Game Day: Clippers (40-34) @ Suns (19-56), Wed 3/28/18

[The Bobster]

Suns now have three straight seasons of at least 57 losses.

66-174, .275

[The Bobster]

The Suns are one loss away from becoming the 16th team in NBA history to go winless in a month where they played at least 13 games.

And they're playing in Houston next. The Rockets have won 10 straight, have the best record in franchise history and the best record in the league.

February (1-10) is starting to look better and better by the minute.

[Superbone]

It's what we want, right?

[specialsauce]

It's what we want, right?

Yes.

I went to the game tonight. Man absolutely nobody gave a shit about the game. Loudest cheer of the night came for the dancing grannies. Shaq played well. Deandre Jordan came to the Suns bench coming out of a timeout and was hanging with Booker. A sign of bad things to come...

[ShelC]

Was this part of McD's process and timeline?

[O_Gardino]

It's what we want, right?

Yes.

I went to the game tonight. Man absolutely nobody gave a s*** about the game. Loudest cheer of the night came for the dancing grannies. Shaq played well. Deandre Jordan came to the Suns bench coming out of a timeout and was hanging with Booker. A sign of bad things to come...

tbh, the Dancing Grannies are the best thing the Suns have going on right now. Dancing Dads are great, too.

[O_Gardino]

Was this part of McD's process and timeline?

He planned this years ago.

[O_Gardino]

My name is Nathan and I am here to say that Josh Jackson is currently a more complete basketball player as a rookie than Booker was in his rookie season. JUST SAYIN.

Josh had a great game, and things are starting to really come together for him. He seems like a totally different player from the goofball in the first half of the season.

In his last 6 games, he's averaging 21.2ppg, .459 shooting, 5.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2 steals.

Rookie Booker already had a very mature game with the ball in his hands. Josh is a far more athletic player and is better in the open court and on defense.

[ShelC]

Yea the light bulb really came on for Jackson after all-star. It's crazy how you can see the game slowing down for guys. He found his rhythm, saw where his opportunities would be and adjusted. I still worry about his half court offense in general but he's near unstoppable in the open court with the ball in his hands which is a dimension we haven't had since probably Grant Hill. Maybe Hill isn't a bad comp if he can polish that jumper a bit.

And if he ad Booker are handling and distributing enough to get 3-4-5 assists each, it takes the pressure off of having to find a PG to do everything for everyone and average 8-10 apg. Find a heady, athletic guard who can knock down shots and make the extra pass and now you've got a lot of balance on the perimeter.

[Mori Chu]

I agree with the positive comments about Jackson. He's improved a ton. I still worry about his jump shot, which seems to have a stutter or hitch in it. But the rest of his game is coming together really nicely. Rather than hitting the rookie wall, he's climbed over it and become a solid pro.

[Mori Chu]

And if he ad Booker are handling and distributing enough to get 3-4-5 assists each, it takes the pressure off of having to find a PG to do everything for everyone and average 8-10 apg. Find a heady, athletic guard who can knock down shots and make the extra pass and now you've got a lot of balance on the perimeter.

I agree that we need another shooter (and competent team runner) rather than an all-out assists man like a Nash. Is that a guy we draft, or a guy we sign as an FA? Is that Avery Bradley? Trae Young?

[LazarusLong]

Yea the light bulb really came on for Jackson after all-star. It's crazy how you can see the game slowing down for guys. He found his rhythm, saw where his opportunities would be and adjusted. I still worry about his half court offense in general but he's near unstoppable in the open court with the ball in his hands which is a dimension we haven't had since probably Grant Hill. Maybe Hill isn't a bad comp if he can polish that jumper a bit.

And if he ad Booker are handling and distributing enough to get 3-4-5 assists each, it takes the pressure off of having to find a PG to do everything for everyone and average 8-10 apg. Find a heady, athletic guard who can knock down shots and make the extra pass and now you've got a lot of balance on the perimeter.

I could see Jackson playing some minutes at guard alongside Booker, which would give the Suns a tall backcourt (imagine that ...?) TJ could fill in at both forward positions. Ayton, if drafted by Phx, could start at center, then rotate outcourt to forward with Williams banging around inside. It would be nice to have some flexibility.

[O_Gardino]

Yea the light bulb really came on for Jackson after all-star. It's crazy how you can see the game slowing down for guys. He found his rhythm, saw where his opportunities would be and adjusted. I still worry about his half court offense in general but he's near unstoppable in the open court with the ball in his hands which is a dimension we haven't had since probably Grant Hill. Maybe Hill isn't a bad comp if he can polish that jumper a bit.

And if he ad Booker are handling and distributing enough to get 3-4-5 assists each, it takes the pressure off of having to find a PG to do everything for everyone and average 8-10 apg. Find a heady, athletic guard who can knock down shots and make the extra pass and now you've got a lot of balance on the perimeter.

I could see Jackson playing some minutes at guard alongside Booker, which would give the Suns a tall backcourt (imagine that ...?) TJ could fill in at both forward positions. Ayton, if drafted by Phx, could start at center, then rotate outcourt to forward with Williams banging around inside. It would be nice to have some flexibility.

Jackson has played 28% of his minutes at SG this season, some of those minutes were with Booker, and it seemed to work OK.

In general, though, going big doesn't work as well as going quick. Ayton is going to be purely a Center in the NBA.

[LazarusLong]

Yea the light bulb really came on for Jackson after all-star. It's crazy how you can see the game slowing down for guys. He found his rhythm, saw where his opportunities would be and adjusted. I still worry about his half court offense in general but he's near unstoppable in the open court with the ball in his hands which is a dimension we haven't had since probably Grant Hill. Maybe Hill isn't a bad comp if he can polish that jumper a bit.

