20 Game Check-In

Discussion of the league and of our favorite team.

What's your Grade for the Suns after 20 Games?

A
0
No votes
B
14
70%
C
5
25%
D
1
5%
F
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 20

Online
User avatar
ShelC
Posts: 12896
Joined: Fri Feb 28, 2014 6:00 am

20 Game Check-In

Post by ShelC »

In the NBA they say you know what you are after 20 games (I think?). Not sure that's really true in our case since we haven't seen Book, Beal and KD play together just yet but we're 12-8, currently 5th in the West. Let's see some evals for the first quarter of the season - Thoughts on the guys who have played? The style? The coaching? This is a brand new team so how's the roster composition looked so far? Happy with the trade? The FA signings? Will go with basic letter grades for the poll but feel free to add a plus or minus for some nuance.

User avatar
Kryptonic
Posts: 3231
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2023 9:08 pm
Location: AZ

Re: 20 Game Check-In

Post by Kryptonic »

Given the rotation of injuries, new players to adjust and brand new coaching staff… I think we’ve done pretty dang good. Was a slow start but seems they’re starting to get a better feel for each other. If we can get healthy…. The leagues in trouble.

User avatar
TOO
Posts: 11598
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 2:21 pm

Re: 20 Game Check-In

Post by TOO »

Booker and KD give off the we're too good for the regular season vibes when they play together. I give this team a C, too many mental lapses.

Online
User avatar
Split T
Posts: 27200
Joined: Wed Jul 16, 2014 9:51 am
Location: Provo, Utah

Re: 20 Game Check-In

Post by Split T »

I’m on the B-/C+ fence at the moment. We’ve looked quite good when KD/Book both play…haven’t seen the full squad yet. I think the offense will be lethal…I’m worried about the defense. Will we be able to slow down a team like the Nuggets enough to beat them? Or will we have to crank out 4 unreal offensive performances against them? Nurkic vs Jokic did give me some hope.

User avatar
bajanguy008
Posts: 7280
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2016 7:28 pm
Location: Barbados, Caribbean

Re: 20 Game Check-In

Post by bajanguy008 »

TOO wrote:
Sun Dec 03, 2023 9:14 am
Booker and KD give off the we're too good for the regular season vibes when they play together. I give this team a C, too many mental lapses.
Ahhhh
Someone else sees it

Was gonna post something along these lines in the Game Day thread. Obviously they have massive respect/admiration for each other but does seem to be a Yeah i got my running mate with me, this'll be light work vibe most games
SUNS Fan from the Land of Sun, Sea and Sand ;)

User avatar
Furlanfufi
Posts: 1532
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 7:09 pm
Location: São Paulo, Brazil

Re: 20 Game Check-In

Post by Furlanfufi »

I wish we're running more. And the offense is extremely dependant on KD and Book. The coaching staff should put the role players in positions where they can score more to unload the burden on our stars.
And for all the talk about Vogel being a defense master, our defense are still lacking.

User avatar
specialsauce
Posts: 7930
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2014 8:45 pm

Re: 20 Game Check-In

Post by specialsauce »

I’m unimpressed.

We still have no identity. We still have way too many sloppy turnovers and mental lapses. We haven’t really improved since game 1.

User avatar
TOO
Posts: 11598
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 2:21 pm

Re: 20 Game Check-In

Post by TOO »

bajanguy008 wrote:
Sun Dec 03, 2023 10:38 am
TOO wrote:
Sun Dec 03, 2023 9:14 am
Booker and KD give off the we're too good for the regular season vibes when they play together. I give this team a C, too many mental lapses.
Ahhhh
Someone else sees it

Was gonna post something along these lines in the Game Day thread. Obviously they have massive respect/admiration for each other but does seem to be a Yeah i got my running mate with me, this'll be light work vibe most games
It's so obnoxious, they go out and show they can't be stopped for 20 of the 35 minutes they play then the Suns kinda just glide the rest of the time. It's hard to watch.

User avatar
JeremyG
Posts: 7485
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2018 3:16 pm

Re: 20 Game Check-In

Post by JeremyG »

If you count Toronto, then we are 3-7 when Booker is injured. In the 10 games Booker has been healthy, we are 9-1.
"I'm a Deandre Ayton guy."--Al McCoy, September 21, 2022.

User avatar
Drewsprocket
Posts: 1911
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2018 9:44 pm

Re: 20 Game Check-In

Post by Drewsprocket »

We’re in a good spot waiting for the team to be healthy to come together.

Online
User avatar
Split T
Posts: 27200
Joined: Wed Jul 16, 2014 9:51 am
Location: Provo, Utah

Re: 20 Game Check-In

Post by Split T »

JeremyG wrote:
Sun Dec 03, 2023 11:59 am
If you count Toronto, then we are 3-7 when Booker is injured. In the 10 games Booker has been healthy, we are 9-1.
Ya we clearly look much better with Book…think too many people in here are judging the team they’ve seen too often this year(the one with Book out).

I’m still not convinced the one with Book is good enough, but we also still haven’t even seen the one with everyone healthy.

