Suns News: Week 18 2/12-2/18

[carey]

Only 2 games this week & then the All-Star break.

Last Week's Games

@ L.A. Lakers LOSS 112-93
vs. San Antonio LOSS 129-81
vs. Denver LOSS 123-113


This Week's Games

Monday, February 12th @ Golden State 10:30 PM EST NBATv
Wednesday, February 14th @ Utah 9:00 PM EST

Suns Stories

Devin Booker to miss fourth straight game when Suns face Warriors Monday - https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/ ... 328049002/

Josh Gray collects second 10-day contract with Suns - https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2018 ... ate-roster

Center of the Sun: Another winless week for the 18-39 Phoenix Suns - https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2018 ... oenix-suns

[The Bobster]

Average minutes for Alex Len -

October - 23.4
November - 22.8
December - 20.2
January - 17.4
February - 13.5

Next Year - 0.0

[Hermen]

Suns winning percentage -

October - 42.9
November - 31.3
December - 40.0
January - 28.6
February - 0.0

Next Year -

Rebounds go down every month though (and blocks more or less). But assists are trending up! And we're consistently playing 48.0 minutes per game, with only a small bump in November at 48.3.

[LazarusLong]

Average minutes for Alex Len -

October - 23.4
November - 22.8
December - 20.2
January - 17.4
February - 13.5

Next Year - 0.0

Yes -- will not be surprised if they let Len go as a free agent, because, of course they will keep Chandler and ensure he starts and plays whenever he wants to.
Exhibit "A" of why the Suns need a basketball expert in the FO, not some drone to take heat for his boss' bad decisions...

[LazarusLong]

In other news ... pitchers and catchers report today! Spring training for baseball is just around the corner!

[O_Gardino]

Average minutes for Alex Len -

October - 23.4
November - 22.8
December - 20.2
January - 17.4
February - 13.5

Next Year - 0.0

Yes -- will not be surprised if they let Len go as a free agent, because, of course they will keep Chandler and ensure he starts and plays whenever he wants to.
Exhibit "A" of why the Suns need a basketball expert in the FO, not some drone to take heat for his boss' bad decisions...

Len has been very clear that he does not want to be here. He only returns if the Suns are his only offer.

[O_Gardino]

More depressing stats:

our recent bad run has plunged our regular's +/- per 100 so far that Canaan and Mike James are now our highest "rotation" players in that category.
Payton and Daniels are our best current rotation players, at -7.5 ish
Reed and Gray are -25 and -30 per 100 possessions.

[Mori Chu]

It's too bad that we have botched our relationship with Len so badly. I bet he'll make a nice center for some other team.

Josh Gray collects second 10-day contract with Suns - https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2018 ... ate-roster

I haven't seen much from Josh Gray to think that he has a place on this team. But whatever.

[Superbone]

And we're consistently playing 48.0 minutes per game, with only a small bump in November at 48.3.

Good find!

[Superbone]

It's too bad that we have botched our relationship with Len so badly. I bet he'll make a nice center for some other team.

Josh Gray collects second 10-day contract with Suns - https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2018 ... ate-roster

I haven't seen much from Josh Gray to think that he has a place on this team. But whatever.

Gotta have somebody out there playing point. Of course he has no future here.

[Gladiator]

It's too bad that we have botched our relationship with Len so badly. I bet he'll make a nice center for some other team.

Len is an indictment on the Suns’ development in recent years. He is never going to be the player I hoped he would become when we drafted him but given the flashes he has shown at times, it is hard to reconcile him not being able to carve out a niche here.

[specialsauce]

https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/ ... 338523002/

Man I am really ready to move on from Markieff Morris 2.0

[carey]

The Ringer staff selects Booker #2, right after KAT in their 2015 redraft: https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/2/14 ... -porzingis

2. Lakers: Devin Booker
O’Connor: Booker has proved to be a high-end scorer who has also developed immensely as a playmaker. The only reason Kristaps Porzingis isn’t the selection is because of injury concerns, but he’s still right there despite them.

