Game Day: Pelicans (3-1) @ Suns (3-1), Fri 10/28/22

[Split T]

I’ll say this, there’s a lot of similarities between our recent run and the Jazz recent run…. We should try not to copy the Jazz.

[virtual9mm]

I’ll say this, there’s a lot of similarities between our recent run and the Jazz recent run…. We should try not to copy the Jazz.

Indeed. A really good system that can be game-planned around. You can't Gobert an Ayton -- but you can drag him out to the perimeter and let your 4's dominate our 3's playing 4's inside. And you can't really shut down Booker but you can hound him with two or three defenders -- meaning that when CP3 is playing like a 40-year old, the Suns remain vulnerable.

Further development by Bridges and especially Ayton will be key. But we simply can't assume that everything is all hunky dorey. I've been screaming for a bigger 4 all summer -- just look at what Christian Wood did to us. Imagine him playing next to Ayton or Landale, stretching the floor on offense and being that secondary shot-blocker and rebounder on defense. Or...even Jalen Smith.

A CP3 backup is hard -- if Payne continues to be 2020-2021 Payne instead of the 2021-2022 version, he'll be all right. Doesn't mean that I'm not upset about Haliburton.

[Drewsprocket]

I'm somewhat concerned about Chris Paul's play, but, he is still third in the NBA in assists at 10.0 and has been generally a savvy floor leader even if his individual scoring and shooting are below expectations. I hope he's just taking his time and pacing himself for the long season.

His play is great for a role playing PG. Unfortunately we’re depending on him to be our second best player yet again because nobody else has flashed new skills, which is so bad

I don’t know what to think about him yet…I get the sense that he didn’t play much if any basketball during the offseason. I’m giving him till Christmas, but if by the new year we haven’t seen him able to consistently get buckets, I think we’ll have to adjust and realize he’s now a Rubio level guy.

Mikal flashed some stuff last night, but I think it’s also telling that it happened when Booker was being doubled constantly. Bridges had a lot of space and openings to work with. We need to see more.

I’m hoping whatever move JJ makes adds shot making/creating in the playoffs on games when CP3 is shut down or outta gas.

[AmareIsGod]

If only great records won titles...

Yeah. Let's not enjoy this season then. The fuck with it all. Wake me up when it's the playoffs and in the meantime, I won't enjoy dick about these meaningless regular season games. Growth and maturity at maybe identifying our #2 option by the playoffs and anything else positive that transpires that makes us more playoff ready. We trashed the bench and James Jones for being ass yet they've been fantastic early on. A bit too much optimism though so I'll tone it down.

You do you, bud.

And you do you and keep wallowing in a dark cloud after every win this season for another 50 or so by bringing up our game 7 trouncing by Dallas and our embarrassing exit. Yep, we lost last season. Therefore we can't be proud of anything this season or excited unless it ends with a championship. The journey shouldn't be enjoyed in the moment.

We all took a bite of the same shit sandwich you did last postseason. It doesn't mean we want to keep eating off of it every game this season. I've had my fill. I also haven't won the lottery in life or struck it rich. Doesn't mean I'm going to bitch about it everyday and rush to the finish line towards death.

I don't bring up the trouncing or anything of the sort, I bring up the lack of roster depth and bemoan the moves that James Jones has made to capitalize on the window the Suns had. But yeah, keep reading what you think you're reading.

I guess my point is more around many of the pessimists that attack the optimism around here with the non-stop reminder of last postseason. Apologies if you felt that was directed solely at you.

[Superbone]

A CP3 backup is hard -- if Payne continues to be 2020-2021 Payne instead of the 2021-2022 version, he'll be all right. Doesn't mean that I'm not upset about Haliburton.

Well, dig in then because you're going to be upset about it for years to come.

[Nodack]

The Suns could be 50/0 and lead the NBA in every category and there would still be a group of people here despondent over their horrible play after every game. I call it the glass is always empty syndrome. Enjoy your misery.

I am ecstatic over their start. I knew the starters would kick ass. I was worried about our bench. My worries have been alleviated quite a bit after the first several games.

