away a decade of your future for 1-2 seasons. You just don't know what can happen, and you can't risk so many years of depressing future on one run. I would be much happier if we still had Mikal and CP3 and were .500 and had all our picks and were not really in contention.

[Split T]

It goes beyond B2B and missing 2 starters. It's the complete lack of cohesion and structure on either side of the ball. We're 60 games in and still talking about the same stuff. Missing Beal shouldn't have the same impact as missing Steve Nash in the 7SOL days. Even when CP or Book missed games the past 3 years, we still won with our offensive system and defensive effort and fundamentals.

The team had like the 3rd best offense and 6th best defense from Jan 1st until the all-star break…how do you say that team lacks cohesion and structure on either side of the ball. This still feels very reactionary to one game…admittedly to a game I didn’t watch. I’m sure I’d be a bit more down on the team if I had as well.

[Split T]

This team just doesn't have it. Which would be fine, since only one team can win the title; but we mortgaged a decade's worth of picks and assets to put this team together. By the standards of cost and opportunity, this has to be one of the most disappointing teams of the past few decades in the NBA. And it doesn't show any reasonable prospect of getting better. Letting them have more time to gel and get to know each other has been prudent, but we're about 3/4 of the way through the season at this point. This is what the team is. It's a team full of extremely talented players that just lets any damn fool bring the ball up the court and try to run an offense, often leading to double teams and turnovers, or else to contested long jumpers after zero passes. And on defense we're mediocre at best. This is not a contender. Zero chance this team wins a title. And next year, they'll be worse, as KD / Beal will be a year older and many of our role players may leave, and we'll be way over the cap/tax limit.

I like KD, but at this point if we could get 3 1sts for him, I'd be fine with trading him. Same for Beal, if we could just dump his salary, though I doubt anybody would take it. I think we should just reset and start the long slow rebuilding process. I'd do a fire sale for anybody but Booker.

IMO the big lesson of this team is, never EVER trade away a decade of your future for 1-2 seasons. You just don't know what can happen, and you can't risk so many years of depressing future on one run. I would be much happier if we still had Mikal and CP3 and were .500 and had all our picks and were not really in contention.

Yeesh..we way down in the dumps

[Mori Chu]

Why hold on to a core that can't win a title and will only get worse?

[AmareIsGod]

Bol Bol looked incredible. Did he get 0 minutes vs Dallas? Come on Suns. Dude needs more opportunities! I'd take him all day of Ewwwbanks.

[Split T]

Why hold on to a core that can't win a title and will only get worse?

We just don’t see it the same way. I think it’s unlikely they win a title, but I think they have a shot. I also don’t believe they can only get worse. There will be avenues to improve. Contrary to what you might think, we do have a draft pick this summer.

[TOO]

Which will be traded for scraps. Bank on that.

[Vladimir_Taltos]

Vogel is gone, IMHO...that will happen before they throw in the towel. Vogel doesn't know what to do or how to motivate the team...at least it feels that way. I still believe a capable PG helps, so there's that and a coaching change as first options...

[Kryptonic]

Vogel is gone, IMHO...that will happen before they throw in the towel. Vogel doesn't know what to do or how to motivate the team...at least it feels that way. I still believe a capable PG helps, so there's that and a coaching change as first options...

Lets get JJ Reddick to coach this team

[AmareIsGod]

Also, Houston missed a FT late, got the offensive rebound with less than 15 seconds and the airhead on their team tried to score instead of killing the clock. KD blocks it and that low IQ complete idiot waste EG freaking loses the ball out of bounds. Game over at that point IMO. Guy is useless with the ball in his hands other than chucking 3's. His handle sucks, his passing sucks, his physique sucks.