Game Day: Suns (5-3) @ Kings (5-5), Monday 11/8/21

[bajanguy008]

I get you FF
Solid take and my thing is because I hold him to such a high standard he is probably the person who gets me the most upset lol. Others I'm just disappointed more than angry

It was clear when the starters came out as EJ mentioned that they now had to get their heads back in the game. He had that look on his face when it's like Oh boy Book is gonna compound mistakes and make a couple silly decisions
I'm glad the charge call worked out then again he had me missing both free throws lol

[bajanguy008]

Was great to see Cam P "run hot". I thought he got a lil carried away in the 2nd half but hitting his shots is the big positive from last night

Think Shamet gonna be solid this year. We're running sets for him and he's not hesitating anymore. Once he elevates it's really a beautiful shot so when he gets hot kinda hard to bother his shot.

My boy Cam J is for sure struggling, I didn't agree that he wasn't solid on D last night but the shooting is off. He had cold spells last year, I'm not really too worried but as I've mentioned a bunch "Off the Dribble Cam" is where I look at for his growth. That's the part bumming me out a bit so far because he looks bigger and stronger, it is showing up on D but I was hoping to see more dribble drives through contact. Some head claiming dunks and what's not but he seems to be still trying to avoid contact and hasn't been strong enough with the ball.
Anyways not gonna do the rambling at this time

[Split T]

Watching the game now…Barnes is a guy who I’d love to have here.

[Indy]

Watching the game now…Barnes is a guy who I’d love to have here.

Instead of Jae or Cam? Or I guess technically both based on salary.

[Split T]

Watching the game now…Barnes is a guy who I’d love to have here.

Instead of Jae or Cam? Or I guess technically both based on salary.

Probably doesn’t make a lot of sense for an actual trade to happen, but you could do it for something like Saric/Cam/Smith for Barnes/Min contract guy.

Not really sure what the incentive for Sacramento is though, unless they love Cam. He’d have to be involved as why would Sacramento have interest in Crowder?

I know Sacramento has been in on Simmons. Is there a 3 team deal that puts Simmons in Sactown, Hield+Cam+something in Philly and Barnes in Phoenix? Probably not

[Split T]

Also what a first half from Cam Payne, great to see! And Bridges getting to the rim a little more in this one. Even drawing some fouls, you love to see it.

[Split T]

Also thought Nader played well tonight, but I’m just starting the 4th where we blew the lead and he’s out there, so we’ll see if it holds

[Superbone]

I get you FF
Solid take and my thing is because I hold him to such a high standard he is probably the person who gets me the most upset lol. Others I'm just disappointed more than angry

It was clear when the starters came out as EJ mentioned that they now had to get their heads back in the game. He had that look on his face when it's like Oh boy Book is gonna compound mistakes and make a couple silly decisions
I'm glad the charge call worked out then again he had me missing both free throws lol

What if Fox hadn't just missed 2 FTs just before too? Could have been the difference. Luckily, they cancelled each other out.

[Superbone]

I don't get all the Cam hate and talk about him hitting his ceiling. Ridiculous. He's just in a slump. He'll break out.

[ShelC]

When guys add weight/strength, it sometimes takes a while to adjust. He'll be fine. He's too smart a player not to figure it out and he's still contributing in other areas.

[Nodack]

They thought they had it won and relaxed and it almost bit them.

I think Cam is doing fine. We tend to judge players on what they have done most recently. A couple sub par games and we put them on the trading block. A couple of good games and we are ready to anoint them the second coming. What have you done for me lately? Cam will maybe start hitting shots and then we will be talking about making him the starter over Bridges when he goes cold for awhile. Then Bridges will get hot again and it’s time to maybe trade Cam again.

I think of it like the stock market. There are always good and bad days but as long as the trend is up we are good. We have our team in place for the year and it’s doing fine. No need to start trade scenarios every time a player has a sub par game.

Every year we pick one player to be the official guy that sucks and needs to be traded asap. Nader has that distinction this year. He hasn’t been great. He hasn’t been as god awful as we make him out to be either.

[Split T]

Cam was awesome in the post season…he does a lot of nice stuff for us, but the 3pt shot is what we need and what’s going to get him paid. I imagine he’ll find it again soon.

[ShelC]

Cam also had a wrist injury last season that caused a shooting slump. He missed some games to get healthy and came back fine. Could be something similar we just don't know about.

[Shabazz]

Payne was great in the first half but I thought he did a poor job game-managing with the lead in the 3rd.

[LazarusLong]

maybe it's the new ball NBA is using that has Cam flummoxed ...

From National Public Radio:
“The NBA has been tough to watch this year.
The league shooting percentage is the lowest it has been in more than 15 years, and its 3-point percentage is the worst this century.
Everyone from Jayson Tatum to Damian Lillard to Bradley Beal can't seem to find the basket…
There have been several theories for the shooting woes, including the NBA's new refereeing rules. But the most intriguing one: The new Wilson basketball is to blame.
After 38 years, the NBA and its longtime provider of orange and leather, Spalding, parted ways, and the NBA inked a new deal with Wilson. With this comes a new game ball.
Wilson is adamant their ball is a virtual replica of the Spalding one, but some players don't agree.
"It's a different basketball. It don't have the same touch and softness that the Spalding ball had," LA Clippers' Paul George said in a recent postgame interview.
"And you'll see this year, it's gonna be a lot of bad misses ... I think you've seen a lot of air balls so far this season."
Others skeptical about the new ball include Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, as well as reigning league MVP Nikola Jokić, who complained about its lack of grip…”

[Shabazz]

I think the refs have taken the new rules too far as well. They’re letting tons of legit fouls on shots go. Attempts that normally wouldn’t count against FG% now do.

[Split T]

Probably were instructed to call it this way. Let the players know early that they are serious about the new rules.

[Superbone]

Probably were instructed to call it this way. Let the players know early that they are serious about the new rules.

Seems like every year that new rules are instituted, the refs start off strong with enforcing them and then gradually back off.

[ShelC]

Interestingly, they're overcompensating with the new rules on offensive players but seem to be letting a lot more physicality in the game.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Interestingly, they're overcompensating with the new rules on offensive players but seem to be letting a lot more physicality in the game.

I'm seeing the same thing and I'd say it's mostly a positive change. My only gripe is now officials seem to blow their whistle after seeing if the shot is made or missed with misses more likely to result in a foul called. I suppose it's still better than previously, but also aggravating in the moment.