Game Day: Suns (29-39) vs Pacers (42-26), Thu 8/6/20

[Wally_West]

I don’t understand why he wasn’t in the dunk contest

[Flagrant Fowl]

90% of his dunks are left-handed off one leg, but I loved them all.

That's a big thing the Suns are missing right now. Someone fearless who will drive the lane and dunk on guys. Cam Johnson has shown it a little bit, but he'll never be the athlete that Oubre is now.

[Superbone]

Beautiful! Inside and out. Valley Boyzzzzzzz!!!

Pay attention, Ayton. Take notes.

[Nodack]

The Suns are playing extremely well but, Oubre adds intensity, swagger and aggression. Him and Baynes would be an addition, not a subtraction IMO.

[Mori Chu]

Oubre?!? I'm not rooting for that cheering, standing up, combing his hair, one time did a push-up, showboating piece of C R A P !!!

[specialsauce]

Push-up and headbob when we are down 20+ late in the game.

#FakeSwagger #MoreFocusedOnImageThanDefense #KellyGlamourJunior #Fabulous

[Nodack]

I welcome him back.

[Superbone]

Oubre?!? I'm not rooting for that cheering, standing up, combing his hair, one time did a push-up, showboating piece of C R A P !!!

I even saw him stand up and cheer at the same time! The gall of this guy!

[INFORMER]

The Suns are playing extremely well but, Oubre adds intensity, swagger and aggression.

Agreed.

And he is only one outside of Booker that you can count on to make things happen, regardless of the game situation. Ayton is too soft/scared, Bridges still is search for the "3" in 3&D player, Cam is spot up shooter who still needs to develop his in between and off the bounce game, Rubio's shot isn't reliable, and so on.

[Split T]

The Suns are playing extremely well but, Oubre adds intensity, swagger and aggression.

Agreed.

And he is only one outside of Booker that you can count on to make things happen, regardless of the game situation. Ayton is too soft/scared, Bridges still is search for the "3" in 3&D player, Cam is spot up shooter who still needs to develop his in between and off the bounce game, Rubio's shot isn't reliable, and so on.

Yep, I really think Kelly could have prevented that awful 1st Q from happening.

[INFORMER]

Push-up and headbob when we are down 20+ late in the game.

#FakeSwagger #MoreFocusedOnImageThanDefense #KellyGlamourJunior #Fabulous

And none of that matters. It annoys you, but it doesn't matter when it comes to playing basketball. What does matter is Oubre's ability to make our small lineups lethal with his ability to play the 4. What does matter is that he can score on just about anyone. What does matter is his rebounding that has gotten better and better. What does matter is his improving 3-point shot. What does matter is his ability to take people off the dribble.

All of that counts and adds value to the team.

I couldn't care less about his stupid pushups.

[specialsauce]

Push-up and headbob when we are down 20+ late in the game.

#FakeSwagger #MoreFocusedOnImageThanDefense #KellyGlamourJunior #Fabulous

And none of that matters. It annoys you, but it doesn't matter when it comes to playing basketball. What does matter is Oubre's ability to make our small lineups lethal with his ability to play the 4. What does matter is that he can score on just about anyone. What does matter is his rebounding that has gotten better and better. What does matter is his improving 3-point shot. What does matter is his ability to take people off the dribble.

All of that counts and adds value to the team.

I couldn't care less about his stupid pushups.

We are 6-0 due to two factors:

1. Were playing sound D. Nobody is falling asleep and losing their man. Rotations are crisp. We are ELITE (4th in bubble). This is our identity.

2. We are sharing the ball on O. It’s not sticking. Everyone is contributing. Booker is our clear #1, and everyone else is following his lead. There’s nobody hacking up shots except the man who should (Book). This is how championship teams execute- everyone defers to the lead dog and they complement his play - not take away from it.

#1 and #2 are Oubres biggest weaknesses. He simply does not fit. He may be flashy and fun to watch dunk, but he’s not a smart player.

[Superbone]

Push-up and headbob when we are down 20+ late in the game.

#FakeSwagger #MoreFocusedOnImageThanDefense #KellyGlamourJunior #Fabulous

And none of that matters. It annoys you, but it doesn't matter when it comes to playing basketball. What does matter is Oubre's ability to make our small lineups lethal with his ability to play the 4. What does matter is that he can score on just about anyone. What does matter is his rebounding that has gotten better and better. What does matter is his improving 3-point shot. What does matter is his ability to take people off the dribble.

All of that counts and adds value to the team.

I couldn't care less about his stupid pushups.

THANK YOU!

[INFORMER]

We are 6-0 due to two factors:

1. Were playing sound D. Nobody is falling asleep and losing their man. Rotations are crisp. We are ELITE (4th in bubble). This is our identity.