User avatar
AmareIsGod
Posts: 5529
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2014 1:24 pm

Re: 20 Game Check-In

Post by AmareIsGod »

Relative to expectations I had, C+. Health is sometimes outside of control.
What is smallball? I play basketball. I'm not a regular big man. I can switch from the center to the guards. The game is evolving. I'd be dominAyton if the WNBA would let me in. - Ayton

User avatar
Kryptonic
Posts: 3231
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2023 9:08 pm
Location: AZ

Re: 20 Game Check-In

Post by Kryptonic »

TOO wrote:
Sun Dec 03, 2023 11:47 am
bajanguy008 wrote:
Sun Dec 03, 2023 10:38 am
TOO wrote:
Sun Dec 03, 2023 9:14 am
Booker and KD give off the we're too good for the regular season vibes when they play together. I give this team a C, too many mental lapses.
Ahhhh
Someone else sees it

Was gonna post something along these lines in the Game Day thread. Obviously they have massive respect/admiration for each other but does seem to be a Yeah i got my running mate with me, this'll be light work vibe most games
It's so obnoxious, they go out and show they can't be stopped for 20 of the 35 minutes they play then the Suns kinda just glide the rest of the time. It's hard to watch.
100%…. Tired of all these huge leads getting blown. It’s like a poorly scripted tv show that you just know is inevitable…. They clean that up and we’re good.

User avatar
wpmiller42
Posts: 950
Joined: Fri Feb 28, 2014 10:22 pm

Re: 20 Game Check-In

Post by wpmiller42 »

I think if we hadn't blown some weird games (the 2 against the Lakers and the 2 against SA in particular), I would have given an A. But it's a B for me right now. Injuries have been frustrating, but I like what I'm seeing most of the time, and I think there's room for improvement.

Online
User avatar
Split T
Posts: 27200
Joined: Wed Jul 16, 2014 9:51 am
Location: Provo, Utah

Re: 20 Game Check-In

Post by Split T »

I’ll just point out that Booker was out for every one of those 4th Q meltdowns

User avatar
Superbone
Posts: 35807
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:44 am
Location: Phoenix, AZ

Re: 20 Game Check-In

Post by Superbone »

Split T wrote:
Sun Dec 03, 2023 2:48 pm
I’ll just point out that Booker was out for every one of those 4th Q meltdowns
As good as Durant has been, Booker is definitely the catalyst for winning Suns basketball.
"Too little, too late, too unbothered."
- Phoenix Suns 2023-2024 season motto.

"Be Legendary."

User avatar
Superbone
Posts: 35807
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:44 am
Location: Phoenix, AZ

Re: 20 Game Check-In

Post by Superbone »

I give us a B- so far considering we have yet to have our Big 3 in a single game. Lots to work on but I can see a strong team if we can clean it up. Especially on defense and desire. Like Vogel says, even with our superstars, we need to outwork our opponents. If we do that, I think we can contend with the best including Denver.
"Too little, too late, too unbothered."
- Phoenix Suns 2023-2024 season motto.

"Be Legendary."

User avatar
Flagrant Fowl
Posts: 14302
Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2014 8:04 am
Location: Haeundae, Busan, South Korea

Re: 20 Game Check-In

Post by Flagrant Fowl »

I think a 'B' is the fairest. There are so many new parts to this team and the injuries have just made it even more difficult to hit the offensive apex we all expected.

I would've gone lower if some of the role players fell flat, which hasn't been the case at all. I would've gone higher if they weren't so lackadaisical with ball security and rebounding for several games.
Send me a PM if you're interested in joining the phx-suns.net fantasy basketball league.

User avatar
Shabazz
Posts: 7491
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:16 pm

Re: 20 Game Check-In

Post by Shabazz »

I will say it has been weird rooting for this team in the non-Booker games, where it’s almost an entirely new roster from this time last season. Other than Book, there isn’t a single “home grown” player we’ve become attached to.

I’m also a lot more emotionally detached watching the regular season this year because of the general feeling that it kind of doesn’t matter. It’s a result of being a little scarred from the last few playoffs and also recognizing that how we perform in December has little bearing on how we’ll do in May, when the single biggest determining factor to our success will be health.
Last edited by Shabazz on Sun Dec 03, 2023 7:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Superbone
Posts: 35807
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:44 am
Location: Phoenix, AZ

Re: 20 Game Check-In

Post by Superbone »

Shabazz wrote:
Sun Dec 03, 2023 6:10 pm
I will say it has been weird rooting for this team in the non-Booker games, where it’s almost an entirely new roster from this time last season. Other than Book, there isn’t a single “home grown” player we’ve become attached to.

I’m also a lot more emotionally detached watching the regular season this year because of the general feeling that it kind of doesn’t matter. It’s a result of being a little scarred from the last few playoffs and also recognize that how we perform in December has little bearing on how we’ll do in May, when the single biggest determining factor to our success will be health.
Speaking of home grown. :|

"Too little, too late, too unbothered."
- Phoenix Suns 2023-2024 season motto.

"Be Legendary."

Post Reply