Tjarks: The first bomb!

Danny Chau: KOBE SYSTEM.

O’Connor: I just don’t see how you can take a guy with his track record of injuries and a torn ACL with the second pick over Booker.

Tjarks: Would you take Embiid over Booker if he were in this draft? Or do you feel like Embiid’s ceiling is higher so it would be worth the gamble? Or do you feel like KP is even more injury prone? That would be a strong take.

Chau: It’s a horrible question of quality or quantity. Embiid has had three major injuries to his back, knee, and foot. Porzingis has had injuries all over his body in a very short amount of time, but none of them were as severe as any one of Embiid’s, until the ACL tear. I feel like “injury prone” would be a label more appropriate for Porzingis, though I suppose it could apply to both.

As for Booker, sure: Booker is one of the purest spiritual successors to Kobe. But, I don’t know, is that healthy for Lakers fans?

Verrier: The franchise functions as if Kobe were still its best player, so it makes sense. I’m not the biggest Booker fan, but I defend him the same way I once did Kyrie during his early years: The (reasonable) gripes about his defense have obscured just how good of a scorer he is and how much progress he’s making as a playmaker.

If Booker were the pick here, the ripple effect would become super interesting. The Lakers’ core would suddenly become Booker, Brandon Ingram … and Jayson Tatum? Or, if the Celtics stay at no. 1 in last year’s draft, Josh Jackson? And will the Kyrie comp become even more pronounced if LeBron joins the Lakers?

[Indy]

https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/ ... 338523002/

Man I am really ready to move on from Markieff Morris 2.0

That is EXACTLY how I think of him too. But not as good.

[Indy]

Wow. That article.

[specialsauce]

He doesn’t even understand why he’s not playing hard or well. Really disappointing

[iLLmatic]

Yeah I'm ready to move on too. He's too emotional in a bad way. I like my players like Barkley who knew how to channel their emotion by going out and getting every damn rebound that bounced off the rim or would try to dunk on everybody in the area. Marqueese just puts his head down and pouts.

[Mori Chu]

I, too, am not very impressed with Chriss. I want to keep Bender but am pretty close to fed up with Chriss and wouldn't mind seeing him traded around draft time.

[Indy]

He doesn’t even understand why he’s not playing hard or well. Really disappointing

When you talk about Bender not being salvageable because his mental make-up is not being aggressive enough (even though he is 19), I think you are nuts. But when I read this article about Chriss, I can't find a way his mental make-up is salvageable because he talks as if the world is against him and there is nothing he can do about it. It is a completely different mindset than "the world is against me and I am going to show everyone how wrong they were about me."

Does that make me racist?

[specialsauce]

He doesn’t even understand why he’s not playing hard or well. Really disappointing

When you talk about Bender not being salvageable because his mental make-up is not being aggressive enough (even though he is 19), I think you are nuts. But when I read this article about Chriss, I can't find a way his mental make-up is salvageable because he talks as if the world is against him and there is nothing he can do about it. It is a completely different mindset than "the world is against me and I am going to show everyone how wrong they were about me."

Does that make me racist?

Lol, maybe.

I also have more faith in Bender than Chriss. Two main reasons: I think Bender has more of an insight into his problems, he's well aware that he's too passive and is making an attempt at fixing that. He made strides for a few games (yet again has become irrelevant the last 2 games. really disappointing that he can't sustain any ounce of progress). However, he acknowledges the issue and seems to make a genuine effort to fix that.

Chriss has a horrible attitude, continues to bark and sulk on the court, and he doesn't even seem to acknowledge that his attitude is a real problem. I think Bender's problem is insecurity and personality, I think Chriss's issues come from entitlement. I have much less faith in him.

The other reason I have much less faith in Chriss is because frankly I don't think he has much basketball skill. He's an athlete. His skill level is marginal. Markieff had the attitude but he had legitimate NBA talent. Bender has legitimate talent that he flashes when he is aggressive.