Game Day: Clippers (2-0) @ Suns (1-1), Sat 10/26/19

[Mori Chu]

Reddit /r/suns has some funny photos from the game. I enjoyed this one:

[In2ition]

If Ayton continues playing and improves on his interior defense from the first game he would have helped the Suns against Harrell.

Curious, has this changed anyone's "realistic" win total or ceiling for this team?

[carey]

I don’t get that hate. He didn’t do anything dirty or talk s***. He just dominated an overrated Wildcats team. Sounds like a bunch of crybabies in Tucson.

Always.

I don't know what other teams you root for but it's like if someone that dominated the Suns became a member of the Suns. You can't just switch your mindset instantly. At least I can't. Maybe it's different today for some of you with players, even franchise players, switching teams so often that it doesn't matter.

[BookTheGoat]

[Nodack]

I am interested in seeing the next NBA Power rankings. We were between 26-27 before we played a game. Three games in and we are one basket away from 3/0 against serious teams.That has to get people talking.

[Aztec Sunsfan]

Perhaps if we were 3-0. Most people probably tuned in other games taking for granted a Suns’ loss on ganes 2 and 3. They were half right just looking at box scores

[Wally_West]

I think the days of teams underestimating the Suns are over. At least if they are smart they should be.

[Superbone]

Unfortunately that's what he'll always be known for.

Not after he's done with his Suns' stint!

That's the spirit! People want to trash him for not living up to his draft spot potential instead of what he's giving us on the court. Love the guy. And Saric had a great line too.

I’ve been a fan boy of his since he dominated UA in college

That’s why I hate seeing him in orange. Still, I’m shocked he’s averaging 15 & 7. He seems to be thriving in the PF role somehow even though he’s slow as molasses and just hit his first 3 tonight (making him just 3-13.)

Get over it, carey! He's one of us now.

[Superbone]

Not after he's done with his Suns' stint!

That's the spirit! People want to trash him for not living up to his draft spot potential instead of what he's giving us on the court. Love the guy. And Saric had a great line too.

I’ve been a fan boy of his since he dominated UA in college

That’s why I hate seeing him in orange. Still, I’m shocked he’s averaging 15 & 7. He seems to be thriving in the PF role somehow even though he’s slow as molasses and just hit his first 3 tonight (making him just 3-13.)

I don’t get that hate. He didn’t do anything dirty or talk s***. He just dominated an overrated Wildcats team. Sounds like a bunch of crybabies in Tucson.

Ha ha! No you didn't!

[Wormwood]

I watched the game, and a few things stand out:

1. The big difference between this year's team and the previous years' teams is that we're rarely putting someone on the floor who has no business being there. In previous years, we'd have at least one, and usually two players on the court at any time who fit the description of

a. awful young guy on the way out of the league (Bender, Chriss, Jackson, Canaan, Okobo, Melton, Canaan, etc..)
b. Awful veteran on their way out of the league (Anderson, Crawford, Knight)
c. Awful old guy who can still play, but doesn't care anymore and has an awful attitude. (Chandler, Ariza)
d. Players who can still play, but really don't want to be here and are playing to leave (Isaiah Thomas, Dragic, Morii Twins, Bledsoe)

This year, there's only two guys seeing any minutes who really haven't earned them (more on this in a bit.) And they're not seeing many minutes anyway.

2. Kaminsky is way better than advertised. He does a few boneheaded things, but he also twice as many where you're like, "Ooh, nice. That's was some heads up basketball." His role (not his game) reminds me of Chambers or Frye. (Sweet shooting PF/C who isn't a great rebounder or individual defender, but knows how to play within a team). He's never going to be DPOY, but his team defense is reasonably good. If he keeps this up, two years at $5M per year he's a freaking bargain.

3. Jevon Carter got a lot of rave reviews as a 2nd round pick last year. If he can keep hitting threes, he's going to stick in the league as a back-up PG for a long time. Great defender, mediocre playmaker, perfect for playing off the ball alongside a ball dominant SG like Booker. His approach to defense (I want to kill everyone) reminds me a bit of Raja Bell. I commented in the past that this mindset is what elite defenders need.