A lot of talk about Paul being too old and not scoring enough this season. Maybe Father Time caught up to him? Father Time comes for everyone eventually. I think Paul has more in his tank. I think Paul has been doing this for a long time and doesn’t feel the need to try to set a scoring record early in the season just to alleviate Suns fans worries. I think he is more concerned with getting his teammates going, getting wins and staying healthy and fresh enough for the playoffs.

They are one missed gimme basket in overtime from being 5/0. They should be doing better? Give them a break.

Unforgivable miss

Also, guess what 50-0 and an L in the second round of the playoffs gets you?

A bag of dicks.

We have enough dicks in Phoenix. We need a ring.

So…if we’re winning by essentially the same formula and don’t see drastic improvement that can offer a different look in the playoffs, it’s another regular season championship.

I need to see sustained creation of offense by Mikal, Cam, or DA. One of them needs to become an initiator of offense OR we need to acquire someone that will. Regular season Ws and Ls are meaningless, unless it’s because Jock misses a gimme.

You guys take all the fun out of basketball. You are going to be miserable all season no matter what the Suns do.

[TOO]

It's really interesting how people think misery and wanting your favorite basketball team to upgrade it's roster are the same thing lol.

[Superbone]

It's really interesting how people think misery and wanting your favorite basketball team to upgrade it's roster are the same thing lol.

I'm not seeing that. Don't we all want to upgrade our team?

[JeremyG]

I’ll say this, there’s a lot of similarities between our recent run and the Jazz recent run…. We should try not to copy the Jazz.

Indeed. A really good system that can be game-planned around. You can't Gobert an Ayton -- but you can drag him out to the perimeter and let your 4's dominate our 3's playing 4's inside. And you can't really shut down Booker but you can hound him with two or three defenders -- meaning that when CP3 is playing like a 40-year old, the Suns remain vulnerable.

Further development by Bridges and especially Ayton will be key. But we simply can't assume that everything is all hunky dorey. I've been screaming for a bigger 4 all summer -- just look at what Christian Wood did to us. Imagine him playing next to Ayton or Landale, stretching the floor on offense and being that secondary shot-blocker and rebounder on defense. Or...even Jalen Smith.

A CP3 backup is hard -- if Payne continues to be 2020-2021 Payne instead of the 2021-2022 version, he'll be all right. Doesn't mean that I'm not upset about Haliburton.

This is a huge need that just continues to go unaddressed. Or worse (the Smith trade).

[JeremyG]

I wasn't complaining. I just find it funny that only 2 or 3 of us on here saw it coming.

Doing a lot of victory lapping after 5 games

He’s not a Suns fan, just a DA fan. Dude only talks shit about every single other player on the team

Such a stupid accusation to say that if you don’t just blindly motorboat the whole year then you must not be a real fan you motorboating SOB

The irony is palpable.

I don’t think you understand the definition of the word you’re using, but your persistence is adorable

Definition of irony
1a: the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning
b: a usually humorous or sardonic literary style or form characterized by irony
c: an ironic expression or utterance
2a(1): incongruity between the actual result of a sequence of events and the normal or expected result
(2): an event or result marked by such incongruity
b: incongruity between a situation developed in a drama and the accompanying words or actions that is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play
— called also dramatic irony

3: a pretense of ignorance and of willingness to learn from another assumed in order to make the other's false conceptions conspicuous by adroit questioning
— called also Socratic irony

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irony

[TOO]

It's really interesting how people think misery and wanting your favorite basketball team to upgrade it's roster are the same thing lol.

I'm not seeing that. Don't we all want to upgrade our team?

Can't speak for others, but it's all I've been bitching about since they blew it against the Bucks, yet here they are, running it back, AGAIN.

[Superbone]

It's really interesting how people think misery and wanting your favorite basketball team to upgrade it's roster are the same thing lol.

I'm not seeing that. Don't we all want to upgrade our team?

Can't speak for others, but it's all I've been bitching about since they blew it against the Bucks, yet here they are, running it back, AGAIN.

True minus role player changes. And I don't have a good answer for it. My only speculation was and maybe still is that we're holding out for Durant. I think we all agree we could use a good power forward. Still hoping that comes from Crowder but not holding my breath.