2. We are sharing the ball on O. It’s not sticking. Everyone is contributing. Booker is our clear #1, and everyone else is following his lead. There’s nobody hacking up shots except the man who should (Book). This is how championship teams execute- everyone defers to the lead dog and they complement his play - not take away from it.

#1 and #2 are Oubres biggest weaknesses. He simply does not fit. He may be flashy and fun to watch dunk, but he’s not a smart player.

Those are well-reasoned points, but I don't think the Suns are 2-0 due to only two factors. Have legitimate point guard play off the bench is huge. Booker is also playing on another level.

I think you're overstating how much Oubre loses his man. It is a weakness, but his length and rebounding on the defensive end are pluses.

[specialsauce]

We are 6-0 due to two factors:

1. Were playing sound D. Nobody is falling asleep and losing their man. Rotations are crisp. We are ELITE (4th in bubble). This is our identity.

2. We are sharing the ball on O. It’s not sticking. Everyone is contributing. Booker is our clear #1, and everyone else is following his lead. There’s nobody hacking up shots except the man who should (Book). This is how championship teams execute- everyone defers to the lead dog and they complement his play - not take away from it.

#1 and #2 are Oubres biggest weaknesses. He simply does not fit. He may be flashy and fun to watch dunk, but he’s not a smart player.

Those are well-reasoned points, but I don't think the Suns are 2-0 due to only two factors. Have legitimate point guard play off the bench is huge. Booker is also playing on another level.

I think you're overstating how much Oubre loses his man. It is a weakness, but his length and rebounding on the defensive end are pluses.

Thanks. Really wish I was more tech savvy and could compile a clip of all the times he’s let his man get by him while he ball watches trying to get the flashy steal or block. Several times per game. This is the best we’ve seen our D in forever. It is rare to have a mental breakdown. Cams D is very underrated.

[Aztec Sunsfan]

Yeah, Good D and Good O, usually leads to Wins, but it’s oversimplification.

We are enjoying performances from Cam, Jevon and Saric that we didn’t see all season long, and the latter two specially, seems to have benefited from descending on the rotation, Saric going from struggling against others starters to playing with bench bigs, and Carter from leading bench guard, to scort Payne in that role.

But you can’t sign up checks over a 8 games span. We are OVERACHIEVING people, going 6-0 is great but we can’t call our team all set because we are on the middle of an overachieving run. We still need that starting PF with the fire that Ayton lacks, and a first guard from the bech with bubble Payne performance.

Fine, keep Payne, he is a bargain, but find another option to rely on. If Payne keeps his mojo, all the better, with a Payne-New guy-Carter deep bench allowing us to end those other experiments, specially the Jerome one. No new guy, and all we need is one those other two coming back to earth (very likely) and we are all over again, one bench guard away from barely have a rotation.

On the frontcourt, rolling next year with Bridges, Cam J, and Ayton, it’s again kind of obvious given their contracts, but Saric had all season to display this effort and didn’t, so I would pass on him on favor of bringing back Baynes and Oubre, and then draft a PF with size to round up the rotation. Expect Saric and Cam J to perform like all year long, and you will have your heart broken. Specially Cam, once he finally enters the scouting reports, he will struggle mightily as a starter, so he is better suited to take Saric’s current spot behind a seasoned PF (imagine a healthy Millsap)

[ShelC]

Effort's never been an issue with Saric tho. Playing extended minutes and being a main frontcourt player/starter was his issue. He's not doing anything differently than before, he's just doing it against backups.

I'd still look to add to the frontcourt and I don't think anyone's penciled in as starring PF next year despite Cam's play in the bubble.

[O_Gardino]

Effort's never been an issue with Saric tho. Playing extended minutes and being a main frontcourt player/starter was his issue. He's not doing anything differently than before, he's just doing it against backups.

I'd still look to add to the frontcourt and I don't think anyone's penciled in as starring PF next year despite Cam's play in the bubble.

This is how I see it with Saric, too.

[Indy]

Effort's never been an issue with Saric tho. Playing extended minutes and being a main frontcourt player/starter was his issue. He's not doing anything differently than before, he's just doing it against backups.

I'd still look to add to the frontcourt and I don't think anyone's penciled in as starring PF next year despite Cam's play in the bubble.

This is how I see it with Saric, too.

I am not saying we should keep him (not sure what it will cost), but I see Saric a lot like Carter. Both guys were put in less-than-ideal positions by the coaching staff and asked to do things they don't excel at. But recently they have been used differently and it is paying off.

[Superbone]

Another difference for Saric is that he got in better shape for the bubble.