And if he ad Booker are handling and distributing enough to get 3-4-5 assists each, it takes the pressure off of having to find a PG to do everything for everyone and average 8-10 apg. Find a heady, athletic guard who can knock down shots and make the extra pass and now you've got a lot of balance on the perimeter.

I could see Jackson playing some minutes at guard alongside Booker, which would give the Suns a tall backcourt (imagine that ...?) TJ could fill in at both forward positions. Ayton, if drafted by Phx, could start at center, then rotate outcourt to forward with Williams banging around inside. It would be nice to have some flexibility.

Jackson has played 28% of his minutes at SG this season, some of those minutes were with Booker, and it seemed to work OK.

In general, though, going big doesn't work as well as going quick. Ayton is going to be purely a Center in the NBA.

True. Big and Quick is fun, if one can make it happen. Think Showtime Lakers or the Rockets of the Sampson/Olajuwon/McCray/Reed years ...

[Mori Chu]

Would the following lineup be crazy in 2019's NBA?

PG - Booker
SG - Jackson
SF - Warren
PF - Bender
C - Ayton

No traditional PG, but plenty of those guys could distribute the ball. And that's a lot of nice offensive firepower. If Warren works on his corner 3s this offseason, I could see that lineup being really interesting. And, of course, if Bender figures his shit out and starts to play more consistently.

I'd watch that team.

[Split T]

I don't like Jackson and Warren together on the wings. That team still needs another shooter and I don't buy Warren developing into one by next season. I also don't think Bender will be ready to start next season, I know he's starting right now, but he shouldn't be.

Booker, Jackson, and whoever we draft top 4 are the 3 starting pieces next year. The other 2 should come from free agency/trades/draft picks.

Sidenote: it's really unfortunate Bender and Chriss were in such a bad draft. They'd be borderline lottery picks in last year's or this year's draft and we'd have a healthier viewpoint on their potential/future if we didn't look at them as high lotto picks. We took 2 of the rawest players from one of the weakest drafts this century. Maybe we should pretend they went 14/18 instead of 4/8.

[specialsauce]

I don't like Jackson and Warren together on the wings. That team still needs another shooter and I don't buy Warren developing into one by next season. I also don't think Bender will be ready to start next season, I know he's starting right now, but he shouldn't be.

Booker, Jackson, and whoever we draft top 4 are the 3 starting pieces next year. The other 2 should come from free agency/trades/draft picks.

Sidenote: it's really unfortunate Bender and Chriss were in such a bad draft. They'd be borderline lottery picks in last year's or this year's draft and we'd have a healthier viewpoint on their potential/future if we didn't look at them as high lotto picks. We took 2 of the rawest players from one of the weakest drafts this century. Maybe we should pretend they went 14/18 instead of 4/8.

Agree with all above statements.

[JustWinBaby]

Yea the light bulb really came on for Jackson after all-star. It's crazy how you can see the game slowing down for guys. He found his rhythm, saw where his opportunities would be and adjusted. I still worry about his half court offense in general but he's near unstoppable in the open court with the ball in his hands which is a dimension we haven't had since probably Grant Hill. Maybe Hill isn't a bad comp if he can polish that jumper a bit.

And if he ad Booker are handling and distributing enough to get 3-4-5 assists each, it takes the pressure off of having to find a PG to do everything for everyone and average 8-10 apg. Find a heady, athletic guard who can knock down shots and make the extra pass and now you've got a lot of balance on the perimeter.

How would a guy like Zach Lavine fit with that group.

C - Ayton
PF - Free agent, draft pick or trade (Bender or Chriss ???????)
SF - Jackson
SG - Booker
PG - Lavine

It is a shame that most of us do not have the confidence to put Chriss or Bender in as our starting PF for next year. It either of them do somehow turn into an effective starting PF next year we really could see dramatic improvement.

[Split T]

I've been going through a lot of young guys I'd love to add to our core. I think most are probably not available, but you never know. Tell me what you think.

Guys I'd love:

Myles Turner - I think he'd pair beautifully in a front court if we draft Bagley. I don't see any reason Indy would move him though.

Dario Saric - Is already what we hope Bender becomes. Philly has no reason to move him though, maybe if they sign Lebron.

Randle/Gordon/Parker - None are great fits, but all are very talented and very available as restricted free agents.

Frank Ntilikina - Heard a crazy stat that he's the best pick and roll defender in the league right now. Don't see him as available, but what if we drop to 4 or 5 and we trade down with NY at 9 and pick up Frank?

I still love Fultz too, but he's not available.

Any other young guys out there we might have a shot at?

[TOO]

Yea the light bulb really came on for Jackson after all-star. It's crazy how you can see the game slowing down for guys. He found his rhythm, saw where his opportunities would be and adjusted. I still worry about his half court offense in general but he's near unstoppable in the open court with the ball in his hands which is a dimension we haven't had since probably Grant Hill. Maybe Hill isn't a bad comp if he can polish that jumper a bit.

And if he ad Booker are handling and distributing enough to get 3-4-5 assists each, it takes the pressure off of having to find a PG to do everything for everyone and average 8-10 apg. Find a heady, athletic guard who can knock down shots and make the extra pass and now you've got a lot of balance on the perimeter.

How would a guy like Zach Lavine fit with that group.

C - Ayton
PF - Free agent, draft pick or trade (Bender or Chriss ???????)
SF - Jackson
SG - Booker
PG - Lavine

It is a shame that most of us do not have the confidence to put Chriss or Bender in as our starting PF for next year. It either of them do somehow turn into an effective starting PF next year we really could see dramatic improvement.

Lavine is redundant with Booker, neither are a PG, WE NEED A GOOD PG.