4. Saric is still pretty meh. He does some nice things, but Kaminsky looks better all around.

5. Suns three point shooting still has room for improvement. Teams will eventually figure this out and lock down the interior and let players like Oubre and Saric bomb away.

6. Why did Boston let Baynes leave? The picks he sets are scary AF. He shoots well, plays smart (except for fouls), great team and individual defender even if he doesn't get blocks. His role reminds me a lot of Kurt Thomas, and that's a huge compliment. (KT was money for 20, and could anchor the defense on a team, set bone shattering picks, and did all the little things that come out in +/-). Boxes out, and has decent hands. Doesn't ply like he's 32, in the sense that he doesn't come across as a plodder, and his foot speed for a guy his size and age is phenomenal.

7. Cam Johnson looks more than a little lost out there. For a guy who is supposedly "NBA ready", he didn't look it. His shooting is as advertised. His defense is bad, and his situational awareness is far below what was expected and advertised.

8. Okobo is the other guy getting minutes that he may not have earned. He reminds me a little of an early career Barbosa: fast as heck, but no defense and no idea where he's supposed to be on the court.

9. Team consists of a lot of "high energy" role players that are meshing better than expected. This includes Baynes, Carter, Bridges, T. Johnson, and (surprisingly) Kaminsky.

[Superbone]

Just went to NBA.com and the main page shows this image along with the title, Gutsy Suns Shock Clippers:

That pic is gonna be someones avatar. Good choice sir, in advance.

Thank you, sir.

Congrats Bone, let that look and spirit of Book be our mantra this season.

Thanks for the suggestion! It was only appropriate. My old avatar was when Booker was a kid just joining the team. Now he is the man!

[Superbone]

[Superbone]

[specialsauce]

I don’t get that hate. He didn’t do anything dirty or talk s***. He just dominated an overrated Wildcats team. Sounds like a bunch of crybabies in Tucson.

Always.

I don't know what other teams you root for but it's like if someone that dominated the Suns became a member of the Suns. You can't just switch your mindset instantly. At least I can't. Maybe it's different today for some of you with players, even franchise players, switching teams so often that it doesn't matter.

I root for the Wildcats because it’s the state of AZ. But I’m not going to hate on a college kid kicking ass. He’s no Robert Horry. Or Ginobili. He just played well. Sean Millers fault for running a shitty program.

[Superbone]

Nice post, Worm. You know I like to rib you for your negativity but that was fair and balanced with both the good and the not so good. Cam is a very smart player. He'll get there sooner rather than later.

[AmareIsGod]

Nice post, Worm. You know I like to rib you for your negativity but that was fair and balanced with both the good and the not so good. Cam is a very smart player. He'll get there sooner rather than later.

Agree. Good takes, Worm. To be fair, it was Cam's first game back.

[Cap]

8. Okobo is the other guy getting minutes that he may not have earned.

He has played a total of seven minutes through three games. Five of those seven minutes came in the short-handed b2b last night.

[Mori Chu]

I'm willing to give Cam some time. I really like his 3-point shooting so far, and that will be an asset as he becomes more comfortable out there. I don't expect a lot yet, but I just hope he keeps practicing and plays smart in the minutes he gets.

[JeremyG]

If Ayton continues playing and improves on his interior defense from the first game he would have helped the Suns against Harrell.

Curious, has this changed anyone's "realistic" win total or ceiling for this team?

Nope. I always said I could see this team winning 50 games.

[Wormwood]

8. Okobo is the other guy getting minutes that he may not have earned.

He has played a total of seven minutes through three games. Five of those seven minutes came in the short-handed b2b last night.

Right, and like I wrote in the OP, neither Cam nor Okobo has played many minutes. So, despite their poor overall play, it hasn't affected the team the way lots of extended minutes for bad players meant lots of bad basketball the past 5 seasons.